Citizenship & Naturalization

For most, the goal is to become a U.S. citizen and, for many, its achievement requires endurance, but the benefits of citizenship make it all worth it.  With citizenship, an individual is empowered to vote, to bring family members to the U.S., obtain a U.S. passport, run for office, and eligible to hold a federal job.  For an immigrant to become a U.S. citizen, he/she must apply for naturalization.  The naturalization process is generally open to all those that meet the following requirements:

• At least 18 years old;
• Permanent resident for either five years (three years if married to a U.S. citizen);
• Have not been out of the U.S. for thirty or more months in the past five years;
• In the past five (or three years if married to a U.S. citizen), have not taken a trip lasting more than one year;
• Three month residency in district or state in which application will be filed;  
• A person of good moral character;
• Read, write and speak basic English;
• Understand the fundamentals of U.S. history and form and principles of U.S. government;
• Support the Constitution and willing to take an oath of allegiance to the U.S.

More relaxed requirements apply to certain categories of persons, such as, persons serving in the U.S. military, longtime permanent residents that meet certain age requirements, and those with disabilities.  

If eligible for naturalization, the process begins with an an application that must be filed with USCIS.  Upon receipt and review of the application, USCIS will provide the applicant with an interview date. After a successful interview, the applicant will be scheduled for a naturalization ceremony and take the oath of citizenship. 

While citizenship can be acquired through the process of naturalization, a child may be eligible for derivative citizenship. With the passage of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, a child that meet the following requirements may be entitled to automatic citizenship:

• has at least one U.S. citizen parent, by birth or naturalization;
• is under 18 years of age;
• is currently residing permanently in the U.S. in the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent;
• has been admitted to the United States as a lawful permanent resident or has been adjusted to this status;
• if the adopted, the child must also meet the requirements applicable to the particular provision under which they qualified for admission as an adopted child under immigration law.