US EB-3 Visa: Green Card to Citizenship
The US EB-3 visa is a third-preference employment-based visa out of five categories of employment visas available in the US. The visa provides you with permanent residency and is meant for skilled, professional, or “unskilled” employees specifically.
One of the major advantages of this visa is that it has less stringent rules than EB-1 and EB-2 type visas and also allows your family and dependents to enjoy the same benefits as you.
But one of the most important benefits of the US EB-3 visa is that it can also lead to gaining US citizenship, provided you follow the rules and fulfill the criteria.
We have already talked about the visa in an earlier blog post; let us see the process and steps involved in gaining US citizenship.
- Criteria for Naturalization
- Fill Form N-400
- Biometrics appointment
- Interview
Criteria for Naturalization
The naturalization process is used to convert an EB-3 visa to citizenship. To be eligible for applying for naturalization, you need to fulfill a few conditions such as-
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Be a lawful permanent resident
- Have had a continuous permanent residence for at least 5 years (3 years if married to a citizen)
- Must prove that you’ve been in the U.S. for 30 months (18 months if married to a citizen)
- Must show that you’ve lived for three months in the state where you claim residence
If you clear all the conditions, which should not be tough since an EB-3 visa gives you permanent residency for 10 years, then you can go ahead and get your documents ready to apply for naturalization.
Some of the documents that you must have are your Green Card, foreign passport, Social Security Card, and travel documents from the past 5 years. Once you have them ready, you can move ahead to the next step.
Fill out Form N-400.
The form that needs to be submitted along with the documents mentioned above is Form N-400, which deals with naturalization. You will have to pay a fee (which can be waived if necessary) for the application, which is about $725, including the $85 biometric fee.
Never pay in cash. You have the option of paying online if you submit your form online, or you can make your payment by mail, via money order, personal check, cashier’s check, or credit card.
Make sure that you have filled out the form completely and correctly before sending it in. Any missing or wrong information can delay the processing.
Submit the form once you have made sure everything is in place. You can apply online through the USCIS’s website.
Biometrics Appointment
Once you have filed your application, the immigration department will schedule a biometrics appointment. You would receive a Form I-797C (Notice of Action) with the details of your appointment, such as the date, time, and place.
Visit the local Application Support Center (ASC) and provide your fingerprints, photograph, and signature. The immigration department has the right to collect these details to confirm your identity and also run required background and security checks.
If everything is clear, you will be required to attend a naturalization interview next.
Interview
You’ll get a notice of appointment for your interview for naturalization. The officer will check the N-400 with you during this session. After this, you will take two tests: the English language test and the civics test.
- During the English test, you must prove that you understand the language and have basic reading and writing proficiency.
- The civics test will gauge your knowledge of US history and government functioning.
Clear these tests and you will finally be sworn in as a US citizen at your naturalization ceremony!
The road to becoming a US citizen can become even easier if you let us provide you with assistance with applying for your US Visa. MJ Global has been handling the resettlement process swiftly for years now by making it easy and accessible!
