Your Complete Guide To Requirements To Become a US Citizen
By Did you know that a US citizenship has certain conditions? You need to obtain a green card to get US citizenship which is being used as a proof of lawful permanent residence in America. The United States fitness is the country in one of two parts; citizens are either born abroad or they take-go through naturalisation-the process of becoming a citizen.
Thus, are you ready to become a US citizen? Maybe you freak out to have seen what an US Citizen has to do rights and duties first? In front of the whole world, you are acknowledged that you are now counted as an individual who belongs to the United States legally. All right, and we are ready to start a tour concerning the matter of “How Required US Citizenship”.
What Does It Mean To Be A Citizen Of The US?
If you are educating yourself about membership in the USA, you should be aware of what US citizenship means in general and the main kinds of citizenship and its laws.
Citizenship sums up the legal process of becoming a citizen of the United States. Once citizenship is granted, the person gets access to the civil, political, and social rights that are part of being a citizen. Such rights should be accompanied by duties, obligations, and responsibilities for a smooth transition into their own country.
What Are The Sources Of Citizenship In The United States?
There are two main types of sources of citizenship in the United States. However, it is to be noted that since the Constitution is the father of all laws in the land, it serves as a source of all types of citizenship.
The Sources
In the United States there are two main whereto types of citizenship: acquired and inherited. On the one hand, it is important to note that the Constitution undertakes the role of laws in the country hence is the source of all including citizenship.
The second type of United States citizenship source is known as naturalisation. In this type, a person who is an immigrant and is Deemed to be eligible legally applies for citizenship and becomes one when it is accepted.
The initial of the legislative citizenship classification is birthright citizenship. The one that is born and identifies itself as a U.S citizen or a child of a U.S citizen by place of birth is a United States citizen as well. It is primarily intended for those who attain citizenship by a specific process, such as being born abroad to a citizen of the United States.
The other manner of getting citizenship by naturalisation in the United States is known to be naturalisation. This option allows a person to get permanent right of residency in a country of their choice and after meeting all the requisite conditions become a citizen of the country.
What Are The Various Types Of Citizenships In The United States?
Now that we have discussed the sources of citizenship let us describe the various types of United States citizenship.
If you are looking to understand the requirements to become a US citizen, it is important to know the various types of citizenship first.
The Types
These are the different types.
- The first type is birthright citizenship. This is the kind where a person becomes a United States citizen as soon as they are born in the jurisdiction of the United States.
- There is something called derivative citizenship. This is when a person becomes a US citizen if they have American parents.
- Naturalized citizenship is a third type. This is when a person is not born in the United States. However, they naturally become one by meeting certain criteria.
- There is something called dual citizenship. You can also choose to be a citizen of the United States as well as a citizen of another country at the same time.
- You can become a US citizen through parents and adoption. If adult Americans following the proper rules adopt a child who was not born in the US, the child will become a US citizen as soon as the adoption process is completed.
What Are The Requirements To Become A US Citizen?
There are multiple reasons why one would want to be a US citizen. For starters, we could talk about the benefits that US citizens enjoy on a daily basis.
Rights Enjoyed By A US Citizen
Firstly all US citizens enjoy the right to cast a vote and participate in the democratic process. By doing so, one can take part in elections to choose leaders for their country. They can take part in the policy-making process of the United States.
- US citizen has the right to work in the government and also run for public office. This way, they can be the leader of the nation and bring forth positive changes.
- Only a United States citizen can apply for us passport. Once they get the passport, they are free to travel internationally and also receive support and protection from foreign US embassies abroad.
- A US citizen can live and work in any part of the United States for as long as they want to. They are not subject to restrictions on immigration as the non-citizens are.
- All citizens of the United States enjoy social security benefits, Medicare, and various other social programs for financial support.
- Health care support like Medicaid only includes people with valid US citizenship.
- United States citizen can sponsor their family members like their spouses, their parents, or their children to help them out with immigration to the US.
- If you are a United States citizen, you know that you are eligible for Federal financial aid. This aid can help you get a higher education by making it more portable to attend good colleges and universities in the United States.
- A United States citizen is protected from illegal deportation or removal, meaning that they can live in the United States without worries indefinitely.
- A citizen of the United States enjoys greater employment prospects as they can apply for Federal jobs in the United States.
- All citizens enjoy the right to own property throughout the United States without facing any problems that immigrants do.
- If you are a citizen of the United States, you have the right to participate in programs in any state started by the government. This can include steps taken for the benefit of the economy, society, and other communities.
- A citizen of the United States has the right to access legal rights and protections under the law. You can only serve as a member of the jury if you are a US citizen.
- All citizens of the United States have the right to inherit property without the restrictions that other immigrants are subjected to. This ensures a hassle-free, smooth process.
- If you are a citizen of the United States, you enjoy the right to request access to Government information through the Freedom of Information Act.
Top Requirements To Become A US Citizen
If you wish to become a U.S. citizen and find yourself constantly searching for the top requirements to become a US Citizen, we are here to help you out. Firstly, it’s great to be updated on your research because it is a significant step that offers numerous benefits, rights, and responsibilities. To achieve this status, there are certain requirements and steps that individuals need to fulfill.
