– Becoming a US Citizen –
Naturalization is becoming a U.S. citizen if you were born outside of the United States. You can become a citizen of the United States either before or after birth if you meet specific qualifications.
Learn how to apply for citizenship in the United States, as well as sample exam questions and what the naturalization process entails.
Understanding How to Become a U.S. Citizen
A general description of the naturalization application procedure is in this section below.
Make sure you fulfill all eligibility standards before applying and see if you qualify for any exceptions or modifications.
Citizenship by birth in the United States, citizenship by derivation, citizenship through acquisition, and citizenship by naturalization are the four basic methods of becoming a US citizen.
Naturalization is the procedure by which most immigrants in the United States become citizens. In reality, about one million permanent residents apply for citizenship every year on average.
What is Naturalization?
Naturalization is the procedure through which a foreign national can become a citizen of the United States.
Only select immigrants are eligible: those who have had a green card (permanent residence) for 3–5 years or who have completed military duty.
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Eligibility for Naturalization
To proceed with the naturalization procedure for U.S. citizenship, you must meet the following requirements besides waiting three or five years after receiving your green card (unless you’re applying based on qualified military service):
1. You must be at least 18 years old to participate.
2. During the three- or five-year waiting period, you must not have made any visits outside of the United States that lasted over six months.
3. You must have lived in the state where you intend to seek citizenship for at least three months before applying.
4. You must have “excellent moral character,” which is a character that meets the requirements of your community’s typical citizens.
However, it shows you haven’t committed certain types of crimes, such as murder, illicit gambling, or willfully lying to the US government.
You did not lie during your naturalization interview, and you did not lie to the government in order to obtain immigration advantages — on your record at any point before filing.
5. A two-part naturalization test must be passed: the first is an English language test (encompassing reading, writing, and speaking skills), and the second is a civics test (covering knowledge of U.S. history and government).
6. If called upon, you must serve in the United States military or perform civilian service for the United States.
7. If you are a male and have lived in the United States between the ages of 18 and 25, you must register with the Selective Service System.
8. You will defend the United States Constitution.
What is the Current Naturalization Wait Time?
Between the moment you file your citizenship application and the time you attend the Oath of Allegiance ceremony, the naturalization processing time is currently between 18.5 and 24 months (as of June 2021).
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What will it Cost for Naturalization?
For citizenship applications, the current government filing price is $725, which includes $640 for processing and $85 for biometrics services.
Both the application filing cost and the biometrics fee are waived for military applicants. The same procedure follows for the biometrics charge for applicants aged 75 and up.
Are You Eligible to Apply for Citizenship through Naturalization?
Eligibility for naturalization depends on numerous factors
1. How long you’ve had your green card
2. How long you’ve resided in the United States
3. Whether you’ve served in the US military (and, if yes, whether it was during “peacetime” or “wartime”).
For more information on this see here.
Becoming a US Citizen by Birth
Any individual born in the United States (including the territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands) is automatically a US citizenship under US law.
But children with parents that are foreign diplomats or members of a sovereign Native American tribe are not given citizenship.
The United States Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment ensures that citizens may vote. According to the Constitution:
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
Citizenship through Acquisition
Even though a child was born outside the United States, he or she may immediately “acquire” citizenship in certain conditions.
At least one parent must be a citizen of the United States at the time of the child’s birth, as well as a number of other requirements.
Both Parents were US Citizens
Both parents should be citizens of the United States at the time of the child’s birth, both parents are married at the time of the child’s birth, and at least one parent must have lived in the United States, its territories, or both prior to the child’s birth.
One Parent was a US Citizen
One parent must have been a U.S. citizen at the time of the child’s birth; the child must have been born on or after November 14, 1986;
So the parents must have been married at the time of the child’s birth, and the U.S. citizen parent must have been physically present in the United States at the time of the child’s birth or its surrounding territories for a period of at least 5 years, and two of those years should be after his/her 14th birthday.
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Citizenship as a Result of Derivation
When a parent naturalizes, his or her children (under the age of 18 and living with the parent at the time) may immediately “derive” US citizenship if they are also permanent residents.
A child who gets citizenship in the United States by derivation is not to undertake a naturalization ceremony.
Foreign-born children under the age of 18 are automatically citizens of the United States if these criteria are met:
1. The child must be a U.S. lawful permanent resident (“green card”)
2. at least one parent must be a U.S. citizen,
3. and the child must be in the legal and physical custody of a U.S. citizen parent in the United States.
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StudentsandScholarship Team.
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