Learn About Citizenship Process Steps

Understanding What Citizenship Means and Why It Matters

Citizenship is a legal status that connects a person to a country. When you are a citizen of the United States, you have certain rights and responsibilities that come with that status. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), there are currently about 330 million people living in the United States, and approximately 260 million of them are citizens. Citizenship gives you the right to vote in elections, hold a U.S. passport, serve on a jury, and receive certain government protections. It also means you must follow U.S. laws and can be called to serve your country if needed.

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People become citizens in different ways. Some are born as citizens because they were born on U.S. soil or because at least one parent is a U.S. citizen. Others become citizens through a process called naturalization, which involves meeting specific requirements and going through official steps. Understanding these different pathways is important because the process you follow depends on your individual circumstances. For example, a person born in the United States is automatically a citizen from birth, while someone born in another country must complete additional steps to become a U.S. citizen.

The citizenship process has been a part of American law for over 200 years. The first citizenship laws were established in 1790, just a few years after the country was founded. Since then, the laws have changed many times to reflect the country's values and needs. Today, the USCIS oversees citizenship matters and manages the naturalization process for people who want to become U.S. citizens. Learning about the citizenship process helps you understand your rights, your responsibilities, and the options that may be available to you or your family members.

Practical Takeaway: Citizenship can be gained through birth or naturalization. Understanding which pathway applies to your situation is the first step in learning about the process that may affect you.

Citizenship by Birth: Automatic Citizenship for Babies Born in the U.S.

The most common way people become U.S. citizens is through birth. According to the USCIS, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that any person born in the United States and subject to its laws is automatically a citizen. This means that if you were born in any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Northern Mariana Islands, you are a U.S. citizen from the moment of birth. You do not need to fill out any forms or complete any steps to gain this citizenship—it happens automatically.

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Babies born in the United States receive a birth certificate, which is the official document that proves they were born here. The birth certificate shows the date and place of birth, the names of the parents, and other identifying information. This document serves as proof of citizenship and is used for many important purposes throughout a person's life, such as getting a driver's license, entering school, or obtaining a passport. If you were born in the U.S. and need proof of your citizenship status later in life, you can request a copy of your original birth certificate from the state where you were born.

There are some specific situations where birth in the United States may not automatically result in citizenship. For example, children born to foreign diplomats working in the United States are not automatically citizens because their parents have diplomatic immunity. Additionally, children born to enemy aliens during wartime may face different circumstances. However, these situations are rare. For the vast majority of people born in the United States, citizenship is automatic and immediate.

Understanding your citizenship status based on birth is straightforward. If you were born in the United States, you are a citizen. If you were born outside the United States but at least one of your parents was a U.S. citizen at the time of your birth and met certain other requirements, you may also be a citizen. You can learn more about these specific requirements by reviewing information from the USCIS website, which provides detailed guidance about citizenship through birth abroad to U.S. citizen parents.

Practical Takeaway: If you were born in the United States, you are automatically a citizen. A birth certificate is your primary proof of this status and is important to keep in a safe place.

Citizenship by Descent: Inheriting Citizenship From Your Parents

Citizenship by descent, also called citizenship through parents, means that you can become a U.S. citizen even if you were not born in the United States, as long as at least one of your parents was a U.S. citizen when you were born. This is a way that people born outside the country can still hold U.S. citizenship. The rules for citizenship by descent are complex because they have changed over time, and the requirements depend on when and where you were born and your parents' citizenship status at the time of your birth.

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For children born after November 14, 1986, the general rule is that at least one parent must have been a U.S. citizen and must have lived in the United States or its territories for at least five years before the child's birth. For children born between December 24, 1952, and November 14, 1986, the requirements were different—only one parent needed to be a citizen and to have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years, with at least 5 of those years occurring after age 14. These rules can be confusing because they vary based on the exact date of birth.

To establish citizenship by descent, you typically need to present evidence of your parents' citizenship status and your own birth records. Common documents used to prove citizenship by descent include birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees (if applicable), and evidence of your parent's citizenship, such as a U.S. passport or naturalization certificate. If you believe you may be a U.S. citizen through descent but have never formally established this status, you can learn about the documentation you may need to gather. The USCIS provides forms and instructions that explain which documents to submit and how to proceed.

Citizenship by descent is particularly relevant for people whose parents immigrated to the United States or for those who were born abroad to at least one American parent. Many people do not realize they may already be citizens through this pathway. If you think this might apply to you, gathering information about your parents' citizenship status and the dates and places of birth is an important first step in understanding your own potential citizenship status.

Practical Takeaway: If you were born outside the United States to at least one U.S. citizen parent, you may be a citizen through descent. Check your parents' citizenship records and your birth records to learn whether you meet the requirements.

The Naturalization Process: How Non-Citizens Become U.S. Citizens

Naturalization is the legal process through which a person who was not born a U.S. citizen can become one. According to USCIS data, approximately 888,000 people were naturalized as U.S. citizens in 2023, making naturalization a common pathway to citizenship. The naturalization process involves several steps, including meeting specific requirements, submitting paperwork, attending interviews, and taking an oath. The entire process typically takes several months to over a year, depending on individual circumstances and the workload of local USCIS offices.

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To participate in the naturalization process, you generally must meet several basic requirements. First, you must have been a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) for a certain amount of time—usually five years, though this may be shortened to three years if you are married to a U.S. citizen. Second, you must have lived in the United States for the required time period and not have taken extended trips outside the country that would interrupt your continuous residence. Third, you must demonstrate good moral character, which means you have not committed serious crimes and have followed the laws. Fourth, you must show that you can read, write, and speak English at a basic level. Fifth, you must pass a civics test that covers U.S. history and government. Finally, you must be at least 18 years old.

The first official step in the naturalization process is submitting Form N-400, the Application for Naturalization, to USCIS. This form asks for personal information, immigration history, background information, and answers to questions about your moral character and loyalty to the United States. After submitting the form and required documents, USCIS will send you a notice telling you when to go for biometric services, which involve taking fingerprints and photos for a background check. Following the background check, you will receive a notice for your naturalization interview and test.

During the naturalization interview,