If you are interested in becoming a citizen of the United States voluntarily, you must meet all of the requirements set forth by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. To begin, you must be at least 18 years of age at the time that you file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.

You will to meet the following requirements:

• Have a Green Card for a minimum of 5 years.
• You must be a person with a good moral character.
• Show that you have been a resident in the U.S. for 5 continuous years before filing the Form N-400.
• Have a basic understanding of Unites States history and government.
• Be able to speak, read, and write Basic English.
• Take an oath of allegiance to the United States.

How is someone born a U.S. citizen?

Generally, people who are born in the United States are born as U.S. citizens. If you were born abroad and both of your parents are U.S. citizens, you are considered a U.S. citizen. If you were born in another country to one U.S. citizen, you are generally considered a U.S. citizen if:

• One of your parents was a U.S. citizen at the time of your birth;
• Your citizen parent lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years before your birth; and
• Of those 5 years in the U.S., at least 2 were before your citizen parent turned 14.

If you were born abroad, as long as the birth is registered with a U.S. consulate or embassy, then it is sufficient proof of your citizenship. In such cases, you may also apply for a passport and your citizenship will be recognized.

If you would like additional proof of citizenship, you may file an "Application for Certificate of Citizenship" (Form N-600) to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship.

For in-depth information about the citizenship and naturalization process, scroll through our directory to get in touch with an experienced immigration lawyer!