U.S. citizenship gives a person as many rights as the U.S. has to offer; for example, the right to vote in U.S. state and federal elections, petition for family members to immigrate to the U.S., and to live abroad without losing the right to return. For these reasons, citizenship is not easy to obtain. (For the law on who is eligible, see 8 U.S.C. § 1427.)
Unless you are among the lucky few who qualify automatically for U.S. Citizenship by Birth or Through Parents, you will need to apply to become a U.S. citizen, through a process known as naturalization. Before applying, however, you must first have had a green card (lawful permanent residence) for a number of years and meet other eligibility requirements.
Basic Eligibility Criteria for U.S. Citizenship
If you are interested in applying for U.S. citizenship, first make sure that all of the following apply to you:
- You have had lawful permanent resident status for at least five years (with exceptions for refugees, people who get their green cardthrough asylum, spouses of U.S. citizens, and U.S. military personnel).
- You have lived in the U.S. continuously for the five years preceding your application, and during that you have not spent more than one continuous year outside the United States. For details,
- You have been physically present in the U.S. for at least half of the five years before filing your application. Also see How Absences From the U.S. Affect Eligibility for U.S. Citizenship.
- You have lived in the district or state where you are filing your application for at least three months. Also see How Absences From the U.S. Affect Eligibility for U.S. Citizenship.
- You are at least 18 years old.
- You have good moral character, for example haven't committed crimes, failed to pay taxes or child support, and so on.
- You are willing to swear an oath of allegiance saying that you believe in the principles of the U.S. Constitution and will be loyal to the United States (with modifications and exceptions in certain circumstances).
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Fiance Visa
Overview: What Is a K-1 Visa?
The fiancé(e) K-1 nonimmigrant visa is for the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a United States (U.S.) citizen. The K-1 visa permits the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) to travel to the United States and marry his or her U.S. citizen sponsor within 90 days of arrival. The foreign-citizen will then apply for adjustment of status to a permanent resident (LPR) with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Because a fiancé(e) visa permits the holder to immigrate to the U.S. and marry a U.S. citizen shortly after arrival in the United States, the fiancé(e) must meet some of the requirements of an immigrant visa. Eligible children of K-1 visa applicants receive K-2 visas.
What Is a “Fiancé(e)”?
Under U.S. immigration law, a foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen is the recipient of an approved Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), Form I-129F, who has been issued a nonimmigrant K-1 visa for travel to the United States in order to marry his or her U.S. citizen fiancé(e). Both the U.S. citizen and the K-1 visa applicant must have been legally free to marry at the time the petition was filed and must have remained so thereafter. The marriage must be legally possible according to laws of the U.S. state in which the marriage will take place.
In general, the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) and U.S. citizen sponsor must have met in person within the past two years. USCIS may grant an exception to this requirement, based on extreme hardship for the U.S. citizen sponsor to personally meet the foreign-citizen fiancé(e), or, for example, if it is contrary in the U.S. citizen sponsor’s or foreign-citizen fiancé(e)’s culture for a man and woman to meet before marriage.
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Application For Food Stamps
What is SNAP?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) issues electronic benefits that can be used like cash to purchase food. SNAP helps low-income working people, senior citizens, the disabled and others feed their families.
What can I purchase with SNAP?
Food for your household to eat, such as:
- breads and cereals
- fruits and vegetables
- meats, fish and poultry
- dairy products
You can also purchase seeds and plants, which produce food for your household to eat.
What can’t I purchase with SNAP?
- beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco
- any nonfood items, such as:
- pet food
- soap, paper products
- household supplies
- vitamins and medicine
- food that will be eaten in the store
- hot foods
