How Does a Canadian Apply for American Citizenship?
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Green Card
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You can't apply for American citizenship unless you've been physically living on U.S. soil for at least five years. That means, if you're currently living in Canada, you'll have to apply for a green card before you can move to the United States. If your current spouse is a U.S. citizen, you're already eligible to apply for a green card. If your company has offices on American soil, you might be able to transfer to one of these offices, and the company can sponsor your green card application, according to the U.S. Immigration Support. Failing these two options, you might be able to win a green card in a lottery. The U.S. government issues 55,000 green cards through this program each year.
Requirements for Citizenship
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After you've lived in the United States for five years, you can apply for U.S. citizenship, but your application is unlikely to be accepted unless you meet a number of requirements. First of all, you must be at least 18 years old and "legally competent," according to the Law Office of Joseph C. Grasmick. You must also have lived continuously, for at least three months, in the state you're filing your application in. You must be fluent in the English language and have a good understanding of U.S. history and the U.S. Constitution.
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Good Moral Character
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Applicants for U.S. citizenship are also required to be of "good moral character" and have a "favorable disposition towards the United States," according to the U.S. Immigration Support. This means that you must agree with the principles of the U.S. Constitution, and you must be seeking an orderly, happy life in the United States. according to Lawfirms.com. You can't become a U.S. citizen if you have "received relief from Selective Service based upon your alienage." Also, your application will likely be rejected if you've been known to be a subversive or a deserter in the past, and "you can't be a communist."
Naturalization
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If you meet all these requirements, you can begin the process of obtaining U.S. citizenship, also known as naturalization. Once the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, has received your application, it will verify that you have a green card and have been living in the United States for at least five years. Then, it will contact you and request that you appear in person "to file your official petition for naturalization," according to the Law Office of Josephy C. Grasmick. A representative from the USCIS will interview you. Based on this interview, it will decide whether or not to grant you citizenship.
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