Question:
I got my Green Card based on
my marriage to a U.S. Citizen. How long
does it take to get U.S. Citizenship after the Green Card?
Answer:
Most
U.S. Permanent Residents have to wait 5 years after receiving Green
Card to qualify for U.S. Citizenship. However, the immigration law
gives a break to spouses of U.S. Citizens.
If you are a U.S. permanent or
conditional resident, you cannot apply
for U.S. citizenship until you have lived in U.S. as a lawful permanent
resident for at least five years. That means exactly five years to the
day. You can check your U.S. permanent resident card for the exact date
on which you became a permanent resident.
If you
start out as a conditional resident rather than a permanent
resident, because you got your residence through your marriage to a
U.S. citizen, your two years as a conditional resident count as
permanent residence.
If
you have been married for at least 3 years, and your spouse has been a
U.S. Citizen for at least 3 years, you are eligible for citizenship 3
years after you become U.S. Permanent Resident. Actually, you are
allowed to apply for naturalization 3 months before the end of your 3
year residence.
The U.S. citizenship application
must be submitted by mail, using USCIS
Form N-400. USCIS will take a long time to process the N-400, to
arrange for you to be fingerprinted, and to call you in for the
interview at which it actually reviews your application, tests you on
your knowledge of English and U.S. government, and makes a decision on
whether to approve or deny you. USCIS may take at least 90 days
to call you in for your interview.
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