Have you ever wondered how to become an American citizen? Well, in this article you will be able to learn about the forms and requirements for American citizenship, as well as the entire process for acquiring it. If you are a foreigner and have been legally established in the United States for some time, it is very likely that you wish to obtain American citizenship.
Although as a resident you have the right to choose whether you want to live in the United States as a foreigner or whether you want to become an American citizen, keep in mind that by acquiring American citizenship you will enjoy important benefits, including voting, traveling with an American passport, bringing family members to the United States, applying for federal jobs, maintaining your residency, etc.
As you can see, becoming an American citizen is a very important decision for every immigrant. If you are one step away from making the decision, here you can clear up any doubts you may have. The key to achieving success in the process of obtaining your American citizenship is to be well informed and properly prepared. Keep reading!
Requirements for American citizenship
Below we discuss the requirements to become an American citizen. Please note that, in addition to these general requirements, there are other specific ones that will be discussed in detail in the sections corresponding to each of the methods for obtaining American citizenship:
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Be able to read, write, and communicate orally in basic English (this requirement depends on age).
- Be a person of good moral conduct.
How to get American citizenship: 2 ways to become an American citizen
Every person born in the United States is considered an American citizen. But foreigners legally residing in the country, children of American parents born outside the United States, or members of the Armed Forces can also apply for American nationality. In this regard, there are two ways to obtain American citizenship: by naturalization and by acquisition. We will discuss each of them below.
1. American citizenship by naturalization
Naturalization is the process by which a person not born in the United States voluntarily becomes an American citizen, once the applicant has met the requirements established in the Immigration and Nationality Act.
There are three ways to acquire American citizenship through naturalization:
1. Be a permanent resident for 5 years
If you have been a legal permanent resident (LPR) for at least 5 years in the United States and meet the requirements to be a U.S. citizen listed below, you can apply for American citizenship through this route.
Requirements to apply for American citizenship by being a permanent resident for 5 years:
- Be at least 18 years of age at the time of filing your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.
- Demonstrate that you have been a legal permanent resident of the United States for at least five years.
- Demonstrate that you have had continuous residence in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for at least five years immediately preceding the date of filing Form N-400.
- Demonstrate that you have been physically present in the United States for at least 30 months of the five years prior to the date the application is filed.
- Demonstrate that you have resided for at least three months in a state or USCIS district that has jurisdiction over your place of residence.
- Be a person of good moral conduct.
- Demonstrate adherence to the principles of the United States Constitution.
- Be able to read, write, and communicate orally in basic English.
- Have knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of history and the principles and form of government of the United States ( civics education ).
- Take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States.
2. Be married to a US citizen
If your spouse is an American citizen, you can apply for American citizenship through marriage as long as you meet the following requirements.
Requirements to obtain American citizenship through marriage
- Be at least 18 years of age when submitting Form N-400.
- Be a lawful permanent resident of the United States for at least three years immediately preceding the date you file your Form N-400.
- Have lived in a marital union with your U.S. citizen spouse for the three years immediately preceding the date you file your application and while it is being processed.
- Have lived for at least three months in a state or the USCIS district that has jurisdiction over your place of residence.
- Have had continuous and legal residence in the United States for at least three years immediately preceding the date you file your application.
- Reside continuously in the United States from the date you filed your application until the date you naturalize.
- Be physically present in the United States for at least 18 months of the three years immediately preceding the date you file your application.
- Be able to read, write and speak English and know and understand the fundamentals of history, and the principles and form of government of the United States ( civics education ).
- Be a person of good moral character and adhere to the principles of the United States Constitution.
3. Be a member of the United States Armed Forces
If you serve or have served in the Armed Forces for a period or periods totaling one year, you may apply for U.S. citizenship provided you meet the following requirements.
Requirements to apply for naturalization through military service
- Good moral character.
- Knowledge of the English language.
- Knowledge of American government and history (civics).
