B. The Advantages of U.s. Citizenship

• Library: Becoming a U.S. Citizen (Nolo) (2021 Ed.)

B. The Advantages of U.S. Citizenship

U.S. citizenship is definitely an improvement over permanent resident status. At the very least, you won't have to renew your green card every ten years—or even carry the card around. But wait, there's more! As a U.S. citizen you get:

• the right to vote and obtain certain federal jobs (see Section B1)
• security from anti-immigrant laws (see Section B2)
• security from removal (see Section B3)
• the right to live or take long trips outside the United States (see Section B4)
• special rights and protections when traveling outside the United States (see Section B5)
• an unquestioned right to return to the United States (see Section B6)
• the ability to bring other family members to the United States (faster than you could as a permanent resident) or to pass citizenship to your children (see Section B7), and
• the right to apply for public benefits (see Section B8).

1. The Right to Vote and Hold Certain Federal Jobs

Green card holders cannot vote in any U.S. election, be it local, state, or federal. (If you did vote, see an immigration lawyer immediately—this could result in denial of your application for citizenship.) Once you receive U.S. citizenship, however, you can make your voice heard in local and national elections. Politicians are increasingly aware of the voting-bloc power of immigrants—and are offering meaningful choices and reforms to immigrant voters as a result.

In addition to voting, U.S. citizenship will open the door to many federal job opportunities. The federal government is a huge employer, offering good salaries and in most cases, job stability. You might not realize how many U.S. government branch offices are in your community—the Social Security Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and more. Many U.S. Foreign Service jobs also require U.S. citizenship.

If you've got political aspirations, you...