Basic facts for Texas immigrants about the citizenship process

 Posted on March 01, 2019 in naturalization & citizenship

Many immigrants choose Texas as their new home state. Details regarding how each person came to live in the United States greatly vary. Some people entered under urgent, sudden circumstances while others filed petitions for visas before gaining legal entry. The ultimate goal for many immigrants is to successfully navigate the citizenship naturalization process.

Becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen is a legal process. A person pursuing this process must first meet all eligibility requirements. One requirement is that an applicant must be age 18 or older. He or she must also have physically resided in the United States as a legal permanent resident for at least five years before applying.

The ability to speak and understand English is a key factor toward naturalization, as well. Applicants must also be in good moral standing. As with most immigration processes, there are exceptions to certain rules. An experienced immigration law attorney can explain such details to an applicant, especially those that would have an impact on a particular case.

There are forms to fill out, documents to compile and personal identification processes to fulfill, such as getting fingerprinted. An applicant must also agree to be interviewed and tested before earning citizenship privileges. A final step toward naturalization is to take an oath of allegiance. This typically occurs at an official ceremony where someone who has passed the test and met all other requirements receives his or her certificate of citizenship. For many immigrants in Texas and across the country, this is one of the greatest days of their lives.