General Eligibility Requirements for Citizenship | Naturalization:

 

A lawful permanent resident of the United States may apply for naturalization as a United States citizen if the following conditions are met:

 

• For either of the two required waiting periods described below, the applicant has at all times been a lawful permanent resident ("green card" holder) of the United States:

 

• For three full years, if also married to a United States citizen (that is, three years of being married to a U.S. citizen and holding a green card at the same time); or,

• For five years, otherwise; and,

 

• At least three months' residence in the local area (to establish court jurisdiction).

 

• The applicant has continuously resided in the United States during the three or five year qualifying period.  This means no continuous absences of more than one year.

 

• The applicant has been physically present for a cumulative period equal to one day longer than one half the total number of days in the three or five year qualifying period.

 

• The applicant is a person of good moral character.  A criminal conviction for a serious crime statutorily prevents an applicant from establishing good moral character.  Otherwise, in the absence of recorded bad behavior, good moral character is generally presumed.