In a January 28, 2010 Press Release, USCIS announced that there are nearly 3.5 million Legal Permanent Residents (Green Card Holders) in the State of California. According to USCIS, 2.5 million of these legal permanent residents are currently eligible to naturalize and become U.S. Citizens.

Why do many individuals not take the step to Naturalize?

Benefits of becoming a U.S. Citizen include:

Patriotism: Demonstrate pride and commitment to the country you call home.

Voting: Only U.S. Citizens can vote in all Federal and most State elections.

Family Reunification: U.S. Citizens can petition their parents, spouses, and children without the need to wait for a priority date to become current. U.S. Citizens, unlike Legal Permanent Residents (“LPRs”), can also petition their siblings. LPRs can also petition their children and spouses, but are subject to a long wait of years and sometimes over a decade.

Traveling with a U.S. Passport: U.S. Citizens (unlike LPRs) are able to receive U.S. government assistance when abroad and can stay outside of the U.S. for any length of time desired, without the concern for losing their Citizen status.

Eligibility for Certain U.S. Federal Jobs: Most Federal jobs require Citizen status.

Automatic Citizenship for certain children for U.S. Citizens.

No need to extend or renew LPR Status, and save renewal fees.

Many other benefits apply to U.S. citizens in addition to those mentioned above.

Common questions regarding Citizenship include:

Q: If I Naturalize, will the children for whom I filed a petition need to wait longer to apply for an Immigrant Visa or Residency?

A: No. In preference categories for almost all family-based categories, the Naturalization of the Petitioner actually moves the Beneficiary into a faster-processing classification. For Filipinos, the LPR priority date is more favorable, therefore a special opt-out provision allows petitioners who become Citizens to keep their favorable priority date. In other words, becoming a U.S. Citizen for an individual of any nationality does not have a negative effect on a pending petition.

Q: I had several driving citations and an arrest when I was younger, does this mean I cannot become a citizen?

A: While some criminal infractions do have a negative effect on Citizenship, others do not. Depending on the nature of the crime, the time since the conviction and the character of the applicant, Citizenship may be a very real possibility.

Q: I have traveled outside of the U.S. since becoming an LPR. Does this mean I cannot become a Citizen?

A: Maybe. A calculation employing citizenship laws needs to be performed prior to a determination of whether Citizenship is possible for those who have traveled extensively.

Q: My mother is 87 years of age, and wants to become a Citizen. However, she has trouble reading. How will she pass the citizenship test?

A: The law contains certain provisions allowing elderly individuals and individuals with certain disabilities to be exempt from some of the citizenship requirements.

Q: Is it a long and difficult process? I don’t want to wait for years and be burdened with lots of paperwork.

A: Applying for U.S. Citizenship has never been faster. Recent processing for citizenship applications has been between 3-8 months from the date of the filing until the date of possessing a U.S. Citizenship Certificate. Due to improved USCIS internal processing and with the assistance of an experienced law firm, U.S. Citizenship is a real possibility.

For a Confidential evaluation of your Citizenship qualifications, or an evaluation for a loved one, contact Reeves & Associates for an attorney consultation today.