In case you’re a everlasting resident in america, the method to use for citizenship is pretty straight ahead. After confirming your eligibility, there’s a kind to file, price to pay and a citizenship take a look at with the interview. It could sound difficult. However as an immigrant, you’ve already overcome a lot extra.
The method of making use of for citizenship is named naturalization. It’s the commonest manner that overseas nationals turn into U.S. residents. An estimated 8.8 million everlasting residents in america are eligible to naturalize proper now. It’s simple to stay a everlasting resident, however there are vital benefits to changing into a citizen. In a extra contentious immigration surroundings, it helps insulate you from issues down the highway. There are additionally extra job alternatives, scholarships for college kids, and independence from extra immigration charges.
Benefits to U.S. Citizenship
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Value Financial savings
There’s a authorities submitting price to use for citizenship. However when you turn into a citizen, there’s no have to renew your inexperienced card. The typical 30-year previous will spend at the least $5,300 in inexperienced card renewal charges over a lifetime.
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Simpler Journey
With an American passport, touring is mostly simpler. You received’t have to attend within the lengthy strains for inexperienced card holders. Entry to a number of overseas international locations doesn’t require a visa.
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Safety from Deportation
The U.S. authorities might put everlasting residents in removing (deportation) proceedings for sure crimes. U.S. residents can’t be deported. In fact, you’ll be able to’t lie to be able to acquire your U.S. citizenship. This is able to invalidate any protections.
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Assist Household Members Immigrate
The partner, single youngsters and oldsters of U.S. residents are instant kin. There’s no wait an immigrant visa. Spouses and youngsters of everlasting residents might have to attend for years to acquire a inexperienced card. U.S. residents can petition dad and mom and siblings whereas everlasting residents can’t.
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Prolonged Stays Overseas
Many everlasting residents put their inexperienced playing cards in danger by staying exterior america too lengthy. They threat abandonment of everlasting residence. U.S. residents might keep exterior america indefinitely.
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Tax Advantages
U.S. residents and inexperienced card holders will be handled otherwise by tax legislation. U.S. residents could also be topic to fewer restrictions on property taxes and could also be eligible for extra tax exemptions than everlasting residents. For extra info, contact the financial planner with an immigrant specialty.
In case you have everlasting resident youngsters underneath the age of 18 that stay with you, they are going to robotically turn into U.S. residents when a father or mother naturalizes. There isn’t any further price. What’s extra, many monetary assist grants for school can be found solely to U.S. residents.
Eligibility for Naturalization
The overwhelming majority of everlasting residents have been a inexperienced card holder for 5 years earlier than they will apply for citizenship. There are provisions within the legislation for everlasting residents who’ve been married to a U.S. citizen for 3 years in addition to U.S. service members. Nevertheless, most candidates meet the next necessities earlier than they apply for citizenship:
- At the very least 18 years previous
- Been a everlasting resident (inexperienced card holder) for at the least 5 years
- Lived inside the identical U.S. state for at the least 3 months earlier than submitting the applying
- Have steady residence within the U.S. as a everlasting resident for five years earlier than submitting the applying
- Have been bodily current within the U.S. for at the least 30 months out of the 5 years earlier than submitting the applying
- Are capable of move the English take a look at in addition to U.S. historical past and authorities take a look at
- Are individuals of excellent ethical character
For an in depth rationalization of eligibility, go to citizenship necessities. For instance, chances are you’ll not know that you could be submit the applying as much as 90 days earlier than assembly the five-year steady residence requirement.
You could discover it simpler to make use of CitizenPath’s eligibility quiz originally of the applying. In just some questions, we can assist you identify should you’re prepared to use for citizenship.
Getting Able to Apply
When making ready the shape to use for citizenship, you’ll have to have the next gadgets:
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Everlasting Resident Card (inexperienced card)
You’ll have to have your Alien Registration Quantity and date that you just turn into a everlasting resident. Each will be discovered in your inexperienced card. In case your inexperienced card is expired, chances are you’ll put together Kind N-400. Nevertheless, in case your inexperienced card has been misplaced, stolen, or destroyed, you’ll have to file Kind I-90 to switch your card earlier than making use of for citizenship.
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Social Safety Quantity
It isn’t necessary that you’ve a Social Safety quantity. In case you have one, you’ll embody it in your software.
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Journey Dates
In case you made any journeys exterior the U.S. through the 5 years that precede the applying, you’ll have to doc the dates of every journey (of 24 hours or extra). It may be troublesome to recollect particular journey dates. Test bank card statements, frequent flyer information and different receipts to estimate dates to the very best of your skill.
