Among the main things an immigration attorney does, their most common request for assistance, is helping people with United States citizenship. There are four fundamental ways by which people can be entitled to US citizenship: citizenship by means of naturalization, derivative citizenship, citizenship by adoption, and citizenship by means of military.
United States Citizenship Through Adoption
When considering United States citizenship via adoption, immigration lawyers will assist the prospective parents with every aspect of the process. So long as the adoptive parents are citizens of the USA, the child is presently in the US, the child is under the age of 18, and the child is a lawful permanent resident (LPR), the adopted child will be allowed to be citizen of the USA. Immigration lawyers can help parents file for LPR (lawful permanent residency) as well. They’ll additionally to resolve any concerns which come up during the procedure.
Military Service – A Ticket to US Citizenship
If you are in the military and wish to be a USA citizen, you are fortunate! If you have served for at least a year in the Armed Forces, have secured lawful permanent residency (LPR) and apply for citizenship benefit while still in the service or within six months of departing the Armed Forces, you’re entitled to citizenship of the United States. Yet another way for military personnel to get US citizenship is by finishing basic training. Upon conclusion of basic training, it is possible to be considered a citizen of the States by way of naturalization. And finally, ever since the year 2002, all non-US-citizens who honorably served in the Armed Forces after the 11th Sept, 2001 are able to immediately make an application for USA citizenship regardless of LPR status.
Naturalization – How Many People Become Citizens
Achieving US citizenship through naturalization is becoming a US citizen after you’ve already been an LPR for the required time. If you were given a green card by means of marriage, the required period is 3 years. For everybody else it’s five years as a lawful permanent resident. In addition you need to have had continuous residence in the States, and paid up your taxes Attorneys dealing in immigration will monitor the more detailed prerequisites for naturalization. A few clients find that the process of getting citizenship reveals complications of which the candidate was unaware. Instances might be problems in relation to residency, issues relating to taxes, and complications in relation to criminal convictions. An applicant may handle the procedure for naturalization on their own and subsequently be unsuccessful. Legal representatives can deal with all of those problems. They also assist lots of LPRs get citizenship of the US by the naturalization process.
Derivative US Citizenship – Your Mother And Father Help You Become A Citizen
The very last main citizenship class that immigration lawyers may help you with is known as derivative citizenship. Derivative citizenship is the process by which children derive citizenship from their mothers and fathers. If you’re born outside the country but one or both of your parents is a citizen of the US, then you are eligible to be citizen of the United States also. Even so, there are some conditions to qualifying for derivative citizenship, that’s when immigration lawyers become essential They will help people who believe that they may be able to claim derivative citizenship, and be U.S. citizens by way of their parents’ citizenship, and check out their claims to citizenship of the United States. Furthermore, they help people who did derive citizenship through their mother and father make those applications with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services or the United States Passport Office.
To Conclude Our Discussion of US Citizenship
Before we end the article, it should be pointed out the entire process of immigration is a technical one. In other words, you need to be right on top of your form filing, paperwork and application game. There are numerous rules that you might have to follow like getting more information on I 130 process for example. While this might appear easy enough, there might be multiple legal barriers. Working with a top immigration lawyer can help you in this regard.
Whatever your path to US citizenship is, an experienced immigration lawyer will be able to help. Indeed, if you are eligible for naturalization and have an easy case, most likely you don’t require legal counsel. But for tricky naturalization cases or if you pick one of the various other routes to citizenship of the USA talked about here, an immigration attorney is going to help your case go well. Consult with one right away!
