Foreign nationals are eligible to become naturalized U.S. citizens by fulfilling certain requirements.  An applicant for naturalization must be a permanent resident for either 5 years or 3 years (if the permanent resident status was acquired through marriage) before filing an application for naturalization.

A naturalization applicant must demonstrate that he or she has continuously resided in the U.S. for the requisite period of time before filing the naturalization application; has been physically present in the U.S. for at least half of the period of residence; has proficiency of the English language; has basic knowledge of the U.S. government and history; and demonstrates good moral character.

Applicants who are over 50 years of age and who have been residing in the U.S. for at least 20 years as of the date of filing of the application can be tested in their native language.  This exception also applies to applicants over 55 years of age and who have been living in the U.S. as lawful permanent residents for over 15 years.

Once an application for naturalization has been approved an applicant is required to take an oath of allegiance to the U.S.

Naturalized citizens are granted all of the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that citizenship entails.

In some circumstances, individuals either acquire or derive citizenship automatically, by operation of law.

A child born abroad may acquire U.S. citizenship if both parents were U.S. citizens at the time the child was born.  At least one U.S. citizen parent must have resided in the U.S. for a certain period of time before the child’s birth. The eligibility requirements can vary based on whether the biological parents were married at the time of the child’s birth.

Children of permanent residents may automatically derive citizenship if they can demonstrate that at least one of their parents was a U.S. citizen by birth or naturalization, they were under 18 years old when the parent obtained citizenship, they are unmarried, they are a lawful permanent resident, and that they are in legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent.