WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Permanent residents of the United States seeking to join the military to earn US citizenship must now complete a full background security check prior to enlistment, under a new policy announced by the Department of Defense in a press release on Friday.
"While the [Defense] Department recognizes the value of expedited US citizenship achieved through military service, it is in the national interest to ensure all current and prospective service members complete security and suitability screening prior to naturalization," the release stated.
To be eligible for citizenship, an applicant must complete six months of "honorable service," instead of the present policy requiring just one day of service for citizenship eligibility, the release added.
The new policy is being applied retroactively to current service members in addition to new recruits, according to the release.
