Naturalization at a Glance

Benefits of Naturalizing

• • Voting is a real benefit to naturalization. Only U.S. Citizens can vote in Federal Elections and most states restrict the right to vote to U.S. Citizens
  • Apply for family members outside of the U.S. – Lawful permanent residents are not able to apply for certain family members and typically have a longer wait when they file applications for family members.
  • To obtain citizenship for children born abroad – in many cases, a child born to a U.S. Citizen abroad  is automatically a citizen
  • Travel – it is often easier to travel with a U.S. Passport. Naturalizing can permanently solve any problems you have had when traveling with a green card.
  • Serve in public office and apply for federal employment – many federal jobs and elected offices are limited to U.S. Citizens.
  • To stop having to pay fees for lawful permanent resident cards
  • To avoid being deported for future criminal transgressions. Once you are a citizen, if you commit a criminal act, you can still go to jail, but you don’t have the additional fear of being removed from the U.S. and your family.

How do I file for Naturalization?

In general, in order to apply for naturalization, you must file the N-400 Application for Naturalization. Our Naturalization Attorneys are the very best at helping you avoid problems with your application. Contact us to find out immigration costs and our attorney’s fees.

What are the Requirements to file for Naturalization?

To qualify for Naturalization, generally, you must be:

• a lawful permanent resident for at least 5 years
  If you obtained your lawful permanent residence through marriage to a U.S. Citizen, you can apply for naturalization after you have been a resident for 3 years.
• a continuous resident of the U.S. for the past 5 years
  If you obtained your lawful permanent residence through marriage to a U.S. Citizen, you must be a continuous resident of the U.S. for the past 3 years
• physically present in the United States for at least half of the last 5 years.
  If you obtained your lawful permanent residence through marriage to a U.S. Citizen, you must be physically present in the U.S. for at least half of the past 3 years.
• able to read, write and speak basic English

Exemptions

• • • You may be eligible for an exemption from the English language test if you:
      Are 50 years old and have lived in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident for at least 20 years
      Are 55 years old and have lived in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident for at least 15 years

• • • You may be eligible for an exemption from the English language test and be permitted to take a simpler version of the civics exam if you:
      Are 65 years old and have lived in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident for at least 20 years.

• • • An individual can file for an exemption to both the English exam as well as the civics exam if they submit a Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions with your Naturalization Application.

• able to understand the basics of U.S. history and government
• able to show that you have good moral character (ex. Pay taxes, pay child support, no criminal record – any criminal record should be reviewed by an immigration attorney before applying)
• able to support the U.S. Constitution
• willing to take the oath of allegiance to the U.S.

Frequently Asked Questions