Although U.S. law prohibits HIV-positive immigrants from becoming citizens, if you're applying for permanent-resident status offered to noncitizens under certain conditions you can receive a waiver that puts you on the path toward citizenship.
For the waiver, you'll need a qualifying relative who's a citizen or permanent resident to sponsor you. You'll also need a physician to certify that you know you have HIV and intend to be under medical care, that you've been counseled about how to avoid infecting others, and that you're practicing safe behavior.
You won't need a waiver if you are able to be granted asylum'by proving that if you returned to your home country, you'd run the risk of persecution based on grounds such as your serostatus, gender, or sexual orientation. 
Click on the related links on this page for immigration information and resources available to HIVers seeking citizenship or asylum. To find an immigration attorney, use the links on this page, check your area's legal aid service by calling 411, or conduct an Internet search on 'legal aid' along with your city or state's name. You also may be able to get referrals from your doctor, clinic, or social worker.
