If you are under age 18, your eligibility to naturalize depends on your parents.

If you are 18 years of age or older and do fall into a special category of applicant, then you may be able to apply for citizenship if you:

1. Have been a permanent resident (LPR / green card holder) for the past 5 years,

2. Have lived in the U.S. for at least half of the last 5 years;

3. Have not been absent from the U.S. for more than six months;

4. Have lived in your State for at least 3 months;

5. Have good moral character;

6. Are “attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States”;

7. Can pass an English examination and conduct a naturalization interview without an interpreter (unless you qualify for an exception); and

8. Can pass a Civics/History examination in English (unless you qualify for a language exception).

There are some special circumstances where an applicant might qualify for an exception to one or more of these rules, and hiring an attorney can ensure that your rights and responsibilities are respected and counseled.

Most people must comprehend English sufficiently well to complete the naturalization interview with a USCIS officer. This includes a specific English reading and writing exam and a Civics/History test.

Some people qualify for an exemption from some of the requirements, including applicants who:

1. Are 50 years old or older when they apply for naturalization and have lived as a permanent resident (Green Card holder) for 20 years (the “50/20” exception);

2. Are 55 years old or older when they apply for naturalization and have lived as a permanent resident (Green Card holder) for 15 years (the “55/15” exception).

Almost everyone must study the full 100 practice questions to prepare for the Civics/History test in the naturalization interview.

However, if you are 65 or older and have been a permanent resident for at least 20 years at the time of filing for naturalization, you qualify for a limited version of the exam with only 20 possible quesions.