U.S. citizenship is a goal for people from all over the world and who are in many different circumstances. With so many people seeking citizenship, the process can take a significant amount of time, and applicants need both patience and an experienced advocate to help them navigate the challenges that can lead to delays.  Though every applicant is different, statistics released in June of 2021 indicate that the national average processing time for naturalization applications is 14.5 months and the expected time from when you file your application to when you actually are sworn in as a citizen is between 18.5 months and 24 months. But the process starts long before you fill out the application because being eligible to apply has its own requirements.

Here are the categories of people who are able to apply for citizenship, and when they are able to apply:

• Green card holders with no special circumstances and who have lived in the United States for at least 30 months can apply for naturalization after five years.
• Green card holders who are married to American citizens and who have lived in the United States for at least 18 months can apply for naturalization after three years.
• Widows or widowers of U.S. citizens who died while honorably serving in the military can apply for naturalization at any time.
• Green card holders with at least one year of peacetime military service can apply while in active duty or within six months of honorably separating from the military.
• Green card holders with less than one year of peacetime military service and who have been in the United States for at least 30 months can apply after five years.
• Green card holders with at least one year of peacetime military service and who were honorably discharged more than six months ago and who have been in the United States for 30 months can apply after five years.
• Members of the military with any period of wartime service, with or without a green card, can apply at any time.

Once the application has been processed, you will need to attend a biometrics appointment and schedule a citizenship interview and exam. This adds approximately four months over and above the 14.5-month application processing time, and then you can expect to wait another four months or so to receive a decision on your application. Once approved, you can expect to take the Oath of Allegiance and receive your Certificate of Naturalization within about six weeks.

Contact our team of experienced immigration attorneys for more information!