The Naturalized Citizen Process
People born outside of the U.S. have dreamt of becoming American citizens for hundreds of years. The process of “naturalization” is what an individual must go through to become a U.S. citizen. This process is handled by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and once one of the officers in this organization approves a person’s citizenship, it’s as if they were born right here in America.
The Requirements of becoming a Citizen
A person cannot just show up in America and apply for naturalization the next day. There are certain requirements that must first be met. The majority of cases require that a person have a green card and have been a permanent resident in the country for a minimum of five years. Those who got their green card due to marriage only have to wait three years.
Individuals who served in a branch of the U.S. military usually don’t have to wait a certain time period before applying for naturalization. Those who have committed serious crimes, on the other hand, are likely barred from becoming naturalized.
Starting the Process of Naturalization
Anyone who hopes to become a naturalized citizen will need to start by filling out Form N-400. The completed form must then be submitted in its entirety to the USCIS. Those who served in the military, however, must fill out form M-599.
There are certain individuals who may not have to fill out any form even if they weren’t born in America. If a person’s parents became U.S. citizens before that person turned 18 years old, it’s likely that they’re already a U.S. citizen and need to fill nothing out.
After the Application
After completing the appropriate form, an applicant will be contacted by the USCIS and instructed to be fingerprinted. The USCIS will give full details on how to do this. Military members can likely skip this step. After this is complete, there’s only one thing left to do: the interview.
A USCIS officer will contact an individual after all of their paperwork is complete. They will set up an interview where all of the person’s paperwork will be reviewed. This interview is also where the “citizenship test” will be conducted.
This test will ensure that an applicant is fluent in English and has a proper understanding of the U.S. government and U.S. history. A person who fails this test will be reassigned a new test date; a person who passes will receive a notice of where to go to be sworn in as a United States citizen.
Becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States is a bit of a process, but anyone who has come out on the other end of this process a citizen knows full well that it’s worth it. Many of the most successful naturalization candidates get the help of attorneys before filing their paperwork. Unfortunately, naturalization is a lengthy legal process, so having a lawyer handle the process is usually a good idea.
Roland is an immigration lawyer based in San Antonio, TX. He and his associates at Gutierrez Law Firm have been helping people obtain visas and green cards for over twenty years.
