If you want to apply for United States citizenship in the state of New Mexico, you're probably under the impression that it's a difficult or time-consuming process, but the truth is that if you do your preparation properly and get assistance when necessary, an application for citizenship can be even more straightforward than applying for your green card was. Become a citizen allows you so many more benefits than simply being a resident, but of course to qualify to those benefits, you must be prepared to demonstrate that you understand their rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and that you appreciate what it means to be a citizen of the United States. The road to citizenship is rarely ever a short one, but most applicants feel that the end result - namely the right to live and work in the United States forever - is well worth the effort.If you already have an immediate blood relative who is a United States citizen (for example a parent or a sibling), then you can claim your right to citizenship via your relationship to this person. You will have to go through a short process to prove this right, but once the appropriate documentation is taken care of and the forms are filled out, the rest should be fairly easy.Most citizenship applicants, however, do not get to take the easy route. Naturalization is the most common way to attain citizenship (aside from being born in United States). The process of naturalization is lengthy, but is necessary in order to determine that applicants understand the importance of the situation, and that those who have successful applications are the ones who deserve it. If you are at all uncertain about how to proceed in a way that will result in a successful application, it is highly advisable to contact a lawyer or a citizenship service in order to help you fill out the immigration forms and prepare yourself for your interview process.If you are already married to an American citizen, it would be a mistake to assume that you can skip any or all of the naturalization process. A spouse is not considered a blood relative, and you still have to fulfill all the requirements are a citizenship application, including the residency requirement. Although you do  have reduced time on your residency requirement (three years instead of five years), you still do have to show that you have been in continuous residence for at least that amount of time, and you have to have been physically present in the United States for at least half that period.Once you have fulfilled the residency requirement, you can start your application for citizenship at any time. Don't rush into anything if you're not completely sure how to do it, however - a lot of time, effort, and money can be saved by getting a qualified professional to help you with the application process. Immigration law can be complex, and it is better to get some help than to risk doing it on your own if you have any questions about how to do it.