# U.S.A Citizenship **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-a-citizenship/192259 "2003-08-01T01:03:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gillianssj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/87869e/32.png) [@Gillianssj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gillianssj2)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-a-citizenship/192259/1 "2003-08-01T01:03:30Z")
Ive been living in the United States for 2 1/2 years on my permanent resident visa. I am already a Canadian and British citizen. How do I become a citizen of the U.S.A? Am I allowed triple citizenship? My grandma is an American citizen if that makes any difference. (And do I really have to take a test to become a citizen???) ``` Please help! ``` ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-a-citizenship/192259/2 "2003-08-01T01:15:06Z")
Well, you _could_ contact whatever the immigration portion of the government is calling itself these days, or go up to an appropriate website… To becomes a citizen you must, of course, make the proper application. Yes, you really _do_ have to pass “the test” to become a citizen. And you have to be sworn in. There is also a residency requirement - just how long I don’t know for sure, and it may vary by country of origin. Having US citizen relatives may benefit you in coming over here and getting a “green card”, but it does _not_ give you any particular advantage in gaining citizenship. Truth is, pretty much anyone who gets residency status can become a US citizen. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-a-citizenship/192259/3 "2003-08-01T02:22:12Z")
What **Broomstick** said. Retaining Canadian and UK citizenship is not a function of obtaining US citizenship from the point of the USA. You need to check the laws of Canada and the UK to determine if those countries require you to give up citizenship of those respective countries when obtaining US citizenship. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-a-citizenship/192259/4 "2003-08-01T03:38:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gillianssj2 \* > \*\*How do I become a citizen of the U.S.A? Am I allowed triple citizenship? \*\* See [http://slate.msn.com/id/1007748/](http://slate.msn.com/id/1007748/) > [@](#): > > while the United States does not prevent dual citizenship, it does not encourage it either because of the potential for conflict in being subject to the laws of more than one nation. For dual citizens the country of residence is generally considered to have the greater claim on allegiance. The most common routes to dual (or triple or more) citizenship are birth, marriage, or naturalization. ---
**Author:** ![suezeekay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@suezeekay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suezeekay)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-a-citizenship/192259/5 "2003-08-01T05:34:12Z")
If my ex-daughter-in-law can pass the citizenship test anyone can pass it. ---
**Author:** ![3\_14159265358979323846](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/eada6e/32.png) [@3\_14159265358979323846](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_14159265358979323846)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-a-citizenship/192259/6 "2003-08-01T06:21:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Broomstick \* > Well, you _could_ contact whatever the immigration portion of the government is calling itself these days, or go up to an appropriate website… Like [this](http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/services/natz/index.htm) one. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-a-citizenship/192259/7 "2003-08-01T08:02:57Z")
The residency requirement is five years, or three if you’re married to a U.S. citizen. Both Canada and the U.K. permit dual citizenship (or triple, as the case may be).