U.S. Naturalization & Citizenship

Naturalization is the process of assuming citizenship of another country. Although lawful residents can permanently live in the U.S., they are neither eligible to vote nor obtain a U.S. passport. Some federal jobs are reserved for U.S. citizens only.

Green card holders, who are at least 18 years old, may apply for naturalization after five years of continuously residing in the U.S. Migrants who are in the military or married to a U.S. citizen may become eligible in less than five years.

Eligibility requirements vary per applicant. For example; some applicants may be eligible for a disability or English language test waiver due to their health, age or length of lawful residence. I suggest checking your eligibility early, as this will prove useful once you start the naturalization process. The USCIS provides a comprehensive list of eligibility requirements.

Applicants must use Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The filing fee is $595 plus $80 for biometrics (fingerprints), as of Apr. 2010.

My naturalization process was easy and relatively fast; I became a U.S. citizen within seven months from the date of submitting my application.