The road to becoming a full fledged citizen is a long and bumpy one. You put yourself at risk every day if you aren't filling out the proper forms and submitting them to the government. Many people fail to do this and as a result how long they have lived within the country may come into question. If this happens and they have no documentation to back it up, they might be deported.

1. The Application Process

If you have a status of being a permanant resident you can apply for citizenship. In order to get what is known as a green card, you will have to first get permanant resident status. In fact, the two terms are generally synonomous with one another. Although you are not quite a citizen, you are now fully protected against deportation.

2. Your Rights If You Have A Green Card

- You have the right to live in the country and not be deported
- If you leave the country, you can come back in simply by presenting your identification
- You may now be employed as long as it is legal work
- You may make a formal application for Citizenship, but there are no guarantees

3. Citizenship In A Nutshell

Canada has the best citizenship policies in the world - you only have to live in the country for three years, and you can even take a year off as long as it is in the four years previous to applying. The US, on the other hand, is extremely strict and requires you to stay for five years without leaving even for a moment.

4. Immigration Loopholes You Could Use

For some immigrants that have been living within the country's borders since 1971, you can come forward and claim your citizenship without needing to fear deportation even if you have never declared yourself as a landed immigrant. Contact the USCIS immediately if you can - this will avoid any dispute about when you first entered the country and will ensure you get full citizenship as soon as possible.