USCIS administers the naturalization process and people who seek to obtain US citizenship after living in the United States for a certain number of years, must file naturalization applications with the USCIS. Individuals who were born abroad and whose parents are not US citizens will have to naturalize, in order to become US citizens and naturalization is the process through which immigrants can legally become US citizens.
Naturalization process comprises of few different steps and as a Green Card holder, you need to understand and learn about the naturalization process prior to filing your petition.
Read the Guide to Naturalization and complete the eligibility worksheet
The first thing that you need to do is to make sure that you are eligible for US citizenship and so you may complete the Naturalization Eligibility Worksheet and read the naturalization guide. This will help you to learn about this process and determine your eligibility. Naturalization process is not as easy as we think and is quite complicated. The worksheet will help you to make sure that you meet the key criteria and the guide will help you to prepare your naturalization application.
File Form N-400, Application for Naturalization
If you qualify, you may file Form N-400 and you can complete this form online on your computer and this will help you to avoid mistakes. Two passport style photographs must accompany your application and photographs must meet the specifications. Similarly, supporting documents play an important role and it is mandatory to submit copies of all the relevant identification documents that would help the USCIS officers to determine that you are eligible for US citizenship. You need to mail the completed Form N-400 along with the supporting documents, photographs and the filing fees, to the right service center.
Get Fingerprinted
You will have to go to the fingerprinting location after you receive a letter from the USCIS and get your fingerprints taken. If the USCIS requires additional supporting documents, you will have to mail them to the USCIS as you will be required to appear for an interview only after the USCIS reviews your supporting documents.
The naturalization interview
The next step is the naturalization interview and you will have to go to the local office at the scheduled time and you need to take with you to the interview, your identification documents and all the relevant immigration papers. This is where you will take your US citizenship test and you will be asked few questions about your Form N-400, during the interview.
Take the Oath of Allegiance
This is the last step and if your interview is successful, you will be notified about the naturalization oath ceremony. During that ceremony, you will have to swear the oath and surrender your Green Card and you will no more be a permanent resident and you can remain as a citizen of the United States forever.