How does one become an Amazon affiliate? Do they have specific requirements like having a website of your own or a blog where you contribute regularly?

It's pretty easy, just follow their steps online. You'll need a site, yes.

If you're from the states, there's some hullabaloo about taxes effecting affiliates... I'm not, so don't know or care too much about it.

https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/ you go to register is to be

but before registering to amazon as affiliate, understand how affiliate marketing works and what you need to do to make money from amazon, if you know already than it is fine to join amazon as affiliate, if you don't how to make money from amazon than I highly suggest to learn it first than join it..I hope this helps

The actual process of becoming an Amazon affiliate takes literally 5 minutes, it is the prep work that takes time. You need a good website first, ir at least a plan how are you planning to go about promoting the products. Clickbank pays so much better, why not use clickbank?