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CITIZENSHIP / NATURALIZATION
Most persons seeking to be naturalized as a United States citizen must meet the
following requirements: a) Be a lawful permanent resident of the United States;
b) Be at least 18 years of age at the time of filing the application for
naturalization; c) Maintain a physical presence in the United States for at
least half of the required residence time preceding the date of filing the
application. The residence time is
five years, unless naturalization is based on marriage to a US citizen in which
case it is only three years. A
person is permitted to file their application for naturalization three months prior
to meeting the physical presence requirement; d) Not have abandoned their
physical presence in the United States; e) Reside within the state or within the
INS district where the application will be filed for at least three months
immediately preceding the filing of the application; f) Be a person of good
moral character during the three or five year statutory period; g) Be attached
to the principals of the Constitution of the United States; h) Be able to speak,
read, and write the English language (unless exempt there from); and i) Pass an
oral test on the history and government of the United States. Please read the instructions, attached to the naturalization application form N-400, carefully to determine who can file the application and what documents will be needed to meet the naturalization requirements. Click here to download a free copy of the application form and instructions from the INS website.
The completed application, together with filing fee, photographs, copy of
the alien card, and a twenty-five dollar fingerprinting fee should be mailed to
the immigration service center in the United States that has jurisdiction over
the applicant’s place of residence. A
complete list of service centers is included on our web site and in the
instructions to the form. Note: Whenever you mail any forms or documents to the immigration service, you should always do so by certified mail-return receipt requested, or by some form of express mail for which you can obtain proof of receipt. This is very important in the event immigration loses your application. In that event you can submit your proof of receipt, with evidence of payment, and you can continue the processing of the case by presenting a duplicate of everything that was previously filed.
The immigration service center will send you an appointment to be
fingerprinted at an application support center.
Then, when the fingerprint clearance has been received, together with
your original resident alien file, you will be scheduled for an interview on
your application at the citizenship office closest to your place of residence in
the United States. At that time, your application will be reviewed and you will be questioned on your knowledge of the government and history of the United States, as well as your ability to speak, read, and write the English language. After you pass this exam, you will be scheduled for a final swearing in appointment where you will be granted US citizenship. |
