The Process of Becoming a Citizen

At a Naturalization Ceremony recently, a reporter commented to me that "It's nice to see people doing it legally for a change."  There is so much wrong with that statement that I did not know how to respond, except to say that the people being sworn in have worked very hard.

This incident reminded me that the requirements of citizenship are not generally known, so it's worth writing them down again. The basic requirements are:

1. Be 18 years old
2. Be a Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e., have a "Green Card") for 5 years (3 if married to a US Citizen)
3. Meet requirements for continuous presence and physical presence (as a permanent resident, one is required to remain inside the US for the majority of the time--e.g., 30 out of the 60 months prior to naturalization with no absences of over 6 months)
4. Be a person of "Good Moral Character"--essentially, have stayed out of serious trouble
5. Demonstrate the ability to speak, read, and write English
6. Demonstrate knowledge of US History and Civics

The details are on the the USCIS website on Path to Citizenship.

The hard part is getting a Green Card, formally known as a  Lawful Permanent Resident Card. In order to get a Green Card, an employer or family member must petition for you.  This is very complex.  Employers must be able to show that the applicant has skills not available in the US population.  This is difficult for most unskilled workers.  Family members must either be US Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents, not all relationships qualify, and there are waits of over 20 years for some categories. See the USCIS website on Permanent Residence.