BOSTON (AP) — Officials say Massachusetts has experienced a large surge in the number of immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship in the state so far this year.

The Boston Globe reports 8,000 people applied for citizenship in Massachusetts from January to March. That number represents a 30 percent increase from the previous quarter.

Officials say roughly two-thirds of immigrants who applied for citizenship this quarter have been approved. To be eligible to apply for citizenship, immigrants must be at least 18 years old and a legal permanent resident of the country for at least five years or three years if they are married to a U.S. citizen.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokeswoman Paula Grenier acknowledged the application boom and said the agency typically sees its highest numbers from March through May.