About Immigration and Naturalization Citizenship

Moving to the United States from anywhere in the world can be stressful for anybody. The whole process involves so many documents and interviews. Often, people lose track of the requirements of each stage, jeopardizing their chances of immigration and naturalization citizenship. 

Still wondering about this concept or what it entails? Here’s a detailed article about immigration and naturalization citizenship. 

What is Considered U.S. Citizenship? 

An excellent place to start explaining the concepts of immigration and naturalization citizenship is by understanding what U.S. citizenship is in the first place. American citizenship is a legal status showing that an individual is a participatory member of the United States political community. American citizenship is gained by meeting the legal requirements of the national, state, or local government. Those born in the United States or certain American territories have the right to U.S. citizenship. You also have a right to American citizenship if your parents were U.S. citizens at the time of your birth.

Being in any of these categories automatically qualifies you for the full rights and responsibilities of a United States citizen. However, if you do not fall into these categories, then you may need to take additional measures like migrating and naturalizing in the United States. 

What is Immigration and Naturalization Citizenship?

Immigration is the movement of persons into a new country with the intention to reside in the country. In this case, it refers to moving to the United States with the intention of residing there. After migrating, the next thing we often attempt is to become citizens, and that’s where naturalization comes in. Naturalization refers to the legal process through which a foreign citizen can become a citizen of a new country. As a foreigner in the United States, you can decide to start the process of becoming a citizen. However, there are specific criteria you must meet to qualify for naturalization. One of the most important criteria is to apply for a green card. 

A green card offers foreign citizens the right to become lawful permanent residents in the United States. Immigrants may acquire green cards by getting the correct visa. There are different types of visas for moving into the United States, and the most popular of these visas include: 

• Family visas
• Employment-based visas
• Tourist visas 

To acquire any of these visas, an applicant must complete an application. Next, they’ll be required to attend a visa interview at the United States immigration office in their location. As part of the interview process, they must pass a civics and basic English test. The civic test contains questions relating to the United States’ history and constitution. Applicants must complete these steps to qualify for a visa, which is the first step for immigration and naturalization citizenship. 

The legal requirements involved are added to ensure that only people who are qualified and sincere about their migration needs are allowed access into the United States and eventual citizenship. Now that we’re clear on that, let’s move to discussing eligibility and the application process for U.S. naturalization.

Other Requirements for Naturalization in The United States

Beyond obtaining and holding a green card, which is an obvious requirement, there are other requirements for U.S. naturalization. So, while talking about immigration and naturalization citizenship in the United States, we must also talk about all the requirements. Take a look at some of them below. 

• Meet Residency Requirements

Here’s another obvious one. The United States immigration authorities require immigrants to meet certain residency requirements. For example, you must provide legal proof that you’ve resided in the state of application for up to 3 months. You must also provide proof of your physical presence in the United States for not less than 30 months within the last five years. The immigration office will also want to be sure that you’ve lived in the country from your application date to your naturalization time. 

• Demonstrate Solid English Proficiency and Civics Knowledge

As we’ve explained in the previous section, you must demonstrate your ability to speak, write, and read in the English language. You must also pass a U.S. civics and history test to qualify for naturalization. Please note that this is an important aspect of your immigration and naturalization citizenship process and should not be taken lightly. 

• Oath of Citizenship 

After you’ve completed the preceding requirements and paid the fee required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the next step involves oath-taking. The ceremony is completed before a judge or a USCIS official. It is this official that hands over the certificate showing the completion of your immigration and naturalization citizenship process.

Rights and Responsibilities of a Naturalized Citizen

After naturalization, you’ll become a full U.S. citizen. This means that you’ll have to vote and to be voted for. So, you can now contest in a federal or state election. In addition, naturalization also offers you the right to sponsor siblings, parents, and qualified relatives for green cards.

As a full-fledged citizen, you’ll also be held accountable for the responsibilities of a U.S. citizen. This includes defending the country in military service when necessary or required by the law. It also means agreeing to serve on a jury if called upon.

The Coleman Law Group Can Help You

So far, you can see how hectic the immigration and naturalization citizenship process can be. But there are ways to make it easier, and one of them is to have an experienced immigration lawyer in your corner. The experts at the Coleman Law Group have all the experience to make this process seamless for you. Contact us today to learn about all the help we can offer you throughout the process.