{"id":1045,"date":"2017-07-06T04:49:14","date_gmt":"2017-07-06T04:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/?p=1045"},"modified":"2021-11-23T06:20:05","modified_gmt":"2021-11-23T06:20:05","slug":"what-it-takes-to-become-an-american-citizen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/what-it-takes-to-become-an-american-citizen","title":{"rendered":"What it Takes to Become an American Citizen (and who succeeds)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p style=\"font-size:19px\">Every year, thousands of people become American citizen across the United States. The country takes in a large number of migrants every year who come looking for better work and education opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:19px\">The USA is surprisingly flexible with its immigration schemes, as shown by its Diversity Visa Lottery program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:19px\">But, what does it take to become an American citizen, and is it as easy as you might think?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"New citizens of the United States :o)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HYOV7_1aM2Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">American Immigration History and how to Become an American Citizen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>American immigration history can be viewed in four eras: the colonial period, the mid-19th century, the start of the 20th century, and post-1965. Each period brought distinct national groups, races, and ethnicities to the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the year 1930, only 241,700 people obtained legal permanent resident status, but today, the United States welcomes more than a million immigrants every year. Below are some average statistics from 1930 to 2021 that show how America\u2019s immigration levels have increased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Decade<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Average per year<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1930\u20131939<\/td><td>69,900<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1940\u20131949<\/td><td>85,700<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1950\u20131959<\/td><td>249,900<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1960\u20131969<\/td><td>321,400<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1970\u20131979<\/td><td>424,800<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1980\u20131989<\/td><td>624,400<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1990\u20131999<\/td><td>977,500<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2000\u20132021<\/td><td>1,050,100<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Bear in mind that these figures represent legal permanent residents, as they don\u2019t include undocumented migrants. One of the first steps in the journey to become an American citizen is, of course, to obtain legal residency status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, immigrants make up over 13% of the United States population, 43 million immigrants are there legally.&nbsp;Mexico&nbsp;has always provided the largest flow of immigrants, but an increasing number of people are now arriving from Europe, Africa,&nbsp;&nbsp;Asia,&nbsp;and some Latin American countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below graph shows the major regions where immigrants entering the US have come from 1820 to 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Immigrants-over-time.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Immigrants-over-time.jpg\" alt=\"Become an American Citizen\" class=\"wp-image-2487\" width=\"768\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Immigrants-over-time.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Immigrants-over-time-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Immigrants-over-time-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a Lawful Permanent Resident?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A lawful permanent resident (or legal resident) is someone who entered the USA under a designated immigration route. As such, they\u2019re considered to be in the country legally. An LPR is issued with an official \u201calien registration card\u201d, known informally as a green card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is what provides you with the right to live and work in America indefinitely. Your card must be renewed every year, and you can lose it by committing certain crimes or staying outside of the USA for extended periods of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An LPR is different from a visa holder. A visa, as you might know, is temporary authorization to enter a country for a specific reason. It might be for tourism, business, or something else, but the point is that you return to your home country when it expires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Become an American Citizen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what does it take to become an American citizen? It\u2019s not a difficult process but is a long one. You should expect the process to take a minimum of 5 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a brief overview of the steps it takes to become an American citizen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a brief overview of the steps it takes to become an American citizen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Get LPR status<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step is to enter America as a legal permanent resident. In short, you\u2019ll need to obtain a green card through one of the acceptable routes. This could be obtaining a job, marrying an American, or through the green card lottery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whichever route you go down, you\u2019ll need a green card as soon as possible to ensure your eligibility for citizenship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Live in America<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The next step is a fairly simple one. You just have to live in America for a designated period, working and getting on with your life. Most importantly, you must remain above the law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Committing various federal crimes could see you stripped of your LPR status, meaning you can\u2019t become an American citizen. Worse still, it likely means you\u2019ll be deported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To be eligible for citizenship, you must live in the USA continuously for 5 years, or 3 years if you marry an American.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Meet the other criteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Along with living in America, you must meet other criteria. These include being of good moral character, reading and writing English, and being above 18 years of age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Apply for citizenship<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Known formally as naturalization, obtaining American citizenship means filling in forms and taking tests. You\u2019ll sit a citizenship interview, during which you\u2019ll be asked questions about American history and civics. Make sure you do your homework and <a href=\"https:\/\/americanhistory.si.edu\/citizenship\/test\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prepare yourself for the oath test.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once that\u2019s completed, you must finish by taking the Oath of Allegiance. It\u2019s something all Americans do at some point, and doing it will mean you\u2019ve officially become an American citizen!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Become an American Citizen<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>So, to become an American citizen, you must start by getting a green card. Then, it\u2019s just a case of living legally and applying when you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US GREEN CARD OFFICE<\/strong>&nbsp;is a worldwide leader in assisting applicants from all over the world in preparing and submitting their applications successfully to the American Green Card Program also known as the Diversity Visa Lottery Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US Green card Office is now accepting applications and you should submit your Diversity Visa Application as soon as possible directly on our website&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/apply\">https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/apply<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every year, thousands of people become American citizen across the United States. The country takes in a large number of migrants every year who come looking for better work and education opportunities. The USA is surprisingly flexible with its immigration schemes, as shown by its Diversity Visa Lottery program. But, what does it take to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2487,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-about-the-usa-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1045"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1045\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2510,"href":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1045\/revisions\/2510"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2487"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}