The Age Factor
If you want to apply for U.S. citizenship through the naturalization process, you will have to be 18 and above when the naturalization takes place. However, there are exceptions. Any person under 18 can also get citizenship through their parents, provided they have the requirements.
What is an applicable case law in this case?
Montgomery v. Att’y Gen. of the U.S. (2008) was about a minor born in the U.S. to non-U.S. citizen parents. Their application for US citizenship through naturalization was denied due to a discrepancy in the child’s age. This case proved to be very important because, in it, the court held that the age requirement should be met at the time of naturalization.
You Will Need To Be A Permanent Resident
Before applying for citizenship, you need to be a lawful permanent resident. This means that you need to be a green card holder in the United States. If you have been wanting to know what are the requirements to become a us citizen, here you go.
In order to get a green card, you must have entered the United States legally through a visa, a valid asylum status, or other government-authorized means. Next, you will need to fit into a specific category that qualifies you for a Green Card.
These categories can include:
a. family-sponsored,
b. employment-based,
c. refugee/ asylum status,
d. or you may have won the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery.
Next, you will have to fill up the relevant application form. Although, you must remember that your record must be clean. You must be in good health (no communicable diseases) by undergoing a medical examination by an approved doctor.
The authorities will next ask you to attend a biometrics appointment where your fingerprints, photograph, and signature are asked for background checks. You might have to qualify through an interview and take an English proficiency exam. After you have followed these steps, you can become a green card holder.
You Must Be A Continuous Resident
In order to apply for United States citizenship, you must have at least lived in the United States for a minimum time limit.
It is 5 years if you have obtained permanent residency by regular options or 3 years if you got married to a United States citizen.
If you continue to live in the United States for a prolonged period of time, it shows that you are dedicated to becoming a part of the United States. There is reason to believe that continuous residence is your way to build thighs with the country as a whole and contribute to the society and the local community. After you have lived in the country for a period, you know its laws and regulations well enough to be a citizen.
A Good Moral Character Is Required
A good moral character is one of the very important requirements to become a US citizen.
- It is important because how people behave is a remark on what kind of a citizen they are. Now what does good character mean?
- A person should be honest and have integrity and respect for the laws of the land and for the country as a whole.
- If they obey US laws and regulations,
- like being taxed on time and correctly avoiding getting involved in criminal activity and also honoring all obligations, be they political or financial,
- It would mean that they are of good moral character. This does not disqualify all people from having done wrong activities in the past. If we can show that they have brought about positive changes in their behavior, it can also be a sign of good moral character.
Test Of Knowledge
One of the requirements to become a US citizen is passing an English language exam.
English Exam
English is the main language spoken in the United States. Therefore if a person is applying to become a United States citizen, it is important that they know how to read, write, and, most importantly, speak in English. There are certain exceptions for example, people having learning disabilities or the elderly who have trouble speaking can be exempted from this criterion.
A History Exam
Passing a US government Civic Principles and History Exam is one of the basic requirements to become a United States citizen. This ensures that the person has a fundamental knowledge of the United States and its history.
Pledge Your Loyalty
When a person decides to become a citizen of the United States, they will have the take an oath of allegiance. This way, they declare their loyalty to the United States and also renounce loyalties to other countries.
Residency Requirement To Become A Us Citizen
Before applying for citizenship, you usually need to have resided in the state or district where you plan to submit your application for at least three months.
To Become A US Citizen, Take Responsibility For Dependents
The financial aspect of citizenship cannot be denied. If you have dependents like a spouse, elderly members of the family, or children who are unable to support themselves financially, you must be able to take care of them without taking public assistance.
You Need To Submit Your Application For Processing
You need to submit Form N-400, Application. This is meant to be the designated form for Naturalization. Also, you will have to submit along with the required documentation and fees. After submitting your application, you’ll undergo background checks and an interview process.
Qualify For The Interview And The Test
Requirements to become a US citizen includes qualifying through the interview with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer. During the interview, the person applying for citizenship is tested on their English language skills, knowledge of U.S. history and government, and moral character.
A Fingerprint And Biometric Test Is Also Taken
Before the interview, different background checks are conducted to check for criminal history. This is done for the purpose of meeting the good moral character requirement.
Oath of Allegiance
If these applications are approved, you’ll be invited to attend an Oath of Allegiance ceremony. This is a special moment when you publicly declare your commitment to the United States and officially become a U.S. citizen.
Final Word!
Please understand that the requirements to become a US Citizen can be tricky for many and easy for some. It is, after all, a very selective process. Applications can be denied for various reasons. If your application is denied, there is no need to worry.
You have the right to appeal the decision with the respective authorities. You will also need to present evidence to address concerns. Becoming a U.S. citizen is a very thorough and lengthy process that involves meeting various requirements and proving your commitment to the United States.
A lawyer can review your situation and explain if you meet the eligibility criteria for U.S. citizenship based on factors like your residency records, tax documents and identification, immigration status, and family connections.
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