US Explains How Many Years Foreigners Must Live in Country Before Applying for Citizenship
- The US government has outlined the minimum residency period foreigners must complete before they can apply for naturalisation as American citizens
- Applicants must meet several eligibility requirements set by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services before submitting their application
- Beyond years of residency, applicants must also satisfy a physical presence requirement that is distinct from continuous residence
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has outlined the conditions that foreign nationals must satisfy before they can apply to become American citizens through naturalisation.
According to USCIS, naturalisation is the formal legal process through which a foreign-born individual voluntarily becomes a US citizen.
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The most commonly used route involves first becoming a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR), widely known as a green card holder.
How Long Foreigners Must Wait
The standard waiting period before an LPR can file for naturalisation is at least five years. During those five years, applicants must demonstrate continuous residence in the United States, meaning they must not have abandoned their residency by living primarily outside the country.
However, continuous residence alone is not sufficient. Applicants must also show they have been physically present inside the United States for a minimum of 30 months out of the five years immediately preceding their application.
This is a separate and additional requirement to the continuous residence rule, and both must be satisfied simultaneously.
Other Requirements to Note
Applicants must also have lived for at least three months in the specific state or USCIS district where they intend to file their application. There is an exception for students who are financially dependent on their parents, who may file in either the state where they attend school or the state where their family resides.
Beyond the residency and physical presence conditions, all applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of submitting Form N-400, the official Application for Naturalisation.
USCIS notes that different eligibility requirements may apply depending on an individual's specific circumstances, meaning the five-year LPR rule is the standard pathway but not the only one available to those seeking American citizenship.
US publishes employment pathways for Green Card
In a related story on Legit.ng, the United States government outlined three main employment-based pathways through which foreign nationals could apply for a Green Card.
Eligible categories ranged from workers with extraordinary ability and advanced degrees to physicians serving underserved communities.
The US government explained how one could qualify under any of the three categories to apply for a Green Card via employment.
Source: Legit.ng
