After How Many Years of Green Card Can I Apply for Citizenship
Commencement thinking most applying for U.S. citizenship after you receive your wedlock green card
So, you but received your spousal relationship-based green card? Congratulations, that's a huge achievement! Now it'southward time to commencement thinking about how and when to employ for U.S. citizenship through naturalization. Not sure if you qualify to apply just yet? Offset by checking your eligibility. Condign a U.S. citizen ways being able to vote in all elections, liberty to travel and live exterior of the United states of america for as long equally you want, eligibility for federal jobs, and permanent protection from displacement.
When yous have a U.S. spouse, you tin can apply for U.S. citizenship in 3 years instead of the normal v years. This shorter timeline tin can be incredibly helpful but also requires careful planning to get all the necessary documents and fill out the necessary forms. And so the best approach is to beginning planning right away!
In this guide:
- Why should yous go citizenship?
- Who qualifies for citizenship?
- What are the other requirements?
- What is the process for getting citizenship?
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Why Should Y'all Get Citizenship?
Becoming a U.S. citizen is something many green carte du jour holders aspire to — non but because it is something that will proudly connect you lot to the United States, but also because it provides real, tangible benefits non available to light-green card holders. Some of these benefits include:
- You can no longer be deported — the United States will now be your domicile and even if yous commit a criminal offence subsequently you naturalize, you lot will be able to stay here (annotation: The Trump administration is stepping up efforts to revoke citizenship from those who have committed sure crimes such as terrorism or fraudulently obtaining citizenship).
- Yous will have one of the nigh powerful passports in the world, opening travel to more than than 180 destinations for curt-term trips without a visa.
- Federal benefits simply to U.S. citizens will be available to you, such as federal college assistance. Your children automatically become U.S. citizens — even if they're born outside of the The states.
- You can apply for jobs with the U.S. government and vote in any U.S. election; you can even run for elected part (excluding holding role as President or Vice President of the United States).
Who Qualifies For Citizenship?
All green card holders, as long as they meet key conditions, can utilise for U.South. citizenship after five years (known equally the "five-twelvemonth rule") — but those with a U.S. spouse and a greenish card through marriage tin employ subsequently simply three years (known as the "three-year rule").
IMPORTANT: This means three or five years of continuous living in the United States. If y'all leave for long periods of time, or applied and received a reentry permit, that time volition exist deducted.
A key condition for applying under the iii-year rule versus the five-year dominion is that you lot must have been "living in marital union," significant y'all have to have been living together with your U.S. spouse for at least three years earlier filing for naturalization. The five-year dominion does not crave this "living in marital spousal relationship" portion. Importantly, y'all and your U.S. spouse must remain married until the fourth dimension the applicant naturalizes but "living in marital union" requirement is only required until the time of filing.
If you divorce your U.Due south. spouse before iii years, you volition no longer be eligible for the 3-twelvemonth dominion and and so have to utilise under the 5-year rule. While this might seem like a fix back, it yet presents a pathway to citizenship, fifty-fifty if your marriage has ended.
Not sure if y'all qualify for U.Due south. citizenship? You can check your eligibility with RapidVisa. When y'all're set up to use, we can guide yous through every milestone of the naturalization procedure, starting with your citizenship application all the way to the finish line. Boundless legal support plus RapidVisa speed means you get the fastest and best greenish card and naturalization service!
What Are the Other Requirements?
There are some other requirements for applying for U.S. citizenship. Showtime and foremost: pay your taxes! You must submit federal tax returns for either 3 or five years, depending nether which rule you are applying. Your awarding will not be considered without them, so brand sure you are up-to-appointment with your taxes.
Secondly, never annals to vote or merits to exist a U.Due south. denizen on any paperwork before being naturalized. This is critical, every bit USCIS takes these acts incredibly seriously and it will create a lengthy delay or possible denial of your application. You could face up deportation proceedings. The first three questions on the naturalization form are about voting and registering to vote. If you lot answer yes to any of these, y'all should seek firsthand legal advice before applying for citizenship.
Another requirement is that men betwixt the ages of 18 and 26 must register for the Selective Service and provide proof when naturalizing as a U.S. citizen. Selective Service is a government agency that maintains information on those potentially field of study to future military machine conscription. Declining to register can create a significant trouble for male green card holders wanting to become U.S. citizens. Those who became dark-green card holders after their 26th altogether exercise non take to undertake this requirement.
Finally, stay out of trouble! Green card holders may agree permanent residency in the United States merely are non safe from deportation if they commit sure crimes. The same is true when applying for U.Due south. citizenship — y'all must respond a series of questions truthfully and provide documented evidence if whatsoever of them utilize to yous.
All this means that information technology pays to be prepared and have all documentation ready to hand before starting the naturalization process.
What Is the Procedure for Getting Citizenship?
Then, you've checked eligibility, printed out your tax returns, and started to recollect about applying for U.Southward. citizenship.
The first step is to download, make full out, and submit Form N-400 (officially called the "Application for Naturalization") along with all required boosted documentation. You volition also have to pay a fee of $725, which includes $640 for application processing and $85 for biometrics services.
The 2nd step volition be attending a biometrics appointment where USCIS volition procedure your fingerprints, photo, and signature.
After this, you will receive a notice with a engagement, time, and location for your U.S. citizenship interview. At your interview, you will be placed under adjuration and asked to accept an English and civics test (unless you qualify for an exemption or waiver). You can see what to written report here and even take a complimentary practice test hither!
As office of the interview, the USCIS officer volition be asking you questions virtually your application and determining your eligibility for U.S. citizenship. If applying under the three-year dominion, you may face questions and scrutiny over whether you accept a bona fide marriage and genuinely "lived in marital union."
Normally, the USCIS will tell y'all at the cease of the interview whether or not your application has been successful.
The final footstep on your citizenship journeying is taking the Oath of Allegiance. In some locations the oath is administered on the same day as your interview, but usually y'all have to brand an date to come up back for it at a later stage to a USCIS field office.
Once yous've taken the oath, you will receive a document of naturalization and will then be fully able to apply for a U.Southward. passport and vote! Congratulations, this is a huge accomplishment!
We've joined forces with RapidVisa to help you stay on top of interview grooming, follow-on forms, and every other of import milestone along the mode. Set up to start?
Source: https://www.boundless.com/immigration-resources/apply-citizenship-after-marriage-green-card/
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