While it's true that applications for citizenship are handled under federal law, individual states do have their own rules and regulations regarding the rights of foreign nationals and those living in the United States as permanent residents. When you combine the federal laws with the state ones, you get a web of complications that is almost impossible to navigate unless you have a qualified legal professional to help you out. Your best bet as a resident living on a green card in the state of Montana is to make an application for citizenship as soon as possible, as citizenship is the only way to ensure that you are provided will the full protection of the United States government. Waiting times for citizenship applications in the state of Montana can be lengthy, so it is best that you apply sooner rather than later.If the thought of applying for United States citizenship intimidates you, or you have some issues in your situation that might make your application more complicated, you will save time and money in the long run by hiring a lawyer. Immigration law is not simple by any means, and if you are not qualified you can easily make mistakes that would lead to the rejection of your application. This is a frustrating and unnecessary outcome, and the peace of mind you will get from someone handling your application for you is well worth the expense.The first step in applying for United States citizenship is making sure that you meet the minimum requirements. For most green card holders, this means that you must have been living in the United States for a period not less than five years. You must also be at least 18 years of age, and you must not have anything on your criminal record that would counter-indicate eligibility for citizenship.Unfortunately many residents living in the United States hold some beliefs about citizenship that are actually false. By far the most common myth is that resident aliens who are married to United States citizens get automatic citizenship without having to go through the naturalization process. This is simply not true, and if you are married to a United States citizen and apply for citizenship believing that it is owed to you, you are not likely to get very far. In fact, the only benefit that marriage provides in terms of citizenship applications is that your residency requirement is reduced from five years to three years. You still have to go through the interview and the exam process like any other applicant.Most citizenship applicants find the naturalization process quite rewarding. The point of the interview and the exam is not to keep people out of the United States, but rather to give you as an applicant the opportunity to show that you take citizenship seriously, and that you didn't just fill out the immigration forms without thinking about the long-term future and the rights and responsibilities that come along with United States citizenship.