US Citizenship

The Immigration and Nationality Act states that an applicant for US citizenship must have resided continuously within the United States for at least five years for periods totaling at least half of that time since acquiring permanent residence status, and have resided within the State or district of INS in which the application has been filed for at least three months. After filing the application, the permanent resident must continue to reside within the United States until admission for citizenship is granted, and the applicant must show that s/he is a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States.

There are some variations to this, specifically as the rules apply to spouses of US citizens. Specifically, spouses of US citizens may naturalize after three years instead of the normal five years. The permanent resident must meet a number of requirements, and it is recommended that you consult with a US immigration lawyer in order to determine eligibility.