Immigration Naturalization is a way of becoming a United States citizen for foreign-born nationals. Persons not born in the U.S. or persons that did not acquire their U.S. citizenship as a child through the citizenship of their parents are eligible to become citizens through the immigration naturalization process. Children of immigrants and/or permanent residents born on U.S. soil or in a U.S. territory are automatically considered citizens of the U.S. by birth. A child born in a foreign country is considered an American citizen if he/she is born to two U.S. citizens or if at least one of the citizen parents lived in the U.S. previously. A foreign-born child may also be eligible for citizenship if one parent was a citizen before the child was born or if the citizen parent lived in the United States at least five years before the child was born.
Millions of individuals seek U.S. citizenship every year. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has a set limit of individuals that can become citizens through the immigration naturalization process. The United States has general immigration naturalization requirements that must be met by any person wishing to become a U.S. citizen.
General immigration naturalization requirements include:
An applicant for immigration naturalization will have their moral character scrutinized while they are in their five-year statutory period as a permanent resident. According to the USCIS, a permanent resident can be disqualified from U.S. citizenship if within the statutory period he/she is:
If you or someone you know are considering immigration naturalization and need the assistance of an immigration attorney, you should contact an experienced immigration attorney to increase your chances of being approved for U.S. citizenship.
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