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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend April 28, 2006 Since You Asked I thought these questions might be timely: What are the requirements for U.S. citizenship? How long does it take to become a U.S. citizen? How does a person apply for U.S. citizenship? By what legal means can people come to the U.S., i.e. student visas, tourist visas, green cards, etc.? -- Ellen T., Medford You're right, Ellen, they are timely. It's not quite as easy to become a U.S. citizen as you might think. Fortunately, for those out there who need the answers, they are readily available on the Internet. U.S. residents seeking citizenship through the process of naturalization, in general, must be 18 years old and either have permanent resident status or have been living in the country for a specified continuous period. Applicants must also demonstrate their ability to read, write and speak English and their knowledge of the principles of the U.S. Constitution. Advertisement Applicants also must show good moral character, as evidenced largely by a clean criminal record, and a favorable disposition toward the United States. Once their application is approved, new citizens must take the oath of allegiance. It typically takes between six and nine months to obtain citizenship after filing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services form N-400 at the appropriate service center. The form can be downloaded from the Web at www.uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz or obtained by calling 800870-3676. Applicants also must be fingerprinted at a USCIS fingerprinting site, often your local police station. If they don't have permanent residency with a green card, foreigners legally can come into the country under asylum or refugee status or with one of about 20 different types of visas. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . We're sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s