Citizenship

Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) of the United States who have held this status for five years (or three years, if married to a U.S. citizen) are eligible to submit naturalization applications to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Applicants must prove that they are persons of “good moral character,” possess an understanding of U.S. history, exhibit proficiency in the English language, meet residency requirements, and are not disqualified due to certain criminal convictions. In some cases, applicants may be exempt from the English or civics requirements due to age or disability.

Spouses of U.S. citizens who are “regularly stationed abroad” in certain employment categories may be eligible for expedited naturalization under Section 319(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), exempting them from the standard continuous residence and physical presence requirements. Permanent residents who are moving abroad to accompany their U.S. citizen spouse on an employment contract should be screened for eligibility for this important benefit. Our knowledgeable immigration attorneys specialize in assessing eligibility for naturalization and providing exceptional legal representation in complex naturalization cases (i.e., those that involve criminal convictions or other barriers to citizenship).

For a child to acquire citizenship at birth, the child’s parent(s) must have resided or been physically present in the United States for a designated period before the birth. Under current laws (those born on or after November 14, 1986), a child born abroad to one U.S. citizen and one foreign national must show that the U.S. citizen parent was physically present in the United States for five years (at least two of which were after the age of fourteen). It’s also possible for lawful permanent residents to become citizens through the derivation of citizenship. If you have questions about derivative citizen qualifications, contact our experienced and caring legal team today.

Under current immigration laws, United States citizens may be subject to denaturalization (revocation of citizenship) if they procured naturalization illegally, by concealing a material fact, or by willful misrepresentation. Denaturalization cases occur in federal court, wherein the government must present clear and unequivocal evidence that the defendant made false statements or obtained naturalization through fraudulent or illegal means. Denaturalization proceedings, although rare, are serious and stressful. Our attorneys are ready to defend your best interests and fight for your future, so get in touch with us as soon as possible to get started.