Top Bronx, NY Citizenship Lawyers Near You

How to Become a U.S. Citizen

Becoming a U.S. Citizen is an important step in many people’s lives. There are multiple ways to become a U.S. Citizen, including: being born in the United States; acquisition at birth; deriving citizenship through the naturalization or U.S. birth of a parent; posthumous citizenship through death while on active duty service; after 3 years of lawful permanent residence based on marriage to a U.S citizen, or 5 years of lawful permanent residence (along with other requirements).

Do You Need Citizenship Lawyer to Become a U.S. Citizen?

There are many naturalization and citizenship programs that you may fall under and every naturalization program has its own eligibility requirements. When applying for naturalization, some issues may make you ineligible, such as criminal arrests or convictions, selective service compliance, good moral character, lengthy absences from the United States and false claims to citizenship. It’s best to consult with a Bronx immigration attorney who handles citizenship and naturalization cases to facilitate and assist in your case.

Top Questions to Ask When Hiring an Attorney

• How many years have you been practicing law? How long have you practiced law in the local area?
• How many cases similar to mine have you handled in the past?
• What is the likely outcome for my case?

In legal practice, experience matters. An experienced attorney will likely have handled issues similar to yours many, many times. Therefore, after listening to your situation, the attorney should have a reasonable idea of the time line for a case like yours and the likely resolution.

What to Expect from an Initial Consultation

• Seek to determine whether the attorney can represent you. There is no one-size-fits-all legal solution and it may turn out your needs are better served by an attorney in a different specialization.
• It’s important to find a legal ally who is both competent in the law and someone you can trust to protect your interests.
• Discuss how the practice’s billing works and discuss possible additional charges or fees that may arise during or after the resolution of your case.

An attorney consultation should provide you with enough information so that you can make an informed decision on whether to proceed with legal help.

Tips on Hiring an Experienced Lawyer with Citizenship Cases

The more experienced a lawyer is in legal practice, the more likely he/she will be able to bring about a successful resolution to your issue. Since experience matters, lawyers who’ve been practicing law for many years (with a successful track record) tend to be in high demand. You should look for information about a lawyer’s experience and ask questions during the initial meeting. It’s a very good idea to ask the lawyer how many years he/she has been practicing law and the expected outcome of your case.

Common legal terms explained

Affidavit – A sworn written statement made under oath. An affidavit is meant to be a supporting document to the court assisting in the verification of certain facts. An affidavit may or may not require notarization.