To become a U.S. citizen you have to go through the naturalization process. If you are a Green card holder the process is pretty simple. However, if you don’t even have a Green Card it can be very difficult to become a U.S. citizen.
How difficult is it to become a U.S. citizen if you are a Green Card holder?
It is relatively a simple process to become a U.S. citizen if you already are a green card holder. After you become a permanent resident you should wait at least 5 years in most cases to be considered eligible to apply for citizenship. In some cases where Green Card was obtained through marriage to a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident then you should just wait 3 years before you become eligible.
There are a few other eligibility requirements to be met before you can apply for citizenship. After you meet the requirements you should file Form N-400. Immigration Direct is helping people apply for citizenship for over a decade. You can check our services if you want to apply for naturalization.
How difficult is it to become a U.S. citizen if you are not a Green Card holder?
It is difficult to become a U.S. citizen if you are not already a green card holder. Being a permanent resident(green card holder) is the first eligibility requirement you need to fulfill in order to become eligible for U.S. citizenship.
Getting an American green card is one of the most difficult processes in American immigration. There are multiple ways through which you can get a green card. Some of the ways you can get a green card are through sponsorship by a family member, through marriage to a U.S. citizen or green card holder, green card through employment, green card through investment, asylum status, refugee status, and through the Diversity Visa program and many more special categories.
Since there are many ways to get a green card it can be difficult. Some pathways can help you get a green card faster. For example, if you are a spouse of a U.S. citizen you could get a green card in less than 6 months or 1 year. If you are a brother of a U.S. citizen it could take 10 years or even more.
This is caused by the limit of immigrant visas available under each category of immigration pathway. Based on the pathway you choose or you have to go through the difficulty involved in getting U.S. citizenship will vary.
If you would like to discuss your options to get U.S. citizenship and also to get a green card if not already a green card holder you can consult with an experienced immigration lawyer to help you to identify the best immigration pathway for you.