Citizenship after Green Card

Obtaining a green card for permanent residence in the United States can change the lives of immigrants who desire to live out the American Dream. The permanent residence status includes the right to work in the United States and also to petition for any close relatives, which would normally consist of your children and spouse, to join you and also have a permanent residence.

After five years in the United States, permanent residents who can speak and read English, demonstrate good moral character and also pass an exam based on aspects of US Government and history can apply to become a citizen of the United States of America. Citizenship after green card is worth considering after five years as a permanent resident as it provides additional benefits that are not available to green card holders. For example, this includes eligibility to vote in US elections and have access to additional scholarships, federal and state government grants alongside other benefits that are only available to US citizens.

To apply for citizenship after green card status you will need to complete an N-400 application form and submit this to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. This can be done three months before the fifth-year anniversary of permanent residence due to the time it takes to process the application. If you are married to a US citizen, the application for citizenship after green card status can be submitted after three years of permanent residence. This rule applies even if you obtained your green card outside the marriage.

The N-400 form itself goes into a lot of detail with questions that relate to your family background, marital history and details of any time you have spent outside the United States. It is important that the form is filled in completely and accurately. Any form that is not filled in correctly will be returned to you. Likewise, answering any of the questions incorrectly may not stop the form from being processed but could harm your chances of obtaining citizenship after green card status. If your application is denied you will need to reapply along with the correct fee. This can become an expensive process, so it is worthwhile seeking the correct help to make the process as smooth and as efficient as possible.

For those that do obtain citizenship after green card status, it provides a guaranteed life in the United States and a bright future.