Residents of the United States may look forward to the day when they become naturalized citizens. Before people can undergo naturalization, there are a few steps they have to take.
Naturalization is one of the ways people obtain U.S citizenship. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, people have to be legal permanent residents of the U.S. to qualify for naturalization. This means they need a Green Card. Additionally, people have to be at least 18 and live in the U.S. for 5 years or more.
Complete paperwork
People usually have to demonstrate that they meet all the qualifications for naturalization. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says that people have to fill out forms to apply for citizenship. They also need to have documentation about their eligibility. This may be a marriage license if a spouse is a U.S. citizen or a copy of a Permanent Resident Card. Additionally, people may need to submit a photo I.D. and undergo fingerprinting.
Attend an interview
People typically have to meet with someone from immigration services. During this interview, the official asks questions about the applicant’s paperwork. People may also take a civics test and an English test. Some people may expect to become a naturalized citizen after this meeting. However, sometimes an immigration official may need to see more documentation. In this situation, people have to submit the requested documents and attend a second interview.
Once officials look over all this material and see the results of the English and civics tests, they send written notice to the applicant. If immigration officials deny an application, people may think they do not have another chance to become citizens. However, sometimes officials deny an application because people did not pass part of the civics or English test. In this situation, people can retake part of the test and try to qualify a second time.