subject: What Us Citizenship Requirements Really Mean [print this page] You can become a US citizen through birth or naturalization. If you are not born into citizenship as a child, naturalization can be a time consuming process. You need to be sure that you are familiar with the United States requirements for citizenship.
If there is one biological parent who is a United States citizen, then the child can be considered for citizenship by birth. A child can also apply later in life if their parents become citizens and they are below the age of eighteen. When parents are citizens of different countries, some residency issues might need to be addressed for their children. The situation is easiest when the child is in the custody of their US citizen parent. For other circumstances, look for more information online concerning specifics.
Keep in mind that the US citizen parent should be the one to file the application for their child. In the event of death, a US citizen grandparent or guardian will suffice as an applicant. However, paperwork must be filed no later than 5 years after the parent's death. There are special details concerning adopted children, visit the USCIS official website for that information.
Adults who desire citizenship must already have held a permanent residence green card for a minimum of 5 years, with few exceptions. Within this time, it is expected that you have spent at least 30 months of that time residing in the US. Then you will need to prepare for the test. It is essential that you have knowledge of United States government and history (civics). Your reading, writing, and speaking skills will also be assessed.
Once your application is turned in and you've been fingerprinted at a USCIS facility, you can schedule your interview with an officer. The interview will involve questions about your background as it relates to your application, then you will be tested. Your English speaking skills will be judged throughout the interview, but you are also required to correctly read one of three sentences and correctly write one sentence from a provided list. Then you have to accurately answer a majority of 10 questions on the civics test.
For those with specific issues, there are exceptions that can be made. Search for more detailed information if you are an applicant who is employed overseas, is over the age of 50 years old, has a physical or development disability, or are married to a current US citizen
The internet is full materials to help you learn many of the requirements for citizenship in the US. Also look for study aides if you think you might need assistance with the civics test. Spending the time to research can really help you prepare for this important step in your life.
