Citizenship
Becoming an American citizen and holding a United States passport is a dream many people have. As a U.S. citizen, you receive the maximum rights while living in the United States.
The immigration lawyers at Feiner & Lavy, P.C. have many years of experience successfully assisting their clients with obtaining U.S. citizenship. We can help aspiring U.S. citizens from all walks of life with our reasonable fees and our ability to speak four different languages, including English, Spanish, Hebrew, and Arabic. Our lawyers are dedicated to serving our clients and making sure that they feel comfortable throughout the process.
What Are the Benefits of Gaining United States Citizenship?
When you are a U.S. citizen, you hold many rights. For example, one of these rights is the right to vote. You also have the right to hold a U.S. passport, and the right to an attorney, as well as a fair trial without being deported. A citizenship lawyer NYC can help you learn more about the benefits you stand to gain by becoming a U.S. citizen.
As a U.S. passport holder, you are entitled to the protection and the assistance of United States Embassies all over the world. You have the right to spend as much time as you would like outside of the United States. You also have the ability to enter many countries without a visa.
Another benefit to becoming a United States citizen is that you can apply for a green card on behalf of your relatives, including your spouse, children, parents, and siblings. As a U.S. citizen, your family may have the opportunity to become eligible for naturalization. Under certain circumstances, children of United States citizens become natural citizens at birth.
Who Is Eligible to Become a United States Citizen?
Generally, to be eligible for United States citizenship, you must either be at least 18 years of age and also a permanent resident for the last five years or at least 18 years of age and also a permanent resident for the last three years while being married to the same U.S. citizen. Hiring a citizenship lawyer NYC can be very helpful at this beginning stage of the process.
There are also some other circumstances in which you can be eligible to become a U.S. citizen. If you are at least 18 years of age and fall into any of these categories:
- A person who has served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces; or
- Someone who served for one year, has a green card, and is applying for naturalization while still in the service or within a six-month period after the end of service; or
- Someone who served in active-duty status or the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve during a designated period of hostilities. If you fall into this category, you may then apply for naturalization without the requirement of having been physically present in the U.S. for any specific period.
How Do I Apply for United States Citizenship?
The process of becoming a United States citizen if you were born outside of the United States is called naturalization. If you meet the requirements, you may become a U.S. citizen, either at the time you are born or sometime after birth.
To apply, you must use Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. It can be helpful for you to hire a citizenship lawyer NYC to help you file citizenship application. A lawyer experienced in this area will know what must be included in the application and can help ensure that you include all of the required documentation.
What Is the Interview Stage of This Process?
You will be required to sit for an interview at one of the USCIS offices as part of the U.S. citizenship application process. After applying for citizenship, you will typically receive a written notice to appear for an interview within the next six months.
During the interview, you will be asked some general questions about the history of the United States and its government. You will also be asked questions and tested on your ability to speak, read, and write English. One of the benefits of hiring our office as your citizenship lawyer NYC is that we will provide you with a practice set of questions and answers to help you prepare for the interview.
Can My Citizenship Lawyer NYC
Attend My Interview with Me?
If you have hired a lawyer to assist you in this process, you do have the right to have him or her present at your citizenship interview. Having your lawyer present may help you to be more confident and comfortable. However, it is important to keep in mind that your lawyer cannot answer any of the questions for you or your spouse.
What Happens If I Pass the Test During My Interview?
If you pass the test at the time of your interview, the USCIS will schedule a swearing-in ceremony within 30 days. After the ceremony, you will be given a certificate of naturalization. This certificate is proof that you hold U.S. citizenship.
You can now apply for a United States passport. You also have the ability to file a green card application on behalf of your relatives if you choose to do so.
What Happens If I Fail the Test During My Interview?
Unfortunately, some applicants fail the test during their interviews. If you fail it, your application for citizenship will be denied. In many cases, you have the option to request a hearing regarding the decision or to re-file your application. If you fail the test, you should consider hiring a citizenship lawyer NYC immediately to advise you regarding your next steps.
How Do I Prepare for the Test Portion of the Interview?
Passing both the English and civics tests is a requirement for anyone applying for U.S. citizenship. The English part of the naturalization test requires that you demonstrate a basic understanding of the English language. You must show that you have the ability to speak, read, and write basic English.
The English Portion of the Test
A USCIS officer will determine your ability to speak and understand the English language during your eligibility interview on Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The next portion of the English test is the reading test. To pass the reading test, you must read one out of three sentences out loud correctly to show that you have an ability to read in English. To pass the writing test, you will be required to write one out of three sentences accurately to show that you have the ability to write in English.
The Civics Portion of the Test
The next part of the test is the civics portion of the test. There are two different versions of this test—the 2008 version and the 2020 version. The version of the test that you will take depends on when you filed your Form N-400.
If you filed your Form N-400 prior to December 1, 2020, you would take the 2008 civics test at your initial exam, re-exam, or N-336 hearing. Additionally, if you filed or file your Form N-400 on or after the date of March 1, 2021, you will also be taking the 2008 civics test at your initial exam, re-exam, or N-336 hearing.
All applicants who filed their Form N-400 on or after the date of December 1, 2020, and prior to March 1, 2021, with an interview before April 19, 2021, have the option to take either the 2020 civics test or the 2008 civics test at their initial exam, re-exam, or N-336 hearing.
The 2008 civics test will be administered by USCIS to all applicants with an interview scheduled on or after April 19, 2021, regardless of the filing date. For this reason, most applicants will be given the 2008 version of the civics test.
Passing the Civics Test
Both versions of the civics test are oral exams. For the 2008 version of the test, the USCIS officer will ask you up to 10 questions from a list of 100 different civics test questions. To pass the test, you must answer six of these questions correctly.
If you are taking the 2020 version of the civics test, the USCIS officer will ask you 20 questions from a list of 128 civics test questions. To pass, you must answer 12 questions out of 20 correctly.
Should I Hire a Citizenship Lawyer NYC to
Help Me Apply for Citizenship?
Though it is not a requirement to hire a citizenship lawyer NYC to successfully obtain U.S. citizenship, hiring one can make the process go much smoother for you. A skilled citizenship lawyer can help you at every stage in this process, making sure that you accurately submit your Form N-400 with each necessary document included.
If your application is denied, a citizenship lawyer NYC can help you understand where things went wrong and advise you regarding the next steps that you can take. Hiring a citizenship lawyer before you begin the naturalization process can help you avoid making common mistakes and may help you get your application approved sooner than if you had filed it on your own.
The Interview
As part of the citizenship application process, you will be required to attend an interview at one of the USCIS offices. During the interview you will be tested on general questions regarding U.S. history and government and your ability to read, write, and speak, English will also be evaluated. We provide our clients with a set of Questions and Answers so they may prepare for the interview.
Frequently asked questions:
If you pass the test, within 30 days the USCIS will schedule a swearing-in ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, you will receive a certificate of naturalization. The certificate of naturalization is a proof of your US Citizenship and allows to apply for a U.S. passport and to file Green Card application on behalf of your relatives.
If you fail the interview your application will be denied. Generally, you will be able to request a hearing on the decision and/or to re-file your application. If your application is denied I suggest that you Contact Us immediately.
Yes. But your lawyer can not answer the questions for you or your spouse. People usually feel more comfortable and confident when their lawyer is present during the interview. Also, if for example, the interviewer requests a document from your file your lawyer will normally find it faster than you and may provide a legal excuse if you do not have it with you.
Within approximately six months after you filed for citizenship, the USCIS will send you a written notice to appear for an interview.