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What Is the Five-Year Citizenship Rule?

You want to become a United States citizen, but you aren’t sure exactly how to go about it. By learning about the five-year citizenship rule, you can figure out if you are eligible for gaining citizenship in the U.S.

The Five Year Citizenship Rule 

Under the five-year citizenship rule, you must be a lawful permanent resident continuously in the U.S. for five years in order to apply for citizenship. You also need to have lived in the state where you are applying for residency for at least three months before filling out the N-400, Application for Naturalization. 

What Does Continuous Residency Mean?

Under the five-year citizenship rule, continuous residency means that you did not leave the country for more than six months at a time while you were a lawful permanent resident. If you left for longer than that, you may have broken your continuous residency requirement and could have trouble gaining citizenship. The only exception is if you work overseas, like for the U.S. Army. 

Other Requirements for Citizenship

To apply for citizenship, you must also be at least 18 years of age, be able to pass a U.S. history and government test as well as an English test, and be a person of good moral character. To pass the test, you should find sample questions online and study them. 

Contact a Florida Immigration Attorney

Do you have questions about getting U.S. citizenship? Then contact U.S. Immigration Law Counsel through our website or by calling 1-800-666-4996. We deal with the government so you don’t have to. We look forward to assisting you.