If you’re a lawful permanent resident hoping to become a United States citizen, you may be starting to research naturalization, which is among the most common methods of obtaining U.S. citizenship. Once you successfully complete the naturalization process, you can enjoy the same benefits offered to U.S. citizens by birth, so it’s easy to see why this is an appealing option if you were born outside of this country.
Of course, the immigration system is known for being complex and overwhelming to anyone who doesn’t have extensive legal knowledge. That’s why you should hire experienced immigration lawyers with an in-depth understanding of immigration law before you pursue naturalization.
Contact our team at 407-995-6567 to discuss your case with a knowledgeable legal team today.
WHAT IS NATURALIZATION?
There are a few ways to become a United States citizen if you weren’t born in the U.S., and naturalization is one of them. You must meet certain requirements if you want to become a citizen through this naturalization and citizenship process.
One of the most important requirements is the ability to prove you have been a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. for three to five years, having been physically present in this country during that time as a green card holder.
You must also be at least 18 years old, of good moral character, and able to write, read, and speak in the English language. Experienced naturalization lawyers can let you know about any other requirements you need to meet before you start the naturalization process.
Naturalization is the most common way to obtain United States citizenship, but it’s not the only option. Some immigrants who were born abroad and are under age 18 find they can pursue citizenship through acquisition because one or more of their parents are U.S. citizens.
For example, if both of your parents are U.S. citizens and are married, and at least one of them lived in the U.S. before you were born, you can apply for a certificate of citizenship through acquisition.
Even if only one of your parents is a U.S. citizen, you can likely pursue citizenship as long as that parent lived in a U.S. state or territory for at least five years before you were born, with two of those years in the U.S. being after that parent turned 14. If you believe you qualify for citizenship through citizen parents, you should contact immigration attorneys for help with the next step.
Otherwise, the naturalization process may be the only way for you to become a citizen, in which case you should still talk to experienced citizenship attorneys who can answer your questions about immigration law.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING NATURALIZED TO BECOME A CITIZEN?
If you’re thinking about becoming a naturalized citizen, it’s important to consider why you’re doing this. After all, citizenship is not required for you to continue living in the U.S. as a permanent United States resident.
As long as you have your green card, you can keep working or studying here for as long as you’d like, and many lawful permanent residents decide to do just that. However, obtaining citizenship does have some benefits that appeal to naturalization applicants. These include:
- The right to vote in elections
- The right to run for public office
- The option to apply to work with government agencies
- Access to government benefits that can help you financially
- The ability to travel outside the U.S. with a passport
- The ability to avoid the threat of deportation and other immigration issues
- The ability to give your children birthright citizenship
- The ability to more easily sponsor family members who wish to immigrate to the U.S.
If you want to enjoy these and other benefits of U.S. citizenship, naturalization may be the ideal next step in your immigration journey. Knowledgeable naturalization lawyers can provide the immigration services you need as you start the naturalization process, so contact our law office today for guidance with your naturalization application.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM THE U.S. NATURALIZATION PROCESS?
Before the naturalization process starts, you should have a good idea of what steps are involved and how to get the most favorable outcome for your case as you pursue citizenship. Naturalization requirements are strict, so you should be prepared to prove that you meet them as you work toward getting your citizenship documents.
When you apply for naturalization, you must prove the following:
- You’re 18 or older
- You have been a lawful permanent resident with continuous residence in the U.S. for at least five years, or at least three years if you’re applying as the spouse of a U.S. citizen
- You have been physically present in the U.S. for at least 30 months, or 18 months if you’re married to a citizen
- You’re of good moral character with no serious criminal convictions on your record
- You have an understanding of U.S. history and government
- You know and can defend the principles of the U.S. Constitution
- You can read, write, speak, and understand the English language
Note that there are some exceptions to these guidelines based on certain circumstances. For instance, if you served in the armed forces, you don’t have to wait until you’ve lived in the U.S. for five years before you apply for naturalization, so the process may be faster for you due to your military service.
Additionally, if you’ve lived in the U.S. for several years and are above a certain age or have a disability, you might not have to take tests to show your knowledge of history and government or the English language.
Experienced naturalization attorneys can walk you through the citizenship and naturalization basics, from completing paperwork for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to preparing for your civics test and naturalization interview.
Whether you want to learn about all your immigration options or are ready to pursue citizenship, naturalization attorneys can ensure that you understand U.S. immigration laws before you begin the process of trading your green card for a certificate of citizenship.
Get in touch our law office today to learn more about citizenship and naturalization details.
HOW CAN A NATIONWIDE NATURALIZATION LAWYER HELP YOU?
Our naturalization attorneys At The Chidolue Law Firm, we’re proud to say we’ve helped numerous permanent residents become naturalized citizens, so you can rest assured we know how to assist you with this process. We understand how intimidating it is to fill out lengthy USCIS forms, prepare for the naturalization interview, and study for the citizenship test.
This is why our citizenship lawyers are committed to helping immigrants and their family members with every step, from sending the citizenship application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to attending the oath ceremony.
We realize it’s not always clear to immigrants which path to citizenship is the right one, so we work hard to answer questions, assist with paperwork, gather supporting documents, and more.
If you’re ready to get started on the naturalization process, call us today at 407-995-6567 to schedule your free initial consultation with our team.
