If you are a foreigner and you want to live and work in the Dallas, TX area, or anywhere in the United States, you need the services of an immigration lawyer. Why is this so important? Because immigration law is one of the most complex bodies of law on the books – even more complex than the U.S. tax code – and trying to grapple with it alone, without the help of a lawyer who specializes in immigration law, is a recipe for disaster. Here are some of the areas in which mistakes are often made:
Eligibility For Citizenship
People are often so anxious to become naturalized U.S. citizens that they don’t realize, or remember, that they must meet certain requirements to go through the naturalization process. Generally, applicants must have a “green card,” or permanent resident status, be at least 18 years of age, and have lived in the United States for a minimum of 5 continuous years.
With the exception of permanent resident status, there are a number of exceptions to these eligibility rules that a lawyer who specializes in immigration services knows about, for instance:
- Children under the age of 18 can obtain citizenship through their parents if their parents are already U.S. citizens.
- Foreigners married to and living with U.S. citizens can apply after 3 years of permanent residence.
- Applicants must have lived in the state or district where they’re filing their application for at least 3 months.
- Applicants, even those who qualify otherwise, must prove that they are of a good moral character to apply for citizenship.
The Application for Citizenship
Without the help of a lawyer who specializes in immigration law and who has helped hundreds of applicants through the process, you may not be able to understand or complete the application for citizenship. A common mistake made by citizenship applicants is either not filling out their applications completely or not filling them out correctly. Misspelling of names, wrong birth dates, and other mistakes can delay or derail a citizenship application. In addition, applicants often forget to attach all of their supporting documents, like marriage and birth certificates, to the completed application at the time of submission.
The Qualifying Process
The citizenship process requires the applicant to take a civics test and be able to read, write and speak the English language. A lawyer will know that there are exceptions to civics knowledge and English language requirements and that an applicant can receive a waiver that will allow them to use their native language through the immigration process. He or she can also point them in the direction of helpful information and study material regarding U.S. history and government so that, if they must take a civics test, they’ll be better prepared.
To ensure that your citizenship application is complete and that you are following all of the rules that apply to the application process, you need the help of a lawyer who specializes in immigration services. In the Dallas, TX area, that lawyer is Nathan Christensen. Call The Law Office Of Nathan Christensen PC at (972) 497-1017 or visit www.immigrationlawyerdallastx.com.