A foreign national or citizen is granted the US citizenship by the naturalization process once they file the N400 Form and fulfill the requirements. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is the agency in charge and they process the application in order of its receipt.

To apply for US citizenship using N400 application form
the immigrants should be green card holders for at least five years, with good moral character and pass in both the civics and English tests. If they are married to US citizens they can apply quicker, after their third anniversary of wedded life. The citizenship gives them the right to vote, travel with American passport, serve on a jury and also petition for other family members to join them in US. Once N-400 form is filed with all the support documents and proof the processing time entirely depends on the center where you file and accordingly you would become an American soon.

Why to apply for US citizenship?

Duties as a US citizen includes:

• Jury duty: This is the sole differential obligation between the citizens and non-citizens. Only the citizens are granted jury duty.
• Military participation: Both the male permanent residents and citizens register for the selective service system and the professional military has limited the need for the citizen soldiers.

Rights as a US citizen are listed below:

1. Right to live and work: Freedom to work and live in the US is awarded alike to both permanent residents and citizens but the permanent resident stands a chance for it to be withdrawn.
2. Travel freely: The right to enter and leave US freely is possible only for the citizens.
3. To vote: US citizens only have the right to excise their franchise. On grounds of race, color, age, sex or failure to pay tax they cannot be denied this right.
4. Join public office: According to the US constitution to be eligible into US House of Representatives they should be a citizen for minimum seven year period and in the case of senator’s requirement is citizenship for nine years before taking office.

Other Benefits:

1)      Consular benefits:  During travel abroad the US citizen who is detained or arrested for any reason can take help from the US embassy or consulate.

2)      Social service access: The option of social security and Medicare can be availed only by the US citizens.

3)      Sponsor relatives abroad: Many visa requisitions require the applicants to be close relatives of US citizens, visas such as IR and F for family members.

4)      Deportation protection: Deportation proceedings are not possible against naturalized US citizens since they are not considered aliens anymore.

5)      Honors Eligibility: The USCIS created the Outstanding American by Choice Award to honor only the naturalized US citizens.

6)      In the United States civic participation is not required. It is considered that the very indifference of most people does not allow for a quiet and strong political climate.

7)      Dual Citizenship: US Citizens can be citizens of more than one nation. They do not lose their citizenship if they vote in an election in a foreign country or by becoming a citizen of a foreign country.