According to the most recent data of the National Statistics Institute (INE)in 2023, near 2.9 million Spaniards resided abroad, of which 206,278 lived in the United States. This country is the third destination most chosen by Spanish emigrants, indicating a growing community with the possibility of opting for US nationality.
Becoming a American citizen not only offers stability and full rights, but also facilitates integration into the work and social environment. However, the naturalization process requires fulfilling certain criteria, such as mastery of English and knowledge of the history and the US government.
For those who legally lived in the country for a long period, there are exceptions that can do the most accessible procedure.
Exceptions for people over 50 who have lived in the United States
The citizenship and immigration service of USA (USCIS) establishes rules that make the requirements more flexible for those who lived in the country for a long time. They are the Rules known as 50/20 and 55/15:
• 50/20: Applies to those who are 50 years old and more and have been legal residents for at least 20 years.
• 55/15: benefits those over 55 with at least 15 years of permanent residence.
Both exceptions allow applicants to perform the civic education test in their native language with an interpreter. Besides, Those who exceed 65 and have been 20 years as permanent residents can access a simplified version of the exam.
Application process with Form N-400
In the last decade, More than 7.9 million immigrants obtained American nationality, with 818,500 new citizens only in 2024. The application begins through the N-400 formavailable online on the platform USCIS. This document includes data on the applicant’s labor and migratory history, as well as its family situation.
Presenting the online application allows you to pay the rate digitally, receive notifications and verify the status of the process. However, those who request a rate reduction must do so in printed format.
Naturalization exam requirements in the United States
The naturalization process includes an interview with an official of USCISwho Evaluate English dominance and knowledge about history and government of USA. The English test consists of three parts:
• Oral understanding through the interview.
• Reading aloud of a prayer.
• Writing of a dictated sentence.
As for the civic education test, 10 questions are asked of a list of 100, of which the applicant must correctly answer at least six.
Although Spain It does not include among the main countries of origin of new US citizens, their community in USA. Keep growing. In 2024, Mexico led the naturalization figures with 13% of the new citizens, followed by India (6%) and Philippines (5%).
The profile of the naturalized in USA. It shows a greater female presence (55%) and a predominance of people between 30 and 44 years (37%).
Source: Ambito
