US Publishes How Many Years Foreign Spouses Must Live in America to Get Citizenship
- The US government published the full eligibility requirements for foreign nationals married to US citizens who want to naturalise
- Foreign spouses must have lived in the US as lawful permanent residents for at least three years before applying for citizenship
- Physical presence, continuous residence, and an active marital union are all required conditions under Section 319(a) of the INA
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The United States government has set out the specific conditions foreign nationals married to American citizens must meet before they can apply for citizenship through naturalisation.
Under Section 319(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, spouses of US citizens are eligible for a faster path to naturalisation compared to other permanent residents, but they must still satisfy several requirements before filing Form N-400, the Application for Naturalisation.
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US citizenship: How long foreign spouses must wait
The minimum waiting period is three years of lawful permanent residence, not five years as required for most other applicants.
However, holding a green card alone is not sufficient. The applicant must also have been physically present in the United States for at least 18 months out of those three years, and must have lived in continuous marital union with their US citizen spouse throughout the same period.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old when they submit their form and must have lived for at least three months in the state or US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) district that covers their place of residence.
US citizenship: Continuous residence is required throughout the process
Beyond the three years before filing, the requirements do not stop once the application is submitted. USCIS requires the applicant to continue residing in the United States without interruption from the date of filing through to the date they are naturalised.
This means extended periods abroad during the adjudication process could affect eligibility.
The three-year continuous residence requirement runs alongside, but separately from, the physical presence requirement.
Applicants must satisfy both: maintaining lawful permanent residence for three years and being physically present in the country for at least half of that period.
The guidance, published on the USCIS official website, applies to all foreign nationals pursuing naturalisation through marriage to a US citizen in 2026.
Legit.ng reported that the US published the cost of its 10-year passport for applicants.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the US had set travel limits for foreigners seeking American citizenship.
Age requirement for US citizenship
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the US shared the minimum age requirement for American citizenship.
Those who have not reached this age cannot submit an application, regardless of how long they have lived in the country or what other conditions they meet.
Beyond the age threshold, the US government also requires that applicants be able to read, write, and speak basic English.
Source: Legit.ng
