Naturalization
Naturalization is a process by which a foreign national voluntarily becomes a United States Citizen. The U.S. Constitution and laws of the United States protects and serves all individuals living in the United States, citizens and non-citizens. However, becoming a U.S citizen confers some special rights and privileges upon the individual.
Some of these rights and privileges include:
- Right to vote.
- Immigration: receive priority placement in bringing certain family members to the United States permanently.
- Obtain citizenship for children born abroad.
- Travel with a U.S. passport: allows the U.S. citizen to obtain assistance from U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad.
- Become eligible for federal jobs.
- Run for office: many elected positions in this country require citizenship.
Basic requirements for filing an application for naturalization:
- Applicant must be atleast 18 years of age;
- Applicant must be a lawful legal permanent resident.
- Continuous Residence: When applying for citizenship, the legal permanent resident must have continuously resided in the United States for
- At least five years immediately prior to filing the naturalization application without leaving the United States for trips of 6 months or more.
- At least three years if the permanent resident:
- Is currently married to and living with a U.S. citizen spouse;
- Has been married to and living with the same U.S. citizen spouse for the past 3 years; and
- The U.S. citizen spouse has retained his U.S. citizenship for the past 3 years.
- Physical Presence:
- Applicant must have resided in the United States for at least thirty months (30) out of the five years immediately preceding the filing of the application.
- Applicant must have resided for three months (3) in the USCIS district in which the application is filed.
To see if you qualify for U.S. citizenship and speak to one of our attorneys, please call us at (845) 353-3500, email us at info@visalawyergroup, or SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION.