With all the recent changes to Arizona's citizenship laws, many debates have popped up in other states regarding changing the laws as to how immigrants are treated within the state. Maryland has had some particularly heated debates regarding border control and the rights of immigrants living in Maryland. The only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain anymore, and if you are living in Maryland on a green card, there has never been a better time for you to consider making an application for citizenship. If you are concerned that you wouldn't know where to begin, there are plenty of citizenship services out there that can help you with filling out the necessary immigration forms, and making sure that you do everything correctly so that you can have the best chance of a successful application.Becoming a US citizen will mean a lot of things for you. There is, of course, the right to vote, as well as other privileges and rights that citizenship offers, but by far the greatest benefit of being a citizen is the security of knowing that you cannot be deported, and that if you are traveling abroad as a United States citizen, you will have the full protection of the US government in times of crisis. Once you have accepted the rights and responsibilities that come along with citizenship, you can enjoy a safe and secure life in the United States for as long as you wish.Since you have already been through the process of obtaining a green card in Maryland, you are probably not looking forward to having to deal with all the forms, government officials, interviews, and so forth. This is all the more reason to get legal representation and have a lawyer you with your application for you. The small amount of added expense is certainly worth it in terms of the frustration it saves you in having to reapply every time your application is rejected. Citizenship law is quite complicated at the federal level, and when you add in Maryland's state laws regarding immigration, things the complex very quickly. Having a professional to assist you is almost certainly the best way forward.But of course, not everyone is eligible for citizenship just because they live in the United States. For starters, you must fulfill the residency requirement. For most people, this means you must have been living as a resident in the United States for a minimum of five years. For those who are married to a United States citizen, the residency requirement is reduced to three years. It may surprise you to find out that the residency requirement is not waived for those who are married to citizens, but rather just reduced to aid in the process of naturalization. As a citizenship applicants, you must also be able to show that you can speak and write English, and take a test showing a knowledge of United States history and government. You must also demonstrate that you are law-abiding, and are of sufficient moral character.