U.S. Citizenship

Become a Citizen

Many immigrants dream of one day becoming an American citizen. Becoming a citizen is the final step in one’s immigration journey, and can be a moment of great relief and joy. Many people take photos with their naturalization certificate, waving the American flag and smiling.

Requirements for Citizenship

To become an American citizen, you generally must have a green card for five years. You may file your N-400 form (the application for naturalization) online using your My USCIS account, or through the mail. Filing online is usually faster and more convenient. USCIS charges $725, payable by check, money order, or credit card. You should include a copy of the front and back of your green card.

You may also need to include a copy of your passport, marriage or divorce certificates, arrest papers, and immigration court decisions.

Citizenship Application

USCIS will request various information from you, such as your address history for the past five years, your employment history, travel history, marital history, and information about your children. Toward the end, you will need to answer a multitude of yes or no questions, such as whether you have ever given false information to the U.S. government, ever helped anyone enter the U.S. without authorization, and whether you were in the military back home.

USCIS will sometimes deny or delay an application. Common red flags include trips abroad of more than six months, criminal history, prior misrepresentations on immigration applications, and lack of English ability.

Citizenship Test

You will need to study the 100 civics questions, and USCIS will give you a test of 10 random questions during your interview. If you answer six questions correctly, you pass the civics portion of the interview.

Applicants will need to speak, read, and write English sufficiently to understand the USCIS officer and answer their questions, though there are some exceptions based on age.

Citizenship by Marriage

Applicants who are married to and living with their U.S. citizen partner can apply for citizenship after only three years. Applicants should include a copy of their marriage certificate, their spouse’s U.S. passport, and proof that they have lived together for the past three years, such as joint tax return filings and joint bank account statements.

Citizenship Through Parents

Some applicants will need to file form N-600, the application for citizenship through one’s parents. Derivative citizenship, or citizenship by descent, is the term for automatically obtaining citizenship by living as a green card holder with one’s U.S. citizen parent(s) in the U.S., while under the age of 18. Applicants will need to include proof that they have lived in their U.S. citizen parent’s legal and physical custody.

Citizenship Lawyer New York

Applying for citizenship can be stressful, but the reward is worth it. If you need help applying for citizenship, please contact us today: +1 845-288-2435 / beaconimmigrationlawyer@gmail.com.

 

Beacon Immigration PLLC is a law firm located in the Hudson Valley of New York at 6 Eliza Street, Suite 5, Beacon, NY 12508 (Dutchess County).