Almost a million immigrants became US citizens in 2022: how and why?
The summing up of the year begins, and everyone publishes their reports on the work done. In 2022, about 940 thousand immigrants from different countries became US citizens. There was a higher level of naturalization only once - in 2008. Then just over a million people became naturalized US citizens.
What is naturalization anyway? This is the process of obtaining US citizenship by a Green Card holder. In essence, it consists of two simple exams: one on knowledge of the English language and one on knowledge of US history. That’s exactly what 940 thousand people passed this year!
Perfect knowledge of English is not required. You just need to meet the minimum image of an American: be able to read, write, speak and understand English. You don’t need to know the history of the United States inside and out either: it’s enough to learn 100 questions and answer 12 out of 30 on the test (you can read some of them below in the screenshot). You can apply for citizenship after 3-5 years of holding a Green Card. Typically these issues will be discussed with an immigration lawyer.
Not every Green Card holder wants to become a citizen. For a long time, more than 10 million people do not take advantage of this opportunity and do not even apply for the naturalization process. I can offer several options why. Most likely, a US passport is not needed for those who do not want to complicate the process of filing a tax return. And for those who live in the area of their compatriots, they constantly communicate only in their native language, and they will not have enough English to pass the exam. Why do you need American citizenship at all if you have a Green Card? US citizenship gives you the right to vote and makes it easier to travel around the world. Somewhere it either operates without visas or makes it easier to obtain a visa. Your passport can never be taken away, but your Green Card can be taken away if you live in the United States for less than 6 months a year.
However, you can also travel to many countries with a Green Card. For example, Canada is one of the most common destinations because other citizens usually need a visa to go there. Moreover, Green Card holders can apply for any visa with a foreign passport from their home country without leaving America.
Author: Anton Nayanzin
