Q&A for How to Become a US Citizen

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  • Question
    What is the advantage of becoming a U.S. citizen?
    Valery Cury
    Immigration Attorney
    Valery Cury is an Immigration Attorney based in Santa Ana, California. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in affirmative cases. Valery earned her Master’s Degree from Brooklyn Law School and her Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra in the Dominican Republic. She is licensed to practice in the State of Connecticut. She’s also a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the Dominican Bar Association (DBA).
    Immigration Attorney
    Expert Answer
    You don't have to worry about long periods of staying abroad; instead, you can travel and be abroad for as long as you wish without having to worry about abandoning your residence status.
  • Question
    Will I automatically become a US citizen if I marry a US citizen?
    Community Answer
    No. You still need to apply for US citizenship. Marrying a US citizen will make the process easier, however.
  • Question
    How long does it take to get citizenship?
    Community Answer
    Assuming you are a permanent resident of the U.S. for at least five years, the process takes anything from three months to over a year. Check with your local USCIS office, since processing times vary considerably. If you are married to a citizen, then it only takes 3 years instead of 5.
  • Question
    My child was born here. Do I become a citizen as well?
    Community Answer
    No, you do not automatically become a citizen.
  • Question
    Can I join the Army before I become a US citizen?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can join the army before you become a U.S. citizen, as long as you have a green card. Joining the army also helps you become a citizen, as you only have to live one year in America instead of three.
  • Question
    How many years can I live in the US before I have to take the citizenship exam?
    Community Answer
    You can live there as long as you want, as long as you renew your green card. You never have to become a citizen and take the test, unless you want to become a citizen.
  • Question
    If my green card is expired, can I apply to be a U.S. citizen?
    Community Answer
    No. If your green card has expired, you cannot. But if you apply six months before the expiration, you can apply for citizenship and no longer need a green card.
  • Question
    I was married to a U.S. citizen but am now divorced. Can I still become a citizen?
    Community Answer
    This depends on when you divorced. If you've been in the U.S. for five years, you still qualify. However, you might be trying to qualify for early citizenship after 3 years based on your marriage. In that situation, you must still be married to your spouse before your naturalization ceremony.
  • Question
    Can my parents become citizens if I become 18 or 21 and file for their papers?
    Community Answer
    No, your parents must file their own papers.
  • Question
    My green card doesn't have an expiration date. Is it valid for citizenship?
    Community Answer
    You don't have an expiration date because you have one of the older green cards from the early eighties. They don't expire, they are permanent, that's why you only have an issue date.
  • Question
    Do I need to be a US citizen if I want to go to college in the US?
    Community Answer
    No, but you will need to apply for a student visa. The college you want to attend should be able to give you more information, so I would recommend contacting them.
  • Question
    I have lived in the United States for almost fifty years as a permanent resident and am over the age of seventy. Do I have to take the test?
    Community Answer
    USCIS will make exceptions for the English exam if you are 50 and have lived in the U.S. for 20 years. If you are 55 or older, you only need to have been in the U.S. for 15 years. However, you still must take the civics exam.
  • Question
    Is an education is necessary to get a green card?
    Community Answer
    No, an education is not necessary to get a green card.
  • Question
    What makes someone's entry to the US legal or illegal?
    Community Answer
    What's legal and illegal in terms of entering the US varies widely depending on where the individual is coming from, whether they have any kind of visa to enter the country (and if so, what type), etc.
  • Question
    If I give birth in America, do I also become a citizen?
    jason bailey
    Community Answer
    No, you don't. While your child would be a citizen, you would still have to go through the proper legal channels.
  • Question
    Do I have to go into the military to become a citizen or is it just an option? (I just don't like getting involved in violence and thinking about the military scares me.)
    Community Answer
    No, you can apply for citizenship if you're married to a U.S. citizen or if you have received work in the U.S. If your parents were US citizens, then you don't have to apply for citizenship since it is automatically granted.
  • Question
    I want to study in America. I am a British citizen. How can I study in American without marrying a citizen?
    Community Answer
    You don't need to be a citizen to study in the U.S. Instead, you should seek a student visa.
  • Question
    When does the green card expire?
    Community Answer
    Green cards last for 10 years.
  • Question
    Can an Australian citizen who moved to the U.S. and is applying to become an American citizen travel out of the U.S. while waiting?
    Community Answer
    As long as you have a green card, you won't have an issue. It also is possible without a green card, but you might run into issues and delays when re-entering the states.
  • Question
    If a child was brought to the U.S. illegally, but lives here until they are adults, how do they become a citizen without fear of being deported?
    Community Answer
    People who enter the U.S. illegally are not generally eligible to become citizens. You should meet with an immigration attorney to discuss your specific situation.
  • Question
    My wife's father was US born and she was born outside the US. Is she able to get citizenship?
    Community Answer
    Yes, she can. As long as one parent has citizenship and visited the country within 5 years before the date of birth, she is eligible for a citizenship.
  • Question
    I want to be an actor in the U.S. Can I act for 5 years and then become a citizen or do I have to become a citizen before I can act?
    Community Answer
    You can work in the U.S. without becoming a citizen. You will need a work visa.
  • Question
    I have a permanent Green Card but was told it had expired. I want to become an American Citizen. Do I qualify?
    Community Answer
    First you renew your Green Card and then you are able to apply for citizenship, but if you are out of the USA more than 1 year, you lose your right to renew your green card. It depends on your situation.
  • Question
    How do you get an honorary citizenship?
    Community Answer
    You can obtain an honorary citizenship from the President or through an act of Congress.
  • Question
    If my mother died and my dad is serving time in prison, can my grandmother and aunt sponsor me citizenship if they want to take me in?
    Community Answer
    Yes, any family members can provide sponsorship for you to become a legal American citizen.
  • Question
    What is the legal definition of being born in the US? If a test tube baby is essentially grown in a lab in the US, would it be a citizen if the scientist who grew it was a US citizen?
    Community Answer
    Anyone, regardless of conception, who is born in the mainland United States or the territories is automatically an American citizen the moment they were born.
  • Question
    Can the governor of a state grant citizenship?
    Community Answer
    Governors of all states have the authority to grant citizenship to undocumented immigrants by granting a citizenship clemency pardon, which prevents deportation.
  • Question
    After how many years living in United States can a person become an automatic citizen?
    Community Answer
    After obtaining a green card, an immigrant will have to live in the states for 5 years or 3 years if married to an American citizen. Following the waiting period, the immigrant will have to take an oath to become a fully naturalized citizen.
  • Question
    I am a citizen. I want to legalize my Mexican parents and siblings who are older than 21. What is the best route? Should I first legalize my parents and then they should legalize my siblings? Is that faster?
    R2_d2000
    Top Answerer
    Your parents and siblings will need to all obtain green cards and then obtain citizenship through them. The process for doing this is described in method one. The order in who gets green cards does not matter.
  • Question
    I was born in a foreign country. I just turn 18. My father was born in U.S.A. but resides in a foreign country with me. Do I qualify as a U.S. citizen?
    R2_d2000
    Top Answerer
    Yes. All you need to do is visit the US embassy to register your birth in order to obtain citizenship.
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