- Commitment to the United States acquired through the Oath of Allegiance to the U.S. Constitution.
Additionally, members of the Armed Forces are exempt from certain requirements for applying for U.S. citizenship, including the requirement of continuous residence immediately preceding the date of filing the application and the requirement of physical presence in the United States for a specified period if the application is filed while the applicant is still in service or within six months after the termination of such service. There is also no filing fee to apply for naturalization.
For more details on these exemptions, you can consult Sections 328 and 329 of the INA.
How to apply for naturalization based on military service
The interested party can do so in two ways:
- At the military installation through the designated USCIS coordinator. In this case, you must complete Form N-400, Application for Naturalization and Form N-426, Petition for Certification of Military or Naval Service.
- Online by submitting Form N-400 online.
2. American citizenship by acquisition
A person of American parents (at least one of the two) born outside the United States can acquire American citizenship at the time of birth or some time after birth, but before reaching the age of 18.
Any child born outside the United States but residing in the country automatically becomes a citizen if the following conditions are met or if the child was born after February 27, 2001:
- At least one parent, including an adoptive parent, is a U.S. citizen by birth or naturalization.
- He is under 18 years of age.
- The child is a lawful permanent resident (LPR).
- The child resides in the United States under the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen mother or father.
In case the child does not reside in the United States, to apply for nationality by acquisition he or she must be under 18 years of age and the US citizen parent must meet certain requirements for physical presence in the United States. You can consult more details on the official Immigration page.
How much does American citizenship cost?
The application for American citizenship costs $640, plus an $85 biometric services fee. The total price of American citizenship is $725.
Applicants who are 75 years of age or older are exempt from paying the biometric services fee. Military applicants are also exempt from paying the fee if they are applying under Section 328 or 329 of the INA.
If you make a mistake when making the payment, the application will not be valid and, consequently, your money will be returned. However, USCIS will not issue refunds if it ultimately determines that you do not meet the requirements to obtain naturalization.
Application for American citizenship for low-income people
Obtaining citizenship in the United States can be an expensive process, with fees that can add up to hundreds of dollars. However, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has a program for low-income individuals to apply for waivers that reduce or even eliminate these fees. There are two types of waivers available: the full waiver and the partial waiver. The full waiver completely eliminates the application fee, allowing low-income applicants to proceed with their application without having to pay anything. On the other hand, the partial waiver reduces the application fee to a more manageable amount, making the process easier for those who may have difficulty paying the full fee.
Full exemption
The full fee waiver is an option that completely eliminates the application fee for U.S. citizenship. This means that the application can be completely free. To qualify for this waiver, you must meet AT LEAST ONE of the following conditions.
Who can apply for a full fee waiver?
- Public Assistance Recipient: If you (or your spouse) receive public assistance, you may be eligible for a full waiver of payment. Public assistance programs include SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), Medicaid, SSI (Supplemental Security Income), and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).
- Household income at or below 150% of the poverty level: If your family’s annual income (including everyone living in your household) is below 150% of the national poverty level, you may also qualify for a full fee waiver. In 2023, this threshold is approximately $45,000 per year for a family of four.
- You’re having trouble making payments due to things like unexpected medical bills or emergencies.
It is important to remember that each fee waiver request is assessed individually. Therefore, proof of eligibility must be provided.
How to apply for a full fee waiver?
If you think you may qualify for a full fee waiver, here are the steps you need to take:
1. Complete Form I-912: This is the official Fee Waiver Request form. You will need to fill it out with your personal and financial information and explain why you are requesting the waiver.
2. Submit a Letter from the Public Assistance Agency (for those on aid only): If you are requesting a full fee waiver because you are receiving public assistance, you will need to submit a letter from the agency that is providing your aid. This letter can be obtained at the office where you applied for the benefit, or at any affiliated office. For example, if you are receiving assistance from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), you can request this letter at one of their offices.
