Applying for Citizenship
Do you have questions about applying for citizenship? Our Morristown immigration attorney is here to answer your questions. Here is what you should know before you call our office.
Applying for Citizenship | Certificate of Naturalization
After you have your green card for five years — or three if you are married to a U.S. citizen — you can apply for a Certificate of Naturalization. Our firm assists you with the applications and the interviews that follow to make the process go smoothly. Unlike a green card, naturalized residents are afforded the right to vote and cannot be deported for a crime.
Applying for Citizenship | Prior Arrests
Traffic violations will not make you ineligible for citizenship. Other minor violations or misdemeanors – for example, shoplifting – will probably not affect your application. Arrests and convictions for more serious offenses – like assault, sexual assault, or a drug crime – will negatively affect your application. You must be sure to have copies of all dispositions from prior arrests and bring these to your consultation with an immigration attorney.
Download Our Free Immigration Guide
Applying for Citizenship | Married to a U.S. Citizen
If you are married to a U.S. citizen you may apply for an adjustment of status to become a lawful permanent resident (LPR) without having to leave the country and apply for an immigrant visa. You must:
- Have evidence that you entered the U.S. lawfully (e.g. a stamped passport).
- Demonstrate that your spouse is a U.S. citizen (not a green card holder).
- Demonstrate that yours is a legitimate marriage based in love (bring photo albums, evidence of shared address and bank accounts, birth certificates of any children, etc.).
- Demonstrate that you have a job and will not be a burden on the state.
If you are living abroad you must interview at the U.S. Embassy in your country. If you are living in the U.S. but not allowed to interview here, you will have to travel to your home country and interview at the Embassy there. If you want legal assistance with applying for citizenship, please call our Morristown immigration attorney Susan Scheer today.
