For some people, becoming a US citizen is a cherished dream. The Western lifestyle is so attractive for its freedom and uniqueness that many Russians are interested in obtaining an American passport. This procedure is not very difficult, but it is far from simple. You need to live a certain amount of time in America, learn the language, history and much more.
Who is a US Citizen?
A US citizen is any person who was born in the United States, as well as the lands belonging to them. According to the law, any child, even one whose parents were in the United States illegally, automatically receives the status of a citizen. Even if only one of the parents is American, and the child himself was born outside this state, he can still be recognized as a citizen.
How do I get American citizenship?
It is no more difficult for a Russian to become a US citizen than any other foreigner. There is an established system for acquiring an American passport.
First you need to get a Green Card, without it there can be no question of any procedure for obtaining an American passport. A green card is a residence permit in the United States.
It can be obtained by marrying a US citizen or by marrying an American woman. Another way is to win the coveted Green Card, since a special lottery is held every year. There are also options for business immigration or obtaining a work visa.
If a person has lived in the United States for at least five years, then he has the right to apply for citizenship. This applies to those who have not found their American soul mate. For foreign wives and husbands of American citizens, the period of compulsory residence is reduced to three years. However, all these three years, the spouses must live together. If they get divorced or the foreigner is widowed, then the number of years required again increases to five.
The process of obtaining citizenship is called naturalization. It includes 3 mandatory stages: application, interview, oath of allegiance to America. As a rule, the entire procedure takes at least a year.
First you need to submit an application. Then it will take a long time before an invitation for an interview arrives. The wait usually takes several months. All documents that prove that the applicant is a law-abiding and conscientious taxpayer must be brought to the interview.
The interview is conducted to establish the language level of the applicant, his knowledge of the history of the United States, government, main cultural events. There is a test that needs to be correctly solved. If the applicant fails this exam, they will have the opportunity to take it again.
Those who answer most of the questions correctly will need to prepare for the solemn moment of taking the oath of allegiance to the United States. After this procedure, the person finally receives a "Certificate of Naturalization", according to which an American passport is issued.