3. Submit your last year’s tax return (for those not receiving assistance): If you are requesting a full fee waiver because your family’s annual income is below 150% of the national poverty level, you will need to submit your last year’s tax return. This will serve as proof of your financial situation.
4. Submit the N-400 Application for Citizenship: Once you have completed Form I-912 and gathered the necessary documentation, you must submit everything to the USCIS office (online or by mail in paper format) along with your N-400 Application for Citizenship. Be sure to include Form I-912 and the corresponding documentation in each case.
Partial exemption (reduced rate)
For those who cannot afford to pay the full fee for the citizenship application, but who also do not qualify for the full waiver, there is the option of the reduced fee waiver. This waiver allows applicants to pay a reduced fee.
The standard fee for applying for citizenship is $725. However, with the reduced waiver, $310 of the standard fee is waived. This means that if you are granted a reduced waiver, you will only have to pay $405 if you are under 75 years old, and $320 if you are 75 years old or older.
Who can apply for a full fee waiver?
- Your family’s annual income must be above 150% but below 200% of the Poverty Guidelines at the time of filing. This means that your family income must be in a specific range, which is higher than the threshold for full exemption, but still considered low-income.
As with the full waiver, each application for a reduced waiver is evaluated individually and proof of eligibility must be provided.
How to apply for a reduced rate exemption?
If you are looking to apply for a reduced fee waiver, here are the steps you need to follow:
1. Fill out the I-942 application: This is the official form to request a reduced fee waiver. You will need to fill it out with your personal and financial information, and explain why you are requesting the waiver.
2. Prove your income for the past year: You will need to provide proof of your income for the past year. This can be done by submitting a copy of your tax return for the past year. If you do not have a tax return, you can submit all of your employer’s pay stubs for the past year, and/or a letter from your employer stating your income. It is important that your family size is the same on your Form I-942 and your tax return.
3. Check or money order: For $405 (or $320 if you are 75 or older). This is the amount of the reduced rate you will have to pay if you are granted the exemption.
4. Submit the I-942 Application, the N-400 Application for Citizenship, and documentation: Finally, you must send the I-942 application along with the corresponding documentation, payment, and the N-400 Application for Citizenship to the USCIS office (online or by mail in printed format).
Exam to obtain American citizenship
The dreaded American citizenship test will determine whether the process was successful or not. This test is conducted in English and consists of several parts in which you will need to demonstrate how much you know about the United States, its history and its language.
Civics test
You will be asked 10 questions out of the 100 that appear in the study guide questionnaire. Therefore, to pass you must get a minimum of 6 of the 10 questions correct. The questions will be oral and in English.
Individuals over 50 years of age and who have been permanent residents in the United States for 20 years or those over 55 years of age and who have been permanent residents for more than 15 years may take this exam in their native language.
English test
The language exam will test your ability to read, write, and speak English. Without a doubt, having a good command of English is quite essential, so you should prepare yourself as best as possible. We recommend that you download Duolingo or other language apps, as thousands of people interested in preparing for the American citizenship exam have already done so.
People over 50 years of age and who have been permanent residents in the United States for 20 years or those over 55 years of age and who have been permanent residents for more than 15 years are exempt from taking the English language test.
How to obtain American citizenship step by step
Please note that the following steps only apply to applying for American citizenship by naturalization. These are the cases of people who do not acquire nationality either by birth in the United States or by acquisition as children of American citizen parents.
Step 1: Determine if you are eligible for U.S. citizenship
You will be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship by naturalization if:
- You are at least 18 years old.
- You are a permanent resident (you have a green card). It is important to be clear that before starting the process of obtaining American citizenship you need this document, since without it your process could not proceed in any way.
- You meet the other requirements we mentioned above depending on your situation.
Step 2. File Form N-400 and pay fees
You can apply for citizenship in two ways: online or by mail. To apply online, you must create a USCIS online account and submit the completed Form N-400. In this case, you can pay the filing fee online as well.
