Overview
of Requirements for US citizenship and Application
Process
Satisfying
the requirements for US citizenship of the bureau
of citizenship and immigration services can be a long,
frustrating, and difficult experience. There are many
important choices to make in the confusing process
of immigration into the United States. This site was
created to give you the information you need to make
the right decision.
However, it
cannot in any way replace good advice free immigration
legal counsel about the applicable procedures and
laws to each specific case. On this note, if you have
not already done so, stop right now and
read our homepage. It is full of surprising information
that could save you a great deal of time and money.
Once you have read through the homepage, come back
here to find out more about your particular situation.
Ready
to find out what it takes to fulfill all the requirements
for US citizenship? Keep reading to find out everything
you need to know…
Foreign-born
persons are able to obtain US citizenship in the United
States through a process called Naturalization.
According
to the requirements for US citizenship, once the bureau
citizenship and immigration services grants citizenship
to the individual, the foreign-born person is granted
all of the rights American born persons have, for
example the right to vote, the right to governmental
jobs and the freedom to travel with an American passport
which provides entry without a visa into many countries.
If the individual satisfies all the requirements for
US citizenship, a key benefit a naturalization applicant
will derive once granted citizenship is the ability
to petition for an immediate family member through
a much faster petitioning process. It is important
to note however, that there are a number of requirements
for US citizenship. These requirements are discussed
below.
Who is Eligible?
In most situations,
a person is eligible to apply for Naturalization,
if they meet the following requirements for US citizenship:
- Applicant has been a lawful
permanent resident for five years (or three years
for spouses of United States Citizens)
- Applicant is 18 years old
- Applicant is of good moral
character
- Applicant can speak, read,
and write English
- Applicant must pass a test
on U.S. history and government
- Applicant was physically present
in the U.S. at least half the requisite time
- Applicant has maintained lawful
permanent residence continuously
- Applicant swears loyalty to
the U.S. by taking an oath of allegiance
(Note: According to the
requirements for US citizenship, minor children of
U.S. naturalization applicants may also be eligible
and included in a naturalization application, under
certain circumstances.)
Visa Duration
As long
as you satisfy all the requirements for US citizenship,
US citizenship does not expire. However, it can be
voided or withdrawn (i.e. when a person commits certain
types of crimes).
Renewability
As long
as all the requirements for US citizenship are fulfilled,
US Citizenship documents do not have to be renewed.
Family Benefits
Once you
fulfill all requirements for US citizenship, certain
family members may be immediately eligible to receive
citizenship, such as minor children. Others are eligible
to receive a green card with shorter wait periods
than family members of lawful permanent residents
(green card holders).
What documents will I need to
fulfill the requirements for US citizenship?
To satisfy
all the requirements for US citizenship of the bureau
citizenship and immigration services, you will need
the following documents:
- Birth Certificate(s)
- Copy of Legal Permanent Residency
Document
- Marriage Certificate (if applying
because of marriage to a United States Citizen)
- Employment and residence history
for the last five years
- List of trips taken outside
of the U.S. during the last five years
- Two passport size photographs
on white background
What does the
process entail?
Stage
1:
To satisfy
the requirements for US citizenship, you must prepare
and file form N-400 (Application for Naturalization)
with the appropriate filing fees at the bureau citizenship
and immigration services center in your district.
Stage
2:
Once the application
is submitted, the applicant will receive notice from
the bureau citizenship and immigration services center
notifying it of a fingerprint appointment date. Appearance
at the fingerprint appointments are requirements for
US citizenship. Hence, the individual shall appear
at his or her fingerprinting appointment at the date
stated on the notice sent by the bureau citizenship
and immigration services center.
The individual
must prepare for and appear for all meetings and interviews
scheduled by the bureau citizenship and immigration
services as the interviews are requirements for US
citizenship. (Note: failure to attend scheduled
meetings may result in a denial of naturalization
as they are requirements for US citizenship).
One must attend
the citizenship interview before an immigration officer
wherein the officer will ask immigration citizenship
questions. You should study the 100
questions citizenship test in this website and
prepare through a sample citizenship interview. The
immigration
test answers are also included on this website.
You should review the answers United States immigration
test and take the sample test several times in preparation
of the citizenship interview.
Through the
US immigration test, the officer of the bureau citizenship
and immigration services will test the applicant's
knowledge of U.S. civics and government, and English
literacy tests. Study the attached US immigration
test questions to prepare but know that during the
actual citizenship interview, you may be asked only
a few immigration citizenship questions. Still, it
is best to overprepare for these procedures as to
feel more relaxed during the interview.
It is recommended
that you seek the counsel and representation of a
citizenship lawyer who may provide you official US
citizenship and immigration information about the
applicable laws to your specific case. Immigration
lawyers in USA commonly referred to as citizenship
lawyer may also conduct a sample citizenship interview
with you to give you a clear idea as to what to expect
on the day of the actual US citizenship interview.
A citizenship lawyer will also be able to give you
the immigration citizenship questions (100 questions
citizenship test) along with answers to the US immigration
test.
Also, to obtain
more information and free worksheets for citizenship,
the 100 questions citizenship test, and answers for
United States Immigration test, you can contact the
bureau citizenship and immigration services.
Once the applicant
satisfies the above requirements for US citizenship,
if the applicant satisfies the interviewing officer
and the alien's file is complete, the applicant will
then be scheduled for a swearing in ceremony. To completely
fulfill the requirements for US citizenship, the individual
must attend and participate in the swearing in ceremony.
Stage 3:
Once the individual
satisfies all the above listed requirements for US
citizenship, the applicant is given an appointment
notice with an attached list of questions that must
be submitted at the swearing in ceremony. This is
to ensure that the applicant has maintained their
lawful presence and good moral character (requirements
for US citizenship) between the time of the interview
and the swearing in ceremony. Once the form is submitted,
the applicant will be sworn in. The applicant must
turn in their I-551 card (Legal Permanent Residency
Document or "green card") and is then subsequently
issued a naturalization certificate. At this point,
the applicant has fulfilled all applicable requirements
for US citizenship and is an official U.S. Citizen!!!
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