Citizenship and Naturalization
Citizenship and Naturalization
Naturalization is the process where U.S. citizenship is granted to a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) after meeting the requirements.
A lawful permanent resident can apply to become a U.S. citizen if the following criteria are met:
- You must be 18 years old or older;
- You have been a lawful permanent resident for the requirement amount of time;
- You are a person of good moral character;
- You are able to read, write, and speak in English;
- You have a basic knowledge of the U.S. history and civics; and
- You meet the physical presences and continuous resident requirement.
Another way to get citizenship is through your parents. Acquisition of citizenship is obtained through U.S. citizenship parents either at birth or after birth (but before 18 years of age). If you were born to a U.S. citizen parent(s) outside the borders of the U.S., you may need to go through the process of establishing your own U.S. citizenship. Children born to at least one U.S. citizen parent may automatically qualify for citizenship even if born abroad. Seek counsel from an experienced immigration lawyer to assist you with the process.
