Did you know that 40% of the United States population is expected to be of Latino descent by 2041? In addition, an estimated 8% of the population will be of Asian origin by the same year. Although the U.S. Census Bureau reports that approximately 40 million individuals have immigrated to the United States, immigrants must know how to gain U.S. citizenship. Obtaining a green card is the first step towards citizenship, and other requirements must then be met.

1. Obtaining a green card. A green card allows immigrants to become permanent residents of the United States. Immigration law states that a green card can be obtained in several ways, such as through a family member, employment, or refugee status. In addition, immigrants will need to have immigrant petitions filed on their behalf. Once a green card is obtained, immigrants will have to meet several other requirements in order to become citizens.

2. Additional requirements. The path towards citizenship is called naturalization, and this process requires additional steps. In order to become a citizen, residents must hold a green card for at least five years, live in a specific state for at least three months, and be physically present in the U.S. for at least 30 months. Immigrants can then apply for citizenship once these requirements are met. In addition, green card holders can gain citizenship through marriage or military enlistment, both of which require fewer steps to become a citizen.

Since immigrants are expected to contribute more than $600 billion in Social Security funds to the U.S. over the next 36 years, immigrants must complete all the steps to becoming a citizen. Obtaining a green card allows residents to continue the process of naturalization, which ultimately grants citizenship. By properly following all the steps, immigrants have the opportunity to become legal citizens of the United States. References.