Before your can become a U.S. Citizen, you must become a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR), unless you are already a U.S. Citizen by “operation of law” (For more detailed information see our Citizenship page).
Generally speaking:
- If you became a LPR (or Conditional Permanent Resident) through your U.S. Citizen spouse and you continue to be married to your same spouse, you are eligible to become a U.S. Citizen in 2 years and 9 months of when you became a LPR (or Conditional Permanent Resident).
- If you became an LPR through employment, marriage to an LPR, or other than marriage (i.e.: Parents, sibling, NACARA, etc.) then you must wait 4 years and 9 months from when you acquired LPR status before applying for citizenship.
- If you were granted refugee status or asylum status (or a derivative of the same) you still must become a LPR, but your 4 years and 9 months waiting period begins from the date you were granted refugee or asylum status not when you became an LPR.
What evidence you must show:
- You must show that you have acquired the required continuous presence in the United States. Thus, you must consider any and all trips you have taken outside of the United States since becoming an LPR (in some cases this can be waived, see our Citizenship page for further details).
- You must show that you do not have a criminal history for at least five (5) years prior to applying. However, please note, this does not preclude US-CIS from looking further back. Also note, Citizenship is discretionary. This means that even if you have been clean for five (5) years, if your criminal history was serious enough you can still be denied.
- You must show you have been a person of good moral character. Typically, you show this through income tax returns (as a practical matter, tax documents also prove physical presence).
- You must be able to pass the Citizenship Exam, English test, and Writing Test (for exceptions please see our Citizenship page) (for our exclusive time tested secret to passing your exam, please sign up for our Citizenship class, it’s so simple you won’t believe it!!!).
Being a Citizen of the United States is a great honor and should never be taken lightly.
When and if you join our family as a citizen, you will be expected to renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty.
You will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
You will bear true allegiance to the United States.
You will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law.
You will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by law.
You will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by law.
You will be expected to make this oath and commitment freely, without any mental reservation whatsoever.
You are joining what we believe to be the greatest country ever devised in the history of mankind and as our brother/sister we expect you to live up to this legacy in its’ fullest!!