What does it take to become a US citizen?

[Slimebeast]

ICStats said:

Slimebeast said:
Is the process really that easy?

You live in America for 5 years, take a test, have an interview and pay $700, and that grants you US citizenship?

Yes, but it has to be 5 years living in US as a legal permanent resient.  It's not that easy to get permanent residency (green card) in the first place.

Obtaining a green card, which lets you live and work in US indefinitely, is hard, more expensive, and can take decades unless it's through marriage.  Getting a citizenship at that point is more of a formality.

SamuelRSmith said:

Slimebeast said:
Is the process really that easy?

You live in America for 5 years, take a test, have an interview and pay $700, and that grants you US citizenship?

Getting citizenship is easy. Getting to live here is ridiculously hard, expensive... and down to luck (luck that either you have a direct relative living here, or you make it through one of the lotteries).

Oh yeah, that's what I thought. That it's hard to get in in the first place.

But all these immigrants to the US, on average around 2 million per year since 1990. What are their reasons to get a green card? It doesn't sound ridiculously hard when you know that 2 million people manage to do it each year, does it?

And an interesting question that follows. How many people would come to the USA if there was no process, if there were no restrictions at all?