Citizenship & Naturalization

Roxana V. Muro is a knowledgeable immigration attorney with years of experience. Contact the Law Offices of Roxana V. Muro at 909-297-1860 with any immigration issues you may have.

What is Naturalization?

U.S. immigration has a process by which a foreign national can become a U.S. citizen, with all of the rights and protections guaranteed to U.S. citizens. This process is called Naturalization. Naturalization can take several years. Generally, the individual must be a permanent resident for several years before they can apply for Naturalization. It is common for a person to come to the United States on some type of visa, often a temporary one then applying for permanent residency is possible while meeting all requirements of the temporary visa they have been granted. After several years of permanent residency, they may then apply for Naturalization.

Naturalization can be a difficult and tedious process, but it has tremendous benefits. Upon becoming a U.S. citizen, a person can, for example, vote in elections.

It is possible on rare occasions for a naturalized citizen to lose their citizenship. This generally occurs if a person lied on their naturalization application.

How do I qualify for Naturalization?

There is a number of ways to qualify for Naturalization. While not an exhaustive list, some of the most common ways are:

• The individual has been a permanent resident for at least five years and meets all other eligibility requirements for Naturalization
• The individual has been a permanent resident for at least three years, is the spouse of U.S. citizen, and meets all other eligibility requirements of Naturalization
• The individual serving in the U.S. armed services qualifies them for Naturalization and meets all other eligibility requirements

In order to apply for Naturalization, a person must:

• File Form N-400 application for Naturalization
• Pass the naturalization test

Form N-400 requires a significant number of verification documents, including tax returns, work history, passport information, and previous visa information. It can be very tedious and time-consuming to complete.

The naturalization test has both an English and U.S. civics section. In the English section, the applicant must demonstrate they can read, write, and speak English sufficiently. In the civics section, the applicant must answer at least 6 of 10 multiple-choice questions. The questions are related to American history. The ten questions come from a 100 question bank that the applicant may study prior to the test.