I ask about that one of my friend & he said No I think it's amportant in the legal residence ( Green Card ) >
Generally -- very generally -- you may not become a naturalized U.S. citizen unless you:
1. Are at least 18 years old and a lawful permanent resident ("green card" holder);
2. Have resided continuously in the United States, having been lawfully admitted for permanent residence, for five years immediately preceding the date you filed your application for naturalization, or
3. Have, after having been removed from conditional permanent resident status, based upon your marriage to a U.S. citizen, having resided in the United States for one year after the date the condition was removed;
4. Have resided continuously in the United States at all times after your application to the time and date of your admission for citizenship;
5. Have, during all periods of time referred to above, been and still are a person of good moral character;
6. Have no outstanding deportation or removal order and no pending deportation or removal proceeding;
7. Have the ability to read, write, speak, and understand simple words and phrases in English;
8. Have knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of U.S. history and government;
9. Are attached to, and can support, the principles of the U.S. Constitution and can swear allegiance to the United States.
& Also you can go for (
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscisCitizenship Through Naturalization
Naturalization is the process by which U.S. citizenship is granted to a foreign citizen or national after he or she fulfills the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). In most cases, an applicant for naturalization must be a permanent resident (green card holder) before filing. Except for certain U.S. military members and their dependents, naturalization can only be granted in the United States.
How to Apply for Naturalization
To apply for naturalization, file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. See the "N-400,Application for Naturalization" link to the upper-right for the form and its instructions.
For more information, check the “How Do I Apply for Citizenship?” link to the upper-right. We also provide educational materials to help you prepare for the English, U.S. history and civics portions of the naturalization test, including:
Naturalization Self Test
Study for the Naturalization Test
See the links to those resources to the right, and also check the “Naturalization Test” link to the left for even more test information and resources.
If you are in the military and are interested in becoming a U.S. citizen, please check the “M-599, Naturalization Information for Military” link to the right.
You May Qualify for Naturalization if:
You have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years and meet all other eligibility requirements. See the “General Path to Citizenship” link under “Citizenship Through Naturalization” to the left.
You have been a permanent resident for 3 years or more and meet all eligibility requirements to file as a spouse of a U.S. citizen. See the “For Spouses of U.S. Citizens” link under “Citizenship Through Naturalization” to the left.
You have qualifying service in the U.S. armed forces and meet all other eligibility requirements. See the “Military" section of our website.
Your child may qualify for naturalization if you are a U.S. citizen, the child was born outside the U.S., the child is currently residing outside the U.S., and all other eligibility requirements are met.
You may also qualify through other paths to naturalization if you do not qualify through the paths described on the links to the left. See the “A Guide to Naturalization” link to the right. Chapter 4 of the guide discusses who is eligible for Naturalization.
Note: You may already be a U.S. citizen and not need to apply for naturalization if your biological or adoptive parent(s) became a U.S. citizen before you reached the age of 18. See the “Citizenship Through Parents” link to the left.
