Immigrants with green cards living in Pennsylvania can live pretty normal lives. Many are married and have families, have jobs, own property and others may not know they are not U.S. citizens. While married permanent residents can live fairly normal lives there are certain benefits that they can only realize if they are U.S. citizens. To become a U.S. citizen they will need to go through the naturalization process though.
Eligibility requirements for married green card holders
Before married green card holders can submit their applications for naturalization, they need to ensure that they are eligible to do so. To be eligible they need to meet certain requirements. These requirements for citizenship include, but are not limited to:
- They must be married to a U.S. citizen for at least three years and remain married during the naturalization process.
- They must be at least 18 years old and have their green cards for at least three years immediately prior to filing for naturalization.
- They must have continuous residency in the U.S. for at least three years prior to applying and be physically present in the U.S. for at least 18 months of the three years immediately prior to applying. They also need to reside in the U.S. while the application is pending.
- They also must be able to read, write and speak English and know the basics of U.S. history and government.
- Finally, they must be of good moral character.
Becoming a U.S. citizen can seem daunting for many people in Pennsylvania. There are different requirements for different people. Those with green cards and are married to U.S. citizens will find that they do not need to reside in the U.S. quite as long before they start the naturalization process, but there are still many other requirements that they must meet. The naturalization process can be complicated for anyone and consulting with experienced attorneys could be beneficial.