# military service and automatic citizenship **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2002, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-service-and-automatic-citizenship/145175 "2002-12-27T16:33:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![YPOD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e99b99/32.png) [@YPOD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YPOD)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-service-and-automatic-citizenship/145175/1 "2002-12-27T16:33:15Z")
Did (or does) the United States grant automatic citizenship to anyone joining the military? ---
**Author:** ![mikemartin273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@mikemartin273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikemartin273)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-service-and-automatic-citizenship/145175/2 "2002-12-27T16:44:37Z")
From what I can understand, the normal wait time for a legal resident to apply for citizenship is 5 years, but if you serve in the military, you only have to wait 3 years, and you do not have to have continual residence in the US to qualify. So, no, citizenship is not automatic, but it becomes easier. However, i know that military service during the Gulf War (1990-1992) made citizenship automatic, due to a law signed by then President Clinton. Also, i’m sure that President Bush did the same thing for recent conflicts, but can’t find that info right now. hope this helps ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-service-and-automatic-citizenship/145175/3 "2002-12-27T16:53:51Z")
No. I had a guy in my battalion who was Haitian, got meritoriously promoted and awarded for his work with the Marines in Guantanamo Bay during [Operation Safe Harbor](http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/ops/safe_harbor.htm) 1991-92 as a translator. It was found out he bought his greencard on the streetcorner, and was summarily booted. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-service-and-automatic-citizenship/145175/4 "2002-12-27T17:15:26Z")
No, it does not make it _automatic_. It does _ease_ SOME of the restrictions, as **mikemartin273** said: normally “wartime service” waives the waiting period altogether, while “peacetime service” shortens it to 3 years. However, earlier this year the government eliminated the 3-year waiting period for everyone in active duty on or since 9/11/2001. Still, you have to meet all the other qualification requirements.