1) Must be a Legal Permanent Resident for at least 5 years

• 3 years if Permanent Residence was acquired through Marriage to a U.S. citizen: you must provide proof that you remain married and living together through the completion of the naturalization process.

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2) Must be at least 18 years old.

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3) Must establish Continuous Residence and Physical Presence.

• Continuous Residence

  • Trips abroad lasting more than 6 months, but less than a year: Absences of more than 6 months break continuous residence and the applicant must prove that there is a significant reason for which their absence was necessary.

  • Trips abroad lasting more than a year: A legal resident who remains outside the U.S. for over a year automatically breaks continuous residence and may lead to the determination that the applicant has abandoned legal permanent resident status.

• Physical Presence

  • The applicant must also establish their physical presence in the U.S. for at least half of the 5 or 3 year period.

  • 912 days over the last 5 years or 547 days over the last 3 years.

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4) Must Demonstrate Good Moral Character: must demonstrate good moral character during the entire period, up to and including the moment when the applicant takes the Oath of Allegiance at the naturalization ceremony.

• This does not only refer to arrests and convictions. Other relevant categories: child support, taxes, Selective Service (males only), etc.

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5) Must Speak, Write, and Read Basic English: you will be asked to read and write some phrases in English. You will also be required to answer questions about your application in English.

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6) Must Pass the Civics Exam: At the interview, applicants must correctly answer 6 out of 10 questions on the history and government of the U.S. These questions are pulled from a list of 100 questions that don’t change and that are easily accessible.

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7) Must be Willing to Take the Oath of Allegiance.