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Can you apply for US citizenship if you're there on a student visa?

By Feenotype2 (Feenotype2) on Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 11:44 pm: Edit

Err, I don't think so. First you have to get a green card.

By Annieivy (Annieivy) on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 01:25 am: Edit

Not a chance. In fact they are cracking down on foreigners even staying in the States if they are not enrolled full time in study. It's also pretty hard to find a company to sponsor you after graduation now. We've always had foreign students live with us, and they used to have no problem coming and going. That has all changed after 9/11.

By Matth (Matth) on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 04:46 pm: Edit

No. You must already be a permanent resident in the U.S. and have resided there for at least five years prior to applying for citizenship. You must be of good moral character, be able to read, write, speak, and understand English, be able to pass a test on U.S. History and government, and pledge an oath of allegiance to the U.S.

These rules haven't changed. Difficulties with visas since 9/11 have nothing to do with the requirements for citizenship.

By Joev (Joev) on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 05:51 pm: Edit

The funny thing to me is I bet you 90% of American citizens couldn't even pass that test. I think we should retest Americans every 5 years in order to KEEP their citizenship. Would get rid of all the idiots we have in this country.

By Sfbbgurl (Sfbbgurl) on Tuesday, October 05, 2004 - 11:35 am: Edit

I totally agree with Joev...I bet Bush couldn't even pass that kind of test. Oh the humanity.

By Alexandre (Alexandre) on Tuesday, October 05, 2004 - 12:57 pm: Edit

The process is long. I started by applying for a permanent visa status (Green Card) in the Winter of 1998. I got my Green card in the winter of 2003! It took 5 years. In order to apply to the citizenship, one must have been a premanent resident for 5 years. That does not mean you have to live in the US for 5 years. But you must live in the US for at least 30 months (50%) of those 5 years and you cannot be away from US soil for more than 6 months at a time.