Common Reasons for Denied Citizenship
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Obtaining citizenship is not always a given. There are numerous hurdles that can come up during the process that could cause USCIS officials to ask for more information or even deny your application. Here are some reasons why USCIS may deny citizenship.
Lack of Good Moral Character
This is by far the most common reason for citizenship rejection. This is another way of saying that USCIS will look at your criminal record and could reject your application if it finds certain offenses. Not every single conviction is grounds for denying citizenship, but some crimes that you might not think are major are on the list. Here are some offenses that could indicate a lack of good moral character to USCIS:
- Gambling
- Failure to pay child support
- Prostitution
- An offense against the person with the intent to harm
- Controlled substance violations
- Habitual drunkenness
Failure to Pay Income Taxes
Those with green cards have the same obligation to pay federal and state taxes as citizens. USCIS will run a check to see if you have filed and paid taxes, or if you have had any other problems with the IRS. You cannot be behind on your taxes when you apply for citizenship. You may consider delaying your application while you work out your tax issues with the IRS.
Lack of Physical Presence
In order to be eligible for citizenship, you must have been physically present in the U.S. for a certain period of time. The requirement is that you have physically been in the country for 30 out of the 60 months of your green card period. In addition, you must have been in the country for six months out of each of the prior five years. USCIS can track your presence based on entry and exit records.
Fraud in the Immigration Process
You must answer all questions on the application honestly. USCIS will pay close attention to any inconsistencies in your application, and they will ask you about them. If they think that there was something wrong with your application that was not an oversight, they could reject it. In addition, if USCIS thinks that you may have obtained a green card improperly, that could impact your citizenship application.
Failing the Citizenship Exam
Applicants are expected to learn some principles of civics and pass an English assessment as part of the citizenship process. Failing would lead to rejection. It is vital to take this exam seriously and to study because there are 128 questions on it. There is also an oral component to the test. Recent changes to this test have made it even harder to pass, lengthening the exam and adding more difficult questions.
Experienced Citizenship Attorneys in the Midwest
If you are applying for citizenship, you are always better off with a knowledgeable attorney helping you with the process. This could eliminate or help you address things that may be a roadblock. Contact attorneys at Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC online to learn about how we can make a difference.
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Kevin Raica literally saved my life. He helped me out of a dangerous situation that my previous attorney had put me in. After 17 years without status and 6.5 years of working with my previous attorney, I had experienced so many denials that I had completely lost hope. When I met Kevin, everything changed. He genuinely cared about my situation and gave me hope when I couldn’t see any for…
We sincerely thank the entire team for the professionalism, responsiveness, patience, and dedication shown throughout our case. From our very first visit, Justin reassured us that everything would be all right. Thank you, Khiabett, for your expertise, professionalism, and calm guidance before and during the interview, which greatly reduced our stress and gave us confidence. We also deeply appreciate Kamila's hard work, patience, and responsiveness throughout the process. For sorting…
I would like to sincerely thank Attorney Justin Burton and PL Kamila Lada for support with my adjustment of status case. I have been working with the firm for over a year now, and I have received nothing short of exceptional services and support throughout various cases for myself and family members. Highly recommend consulting and retaining this firm.
We have been in the dark with our case for over 2 decades, while working with other big firms who just kept me in the dark and sat on our case without making any effort to move it forward until I met the wonderful team at Kriezelman & Burton. AO and JP are truly God-sent angels who with their knowledge, collaboration, sense of direction and outside the box thinking, managed…
Highly recommend attorney Kevin Raica and attorney Agata Bigdanowicz. They were super helpful, responded on time, and won my case in record time. It took about a month and half in total for me to get my approval after filing!
Brittni Rivera and her team (Carina Lopez) are fantastic! They are responsive, efficient and beyond compassionate. Brittni Rivera and her team treated me with dignity and respect as they patiently answered all of my questions. They didn't move on without making sure I understood each step. Their work ethic was impressive. It felt like they were an extension of my personal team. I can't say enough to convey my gratitude…
Kevin Raica and his team handled my immigration application and i can other recommend them enough. They made a stressful process very easy. They are very knowledgeable in this area and helped us at every stage from beginning to end.
Brittni Rivera. She is my Attorney from 2017. Thank you so, so much. This truly wouldn’t have been possible without you, Brittni. Can’t wait to file for the green cards.
We hoped and prayed for this day, not knowing if it would ever come. Deportations are incredibly scary and overwhelming. We wanted to give a very special thank you to Jennifer Peyton of Chicago for securing this victory for us! With Jennifer on our side we were able to get our loved one back. On behalf of our family, thank you. When we started this journey, we had hoped and…
Matthew Kriezelman, first of all, thank you very much; you and your team are the best immigration lawyers in Chicago. I had a great experience—your professionalism was outstanding, and you were always there whenever needed. I give you five stars for the wonderful work you and your team did. Thanks again.
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