U.S. Citizenship 

Naturalization is the process that allows immigrants to become U.S. citizens. Eligibility is limited to specific groups, including immigrants who have held a green card (permanent residency) for 3 to 5 years or those who fulfill certain military service criteria.

1. Determine your eligibility to become a U.S. citizen.

2. Prepare and submit  Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.

3. Go to the biometrics appointment, if this requirement applies to you.

4. Complete the interview and the exam.

5. Receive a decision on your application.

6. Take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and receive your Certificate of Citizenship

In addition to waiting 3 or 5 years after getting your green card (unless is based on qualifying military service), you must satisfy the following requirements to proceed with the naturalization:

1. You must be at least 18 years old.

2. You must not have taken any trips of six (6) months or longer outside of the United States during the three- or five-year wait period.

3. You must've been a resident of the state where you plan to apply for citizenship for at least 3 months.

4. You must have “good moral character” - character that measures up to the standards of average citizens in your community (such as murder, illegal gambling, intentionally lying to the U.S. government in order to gain immigration benefits, and you did not lie during your naturalization interview).

5. You must pass a two-part naturalization test: an English language test (covering reading, writing, and speaking skills) and a civics test (covering knowledge of U.S. history and government).

6. You must be willing to serve in the U.S. military or perform civilian service for the United States if called upon to do so.

7. You must register with the Selective Service System if you are male and have lived in the United States between the ages of 18 and 25.

8. You must be willing to defend the U.S. Constitution.

The processing time for naturalization is approximately 4-6 months.

U.S. citizenship through parents can be acquired either at birth or after birth, depending on specific circumstances. A child born abroad may automatically become a U.S. citizen if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen at the time of the child’s birth and meets certain residency or physical presence requirements. For children born outside the U.S. to non-citizen parents, citizenship can be derived if one or both parents naturalize before the child turns 18, provided the child holds lawful permanent resident status and resides in the U.S. under the custody of the naturalized parent. This process allows children to gain citizenship without going through naturalization themselves.

A Certificate of Naturalization is a document issued by USCIS to foreign nationals who have successfully completed the process of becoming naturalized U.S. citizens. This certificate serves as evidence of the individual’s U.S. citizenship and contains important information such as the person’s full legal name, country of birth, date of birth, and the date they were granted U.S. citizenship.

The Certificate of Citizenship is issued to individuals who were born outside the U.S. and acquired U.S. citizenship at birth through their parents or through other means, such as adoption. For example, a child born to U.S. citizens overseas would be eligible for a Certificate of Citizenship. This document serves as proof of the individual’s U.S. citizenship from birth.