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Selective Service Registration Data
U.S. legislation requires that each U.S. male between the ages of 18 and 26 register for the Selective Service. This requirement applies to residents, everlasting residents, refugees, asylees, and even undocumented aliens. It doesn’t apply to girls or any foreigners in america with non-immigrant visas (e.g. vacationers, college students, enterprise, and so on.). In case you’ve already registered, you will get an on the spot Official Letter of Registration at www.sss.gov. In case you didn’t register and are nonetheless inside this age vary, it’s essential to register on the identical web site. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t apply for U.S. citizenship till age 31 if you’re over the age of 25 and did not register as required. In case you apply earlier than this 5-year interval has handed, USCIS will doubtless deny your software on the idea of not assembly the nice ethical character requirement.
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5 Years of Handle Data
You’ll have to checklist your tackle(es) the place you lived for the previous 5 years (or three years when you’ve got been married to a U.S. citizen throughout that point).
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5 Years of Employment/Schooling Data
You’ll have to checklist your job and/or college info (group title, tackle, time interval) for the previous 5 years (or three years when you’ve got been married to a U.S. citizen throughout that point). Employment and schooling will not be necessities. The knowledge shall be used for a background verify.
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Details about your Present and Former Spouses
If relevant, you’ll have to checklist details about your present partner and any former spouses. Data consists of: title, tackle, beginning date, marriage date, immigration standing, nation of citizenship and A-number if relevant.
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Details about your Kids
If relevant, you’ll have to checklist details about your little kids (even when they’re deceased or not dwelling with you). Data consists of: title, tackle, beginning date, nation of beginning and A-number if relevant.
Kind to Apply for Citizenship
The USCIS kind to use for U.S. citizenship is formally generally known as Kind N-400, Software for Naturalization. It’s a 20-page kind that launches a overview of your whole immigration historical past. USCIS will re-analyze the way you obtained your everlasting resident standing, journey information and a prison background verify to make sure you meet the eligibility necessities. Sustaining accuracy and truthfulness is essential. In actual fact, USCIS lately up to date its policy guidance that makes it simpler for adjudicators to disclaim purposes as an alternative of issuing a Request for Proof (RFE) first. It’s essential to submit at software package deal that’s full.
For the added reassurance that you just’re doing the whole lot proper, use CitizenPath’s service to use for citizenship. The attorney-designed software program is an inexpensive method to put together the Kind N-400 with ease and get customized submitting directions on your state of affairs.
Sometimes, an applicant’s Kind N-400 is accompanied by:
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USCIS Charges
Most candidates should pay $725 complete. This features a $640 submitting price and a $85 biometrics price. Nevertheless, candidates over 75 years of age don’t have to pay the biometrics price. USCIS will waive all charges for candidates who apply on the idea of army service.
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Photocopy of Everlasting Resident Card
Submit photocopies of each side of your inexperienced card. In case you don’t have it, you’ll have to submit a replica of the I-797C from the inexperienced card renewal or another proof of your everlasting resident standing.
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Marriage Standing Doc
Embrace a photocopy of your present authorized marital standing doc. Examples of acceptable paperwork embody your present marriage certificates, divorce, annulment decree, or dying certificates of former partner.
The checklist of supporting gadgets above is for the standard case. Primarily based in your solutions within the software, USCIS might require you to submit some further paperwork. Army candidates might want to submit further gadgets. Your CitizenPath submitting directions will present an in depth checklist of supporting paperwork and find out how to set up your package deal.
You received’t have to ship issues like tax returns and passports. Nevertheless, there are a number of gadgets that each applicant ought to take to the naturalization interview. Primarily based in your case, CitizenPath submitting directions embody a listing of things to take to your naturalization interview.
Apply for Citizenship with an Expired Inexperienced Card
USCIS doesn’t encourage it, however it’s attainable to use for citizenship with an expired inexperienced card. What’s essential to understand is that the naturalization course of may take a few yr. Throughout this time, you’ll usually don’t have any proof of everlasting resident standing. This can be a drawback if you should journey overseas, take a brand new job, and even renew a driver’s license. Because of this, most individuals apply for inexperienced card renewal first.
In case you select to resume your inexperienced card, it’s not obligatory to attend the 10-12 months to obtain your new card earlier than making use of for U.S. citizenship. When you obtain the I-797C, Discover of Motion (normally about two weeks after submitting), chances are you’ll file the Kind N-400, Software for Naturalization. Embrace a photocopy of your receipt letter (I-797C) to show that you just’ve began the renewal course of.
About CitizenPath
CitizenPath supplies easy, inexpensive, step-by-step steerage via USCIS immigration purposes. People, attorneys and non-profits use the service on desktop or cell gadget to arrange immigration varieties precisely, avoiding pricey delays. CitizenPath permits customers to strive the service without spending a dime and supplies a 100% money-back assure that USCIS will approve the applying or petition. We offer assist for the Petition to Assist a Relative Acquire a Inexperienced Card (Kind I-130), Citizenship Software (Kind N-400), and a number of other different generally used USCIS varieties.
Word to Reader: This put up was initially revealed on September 25, 2018, and has been modified with enhancements.