Immigration Law

Naturalization And Marriage To A U.S. Citizen

By Robert Kraft

Generally, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR’s) may be eligible for naturalization upon meeting the naturalization criteria. In order to qualify, an individual must satisfy the following:

1. Must be an LPR;
2. Must be over 18 years of age;
3. After becoming an LPR, must have continuously resided in the U.S. for five years;
4. Must maintain residence for three months in the state where the application is filed;
5. Must have basic English language skills and knowledge of U.S. history and government.

If an LPR does not want to wait five years to apply for naturalization, the LPR may apply for naturalization after three years if he or she is married to a U.S. citizen. If the LPR is married to a U.S. citizen, the continuous residence requirement is three years only if the U.S. citizen spouse has been a citizen for three years and the parties have been married for three years and continue to be married at the time of naturalization. An LPR need not be living with the U.S. citizen spouse after filing the naturalization application, but must continue to be married at the time of naturalization.

Although the continuous residence requirement may be changed from five years to three years (if married to a U.S. citizen), the other requirements must still be met to qualify for naturalization.

If you want to learn more about naturalization and the continuous residence requirement based on marriage to a U.S. citizen, please call us at 214-999-9999.

Full post as published by Immigration Law Answers Blog on February 29, 2008 (boomark / email).