Generally, the basic requirements for US citizenship are as follows:
• Be a legal permanent resident with a green card.
• Have uninterrupted residence for a specified period of time (usually 5 years) without leaving the United States for travel of 6 months or more. The time is reduced to 3 years for spouses of US citizens who have been married for at least 3 years and the spouse has been a US citizen for at least 3 years.
• Period of (non-permanent) physical presence in the United States, usually 30 months. The time is reduced to 18 months for spouses of US citizens who have been married for at least 3 years and the spouse has been a US citizen for at least 3 years.
• Be over 18 years old.
• Have good moral character and a favorable attitude towards the United States.
• Know the principles of the US Constitution, history and the US government.
• Take the test for US citizenship. People aged 50 and over with a total permanent resident of 15 years or more can take the citizenship test in the language of their choice. People 65 and older with a total residency of 20 years can go through the simplified and reduced versions and the language of their choice.
• Have the ability to read, write and speak English, except for people 55 and older who have been a permanent resident for at least 15 years; or people in their 50s and have lived in the United States for at least 20 years; or have a physical or mental disability that prevents them from meeting this requirement.