Atlanta Citizenship Lawyer

Citizenship Attorney:  The Naturalization Process

When you become eligible to apply for citizenship of the U.S.A., you would be able to do that through the naturalization process.  This process is guided by the Immigration and Nationality Act. The criteria for eligibility could depend on one’s path to citizenship. Some common criteria include; 

• You have had a green card for 5 years; 
• You have had a green card for 3 years if the naturalization process is through marriage;
• You have resided continuously in the U.S.A. for the past five years; 
• You have been present in the U.S.A. for at least 30 months of the 5 years prior to the application or at least 18 months of the 3 years prior to the application whichever is applicable;
• You can read, write and speak English and have a good understanding of U.S. history and government;
• You are a person of good character; and other criteria.

Citizenship Lawyer serving Atlanta & Marietta 

Once your application for naturalization is filed, it is crucial that you study for the test, because you will be required to have an understanding of the history and government of the United States and will be questioned on this subject as well as other subjects.  When tested regarding English, you will be asked to write a simple sentence spoken by the immigration officer.  There are strict exceptions to the English and Civic testing requirement. A successful naturalization process can be accomplished with the assistance of a  citizenship attorney from the Immigration Law Offices of Victor Okeke.

There can be issues that would be a barrier to becoming a naturalized citizen of the U.S.A. and these must be avoided stringently if you are hoping to become a citizen.  Some of the matters that could result in being denied as a citizenship include:

• Failure to file and pay taxes
• Failure to register with the selective service if applicable
• A conviction for a crime of “moral turpitude” on your criminal record
• Two or more other convictions for crimes with a total sentence of 5 years or more
• Failure to support dependents
• Those who have been found to have given false testimony under oath in an effort to gain immigration benefits
• Voting in federal elections

If you want to become a U.S. citizen through the naturalization process, contact an Immigration Attorney from the Law Offices of Victor Okeke to assist you in the process.