If you choose to file your application by mail, you must print and complete Form N-400 and send it along with the required documentation and the filing fee to the mailing address listed here for your place of residence. If you do so, you may pay the filing fee by money order, personal check, cashier’s check, or credit card.
We recommend that you carefully review the application before sending it. In fact, one of the main mistakes made when applying for citizenship is sending the application with errors. Avoid wasting time and money.
Please note that if you are applying for American citizenship through marriage, you must include in your application a copy of the Marriage Certificate and a copy of your spouse’s proof of citizenship or American passport.
On the other hand, if you do not send the fee payment or send an incorrect amount, your application will be rejected, which means avoiding applying for the correct amount again.
Step 3. Attend the biometric data appointment
After reviewing your application, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will schedule and notify you of an appointment to have your biometrics collected.
Step 4. Show up for the interview
USCIS will also schedule an interview with you as part of the naturalization process. For this interview for American citizenship, it is important that you bring your Green Card and a local identification (such as a driver’s license), in addition to your passport (old and current), appointment form, and all the documents indicated on the appointment form and supporting documents.
You will also need to take the exam to obtain US citizenship that we talked about earlier. Please note that both the interview and the exam are in English, except in the exceptional cases already mentioned.
Step 5. Attend the Oath Ceremony
After passing the American citizenship test and receiving authorization from USCIS, you can officially become an American. To do so, you will be called to a Pledge of Allegiance ceremony.
This ceremony can take place on the same day as the interview, or you will receive a notification via email informing you of the exact place, date, and time of your Oath Ceremony. During this ceremony, you will be asked for your Permanent Resident Card, since, once you are admitted as an American, you will no longer require it. Next, you will take the Oath of Allegiance, and as a result, you will have achieved naturalization in the United States.
Your attendance at this ceremony is obviously essential. If you cannot attend on the agreed date, you must justify your presence to USCIS and request a rescheduling. Please note that failure to attend the Oath Ceremony could invalidate the approval of your naturalization.
How to dress for an American citizenship interview
The way you dress for your citizenship interview can influence how the interviewing officer perceives you. Therefore, it is crucial to make a good impression on the immigration officer. For the interview, it is advisable to wear smart, formal clothing, as your attire is an indicator of respect for the officer who is assisting you. If you go to the citizenship ceremony without the appropriate clothing, you risk giving the interviewer a bad impression of your image.
For women, it is recommended to wear dresses, long or knee-length skirts, fitted but not too tight pants, formal shoes in conservative colors, a small handbag and little jewelry. For men, it is recommended to wear a suit or formal dress clothes, dark-colored pants, and leather or microfiber shoes. In addition, it is recommended to keep your hair well combed and discreet, not wear earrings or piercings in your ears, nose, eyebrows or tongue, and only wear makeup when necessary. For men with beards, it is suggested to keep them trimmed.
In general, it is recommended not to wear very tight, dirty or torn casual or sports clothing, very flashy hairstyles or wigs, t-shirts with figures or flashy shoes.
How long does it take to become an American citizen?
There is no exact time limit to define the duration of the American citizenship process, as it can vary for various reasons. However, this process can take around 6 months from the moment USCIS receives Form N-400 and processes it.
Crimes that prevent obtaining American citizenship
Committing any crime in the United States can seriously jeopardize your ability to obtain U.S. citizenship. Crimes can be classified into two categories: those that temporarily prevent you from obtaining citizenship and those that permanently prevent you from obtaining citizenship.
