Talking about the touristically attractive locations across the USA would require a couple of weeks of writing. There are many beautiful mountains, beaches, museums, parks, and other stuff that people from all over the world gladly visit every single year. Despite that, it is important to mention that the nightlife here is amazing as well. You can visit a big number of clubs, casinos, restaurants, and other entertaining places where you can make some memorable moments and potentially meet new friends.
However, not all the people in the world have the desire to visit the USA as tourists. On the contrary, you will find millions of people that would rather stay there and try to ensure financial stability. It is not a secret that the USA has the strongest economy in the world. A good salary and a wide range of business opportunities convince people that being a USA citizenship is a good thing.
Unfortunately, the process is not that easy. All the people will gave to go through a couple of stages to get their US citizenship. Honestly, the entire process can sometimes last a lot longer than you can even imagine. Yet, there is also a good thing. If you are persistent and patient, the reward will come! You will become a citizen of the United States and potentially turn the American dream into reality.
Because of that, we decided to make the entire process a bit easier for you. We will highlight all the requirements you have to meet to get US citizenship. Let’s find out them together!
The Minimum Age is 18
Well, we will start with some basic requirements that most people are already aware of. Young adults that are not older than 18 cannot apply for US citizenship. However, just like for everything in life, certain exceptions may allow you to apply even if you are younger than that. In case you are applying in absolutely any period of wartime, then you have the right to do that even if you are younger than 18. However, we are sure most people will not have that opportunity.
You Also Need to Ensure Continuous Presence Inside the Country
Of course, you will not get the opportunity to live in the United State as a foreign citizen without a green card. However, if you get one, then you will need to live minimally five years as a holder of a green card inside the United States. There is also a small exception – in case you get married to a US citizen, then that period reduces for two years. In other words, you will need to stay for 3 consecutive years to get citizenship.
But, does this mean that you can’t leave the USA at all? No, you will have the opportunity to visit your family at home or travel to other countries. However, your trips must not be longer than six months.
Fortunately, just as we said, there are always certain exceptions. In some cases, things won’t change even if you leave the United States of America for more than six months during the 5-year-long period. However, you need to prove there is a compelling reason why you couldn’t back sooner.
You do not have to wait for 5 years to pass. The law allows green card holders to apply for citizenship three months before that period ends. For something like that, you will have to fill the N-400 form.
Third Requirements – Residency
Someone would say that continuous physical presence and residency are the same requirements. However, that’s not quite correct. You have to be a resident of any USCIS district where you plan to apply for citizenship in the future. The period you must speed there is three months or more.
It is good to mention that there are some “states” that people often disclude. For instance, some of them are Puerto Rico, The District of Columbia, The US Virgin Islands, and others.
Anyway, when trying to get US citizenship, you need to prove the address of your citizenship. It is a place where you will pay taxes, try to get a driver’s license, vote, obtain an ID, etc. However, there is one small exception for students. If you are financially dependent on your guardians or parents, you can apply for citizenship in the states where you attend college, school, or where your parents or guardians live.
Unusual Requirement – “Good Moral Character”
Don’t get surprised if you see that Good Moral Character is one of the requirements. This term is precisely defined by the USCIS and it covers all the characteristics a single applicant should have.
To make things clear, you should not have a criminal record. More precisely, if you committed murder or participated in different frauds, then there are no chances you will get citizenship. This period lasts from three to five years before you even apply for naturalization and it strops when you take the Oath of Allegiance.
On the other hand, we suggest you be completely honest during the naturalization interview. In case you lie to an officer, you will only hard your reputation and be marked as a person without a good moral character. Keep in mind that officers know a lot about you, and hiding something from the past that could potentially ruin the entire process is not a good idea. It is always much better, to be honest!
Final Thought
These four requirements are the most important ones. However, just because we stopped here, that doesn’t mean they are the only ones. You will also need to prove that your English language is nearly native. Despite that, you will also need to pass the so-called civics test where you will confirm your knowledge about the US government and overall history. Because of that, a certain knowledge improvement is going to be mandatory.
Generally, we highlighted the most important parts of the entire process in this article. However, in case you want to find out more about US immigration and citizenship, you can read this article and gain all the necessary information that way. We are sure the most of things you see there are going to be valuable for you.
