United States (US)
The United States is a federation of 50 states and the District of Columbia spanning six time zones from the Atlantic to the Pacific, plus Alaska and Hawaii.
Capital: Washington, D.C.
Region: Americas
Language: English
Currency: USD ($)
Cost of living: Expensive (index 75)
Emergency: 911
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Citizenship & Permanent Residency
Long-term settlement options in United States.
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Permanent Residency
Name
Green Card (Lawful Permanent Resident)
Eligibility
Multiple paths: Employment-based (EB-1 extraordinary ability, EB-2 advanced degree/exceptional ability including National Interest Waiver, EB-3 skilled workers, EB-4 special immigrants, EB-5 investors $800K–$1.05M), family-based (immediate relatives of US citizens — no caps; F1/F2/F3/F4 preference categories — long waits), diversity visa lottery (55,000/year for underrepresented countries), asylum/refugee (after 1 year of approved status), marriage to a US citizen (conditional 2-year Green Card first), and special categories (VAWA, U-visa, etc.).
Duration
10 years (renewable indefinitely via Form I-90 every 10 years); 2-year conditional Green Card for marriage-based cases before conversion to 10-year card
Requirements
- ✓Approved immigrant petition (I-140 for employment-based, I-130 for family-based) or qualification in other category
- ✓Priority date current per the State Department Visa Bulletin (can mean years of waiting for oversubscribed categories)
- ✓Medical examination by USCIS-approved civil surgeon (Form I-693)
- ✓Biometrics appointment and background checks
- ✓Interview at USCIS field office (for adjustment of status) or US consulate (consular processing)
- ✓Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) from sponsor for family-based cases demonstrating 125% of federal poverty line
- ✓Form I-485 (adjustment of status) if applying within US, or DS-260 (consular processing) if applying abroad
Green Card holders should not leave the US for more than 6 months without risking abandonment of residence; trips of 1+ years generally require a reentry permit (Form I-131) filed before departure. Green Card holders must file US taxes on worldwide income. Must carry Green Card at all times. Cannot vote in federal elections. Some states allow local voting for LPRs. Many categories have per-country caps causing massive backlogs (India/China EB-2 waits: 5–50+ years as of 2026).
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Citizenship
Name
Naturalization
Eligibility
5 years as Lawful Permanent Resident (3 years if married to and living with a US citizen), continuous residence in the US during that period, physical presence for at least half the qualifying period, good moral character, basic English proficiency (reading/writing/speaking), knowledge of US civics and history, and willingness to take the Oath of Allegiance. Age 18+. Certain categories have expedited paths (military service members, some refugees).
Duration
Permanent — US citizenship does not expire or require renewal. Can only be lost through renunciation or fraud in the application.
Requirements
- ✓Form N-400 Application for Naturalization
- ✓Filing fee: $710 online / $760 paper (as of 2026; $50 discount for filing online — check uscis.gov for current rates). Reduced fee $380 for low-income applicants; full waivers available.
- ✓Biometrics appointment (fingerprints and photos)
- ✓Naturalization interview at USCIS field office
- ✓English test: read one of three sentences, write one of three sentences correctly
- ✓Civics test: 12 out of 20 oral questions correct — UPDATED for applications filed on or after 20 October 2025: new 2025 test uses an expanded bank of 128 questions covering federalism, constitutional amendments, and recent civic developments; applicants answer up to 20 questions and must get at least 12 correct (previously: 6 out of 10 from 100 questions)
- ✓Oath of Allegiance ceremony
- ✓Evidence of continuous residence and physical presence (tax returns, travel records)
- ✓Selective Service registration proof for men who lived in US aged 18–25
Dual citizenship is permitted by US law — the US does not require renunciation of your previous citizenship. However, some countries (India, China, Japan, Austria, etc.) require you to renounce their citizenship when naturalising elsewhere — check your home country rules. After naturalisation, apply for US passport ($130 adult fee) at a passport acceptance facility. US citizens are taxed on worldwide income regardless of where they live — a lifelong obligation that continues even after moving abroad. Renouncing US citizenship later requires a $2,350 fee and may trigger exit tax for high-net-worth individuals.
Other Routes to Residency & Citizenship
Diversity Visa Lottery (DV Program)
Eligibility
Nationals of countries with historically low rates of immigration to the US (excludes India, China, Mexico, UK, Philippines, and others). Must have either a high school education or 2 years of qualifying work experience in the past 5 years.
Duration / Outcome
Green Card (10 years, renewable)
Requirements
- ✓Online entry at dvlottery.state.gov (October–November annually)
- ✓Valid passport
- ✓Photo meeting State Department specifications
- ✓Selection via random lottery (about 1 in 100 chance if from eligible country)
- ✓If selected: consular processing or adjustment of status
Free to enter — beware of scam websites charging fees. Winners must complete processing within that fiscal year. Around 55,000 visas available globally per year. Often called the "Green Card Lottery".
Asylum / Refugee Status
Eligibility
Well-founded fear of persecution in home country based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Asylum: applied for from within US (Form I-589) within 1 year of arrival. Refugee: applied for outside US through UNHCR or US Embassy.
Duration / Outcome
Asylum/refugee status leads to Green Card eligibility after 1 year.
Requirements
- ✓Evidence of past persecution or well-founded fear
- ✓Credible testimony at interview
- ✓Not having firmly resettled in another country
- ✓Not barred by criminal or security grounds
Asylum backlogs are severe — many cases take 3–5+ years. Work authorisation available 150 days after filing. Important policy changes frequent — consult an immigration attorney for current rules.
🌍 Dual Citizenship
✓
Dual citizenship is allowed — The United States permits dual citizenship but does not actively encourage it — the naturalisation oath includes renouncing allegiance to other states, but this is not legally enforced by the US. You do not need to renounce your home country citizenship to become a US citizen (from the US perspective). However, US tax obligations continue worldwide for all US citizens regardless of country of residence — you must file US taxes on global income for life (or until you renounce US citizenship). The FATCA regime also means foreign banks may refuse to serve US citizens. Some countries prohibit their citizens from holding dual nationality (India requires renunciation; so did Japan until recent reforms). Before naturalising, confirm the rules of your home country.
Citizenship & Permanent Residency
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