A: Ok, so you have the green card. Now…when can you start applying for citizenship? The answer will vary depending on how you obtained the green card.  Once you have submitted your US citizenship application, however, the rest of the citizenship process is the same no matter how you got your green card. If you do not know which of the following categories describes your particular situation, a citizenship lawyer can help determine when you can start applying for citizenship or discuss the citizenship process in general.

Green Card Citizenship

In general, green card holders must wait five years before applying for citizenship. The green card citizenship process also requires a showing of five years of good moral character. Applicants naturalizing via the general green card citizenship route can submit an application up to 90 days before their five year green card anniversary date. However, due to the dramatic decrease in current US citizenship application processing times, applicants must make sure to reschedule any citizenship interview that would take place prior to the five year anniversary date. Attending a citizenship interview before having a full five years of permanent residence may result in the application being denied and the applicant having to reapply and pay an additional filing fee. If you are unsure of when you should start applying for citizenship via the green card citizenship route, please contact a citizenship lawyer at 800.989.6942 or send an email using the form to the right.

Applying for Citizenship via marriage

Lawful permanent residents who have had their green cards and been married to US citizens for three years can take advantage of the marriage citizenship process. To qualify for marriage citizenship, the spouse of the US citizen must be able to show three years of good moral character and must be able to prove that the marriage to the US citizen is ongoing and bona fide (real).  Applicants naturalizing via the marriage citizenship route can submit a US citizenship application up to 90 days before their three year green card anniversary date. However, due to the dramatic decrease in current US citizenship application processing times, applicants must make sure to reschedule any citizenship interview that would take place prior to the three year anniversary date. Attending a citizenship interview before having a full three years of permanent residence may result in the application being denied and the applicant having to reapply and pay an additional filing fee. If you are unsure of when you should start applying for citizenship via the marriage citizenship route, please contact a citizenship lawyer at 800.989.6942 or send an email using the form to the right.

Citizenship Lawyer Questions?

No matter how you obtained your green card, whether through marriage, employment, as a refugee, through asylum or as a member of the military, a citizenship lawyer can explain the citizenship process for your particular situation.

Both the green card citizenship route and the marriage citizenship route require the citizenship applicant to already be a lawful permanent resident green card holder at the time they file their citizenship application. For non-marriage cases, the general rule is that the applicant must be a green card holder for five years prior to applying for citizenship. In addition, the applicant must show five years of good moral character. Criminal issues, illegal voting, failure to file tax returns, failure to register for selective service (draft) and failure to pay child support can all result in a negative finding of moral character.  However, those who are applying for citizenship by marriage to a US citizen need only be a green card holder for three years, and show three years of good moral character. This preferential treatment for participants in the marriage citizenship process make marrying a US citizen an attractive way to immigrate to the US and obtain citizenship. The more years an applicant is required to wait before obtaining citizenship, the more likely the applicant is to encounter negative situations that may affect a finding of good moral character. Also, green card holders are always subject to deportation and loss of their green card. Once they naturalize, however, very few things can affect their US citizen status.

Why hire a naturalization lawyer to help with your marriage citizenship case? Naturalization lawyers can help determine if you are eligible to obtain citizenship by marriage and, if not yet a green card holder, can assist in obtaining your spousal green card. Naturalization lawyers can also assist those citizenship applicants whose backgrounds may make it difficult to obtain a finding of good moral character, or who have not maintained proper US residence and physical presence since obtaining their green card. For a free consult with a naturalization lawyer, call 800.989.6742 today!