Citizenship / Naturalization – N-400

In order to become a U.S. Citizen an individual must have been a Lawful Permanent Resident for five years or three years if your green card was obtained by marriage to a U.S. Citizen. In addition, you must have lived at your most current residence for at least the past three months prior to application.

These are the basic requirements which must be met. However, there are also additional factors which U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will examine, such as:

  • Have you traveled outside the U.S. for periods of longer than six months in each of the five years prior to the application (or for a total aggregate of half the previous five years)?
  • Have you been convicted of any crimes during the five years (or potentially earlier) preceding the application, which would be considered “crimes of moral turpitude.” Some people don’t realize that old convictions for certain crimes can cause rejection of their Naturalization application or even trigger deportation proceedings.
  • Have you lived in the U.S. state where the application will be filed continuously for at least the last three months prior to filing?
  • If you have traveled extensively, can you provide proof that you never intended to abandon your residency?

Speak with a Pasco County Immigration Attorney

These and many other issues can be evaluated by our experienced immigration attorney to ensure your application for citizenship is approved. Pawuk & Pawuk serves clients in Pasco County, Florida and throughout the surrounding communities. Contact us to request a consultation about your immigration matter.