For individuals seeking to naturalize and become U.S. citizens, assuming you are otherwise eligible, the entire process culminates with the Naturalization interview before USCIS. At the interview, a USCIS immigration officer will review your N-400, Application for Naturalization, and go over your responses to each question. In addition, they will conduct the English language exam (unless you qualify for an exemption) and the Civics exam (unless you qualify for an exemption). If you meet all the eligibility requirements and pass the english and civics exam, you will typically be notified of your application approval or denial after the interview has ended. As a resource for our clients, we provide the below ten tips prior to the interview, so that they are best prepared for a successful interview process.
Read More
In a previous post, we covered the eligibility requirements for becoming a U.S. citizen through the naturalization process. Under the continuous residence requirement, a naturalization applicant must show that they have resided continuously in the United States after being admitted as a lawful permanent resident (LPR) for at least 5 years (3 years if married to a U.S. citizen) prior to filing the naturalization application and up to the time of being naturalized.
Read More
Welcome to this part of your journey towards becoming a U.S. citizen! If you're reading this post it might be because you're curious about the requirements for naturalizing and whether you are eligible to take the next step towards U.S. citizenship. Or maybe you have a friend or family member that has talked about naturalizing and you want to learn more about the process. Regardless of why you're here, naturalization is the process by which a greencard holder (or Legal Permanent Resident ("LPR"), applies for and obtains U.S. citizenship. Among the many benefits of becoming a U.S. citizen, one of the most valuable for green card holders is that they are no longer confined to the various limitations that come with LPR status.
Read More
If you are eligible to naturalize and become a United States citizen, one of the requirements of the application process is that you pass a series of reading, writing and speaking prompts to show that you have a basic understanding of the English language. When you arrive to your naturalization interview, the immigration officer will speak to you in English. They will ask you basic questions about yourself, such as your name, address and other identifying information. Similarly, they will walk through your application and will likely ask you questions pertaining to the information you provided. In doing so, they are testing your ability to carry a conversation and prove that you're capable of speaking the English language.
Read More
The Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) was originally enacted in 1952 and although it has been amended numerous times, it addresses all aspects of our immigration system, including, birthright citizenship, asylum, deportation, travel visas, and legal authorizations to live and work in the United States.
Due to the immense complexity of our immigration laws, it’s quite easy to misunderstand the different ways that someone is legally authorized to live, work and travel within the United States.
Read More