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The act of making an alien an American citizen is called “naturalization.” Before an alien can be naturalized, certain conditions have to be fulfilled:
The alien must have had a “green card” for at least 5 years, or, if the alien is married to an American citizen, for at least 3 years, and
the applicant must be able to prove that her or his domicile was in the United States, he or she must not have abandoned their LPR status.
While it is no problem to have left the U.S. for short trips abroad, longer absences from the U.S. tend to be a problem and may lead to denial of the citizenship application and revocation of the Green Card and eventually to deportation. Therefore we advise prospective applicants to let us research and prove the established domicile before applying for naturalization.
In addition, the alien must have been physically present in the U.S. prior to the filing of the application at least half the time of the residence.
The alien must have lived for at least 3 months in the district where the application is to be filed
The alien has to prove “good moral character.” This usually means that the alien has to prove that he or she has not been convicted of a crime. The regulations are complex, therefore we advise any applicant who at any time in the past has been convicted or charged with a crime, in the U.S. or abroad, in any case, even if the records were “expunged”, if parole was given etc. to consult with us before applying for naturalization. A record of a conviction can endanger the “Green Card” and lead to deportation, therefore it is very important to first obtain a consultation.
The alien must support the democratic system in the U.S. and must be of favorable opinion towards the United States and must be willing to swear an oath upon the American constitution.
The applicant must be at least 18 years old. Minors can be naturalized with their parent(s).
The applicant must prove knowledge of English.
The applicant must prove knowledge of American history and the political and social system of the United States.
Let us provide you with peace of mind:
We offer to take care of the complete application package and will research and evaluate every applicant’s background to ensure compliance with the conditions for naturalization.
The two most common problems with applications for naturalization are:
-the applicant did not maintain domicile in the U.S.
-the applicant has a criminal record.
In these cases every applicant should seek a consultation before applying, because an application may risk the current status and deportation.
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