U.S. Citizenship

A person can acquire United States citizenship in a number of
ways.

In general, a person who is born in the United States is
automatically a U.S. citizen

In certain situations, if you weren’t born in the United States,
you can petition the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration
Services (previously INS) for a certificate of citizenship
showing that you derived citizenship at birth from a United
States citizen parent or grandparent who was living abroad.
Depending upon the circumstances and whether you are
legally residing in the United States, you may get a
certificate of citizenship even if your parent or grandparent
wasn’t a U.S. citizen at the time you were born abroad, but
later became a U.S. citizen.

The most common way for a person not born in the United
States to become a U.S. citizen is through the naturalization
process.

NATURALIZATION
To petition for naturalization, you must meet certain eligibility
requirements. In general:

You must be a lawful permanent resident ("green card"
holder), who has had a "green card" for at least five years,
and be at least 18 years of age. However, a "green card"
holder who is married to a United States citizen can petition
for naturalization after just three years if:

Your spouse has been a United States citizen
for at least three years
You’ve been married at least three years
You actually live together

You must also be physically present in the United States for
at least half of the five (or three) years that you’ve been a
lawful permanent resident

You must also reside continuously in the United States from
the date the petition is filed until citizenship is obtained.
Although a lawful permanent resident is allowed to leave
and re-enter the country, absences beyond six months can
break the period of continuous presence required for
citizenship.

You must show good moral character and demonstrate that
there is no reason you should be barred from becoming a
citizen. For example, a person who has been convicted of
murder, an aggravated felony, drug-related offenses, or
certain other crimes may be ineligible to become a United
States citizen. Other acts making a person ineligible for
citizenship include the willful failure to pay child support or
the failure to file tax returns.

You’re required to pass an exam demonstrating
competence in English, knowledge of basic American
history, and how the United States is governed. People
exempt from the exam requirements include:

Persons over 50 years of age who have resided in
the United States for 20 continuous years after
obtaining green cards.
Persons over 55 years of age who have lived in the
United States continuously for 15 years after
obtaining green cards.

New Laws
In 1996, Congress enacted two new laws affecting immigration and
welfare, making it impossible for most non-citizens to receive most
public benefits. NOTE: The receipt of public benefits by non-
citizens can affect an immigrant’s chances of becoming a citizen in
the future.

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Citizenship