Understanding the US Citizenship Process

If you meet the initial eligibility requirements, the general process for naturalization includes the following steps:

• Application: Preparing and submitting Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) along with required documents and fees.
• Biometrics: Attending a biometrics appointment to provide fingerprints and photographs, if applicable.
• Interview: Completing the naturalization interview with a USCIS officer, which includes the English and civics tests.
• Oath of Allegiance: If approved, taking the Oath of Allegiance at a formal ceremony to officially become a US citizen.
• LEGAL REPRESENTAION: Most people do not need an attorney to represent them at their citizenship interview. In a standard case with no past immigration violations or criminal issues an attorney would not be able to do much beyond talking to you in the waiting area while you are waiting to be called for your interview and providing emotional support. Attorneys are not allowed to assist you in answering questions during the interview. If you have any sort of criminal record, past arrest, or were ever in removal proceedings or denied an immigration benefit then it would be important to have an attorney with you at the interview. An attorney can help under those circumstances since they can make sure the officer does not ask questions outside the proper scope or try to ask questions that look behind the conviction, or lack thereof, getting into the underlying facts. Further, they can address any legal matters that an applicant is not expected to answer themselves.
• LEGAL CONSULTATION & ASSISTANCE While it is not important to have an attorney represent you at your interview in many cases, it is extremely important that you consult an attorney before applying for citizenship. By far the most common reason legal permanent residents are part into removal proceedings, other than criminal matters, is by applying for naturalization without first consulting an attorney. If you apply for naturalization and there are any issues discovered from your past then you may be put into removal proceedings. It could be that USCIS made a mistake and granted you your green card before they were supposed to. Even though that is USCIS’s mistake it would still result in you being put into removal proceedings. Maybe your green card was granted in error and you were not actually eligible at the time, that would result in you being put into removal proceedings. A reason is that an applicant had been arrested more than a decade earlier. Since nothing ever came of it and they simply paid a fine without spending a single day in jail, they assume it is not an issue. Then after their interview they get a denial and a notice that they have to appear in court because DHS is trying to take away their green card. There are countless other pitfalls that you are not aware. The background check before being granted citizenship is much more thorough than those done for granting a visa. This is the last contact you will ever have with U.S. Immigration so it is worth spending a little bit of money to have a lawyer review your case and help you prepare the forms. It is much less expensive than hiring a lawyer for a green card.
  In a standard naturalization case our office will charge anywhere from $500 – $1,500 depending on whether or not you want representation at your interview.
  
  ATTORNEY REVIEW OF FORMS YOU PREPARED YOURSELF: Our office offers a service that isn’t that common, since most law offices are only interested in being hired to do the work for you. If you plan on preparing the forms yourself but would like to have an attorney review them before submission, we will review your forms and conduct a consultation to ensure you prepared the forms properly, included all the required documents, and there is nothing in your case that is likely to be flagged as a concern by USCIS. If you are going to apply for citizenship on your own then we strongly recommend that you meet with an attorney first and have them review your submission. Our office offers this service for only $250.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This questionnaire provides a general overview and is not legal advice. It is highly recommended to consult with an immigration attorney for advice specific to your case.