A. Age
You must be at least 18 years old.
B. Lawfully Admitted To The U.S.
You must be lawfully admitted for permanent residence and be legally accorded the privilege of residing permanently in the U.S. for at least:
- Five years before applying for naturalization
- Three years, if you are married to, and are living with the same U.S. citizen, before applying for naturalization
C. Physical Presence In The U.S.
You must have resided for at least:
- Thirty months in the U.S. during the previous five years (18 months during the previous three years for spouses of U.S. citizens) preceding your application for naturalization
- Three months in the USCIS district where you are filing your application for naturalization
Note: Your time as a permanent resident begins on the date you were granted permanent resident status. This date is on your permanent resident card (formerly known as Alien Registration Card). You will have to produce Form I-551, alien registration receipt card, as proof of your status.
D. Good Moral Character
You must prove that you have been a person of good moral character for the last five years (three years if married to a U.S. citizen, and one year if armed forces expedite).
E. Ability To Read, Write And Speak English
You must be able to read, write, speak, and understand words in ordinary usage in the English language. You may claim exempt from this requirement if, on the date of filing:
- You have been residing in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident for 15 years or more, and are over 55 years of age
- You have been residing in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident for 20 years or more, and are over 50 years of age, or
- You have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, where the impairment affects your ability to learn English
F. Knowledge And Understanding of U.S. History And Government
You must demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the history and of the principles and form of government of the U.S.
Note: You may claim exemption from this requirement, if on the date of filing, you have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, where the impairment affects your ability to learn U.S. History and Government
Important: If you have been residing in the U.S. subsequent to a lawful admission for permanent residence for at least 20 years and are over the age of 65, you will be afforded special consideration in satisfying this requirement.
G. Oath of Allegiance
To become a citizen, you must take the oath of allegiance. By doing so, you swear to:
- Support the Constitution and obey the laws of the U.S.
- Renounce any foreign allegiance and/or foreign title, and
- Bear arms for the Armed Forces of the U.S. or perform services for the government of the U.S. when required
In certain instances, where the applicant establishes that he or she is opposed to any type of service in armed forces based on religious teaching or belief, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will permit these applicants to take a modified oath.
Naturalization Notes
- U.S. permanent residents planning to leave the U.S. for more than a year must obtain a Reentry Permit prior to leaving the U.S.
- U.S. permanent residents may apply for Citizenship if they have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years.
Note: A spouse who has been a permanent resident for 3 years, who is currently married to a U.S. citizen, and has been married to the same U.S. citizen for the past 3 years, may apply for citizenship.
