There are twelve main pathways for individuals to apply for U.S. citizenship, each with specific criteria and procedures.

These options include family-based immigration, employment opportunities, and asylum, providing various routes for those seeking U.S. citizenship.

According to the DAAD Scholarship, prospective applicants can pursue different immigration routes, depending on their situation.

From marriage to a U.S. citizen to qualifying for the Diversity Visa Lottery, each pathway leads to permanent residency and, eventually, citizenship.

Below is a breakdown of the twelve most common ways to gain U.S. citizenship.

1. Military Service Pathway

Non-citizens who serve in the U.S. military can apply for naturalization during active duty or after one year of service.

Apply here: Naturalization through Military Service

2. Family-Based Immigration (Immediate Relatives)

Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens—spouses, parents, and unmarried children under 21—do not face annual visa caps. After receiving a Green Card, they can apply for citizenship after 3 to 5 years.

Apply here: Green Card for Immediate Relatives 

3. Marriage to a U.S. Citizen

Marrying a U.S. citizen allows immigrants to apply for a Green Card through a spousal visa. After three years of marriage as a permanent resident, they may apply for naturalization.

Apply here: Spousal Visa Information 

4. Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery

The Diversity Visa Lottery offers a random selection process for applicants from countries with low immigration rates to the U.S. If selected, individuals receive a Green Card and can apply for citizenship after five years.

Apply here: DV Lottery Application 

5. Employment-Based Immigration (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3)

Highly skilled workers or professionals in high-demand fields may obtain a Green Card through employment-based visas, including EB-1 and EB-3 categories. After five years, applicants can apply for U.S. citizenship.

Apply here: Employment-Based Green Card 

6. Refugee or Asylum Seeker Pathway

Individuals fleeing persecution can apply for refugee or asylum status and later adjust their status to permanent resident. After five years, they may apply for citizenship.

• Apply here: Asylum Application 
• Apply here:  Refugee Information 

7. Family-Based Immigration (Preference Categories)

Siblings and married children of U.S. citizens can apply for Green Cards, though the process may take several years due to long waiting times. Once approved, applicants can apply for citizenship after five years.

Apply here: Family Preference Green Card 

8. Study-to-Citizenship Pathway

International students who graduate from U.S. universities on F-1 visas can transition to work visas like H-1B, secure employer sponsorship, and eventually apply for citizenship after five years.

Apply here: Steps to Naturalization 

9. Special Immigrant Visas and Humanitarian Pathways

Special immigrant visas are available for those who have worked with U.S. forces abroad or victims of trafficking. After receiving a Green Card, they may apply for citizenship.

Apply here: Special Immigrant Visa

10. EB-5 Investor Visa

Through the EB-5 program, individuals who invest $900,000 to $1.8 million in a U.S. business may obtain a Green Card. Citizenship can be pursued after five years.

Apply here: EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program 

11. Adoption Pathway

Children under 18 who are adopted by U.S. citizens automatically gain citizenship upon entering the U.S. as permanent residents.

Apply here: Adoption Process 

12. Special Legal Provisions

Some individuals may qualify for citizenship under special provisions, such as the U visa for victims of crime or the registry for those who have lived in the U.S. since 1972.

Common requirements for U.S. citizenship 

Regardless of the pathway, applicants must be at least 18 years old, have continuous residence for 3 to 5 years as a Green Card holder, and be physically present in the U.S. for 18 to 30 months, depending on their specific situation.

Additionally, applicants must demonstrate good moral character, pass an English and civics test, and take the Oath of Allegiance.

The road to U.S. citizenship in 2025 involves multiple options, each with its own challenges. Understanding the requirements of each pathway is essential for anyone seeking permanent residency or citizenship in the United States.

Nigeria has resumed operations at its embassy in Pyongyang, North Korea, after a closure that began in early 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The embassy’s reopening makes Nigeria the second African nation, following Egypt, to maintain a diplomatic presence in North Korea.

According to NK News, while the embassy was closed, Nigeria and North Korea continued diplomatic ties through Nigeria’s mission in Abuja.

The Nigerian embassy in Pyongyang had suspended activities due to strict travel restrictions imposed by North Korea during the pandemic, which halted embassy operations and led to the departure of most foreign diplomats.

Reports inform that Patrick Imodu Imologhome has been appointed as Nigeria’s charge d’affaires in Pyongyang. He arrived in December 2024, officially marking the reopening of Nigeria’s diplomatic mission.

The Russian Embassy in Pyongyang confirmed his arrival and noted that he met with Russian Ambassador Alexander Matsegora on December 11th to discuss matters related to the Korean Peninsula.

Additionally, the Chinese Embassy reported that Ambassador Wang Yajun met Imologhome on December 13th, though the discussion was focused on strengthening China-Nigeria relations.
Imologhome’s appointment was confirmed by Nigeria’s foreign ministry earlier in April 2023, although details regarding the appointment of a full ambassador have not yet been released.

North Korea and Nigeria have maintained diplomatic relations despite the closure of Nigeria’s embassy. According to reports, North Korea’s ambassador to Nigeria, Jon Tong Chol, has remained in Abuja throughout the pandemic.

Ambassador Jon has met with Nigerian officials on several occasions, including discussions about public health cooperation in 2020 and calls for increasing parliamentary exchanges in 2023.

Since his appointment in 2018, Ambassador Jon has been involved in diplomatic exchanges with Nigeria, though the details of their discussions have generally not been disclosed to the public.

According to NK News, concerns have arisen over potential sanctions violations related to North Korea’s activities in Nigeria. Reports from the U.N. Panel of Experts have suggested that North Korea’s Haegumgang Trading Corporation attempted to arrange the sale of military equipment worth $3.5 million to Nigeria in late 2022.

Additionally, there have been reports of North Korea using Nigerian intermediaries in money-laundering schemes, despite international sanctions against Pyongyang.

Though Nigeria claims to have complied with U.N. sanctions requiring the expulsion of North Korean workers by December 2019, some workers reportedly remained in Nigeria.
These developments have raised questions about ongoing illegal activities despite the formal diplomatic relations between the two countries.

A mayor in Mexico’s central San Luis Potosi state, who was a member of the ruling Morena party, was shot dead on Sunday along with three other people, local authorities said.

Jesus Eduardo Franco, mayor of Tancanhuitz municipality, and the three other victims were all found dead inside a vehicle, according to the state prosecutor’s office.”We deeply regret the death of our colleague Eduardo Franco, municipal president of Tancanhuitz,” Morena party president Rita Rodriguez wrote on X.
“We ask authorities to reach the ultimate consequences and find those responsible,” she added.

Dozens of local officials have been targeted in organised crime-related violence that has plagued Mexico in recent years.

Local media reported last month that Alejandro Arcos, a mayor in southern Guerrero state, was decapitated less than a week after taking office and his head placed on top of a pickup truck.

More than 450,000 people have been murdered and thousands have gone missing since the Mexican government deployed the army to combat drug trafficking in 2006, according to official figures.