How to Calculate the 5 Years for Citizenship

Five years of legal residency is required to become a citizen of the U.S.

When applying for citizenship in the U.S., one of the important calculations to make is a five-year residency calculation. After five years living in the country, a law-abiding permanent resident can apply for citizenship. But you need to remember that if you ever leave the U.S. for longer than six months, your five-year residency period will start all over again. The calculation starts on the day you return to the U.S.

Instructions

1. Determine the day you entered the country. For example, you entered the U.S. on June 1, 2011.

2. Add five to the end of the years. In the example, 2011 plus five years equals 2016. So your five years end on June 1, 2016.

3. Stop counting days when you were outside the U.S. for more than six months. Restart your calculation as soon as you re-enter the U.S.

References

• American Citizenship: Naturalization and Citizenship Eligibility Requirements