As an election year approaches, I receive many inquiries about applying for citizenship so that individuals are eligible to vote, which is not possible as a permanent resident (also known as having a green card). Therefore, a brief introduction to the naturalization process may be helpful and timely, as we head into a presidential election year.

There are a few ways that an individual may become a U.S. citizen. The two most common are: birth in the United States or an application for naturalization.