Naturalization Laws

Determining eligibility for U.S. naturalization

The first step for an immigrant to be eligible to be come a U.S. naturalized citizen is to be a lawful permanent resident. After becoming a lawful permanent resident, you must meet a certain set of criteria:

Age. You must be at least 18 years old when filing for citizenship.
Residency. If you are not married to a U.S. citizen, you must have resided in the United States for a continuous period of five years prior to filing. If you are married to a U.S. citizen, you must have resided in the United States for a continuous period of three years prior to filing.
Language ability. An applicant is required to read, write, and speak English and must take an oral and a written test to prove this ability. An immigration examiner gives you the test during your naturalization interview.
Knowledge of U.S. history and government. Applicants for U.S. naturalization must demonstrate a fundamental grasp of U.S. history and government by taking a multiple choice test.
Good moral character. While it is difficult to objectively define what this means, a section of the naturalization application seeks to assess whether you have demonstrated the ability to follow the law. You must answer questions about any prior convictions, prison terms, involvement in smuggling illegal aliens into the country, and other criminal offenses.
Support the United States Constitution and the U.S. government. Your naturalization application asks you a series of questions to determine the level of support you are prepared to give to your new country.

Immigration—naturalization is a complex process

While these requirements may sound simple, there are many factors to consider. For example, if you have a child under the age of 18, you must follow a different set of rules. If you are married to a U.S. citizen, you must have resided with your spouse for a period of three years before you take your citizenship test. Further, the U.S. citizen spouse must have been a U.S. citizen during those three years. There are also some exemptions to the language requirement.

Immigration and naturalization service from Berger & Berger

With offices throughout New York State and in Atlanta, Berger & Berger is ready to help you with your immigration or naturalization issue, including business and individual visas, procedures, applications, and more. Call the firm's main office at (716) 568-4451 or just use the Quick Contact box on your screen.