Los Angeles Attorney for Gaining Legal Status

Do you need help in Gaining Legal Status?

Naturalization is a process that allows people born in other countries to obtain citizenship in the United States. Once granted citizenship, the individual gains all of the rights American born persons have. A key benefit a naturalization applicant will derive once granted citizenship is the ability to petition for an immediate family member to enter the United States through a faster petitioning process. There are many eligibility requirements a person must fulfill before they submit an application for naturalization. Budris & Barrios, experienced and dedicated Los Angeles Immigration Defense Lawyers, can assist you with all of the required filings and documentation.

In most situations, a person is eligible to apply for Naturalization, if they meet the following requirements:

Applicant has been a lawful permanent resident for five years (or three years for spouses of United States Citizens);
Applicant is 18 years old;
Applicant is of good moral character;
Applicant can speak, read, and write English;
Applicant must pass a test on U.S. history and government;
Applicant was physically present in the U.S. at least half the requisite time;
Applicant has maintained lawful permanent residence continuously; and
Applicant swears loyalty to the U.S. by taking an oath of allegiance.

Citizenship does not expire. However, it can be voided or withdrawn (i.e. when a person commits certain types of crimes or fraud on the Federal Government).

Certain family members may be immediately eligible to receive citizenship, such as minor children. Others are eligible to receive a green card with shorter wait periods than family members of residents. Contact our office to obtain skilled assistance in the filing process.

Assistance from Los Angeles Lawyer in Gaining Legal Status

There is certain documentation you will need for application for citizenship. These include:

Birth Certificate(s)
Copy of Legal Permanent Residency Document
Marriage Certificate (if applying because of marriage to a United States Citizen)
Employment and residence history for the last five years
List of trips taken outside of the U.S. during the last five years
Two passport size photographs on white background

There are three stages to the Naturalization process. They are as follows:

Stage One:
Prepare and file form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) with the appropriate filing fees at the Immigration Service Center in your district.
Stage Two:
Once the application is submitted, the applicant will receive notice of a fingerprinting appointment date and shall appear on this date.
Prepare for and appear for all meetings and interviews scheduled by the US Immigration Service.
Attend citizenship interview before an immigration officer. The officer will test the applicant’s knowledge of U.S. civics and government, and English literacy tests.
If the applicant satisfies the interviewing officer and the alien’s file is complete, the applicant will then be scheduled for a swearing in ceremony.
Stage Three:
The applicant is given an appointment notice with an attached list of questions that must be submitted at the swearing in ceremony. This is to ensure that the applicant has maintained their lawful presence and good moral character between the time of the interview and the swearing in ceremony. Once the form is submitted, the applicant will be sworn in. The applicant must turn in their I-551 card (Legal Permanent Residency Document or “green card”) and are subsequently issued a naturalization certificate. At this point, the applicant is an official U.S. Citizen!

At Budris & Barrios, our dedicated and caring Immigration Law attorneys have helped hundreds of individuals and their families obtain legal residency status in the United States. We look forward to helping you do so as well. Contact our office for a free consultation to go over your situation.

Contact a Los Angeles Immigration Defense Attorney from the Law Office of Budris & Barrios for assistance in Gaining Legal Status.