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U.S. Citizenship & Naturalization

U.S. Citizenship & Naturalization Attorneys in Houston & Austin, TX

Citizens of the United States are entitled to live and work permanently in the U.S., vote in U.S. elections, serve on juries and hold a U.S. passport. U.S. citizens can sponsor their spouse, unmarried children under age 21, and parents as immediate relatives. These relatives do not have to wait for a visa number to become current. An individual may acquire U.S. citizenship in a variety of ways:

Birth in the United States

Children born in the U.S. are automatically U.S. citizens, regardless of the immigration status of their parents.

Birth outside the U.S. to U.S. citizen parents

Certain children born abroad to U.S. citizen parents are automatically citizens of the U.S.

Naturalization of a parent

A child born outside the U.S. may automatically become a U.S. citizen if one parent becomes a U.S. citizen prior to the child’s 18th birthday and the child is a lawful U.S. permanent resident.

Adoption by U.S. citizen parents

Certain children in the legal and physical custody of at least one U.S. citizen parent for at least two years may become lawful U.S. permanent residents. The child must be under the age of 16 at the time of the legal adoption. If the adopted lawful permanent resident child is under 18 and at least one parent is a U.S. citizen the child also may acquire U.S. citizenship. 

Naturalization

The general rule is that anyone over the age of 18 who has been a legal permanent resident alien for at least five (5) years may apply for naturalization. The applicant must have been physically present in the U.S. for at least 30 months out of the five years prior to the date of filing of the application and must have resided for at least three months within the state in which the application is filed. The applicant must demonstrate good moral character, be attached to the principles of the U.S. Constitution, be willing to bear arms on behalf of the U.S. or perform other work of national importance, and must not otherwise be barred from naturalizing, e.g., as having committed an aggravated felony. All naturalization applicants will be fingerprinted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and have their criminal backgrounds reviewed by the FBI. The applicant must demonstrate a basic ability to read, write, speak and understand the English language. The applicant must also pass a short oral or written test on the history and government of the U.S. Finally, the applicant must be interviewed in person by a USCIS officer. If the applicant is approved for naturalization, the applicant will attend a public ceremony and take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States. After taking the oath, the applicant will return the green card to the USCIS and receive a certificate of citizenship. This certificate of citizenship can be used to obtain a U.S. passport.

There are many special exceptions and provisions of the law for certain applicants for naturalization. Please consult your Foster attorney regarding which options may be applicable to your case.