Crimes that temporarily prevent American citizenship:
If you commit any of the following crimes, you will generally not be able to apply for citizenship until five years have passed since the date of the crime. However, if you marry a U.S. citizen, this period may be reduced to three years:
- Polygamy
- Tax evasion
- Money laundering
- Resistance to authority
- Breaking and entering
- Any serious crime involving violence
- Non-payment of child support
- Accumulation of minor crimes
- Pimping and certain cases of prostitution
- Participation in an illegal pornography business
- Theft, fraud, or identity theft
- Reckless driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Do not register for the selective military service if you are 30 years old or younger
- Misdemeanor drug possession (less than 30g of marijuana)
- Committing two or more crimes related to gambling or illegal betting
- Any crime that involves more than six months in prison
Crimes that permanently bar U.S. citizenship:
If you commit any of the following crimes, considered aggravated felonies, you will not be able to obtain U.S. citizenship:
- Murder
- Pederasty
- Prostitution with aggravating circumstances
- Rape or sexual abuse
- Fraud or scam over $10,000
- Forgery of documents
- Connection with child pornography
- Drug or arms trafficking
- Participation in a criminal organization
It is important to remember that the above list is not exhaustive and that each case is evaluated individually. If you have a criminal record and are considering applying for U.S. citizenship, we recommend that you contact an immigration attorney for personalized advice.
What to do after obtaining American citizenship?
First, you can apply for your U.S. passport through the State Department as soon as you take the Oath of Allegiance. This is, of course, an additional document to the naturalization certificate that certifies you as an American.
You can also register to vote in federal elections, which is both a right and a responsibility once you become an American citizen. Therefore, after the ceremony, you will be provided with information and the forms required to register as an elector.
Finally, you must go to the Social Security Administration offices to update your Social Security file. We recommend that you wait 10 days after obtaining American citizenship. To process this, you need to bring your Naturalization Certificate or your American passport.
I was denied American citizenship: what can I do?
If your application for citizenship has been denied, you have the option to request a hearing with an immigration representative. To do so, you must complete Form N-336, Request for Hearing for a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings under Section 336 of the INA. After completing it, you must submit it along with the corresponding fee to a USCIS office within 30 days of receiving the denial. It is important to note that the appeal may not be successful and the authorities may not change their decision. However, if you believe that there may be an error in the decision, you have the option to request that the U.S. District Court review your case.
The second option is to reapply for citizenship. You will have to start the process from the beginning and pay the fee again. Currently, there is no maximum number of times you can apply for this immigration status. If your application is denied as a result of not passing the citizenship test, either the English or civics test, you will have the opportunity to reapply and take the test within 60 to 90 days.
It is important to remember that even if citizenship has been denied, in most cases, this does not affect the individual’s permanent residency, and should not result in deportation unless USCIS determines that the applicant was not eligible to receive permanent residency or has committed a serious crime.
Can you lose your American citizenship?
According to the US State Department, citizenship can be lost for a series of “disruptive acts” or for demonstrating a “lack of loyalty” to the country.
Acts that may result in the loss of U.S. citizenship include:
- Obtaining naturalization in a foreign country after age 18.
- Taking an oath, affirmation or other formal declaration of allegiance to a foreign state or its political subdivisions after the age of 18.
- Entering or serving in the armed forces of a foreign state engaged in hostilities against the United States or serving as a commissioned or warrant officer in the armed forces of a foreign state.
- Accepting employment with a foreign government after age 18 if one is a national of that foreign state or an oath or declaration of allegiance is required to accept the position.
- Formally renounce U.S. citizenship before a U.S. diplomatic or consular official outside the U.S.
- Committing an act of treason against the U.S. Government or attempting by force to overthrow or bear arms against the U.S. Government.
It is important to note that loss of citizenship only occurs if the individual performs these acts voluntarily and with the intent to renounce U.S. citizenship. If a U.S. citizen commits any of these acts but claims that he or she did not intend to renounce his or her citizenship, then he or she will retain his or her citizenship. However, if the individual confirms that his or her intent was to renounce citizenship, he or she will be asked to complete a questionnaire and sign a voluntary renunciation statement. These documents will be sent to the State Department for review, and if approved, the U.S. citizenship will be removed.
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