United States Citizenship
How to Acquire US Citizenship
A person may acquire US citizenship by one of the following ways:
- Birth in the United States.
- A child born outside the US where one or both parents are US citizens may acquire US citizenship at birth.
- From derivative citizenship: A child born outside the US may become a US citizen by law from the child’s parent or parents’ birth or naturalization.
- A person who is at least 18 years old may acquire US citizen by filing an application of naturalization with the USCIS.
Benefits of US Citizenship
There are many benefits of being a US citizen over permanent resident (green card holder):
- US citizens may out of the US for a long period of time without losing their citizenship. Permanent residents, on the other hand, may lose their permanent resident status if they stay outside the US for a longer period of time.
- US citizens may petition green card for their spouse, parents and children as immediate relative, which takes much shorter time than other family-based immigration petitions.
- US citizens may petition green card for their brothers and sisters while permanent residents can’t.
- US citizens may participate to vote in various levels of elections in the United States, including presidential election.
- Certain types of jobs with US federal government require US citizenship. It is especially true for energy and defense sectors jobs.
- US citizens can be sponsors or co-sponsors to family-based immigration petitions.
- US citizens can obtain services and assistance from U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad that are only available to US citizens.
- US citizens cannot be deported, while permanent residents may be deported under certain circumstances, such as being convicted of a crime.
- US citizens may be more favored in certain US tax laws, particularly in the area of estate taxes.
- US federal government offer grants every year in many areas. Certain grants are only available to US citizens.
