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U.S. Citizenship
through Naturalization: General Requirements
- The applicant must have
been a lawful permanent resident for five (5) years. The spouse of a U.S.
citizen, if still married to and living with the spouse,
may apply after three (3) years of permanent residency.
- The permanent resident
must have physically resided in the United States for 30 of
the last 60 months immediately prior to the filing of the petition.
For spouses of United
States citizens, the requirement is
18 of the last 36 months. Certain exceptions exist for active United States
military and individuals employed by United States employers
engaged in trade abroad.
- Good Moral Character. The
applicant must demonstrate good moral character during the five (5)
years prior to the petition (three (3) years for spouses of United States
citizens).
- The permanent resident
must be at least eighteen (18) years old at the time of application.
The applicant must demonstrate an understanding of the English
language, through a test for the ability to read, write, and speak in
English. This requirement is waived for certain individuals with
developmental disabilities, and for applicants who are either:
- Fifty years old and
lawful permanent residents for twenty years, or
- Fifty-five years old and
lawful permanent residents for 15 years.
- Civics test. The applicant
will be tested on basic knowledge of U.S. history and
government. The applicant must demonstrate Allegiance to the United States
that, during the required period of residence, he or she has been
loyal to the principles of the Constitution of the United States.
Citizenship at Birth
Citizenship is acquired when one is born within the United States
and certain territories of the United States. Some
children born outside the United States may acquire
citizenship at birth because one or both parents are U.S.
citizens.
Citizenship through Naturalization of Parents
Some children under 18 years old acquire citizenship when the parents
naturalize
Dual Citizenship
The United States does not recognize dual citizenship, only status as
a citizen and loyalty to the United States. Some countries allow one's
citizenship to continue after obtaining U.S. citizenship. Other
countries will not. Applicants must check with their home countries to
determine the citizenship policy and other policies regarding
benefits.
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not intended as legal advice. Visiting this website does not constitute an
attorney-client relationship. Persons should seek the advice of legal
counsel before acting upon any information from this site. Tennessee does not
certify specialists in immigration law. All material contained in
kbimmigration.com is copyrighted by or licensed to the law firm of King
& Ballow.
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