Practice area
Citizenship & Naturalization
Naturalisation applications, derivative citizenship claims and cases complicated by history.
Our approach
Most naturalisation applications are straightforward. The ones that are not usually involve a criminal record, extended time abroad, tax filings, or an underlying green card that USCIS decides to re-examine at the interview.
We review the whole immigration history before filing, because a naturalisation interview can reopen questions about how residence was obtained. Where there is risk, it is far better to know about it in advance than to discover it under oath.
Questions we are asked
Will time spent abroad break my continuous residence?
Absences over six months create a rebuttable presumption of broken continuity, and absences of a year or more generally break it outright. Both situations are addressable with the right evidence, and some are avoidable with advance planning.
I have an old arrest. Do I have to disclose it?
Yes, including arrests without charges and expunged records. Non-disclosure is far more damaging than most underlying offences, and it can support a finding of lack of good moral character or later denaturalisation.
What happens if I fail the English or civics test?
You are given a second opportunity, typically within sixty to ninety days. Medical disability exceptions are also available where properly certified.
Related
Other practice areas
Employment-Based Immigration
Work visas, labor certification and employment green cards for engineers, physicians, researchers and the companies that hire them.
Family-Based Immigration
Reuniting spouses, children, parents and siblings through petitions, adjustment of status and consular processing.
Humanitarian Relief
Asylum, refugee status and protection for survivors of persecution, violence and trafficking.
Free consultation
Tell us what you are facing.
We will tell you where you stand: which categories you qualify for, the realistic timeline, and what it costs, before you commit to anything. Consultations are confidential and available in English, French, Hindi, Urdu and Creole.
Urgent matter? A detention, a hearing date, an expiring status? Call rather than write.