General Naturalization Requirements

Age
Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
or, be a Naturalized Citizen's Children under Waivers, Exceptions, and Special Cases under 18.

Residency
Have been lawfully admitted to the US for permanent residence. (You should have an I-551, Alien Registration Receipt Card, as proof of their status.)

Residence and Physical Presence

An applicant is eligible to file if, immediately preceding the filing of the application, he or she:

* In possession of a I-551 Card
* Resided continuously 5 years prior to filing with no single absence from the United States of more than one year;
* Physically present in the United States for at least 30 months out of the previous five years
* Maintained a residence/ home in the US
* Resided within a state or district for at least three months

Good Moral Character

The record of the last 5 years will be examined for most applicants except those eligible due to marriage and then it is the last 3 years.

* No conviction for an aggravated felony
* No conviction of one or more crimes involving moral turpitude
* No conviction of 2 or more offenses for which the total sentence imposed was 5 years or more
* No conviction of any controlled substance law, except for a single offense of simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana
* Not been confined to a penal institution during the statutory period, as a result of a conviction, for an aggregate period of 180 days or more
* Not committed and been convicted of two or more gambling offenses
* Has not earned his or her principal income from illegal gambling
* Has not been involved in prostitution or commercialized vice
* Has not has been involved in smuggling illegal aliens into the United States
* Is not or has not been a habitual drunkard
* Is not practicing polygamy
* Has not willfully failed or refused to support dependents
* Has not given false testimony, under oath, in order to receive a benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Attachment to the Constitution
An applicant must show that he or she is attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States.

Language
You must be able to read, write, speak, and understand words in ordinary usage in the English language. Applicants exempt from this requirement are those who on the date of filing:

* have been residing in the United States subsequent to a lawful admission for permanent residence for periods totaling 15 years or more and are over 55 years of age;
* have been residing in the United States subsequent to a lawful admission for permanent residence for periods totaling 20 years or more and are over 50 years of age; or
* have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, where the impairment affects the applicant’s ability to learn English.

United States Government and History Knowledge

* Pass the test on US history and civics (see the test preparation section)
There is a medical waiver possible and also a waiver for those over 65 who have lived in the US for the last 20 years.

Oath of Allegiance

To become a citizen, one must take the oath of allegiance. By doing so, an applicant swears to:

* support the Constitution and obey the laws of the U.S.;
* renounce any foreign allegiance and/or foreign title; and
* bear arms for the Armed Forces of the U.S. or perform services for the government of the U.S. when required.

In certain instances, where the applicant establishes that he or she is opposed to any type of service in armed forces based on religious teaching or belief, INS will permit these applicants to take a modified oath.

Oath of Allegiance

* "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."