U.S. Citizenship and Naturalization

Naturalization is the process for green card holders/permanent residents to obtain U.S. citizenship. It’s important to note that in the vast majority of cases, foreign nationals cannot apply for citizenship without first obtaining and holding green card status/lawful permanent residence for a certain number of years.

There are many benefits to becoming a U.S. citizen as outlined below. The immigration team at ImLaw is happy to walk alongside you with personalized support for the naturalization applications to obtain U.S. citizenship.

 

Eligibility Requirements for Naturalization

Green card holders/permanent residents must meet a number requirements to be eligible for naturalization/U.S. citizenship:

  • Must have held green card status for five or more years, or three years if married to a U.S. citizen (the five-year or three-year period is also known as the statutory period)

  • Must be at least 18 years old

  • Must not have “broken residence” for purposes of naturalization, meaning generally no single trip outside the U.S. for 6 months or longer during the required five- or three-year period. Being outside the U.S. for one year or longer most often leads to a finding that the green card status has been abandoned

  • Must possess “good moral character” during the statutory period, as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)

Benefits of U.S. Citizenship

Naturalizing, or becoming a U.S. citizen, has numerous benefits, including:

  • Eligible to register to vote and vote in U.S. federal, state and local elections

  • Able to apply for and travel with a U.S. passport

  • Able to live abroad for extended periods of time (more than 6 months at a time)

  • Able to sponsor immediate relatives for a green card

  • Children under 18 automatically obtain U.S. citizenship upon naturalization of their parent (also known as derivative naturalization/citizenship)

  • Generally provides protection from removal/deportation

 

Naturalization Experts at ImLaw

Our ImLaw attorneys have decades of immigration law experience, which we put to work for each of our clients. See the team here.

FAQs on Naturalization

  • From the time an application for naturalization/U.S. citizenship is filed to when the green card holder/permanent resident is sworn in as a U.S. citizen can take 1-2 years, depending on where they reside.

  • The fees for filing for U.S. citizenship/naturalization regularly fluctuates. See this link for the current fees. There is usually an application fee and a biometric (fingerprint) service fee. The filing fee does not include ImLaw’s fee for preparing and filing a U.S. citizenship/naturalization case. We charge a flat fee for our assistance in naturalization cases – contact us to schedule a consultation.