Lawful permanent residents are not required to become American citizens. However, the right to vote and the ability to file immigrant petitions for family members are two benefits of citizenship that inspire resident aliens to naturalize at the earliest opportunity.

To become a naturalized citizen of the U.S., you must file a petition with the appropriate United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) Service Center and establish your lawful admission for permanent residence, minimum periods of residency and physical presence in the U.S., good moral character, an attachment to the Constitution, an understanding of the English language, and knowledge of American history and government (although the English language requirements may we waived for persons who have had their green cards for at least 15 years and for those with specified disabilities).

It formerly took as long as three years for USCIS to process naturalization applications and, although present USCIS policy requires processing most cases in no more than twelve months, many of my recent cases have taken as little as three months between filing and approval. Although legal representation by an attorney is not required for a naturalization case, an attorney may assist you by preparing and processing your case and determining which immigration laws are applicable to your circumstances. In that regard, USCIS will review your entire immigration and personal history during the naturalization process and, therefore, even minor law violations or immigration problems in your past may affect you and could even permit USCIS to begin proceedings to rescind your green card and/or remove (deport) you from the U.S.