Discover How To Become A US Citizen. Easy Or Difficault?

by Sally Saunder

Life is so full of those funny things that just make you chuckle. US citizenship is one of them. There are some people in the US who have been born here who deserve to be citizens about as much as a chimp deserves to be made CEO of Microsoft. And then there are those, fine upstanding people with good heads on their shoulders, who can't become citizens because of one thing or another.

You can maintain "continuous presence" in the United States and preserve your permanent resident status by not remaining outside the United States for more than one year, or by obtaining advance approval from Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for your absence by filing Form N-470 with CIS before leaving. A break in residence of more than one year, without advance approval of Form N-470, means you must start your five-year term of physical presence in the United States again.

Minors with at least one U.S. citizen parent may be naturalized upon the application of the U.S. citizen parent. INA § 322, 8 U.S.C. § 1433. This includes adopted children.

You may file your application for citizenship (CIS Form N-400, please see our "Forms Download" page on our main web site page near the bottom) up to three months before you meet the residence eligibility requirements referred to above.

You may be found not to possess "good moral character" if you were convicted of murder, an "aggravated felony," as defined by federal immigration law, a crime of "moral turpitude," a controlled substance crime (but not for simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana), if you gave false testimony to obtain immigration benefits, failed to provide child support, committed adultery or were involved in prostitution, or failed to register for Selective Service if you are between the ages of 18 and 25. CIS has paid greater attention to the offense of driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances, particularly to multiple offenses by the same applicant where the latest offense is considered a felony by state law, and is scrutinizing domestic violence or spousal abuse cases very carefully. This is certainly not meant to be an exhaustive list of things that can cause problems with the naturalization processes of CIS.

You will be required to take a literacy test to assess your knowledge of the English language, unless you are:

1. Unable to comply due to a documented disability; 2. Are more than 50 years old and have lived in the United States for 20 years or more as a permanent resident alien; 3. Are more than 55 years old and have lived in the United States for 15 years or more as a permanent resident alien.

You will be required to take a test of your knowledge of U.S. history and government unless you are:

1. Unable to comply due to a documented disability; 2. Are 65 years old or older and have been a permanent resident alien for more than 20 years.

If you fail the tests, you will be given a second opportunity to pass the tests within 90 days.

CIS officers are required to make a decision concerning your naturalization within 120 days after your interview, or the examiner may ask you to sign a waiver of this requirement. Most will. If your application is denied, you may appeal to another CIS officer within the same district office. The new CIS officer will have 180 days from the date of the filing of your appeal to make a decision. If you application is again denied, or if there is no decision within the 180 days, you may seek review of the officer's decision in U.S. district court where you live. You may also seek review in federal court if you did not waive the 120-day rule, and CIS does not make a decision within 120 days.

Add to all the above certain requirements for living in this country for a certain length of time and also living in a USCIS district, and becoming a citizen becomes no small chore.

Fair? Maybe not. But those are the requirements and the facts. Good news is, there are resources that will help you get your citizenship. In my signature is a review of one of these resources. I think you will find it most helpful.

No, becoming a US citizen is not easy...but it is so worth it. And the pride you will get when you accomplish it is a feeling that can't be equaled by anything else.

About the Author
How does the US citizenship process works?
Become a us citizen, find out how: http://citizenshipprocess.info