America has long been known as a country welcoming of immigrants from all parts of the world.  American citizens enjoy many privileges and freedoms which may not be available in other countries.  

Who can become a US citizen?
A person may obtain American citizenship through birth or by naturalization.  Any person who was born inside the United States is automatically a US citizen.  Also any person born outside the US to at least one American citizen parent is automatically a US citizen.  If you do not fall within one of these groups, you must pursue naturalization in order to obtain citizenship. Naturalization is a complex process that requires the attention of an experienced immigration attorney.

Naturalization has the following requirements:

• Applicants for naturalization must pass a test of their comprehension of the English language and their knowledge of US history and government.  
• Applicants must have been green card holders for at least five years in the US (or three years if their spouse is a US citizen).
• Applicants must have been physically present in the US for at least 30 months (or 2 years and 6 months) of the five years.
• Applicants must be persons of “good moral character”.  This is affected by a person’s criminal or immigration record, especially any conduct involving fraud or dishonesty. 

If you or a loved one desire to become a citizen of the United States through the naturalization process, contact Elsie C. Vasquez for a consultation today at (212) 304-0105 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .