Citizenship

Applying for citizenship is not always a straight forward process. A person's international travel, criminal record, and conduct through earlier immigration processes can affect a person's eligibility for citizenship.

As a permanent resident, a person is required to be in the United States for more than six months out of each year. Coming back into the United States may or may not present an issue at the port of entry. However, when it comes time to apply for citizenship the government will look more closely at the length of time spent outside of the United States.

A person's criminal record is also reviewed during the citizenship process. Parking tickets and minor traffic issues do not pose problems. A suspended license, domestic violence, assault, drug charges and the like could pose issues depending upon how soon they occurred along with other factors. It is best to discuss these issues when you meet with the attorney.

The third area to be aware of is prior immigration proceedings. How a person entered the United States, history of prior deportation, waiver filing, how adjustment of status was carried out, and how long a person has been in lawful permanent status all enters into the government's decision of whether to grant a citizenship petition.

Once USCIS accepts the citizenship application, you will need to take an English test (dependant on your age) and a civics test. A sample test and study materials are available online.