Overview of Citizenship Process
Birth:
Employment Based Immigration:
If a business wants to hire someone from another country then the company can petition for the employee to come and become a lawful permanent resident. Highest preference is given to immigrants with unique skills and high levels of education (professors, doctors, people who have more school than a bachelor’s degree from a University).
Before a person becomes approved the department of labor certifies that the person petitioning to become a citizen won’t negatively affect the wages of citizens. Then the company gets a labor certification allowing them to hire the person. Then the immigrant needs to have a background check. Most of the employment based immigration spots are reserved for “outstanding professors and researchers” and others “holding advanced degrees.”
People who invest more than 1 million dollars in the US and hire US citizens can get lawful permanent residence through employment.
Diversity Immigration:
Due to family immigration the people from countries who are here keep growing but people from other countries don’t have as much of a chance to become citizens. So they created a “citizen lottery.” 50,000 people are picked annually, so many people apply that the odds for getting picked are 1 out of 182. People who come from countries that are underrepresented in the United states can apply to the lottery if they have graduated high school or worked in a skilled profession for 2 years. If somebody gets picked for the citizen lottery then they can fill out the paperwork and become a lawful permanent resident.
Family Petition for Citizenship:
Citizens can petition for their family members to become citizens. Once the petition get accepted their family member can become a lawful permanent resident. Spouses, parents, and unmarried children under 21 can become a lawful permanent resident as soon as their paperwork is processed, which usually takes a year.
For other family members the petitions have a specific wait time attached to them. No single country is allowed more that 7% of the family based visas for the year, which is why people applying from certain countries have a much longer wait than others. There is a priority list for the family based petitions after those who are guaranteed visas.
Lawful Permanent Resident:
A person who is not a citizen but can legally stay and work in the country. They have a green card which shows their legal status. A legal permanent resident can then become a citizen. A lawful permanent resident can apply for citizenship after 4 yrs. and 9 months people also have to pay $675. Then they muss pass a test in English, U.S. history, civics and government. A person applying for citizenship who is a spouse can apply after 2 yrs. and 9 months.
Refugee:
A person who leaves their country of origin due to “well funded” fear of persecution because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group, or political opinion. Once refugees come to the States they are given a green card and become a lawful permanent resident. Refugees usually go through really difficult circumstances before they are granted the name refugee but once they come to the States the process of receiving a green card is not to complicated. Many refugees come from countries in Eastern Europe, the middle East (Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran) or some African countries (Somalia, Sudan, and Rawanda).
- If a person is born in the United States they are a citizen. It does not matter if their parents are citizens or not.
- If a person is born in another country but their parents are citizens then they are a citizen.
- If someone is under 18 and their parents become naturalized as a citizen then the child under 18 will become a citizen too.
Employment Based Immigration:
If a business wants to hire someone from another country then the company can petition for the employee to come and become a lawful permanent resident. Highest preference is given to immigrants with unique skills and high levels of education (professors, doctors, people who have more school than a bachelor’s degree from a University).
Before a person becomes approved the department of labor certifies that the person petitioning to become a citizen won’t negatively affect the wages of citizens. Then the company gets a labor certification allowing them to hire the person. Then the immigrant needs to have a background check. Most of the employment based immigration spots are reserved for “outstanding professors and researchers” and others “holding advanced degrees.”
People who invest more than 1 million dollars in the US and hire US citizens can get lawful permanent residence through employment.
Diversity Immigration:
Due to family immigration the people from countries who are here keep growing but people from other countries don’t have as much of a chance to become citizens. So they created a “citizen lottery.” 50,000 people are picked annually, so many people apply that the odds for getting picked are 1 out of 182. People who come from countries that are underrepresented in the United states can apply to the lottery if they have graduated high school or worked in a skilled profession for 2 years. If somebody gets picked for the citizen lottery then they can fill out the paperwork and become a lawful permanent resident.
Family Petition for Citizenship:
Citizens can petition for their family members to become citizens. Once the petition get accepted their family member can become a lawful permanent resident. Spouses, parents, and unmarried children under 21 can become a lawful permanent resident as soon as their paperwork is processed, which usually takes a year.
For other family members the petitions have a specific wait time attached to them. No single country is allowed more that 7% of the family based visas for the year, which is why people applying from certain countries have a much longer wait than others. There is a priority list for the family based petitions after those who are guaranteed visas.
- 1st preference: Unmarried children of citizens. They have a 6 yr. wait time to become a lawful permanent resident.
- 2nd preference: Spouses and children under 21 of a lawful permanent resident.
- 3rd Preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens and unmarried adult children of a lawful permanent resident.
- 4th preference: Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens.
Lawful Permanent Resident:
A person who is not a citizen but can legally stay and work in the country. They have a green card which shows their legal status. A legal permanent resident can then become a citizen. A lawful permanent resident can apply for citizenship after 4 yrs. and 9 months people also have to pay $675. Then they muss pass a test in English, U.S. history, civics and government. A person applying for citizenship who is a spouse can apply after 2 yrs. and 9 months.
Refugee:
A person who leaves their country of origin due to “well funded” fear of persecution because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group, or political opinion. Once refugees come to the States they are given a green card and become a lawful permanent resident. Refugees usually go through really difficult circumstances before they are granted the name refugee but once they come to the States the process of receiving a green card is not to complicated. Many refugees come from countries in Eastern Europe, the middle East (Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran) or some African countries (Somalia, Sudan, and Rawanda).