Naturalization Attorneys in Valley Stream, New York
One of the greatest pleasures practicing immigration law is when our clients achieve citizenship through naturalization. If you would like to become a citizen of the United States, you will have to file an application for naturalization known as an N-400. Navigating the citizenship process is exciting but can also be stressful, as there are so many requirements. Therefore, it is important to have quality legal support that can guide you through each step. At Nassau County Immigration Law Group, our attorneys have over 50 years of combined experience proudly representing clients throughout Nassau County as they strive to become citizens. Contact our office today to learn how we can assist you.
Citizenship Eligibility Requirements
There are a number of different requirements that you must fulfill in order to be considered eligible to apply to become a citizen of the United States. In order to be eligible for naturalization, you must be at least 18 years of age and fulfill one of the requirements below:
- You have permanent residence status for 5 years and have lived in the U.S. for those years
- You have asylum and lived in the U.S. for 4 years
- You are the spouse of a U.S. citizen and have lived here for at least 3 years
- You are a permanent resident, served in the U.S. military, and lived in the U.S. for 3 years
Physical Presence in the U.S.
In order to qualify for citizenship, you have to establish a residence and physical presence. You may not have any single absence from the United States of more than one year in the time you used to fulfill the requirements of eligibility. Absences of more than 6 months but less than a year can disrupt your “continuity of residence” unless you can establish that you did not abandon your residence during that period of time.
Good Moral Character
In order to be approved for citizenship, an applicant must be a person of good moral character during the time period used to establish eligibility. This means that you may not have been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude or a drug crime. A crime of moral turpitude can include domestic violence, battery, theft, etc. In addition, the conviction of a drug crime can complicate matters. Possession of drugs only are not considered crimes involving moral turpitude but can cause other problems. If the conviction is for less than 30 grams of THC and for personal use, it is not a deportable offense. If you have been convicted of either, you could face a permanent ban from citizenship. It is important to note that a permanent ban only applies to certain crimes, such as those that are defined as Aggravated Felonies under the immigration laws. This may include some misdemeanors and not some felonies. For example, misdemeanor drug crimes, if one is not deported and has won an application for cancellation in deportation court, would not affect the ability to apply for citizenship.
English & Civics Examinations
In most cases, you will have to demonstrate a basic knowledge of the English language, U.S. history, and government. Those who are 50 years of age or older and have lived in the U.S. as a permanent resident for over 20 years or those who are 55 years of age and have lived in the U.S. for over 15 years are exempt from the English language requirement. With that being said, those people are still required to pass the civics test and may do so in their native language.
Benefits of U.S. Citizenship
Once you are approved for naturalization, you must take an oath of allegiance conferring citizenship. It is a lovely ceremony where friends and family can enjoy the accomplishment. There are many great benefits of becoming a U.S. citizen. You can enjoy the right to vote, travel the world on a U.S. passport and numerous immigration benefits. When you are a U.S. citizen, you are permitted to petition your immediate family to join you and become permanent residents. As a U.S. citizen, you also can reside outside of the U.S. for as long as you wish without risking the loss of your citizenship
Contact a Nassau County Immigration Attorney
Naturalization is a wonderful process to witness and the attorneys at our firm take great pride in doing so. Nassau County Immigration Law Group is proud to have helped countless clients reach their goals of citizenship over our 50 years of combined practice. Though it seems like a straightforward process, there are many factors that can impact your path to naturalization. In order to avoid any issues, contact Nassau County Immigration Law Group for an initial consultation and learn how we can help make this process run smoothly.