A Quick Guide to Naturalization

A Quick Guide to Naturalization: How to Become a U.S. Citizen

For those who hold permanent residency status in the United States, becoming a naturalized citizen is the next step for many. Naturalized citizenship provides a promise of a permanent home. Further, it provides a valuable and stable future for immigrants’ family members. In this article we’ll review naturalization, who can pursue it and how you can acquire it?

If you have any questions about immigration or naturalization, your best ally is a qualified immigration attorney. They understand immigration and nationality law and can properly guide you through the entire process. At Nanthaveth & Associates, we proudly help immigrants become American citizens. Contact us today for a free initial consultation.

What is Naturalization?

Naturalization is the process by which a permanent resident can acquire full American citizenship. Naturalization extends the same rights, benefits, and responsibilities that native-born Americans enjoy, including the right to vote and no longer live in fear of deportation. One notable exception is that only naturally-born citizens can run for president. New citizens may also sponsor additional immediate relatives to come to the United States. Access to government benefits is an additional benefit of naturalization.

During the past decade, according to the United States Citizenship and Naturalization Service (USCIS) website, 7.6 million people have been officially welcomed as new citizens. While the number of citizens gained through naturalization varies each year, the number has tended to range between 600,000 to as high as one million per year. The Migration Policy Institute states the variance can be a result of backlogs due to processing times as well as the number of applicants motivated to apply.

Importance of Legal Assistance

Working with a certified immigration lawyer will improve your chances for a smooth process when applying for Naturalization.

A capable immigration lawyer who is familiar with the naturalization process can help to present an error-free application in the best possible light. Moreover, the immigration lawyer can help you prepare for the interview and testing, as well as steer you to avoid the pitfalls that have delayed other applications.

What Are The Requirements for Naturalization?

Only immigrants who have met certain strict requirements can apply for and receive naturalized American citizenship. All requirements are written in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). They can also be found on the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) website.

We’ve listed naturalization eligibility requirements below. Please note, these required are written generally – different standards may apply to immigrants in differing situations. For example, spouses of American citizens can apply earlier than other green card holders.

To apply for naturalized citizenship, a person must:

• Be 18 years or older at the time of application
• Have possessed a green card for at least 5 years*
• Prove continuous U.S. residence for at least 5 years
• Demonstrate physical presence for at least 30 months of the 5 year residence minimum
• Provide proof of at least 3 months of residence in your district and state of application**
• Have “upstanding moral character”
• Respect and adhere to all laws and principles written in the Constitution
• Demonstrate ability to read, write, speak and understand English (at a basic level)
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of U.S. history, government, and civics and
• Swear an Oath of Allegiance to the United States

*Immigrants married to American citizens only need to possess a green card for 3 years before application.

**This allows students to apply for citizenship where the attend schooling. In order to apply in their parents’ state, students must still rely on their parents for financial support.

The rules for naturalization for spouses of U.S. citizens or U.S. military members are slightly more relaxed for becoming a naturalized citizen. The spouse of a citizen serving in the United States military abroad may be able to forego the usual residency requirements.

In most cases automatic citizenship is granted to children of U.S. citizens that are under the age of 18.

Special concessions to become a citizen are also awarded to non-citizens who have served in the U.S. military.

How To Apply For Naturalization

1. If a person is eligible for consideration for naturalized citizenship, they will submit all information, requests, and evidence to the USCIS. All applicants initiate the process by submitting Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The USCIS will then receive the application and process it accordingly.
2. You will be notified once USCIS receives the form. You may check on the status by visiting the website at uscis.gov.
3. After submission, USCIS will schedule a face-to-face interview. Asking for the interview to be rescheduled can delay the process by months, so it is essential that you attend the interview at the designated time and place. The interview will be conducted with a USCIS officer and is meant to establish eligibility for naturalized citizenship. During the interview, the officer will also administer the citizenship test.
4. At the interview, you will also take your English language and civics tests to prove your eligibility. The citizenship test consists of two portions: English proficiency and American history/civics. The English portion tests proficiency and ability in spoken English, as well as reading and writing. The civics test consists of ten questions chosen from a bank of 100 – candidates must answer at least 6 questions correct to pass. (Learn more about the citizenship test here.)
5. If all eligibility criteria are met and the applicant passes each portion of the citizenship test, the process will move forward, eventually resulting in citizenship.
6. It is possible to receive the judgment at the end of the interview and testing. However, in some instances, the interviewer may ask for more information or continue the case for another interview. Or, you may be notified of the rejection of your application.
7. Each candidate must swear an oath of allegiance to the United States before receiving citizenship.

Contact an Experienced Austin Immigration Attorney

If you are seeking naturalization, congratulations – this is an exciting time. Yet while such a large step certainly evokes happiness, it can also be stressful. Your future American citizenship is too important to leave to chance – work with an expert immigration attorney! Remember, avoid heartbreak and setback and do not hire “visa consultants” or “notarios.” This is because these professionals are not registered or qualified to help you with any legal matter.

If you or a family member are qualified candidates for citizenship, you should arrange a free consultation with a certified immigration attorney at Nanthaveth & Associates. Our multilingual staff will meet with you to discuss the naturalization process and answer any questions.

In fact, you may benefit by contacting the law firm several months in advance of your eligibility to begin preparing for the actual application process.

Phone Nanthaveth & Associates for a free consultation to become a naturalized citizen of the United States. To contact, call (512)-456-2696 or submit a form at the “Contact Us” section of the website and someone will reach out within 48 hours.

About Nanthaveth & Associates:

Nanthaveth & Associates, PLLC is a trusted immigration law firm located in Austin, Texas. Immigration law experts at Nanthaveth and Associates are prepared to provide legal counsel for businesses, families and individuals in the areas of green cards, adjustment of status, work visas and investor visa applications, family-sponsored immigration, employer compliance, self-petitions, permanent residence, naturalization, waivers, appeals, foreign adoptions, and more.