An individual can obtain U.S. Citizenship in one of three ways. The vast majority of American citizens obtain their U.S. citizenship by having been born in the United States. The second groups of American citizens are those people who are born abroad to at least one American citizen parent. The final group acquired their USA citizenship through a process called Naturalization. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants acquire U.S. citizenship through naturalization each year.
The journey to U.S. citizenship through naturalization typically begins when a foreign national obtains lawful permanent residence (LPR) in the United States. Once they have obtained this “green card”, the immigrant has permission to live and work in the United States permanently. A green card holder could remain a permanent resident forever, provided he or she does not commit an unlawful act that would make them deportable. However, many green card holders are not satisfied to simply live and work here; they want to become American citizens, and for good reason.
Naturalization and Citizenship Requirements
In order to obtain U.S. citizenship through naturalization, an applicant must be at least 18 and meet certain citizenship eligibility requirements such as:
- Length of permanent residence
- Length of time physically present in the US
- Good moral character
- Basic knowledge of the English language
- Basic knowledge of U.S. civics
- Spouses of U.S. citizens can take advantage of the marriage citizenship process and could be eligible for citizenship in just three years
Naturalization Process
Once it has been determined that the individual meets the citizenship requirements, he or she can apply for citizenship. However, one should watch out in ensuring that they are not subject to deportation for prior immigration or criminal violations prior to sending anything to immigration officials. Occasionally, an individual will discover that they are deportable or no longer a permanent resident only after placing themselves on immigration’s radar.
Having your citizenship application prepared by a qualified naturalization attorney can help prevent such a potentially devastating outcome and reduce delays caused by improperly or incompletely prepared packages. Lozano Law Offices We can help you achieve your citizenship. Call us at 887-456-9266 for a free initial consultation. You may also contact us online.
Citizenship Interview
Once USCIS considers the application to be complete, the applicant will be asked to submit fingerprints for a background check. If the background check comes back clean, a citizenship interview will be scheduled. At the citizenship interview, the applicant will likely undergo a basic English and US civics exam (certain elderly or disabled applicants may be able to waive some or all of these requirements). A citizenship lawyer is permitted to attend the citizenship interview with the applicant and is often helpful in advocating for the applicant, especially when there are things in the applicant’s background that could prevent him or her from being found to possess good moral character. At Lozano Law Offices, we will fully prepare you and your family for your interview with a USCIS immigration officer. We will advise you on the best way to answer questions about why you are seeking U.S. citizenship. Call us at 1-877-456-9266 for a free initial consultation. You may also contact us online.
Naturalization Problems
If you have a criminal background, or residency or visa issues that could lead to rejection of your citizenship application, Lozano Law Offices can explain your options and work to overcome obstacles. We also advise clients when it would be unwise to apply for naturalization because of the probability of deportation or removal.