From Permanent Resident to U.S. Citizen: Why Make the Leap?

A permanent resident can apply for citizenship after five years of residency or three if married to a U.S. citizen. There are various restrictions that we can explain during your consultation. There are many good reasons for taking the leap from being a permanent resident to becoming a U.S. citizen: citizens can vote, citizens can file immigration petitions for their parents and siblings, citizens might have an easier time obtaining a particular job, citizens usually don’t have problems re-entering the U.S. after travel abroad. But in today’s uncertain immigration environment perhaps the primary reason people are seeking citizenship is security: a green card holder is vulnerable to losing that status.

Why a Green Card Isn’t Enough: The Case for Citizenship

To use a baseball analogy, getting a green card is like hitting a triple and being safely on third base. If you are standing on third base you are seemingly safe. But not 100%. You can still get picked off. A batter can force you into an out. Stuff can happen. You are not 100% safe until you make it home. Citizenship is like sliding into home plate safely. With very few exceptions, once you have your citizenship no one is going to take legal status away from you. Whereas if you are a permanent resident, you are never totally secure. What if there was some incident buried in your past that might make you deportable? What if a law changes that suddenly makes you deportable? For example, what if you are a permanent resident with a DUI in your history? There is already a bill making its way through congress that would make DUI a deportable offense.

Making the leap from permanent resident can be risky. Every case is different, but applicants need to be aware that each time a person seeks to improve or extend his legal status, the government reviews that person’s history. Presently, the Immigration Service is more rigorous than ever in its background checks of anyone seeking an immigration benefit. For that reason, more than ever, it is imperative to consult with an immigration attorney. At your first consultation we will analyze and discuss the potential problems that could arise.

Three Key Areas Examined in Every Citizenship Application

There are three areas that need to be examined when you apply for citizenship. 1) is there any criminal conduct or conviction that makes you deportable? 2) have you demonstrated good moral character for at least the last five years, but also throughout your permanent residency? 3) was there any irregularity in the way you got your green card in the first place? All of those areas need to be considered when making the decision to file for citizenship. We will examine your situation and make recommendations on how to proceed. 

Citizenship

From Permanent Resident to U.S. Citizen: Why Make the Leap?

A permanent resident can apply for citizenship after five years of residency or three if married to a U.S. citizen. There are various restrictions that we can explain during your consultation. There are many good reasons for taking the leap from being a permanent resident to becoming a U.S. citizen: citizens can vote, citizens can file immigration petitions for their parents and siblings, citizens might have an easier time obtaining a particular job, citizens usually don’t have problems re-entering the U.S. after travel abroad. But in today’s uncertain immigration environment perhaps the primary reason people are seeking citizenship is security: a green card holder is vulnerable to losing that status.

Why a Green Card Isn’t Enough: The Case for Citizenship

To use a baseball analogy, getting a green card is like hitting a triple and being safely on third base. If you are standing on third base you are seemingly safe. But not 100%. You can still get picked off. A batter can force you into an out. Stuff can happen. You are not 100% safe until you make it home. Citizenship is like sliding into home plate safely. With very few exceptions, once you have your citizenship no one is going to take legal status away from you. Whereas if you are a permanent resident, you are never totally secure. What if there was some incident buried in your past that might make you deportable? What if a law changes that suddenly makes you deportable? For example, what if you are a permanent resident with a DUI in your history? There is already a bill making its way through congress that would make DUI a deportable offense.

Making the leap from permanent resident can be risky. Every case is different, but applicants need to be aware that each time a person seeks to improve or extend his legal status, the government reviews that person’s history. Presently, the Immigration Service is more rigorous than ever in its background checks of anyone seeking an immigration benefit. For that reason, more than ever, it is imperative to consult with an immigration attorney. At your first consultation we will analyze and discuss the potential problems that could arise.

Three Key Areas Examined in Every Citizenship Application

There are three areas that need to be examined when you apply for citizenship. 1) is there any criminal conduct or conviction that makes you deportable? 2) have you demonstrated good moral character for at least the last five years, but also throughout your permanent residency? 3) was there any irregularity in the way you got your green card in the first place? All of those areas need to be considered when making the decision to file for citizenship. We will examine your situation and make recommendations on how to proceed.