OBTAINING
UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP
Basic Eligibility:
You can apply for naturalization if:
1) you have been a lawful permanent resident for five years; or
2) you have been a lawful permanent resident for three years, and have been married to a United States citizen for those three years, and continue to be married to that U.S. citizen; or
3) you are the lawful permanent resident child of a United States citizen parent; or
4) you have qualifying military service (applicants in this category
must additionally file USCIS Forms N-426 and G325B. I charge an extra fee
of $150 U.S. dollars for the preparation of these two additional forms.
Contact me by e-mail for more information if you fall into this category).
Children under
the age of 18 may automatically become citizens when their parents naturalize.
THE NATURALIZATION
INTERVIEW: After you file your application you will be notified to appear
at an USCIS service office to be interviewed under oath or affirmation.
This interview may not be waived.
If you are
an adult, you must show that you have a knowledge and understanding of
the history, principles, and form of government of the United States. There
is no exemption from this requirement. I have sample questions available
to help you prepare for this part of the exam.
You will
also be examined on your ability to read, write, and speak English. If
on the date of your examination you are more than 50 years old and have
been a lawful permanent resident for 20 years or more, or you are 55 years
old and have been a lawful permanent resident for at least 15 years, you
will be exempt from the English language requirement. If you are exempt,
you may take the examination in any language you wish.
THE OATH
OF ALLEGIANCE: If your application is approved, you will be required to
take the following oath of allegiance to the United States in order to
become a citizen: "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and
entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign
prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore
been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution
and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and
domestic; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required
by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces
of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work
of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law;
and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or
purpose of evasion; so help me God".
If you cannot promise to
bear arms or perform noncombatant service because of religious training
and belief, you may omit those statements when taking the oath. "Religious
training and belief" means a person's belief in relation to a supreme
being, involving duties superior to those arising from any human relation;
but does not include essentially political, sociological, or philosophical
views or merely a personal moral code.
THE OATH
CEREMONY: You will likely have the oath of allegiance administered in a
ceremony conducted by the USCIS, however in some jurisdictions in the United
States you may request to be scheduled for an oath ceremony in a court
that has jurisdiction over your place of residence.
You will
become a citizen of the United States on the date of the oath ceremony
and the Attorney General will issue a Certificate of Naturalization as
evidence of your United States citizenship.
WHAT I WILL
DO FOR YOU: I will complete your Naturalization Application and assemble
your supporting documentation in a file presentable to the USCIS. I will
file your Naturalization application with the appropriate USCIS regional
service center. If requested, I will also send you sample questions similar
to the ones used during the citizenship examination to test your knowledge
and understanding of the history, principles, and government of the United
States. I will be there to answer your questions, and follow up on your
case should the USCIS make a mistake along the way.
To supply
me with the information I need to complete your citizenship application,
complete a citizenship data input form and
return it to my office with your payment. At the end of the citizenship
data input form, you will find a list of supporting documentation that
will need to be submitted with your application. Send this supporting documentation
to me along with your data input form and payment.
Once your
data arrives, I will call you to let you know that it has been received.
I will prepare your citizenship application and create a file for your
supporting documentation that is presentable to the USCIS. I will file
your Naturalization application with the appropriate USCIS regional service
center.
The client must
supply the $595.00 USCIS N-400 filing fee which is a separate fee payable
to the USCIS. The filing fee is paid to the U.S. government and is not
part of my fee to prepare your Naturalization paperwork (Please
note that USCIS fees are subject to change and they could change the fees
at any time).
For naturalization applicants
between the ages of 14 and 75, you will also have to supply a $80.00 USCIS
fingerprinting fee. All fingerprints must be taken at one of the USCIS
Application Support Centers. After your naturalization application has
been filed, the USCIS will schedule a time for your fingerprints to be
taken at the closest Application Support Center.
WARNING: If
you knowingly and willfully falsify or conceal a material fact or
submit a false document with your naturalization petition, you will
be denied citizenship and may be denied other immigration benefits. In
addition, you will face severe penalties provided by law, and may be subject
to criminal prosecution. If you have any arrests in the U.S. you
should consult with an immigration attorney before filing a Naturalization
application. This includes drunk driving.
Copyright
© 2008 Matthew Udall (All Rights Reserved).
DISCLAIMER: The information given in this web site is intended as general information only and is not a substitute for the services of an immigration attorney in your specific case.
