US Lists Official Conditions Foreign Spouses Must Meet to Apply for Citizenship
- The US government has outlined the specific requirements that foreign nationals married to American citizens must satisfy before they can apply for naturalisation
- Applicants must have lived in the US as a lawful permanent resident for at least three years before submitting their application
- Eligible spouses also need to prove continuous marital union with their US citizen partner throughout the three-year period before filing
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published the full list of conditions that foreign nationals married to US citizens must meet before they can apply for citizenship through naturalisation under section 319(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Unlike the standard five-year permanent residency route to naturalisation, spouses of US citizens qualify for a shorter three-year pathway, provided they meet a specific set of conditions at the time they submit Form N-400, the Application for Naturalisation.
Source: UGC
US Citizenship: Who Qualifies as Eligible Spouse
To begin with, the applicant must be at least 18 years old and must have held lawful permanent resident status in the United States for a minimum of three years immediately before filing.
Throughout that same three-year window, the applicant must have been living together with their US citizen spouse in a genuine marital union, and that arrangement must continue while the application is being reviewed.
Residency requirements also apply. The applicant must have lived for at least three months in the state or USCIS district covering their place of residence, and must have maintained continuous residence in the US as a lawful permanent resident throughout the three years leading up to the application date.
Physical Presence, English, and Good Moral Character
Beyond residency, USCIS requires that the applicant has been physically present in the United States for no fewer than 18 months out of the three years before filing.
Continuous residence must also be maintained from the date the application is filed right up until the applicant takes the Oath of Allegiance.
Language and civic knowledge form another part of the assessment. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to read, write, and speak English, and must show an understanding of US history and the principles of the country's government, commonly referred to as civics.
Finally, applicants must demonstrate good moral character and an attachment to the principles of the US Constitution for at least three years before filing, and this standard must be upheld until the Oath of Allegiance is taken.
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
