“Just in time to vote”

Since the end of last year, Elvi Cano has been a citizen of the United States, after spending more than 15 years as a legal permanent resident and working in the film and television sector in Los Angeles, California. Cano acknowledges that the naturalization process was quite quick: “I applied for it in July 2023 and obtained citizenship in December of the same year.”

“In my case, I was required to be legally residing in the United States for a minimum of five years to be able to apply for citizenship, which is a relatively easy process compared to applying for the Green Card“, he said to the Voice of America.

Now that she enjoys all the rights of a US citizen, the woman has already registered to be able to vote for the next elections, something that was “very important” for her. “After so long [viviendo en Estados Unidos] I care a lot about this country and even more so with the political climate that exists, I think that as a Hispanic woman it is very important to vote and contribute my grain of sand,” she added.

After more than 20 years challenging immigration issues in this country, María was also able to naturalize at the beginning of the year. Now, like Elvi, she is excited that her voice will be heard.

“It is very important to apply for citizenship, it is something that gives you the right to vote and for me, that is very important,” he said.

However, depending on some states, it is possible that the registration process to vote for the next presidential elections in November has already closed and those who have just received the naturalization certificate will not be able to participate in the elections, which close the next November 5

Through the website vote.gov You can consult the registration periods for each electoral district.

Naturalization times are expedited

In recent months, those who requested naturalization in the United States have noticed that case resolution times have become much faster. According to information provided by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the processes are being completed at the highest speed recorded in at least a decade.

Now they take about five months on average. Three and a half years ago, the waiting time to apply for a US passport was almost 12 months.

Republicans criticize the current Democratic administration and accuse it of expediting these procedures to obtain more political benefits at the polls, with the vote of immigrants. However, the federal government assures that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of personnel there were severe delays, but that they have now been catching up with the requests, so they are noticing more quickly.

“It is true that during the health crisis there were many delays and those delays had to be resolved,” says Annette Taddeo, former Democratic state senator from Florida.

According to official data, almost 3.5 million immigrants have become citizens of the United States since Joe Biden became President in 2020.

How to obtain citizenship?

U.S. citizenship is a status highly valued by immigrants, as it grants rights and privileges such as voting, running for public office, and receiving consular protection. The process to obtain it establishes that certain requirements are met.

• The first step to obtaining citizenship is to become a legal permanent resident.
• Once permanent residence is obtained, the applicant must complete a minimum period of residence in the country before being able to apply for citizenship. Generally, you are required to have lived in the US for at least 5 consecutive years as a resident, or 3 years if you are married to a US citizen.
• The applicant must demonstrate good moral conduct, including complying with US laws, paying taxes, and avoiding any serious crimes that could disqualify the application.
• Part of the naturalization process involves passing an English and knowledge test about US history and government. There are exceptions for immigrants over 50 years old or those who have lived in the country for a long time.
• Form N-400 is the official application for naturalization and must be completed with all personal information, immigration history, and payment of applicable fees. This document is submitted to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
• After reviewing the N-400 form, USCIS will invite the applicant for an interview. During it, you will be asked questions about your application and you will take the citizenship exam. If the application is approved, the final step is to attend a ceremony where the immigrant takes the oath of allegiance to the United States and receives their naturalization certificate, thus completing the process.

Naturalized voters make up about 10% of the American electorate.

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