The process of becoming a naturalized citizen of United States is a complicated and time consuming process, but for those who do it, it's well worth it.
To be eligible in the first place, you must be at least eighteen and you must have lived in the United States as a permanent resident for five years, three, if you been living with a spouse who has been the United States citizen for three years and you have to be able to demonstrate that you have good moral character.
You can learn about criteria online at www.uscis.gov and completing the Naturalization Eligibility Worksheet. It will walk you through the self screening questions about your length of time in the country, travel outside the U.S., your English skills, knowledge of our history and the constitution and questions about your loyalty and willingness to help out if Uncle Sam calls on you.
By the time you complete the worksheet, you will know if you are eligible to take the next step, to begin the application process. If so, you will need to go online, and request hard copies of the actual 10-page application. At the same time, experts recommend that you order or view the user friendly booklet called, "A Guide To Naturalization". It will tell you how to fill out the application called Form N-400.
You will learn all about the specific photographs you will have to have and where to send them along with some other documents and the application fee. In a month or two, you should receive verification that they have received your package. Within another month or two, they will schedule your appointment for what they call BioMatrix. It's the process of computerizing your fingerprints, your signature and even your facial features. It's the government's way of making sure you are who you say you are.
Victor Nieblas: From my point of view, after 9/11, we needed a change, a desperate change in our government so that we could know who is coming in, we could secure our country, our borders, make sure that individuals did not harm my country and therefore, that brought many changes, many changes specially in the entry and exit system.
The BioMatrix process takes place at an Application Support center like this one.
Joanna Golshani: The Biomatrix consists of photo that maybe taken, a headshot photo, just as you would have a passport photo. It also consists of a fingerprint that we would take in this manner of a one -- your right index finger.
See our technician is taking a fingerprint of an applicant here. It will be digitalized and sent to the FBI. The information that's provided through this technology today is information that Department of Homeland Security employees can access. The information that we will be retrieved from here will inform us as to what type of information he or she has performed within his or her time here in the United States.
If they were, for example, booked into an arresting area, then we would be able to know what information comes out of that data. Now it depends on what the prints come out, so as you know, it's all classified information to employees who have access only to that database.
Somewhere between four and six months after you have send in your application, you will receive an appointment for your interview and exam. While you are waiting, it's the perfect time to study the government and history test questions and work on improving your skills of reading, writing and speaking English and get ready for the important interview. For more on that, check out Saber Hacer's video, Citizenship Interview and Oath Ceremony.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services