Naturalization is commonly defined as the process by which eligible foreign nationals may apply for and be granted U.S. citizenship. Applications for naturalization, filed on Form N-400, are now decided by the newly created Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), a body within the Department of Homeland Security. On March 1, 2003, BCIS took over all service functions of the former Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS).

What are the basic requirements for naturalization? Below are the seven general requirements for naturalization: Several exceptions are covered in separate questions on this website.

1. Age 18. An applicant for naturalization must be at least 18 years old.
   
2. LPR immigration status. An applicant for naturalization must be a Lawful Permanent Resident for at least five years. A notable exception to this general rule may include a person who has been married to a U.S. citizen for at least three years.
   
3. Residence in U.S. After having been granted Lawful Permanent Residence, an applicant for naturalization must have resided continuously in the United States for at least five years.
   
4. Physical presence. Most applicants must have been physically present in the United States for at least 30 months of the five years of required continuous residence.
   
5. Three-month residence in a BCIS district.At the time of filing an application for naturalization or at the time of the naturalization interview, an applicant must have lived for at least three months in the BCIS district where the filing or interview takes place.
   
6. Good moral character and allegiance. An applicant must be a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and favorably disposed toward the good order and happiness of the United States.
   
7. English language skills and knowledge of U.S. history and government. In order that she may responsibly fulfill the duties of citizenship, a naturalization applicant must demonstrate an understanding of the English language, including an ability to read, write, and speak words in ordinary usage in the English language. An applicant must also demonstrate a knowledge and understanding ot the fundamentals of the history, and of the principles and form of government, of the United States.
   

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