The Path to U.S. Citizenship Through Naturalization

Naturalization is the process by which a lawful permanent resident becomes a U.S. citizen. It's the last step for most immigrants, and it comes with rights — voting, a U.S. passport, protection from removal — that a green card alone doesn't provide.

Basic eligibility

In general, an applicant must have held a green card for at least five years (three years if married to and living with a U.S. citizen), have continuous residence and physical presence in the U.S., show good moral character, and demonstrate basic English and civics knowledge, subject to age- and residency-based exemptions for some long-term older residents.

What "good moral character" actually means

This isn't a vague sentiment — USCIS looks at a defined period (usually the five years before applying) for specific disqualifying conduct: certain crimes, failure to pay taxes or child support, or providing false testimony to get an immigration benefit. Some criminal history is an automatic bar; other conduct is weighed case by case. This is an area worth getting advice on before applying, since an application itself can draw scrutiny to a past issue.

The exam and interview

Applicants take a civics test (drawn from a published list of questions on U.S. history and government) and an English test covering reading, writing, and speaking, both administered during the naturalization interview along with a review of the application. Most people who prepare pass; the process usually takes several months to over a year from filing to the oath ceremony, depending on the local USCIS office's caseload.