Are you eligible to become a naturalized US citizen?

Realize the next logical step of becoming a Naturalized US citizen!

Naturalization is the next logical step for most green card holders to become US citizens. It is considered one of the most common ways to become a US citizen. Most of the foreign nationals in the United States become citizens through the naturalization process. As per the reports, an average of one million US permanent residents apply for their citizenship through naturalization every year.

Benefits of a US citizenship

The US citizenship comes with many benefits. It gives nearly equal access to the immigrants. Just explore the major benefits of the US citizenship.

• Protection from deportation
• Citizenship for your children
• Family reunification
• Eligibility for government jobs
• Freedom to travel
• Ability to vote

To avail of these benefits, you have to check the eligibility criteria to become a naturalized US citizen.

Eligibility criteria for US Citizenship through Naturalization

There are various requirements, but the major eligibility criteria have to be fulfilled before an individual can apply for citizenship. Generally, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Minimum Age: The candidate must be 18 years old to apply for naturalization.

Continuous and Physical Presence: You must be continuously present in the US as a green card holder for a minimum of five years. If you are married to a US citizen, then you have to be there for at least three years. Here continuous means you have to assure that you will return within six months if you leave the US. For this, you need to present a compelling reason so that the USCIS officer evaluating your application can immediately consider it.

Residency: To satisfy this criterion, you have to be a resident of the state or the USCIS district so that you can apply for US citizenship. In this "State" refers to the following:

• The District of Columbia
• Puerto Rico
• Guam
• The U.S. Virgin Islands
• The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Whereas the “USCIS district” refers to the geographical area served by a particular USCIS field office, determined by your ZIP code.

Good Moral Character: This criteria is broadly defined by the USCIS as a character that measures up to the standards of average citizens.

English Proficiency and Civics Knowledge: This is an important part of naturalization process, where you have to pass the two-part naturalization test.

• An 'English language test' that evaluates your reading, writing, and speaking skills
• A 'Civics test' that evaluates your knowledge of the US history and government

Allegiance to the United States: In this, you need to demonstrate an “attachment” to the U.S. Constitution. Here, “Attachment” means that you need to assure the USCIS that you believe, support, and are willing to protect the principles of the U.S. Constitution by accepting the democratic process and promising to obey the laws.

Your citizenship process differs based on the Green Card you obtained. To know more details, get in touch with our expert immigration professionals.

Need assistance to immigrate to US, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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