Reasons Your Citizenship Application Was Denied
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The goal for many green card holders is to become U.S. citizens. However, becoming a U.S. citizen is not automatic after becoming a green card holder. Rather, those who seek U.S. citizenship must apply, and their applications may or may not be approved, depending on various eligibility factors. At Kriezelman Burton & Associates, we have experienced immigration attorneys who help clients in the Chicago area to successfully apply for citizenship.
Eligibility for U.S. Citizenship
To obtain U.S. citizenship, one must go through a naturalization process, which requires the applicant to first apply for citizenship by completing and filing Form N-400 with the United States Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS).
Before submitting the application, the applicant must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Must be at least 18 years old at the time of submitting the application
- Must have been a green card holder for the past three or five years, depending under which category they are applying for citizenship
- Must have continuous physical presence and residence in the United States
- Must be able to write, read and speak basic English
- Must show good moral character
- Must show a knowledge and understanding of basic U.S. history and government
- Must show loyalty to the U.S. Constitution and
- Must be willing to take the Oath of Allegiance.
Being eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship is, however, only part of the naturalization process. Once the application is submitted, a USCIS examiner must determine that the applicant is not disqualified from being a U.S. citizen on other grounds or reasons provided under the law. There are many reasons that an application for U.S. citizenship may be denied, but the main ones are as follows:
Failing to Meet Financial Obligations
If the applicant has been ordered to pay child support but has failed to do so, then this will be a good reason for their application to be denied.
This can also be the outcome if the applicant has failed to pay taxes or is behind in paying their taxes. This is by far the most common reason many applicants are denied citizenship, but it need not be fatal. If you owe taxes, then you should contact the IRS and arrange to pay the taxes. The IRS will usually agree to a payment plan to pay the overdue taxes.
Fraud on the Application
If there is evidence of fraud or if the USCIS examiner handling the file suspects fraud, an application for citizenship can be denied on that basis alone. Fraud is usually established if the applicant provides information on their application or says things at their interview that are inconsistent or contradicted by other documents.
USCIS will usually provide an opportunity for the applicant to overcome the fraud finding, and in some cases, an applicant is able to do just that, usually with the help of an experienced naturalization lawyer.
Reach Out to a Chicago Citizenship Attorney
If you are interested in applying for citizenship, contact our office today for a consultation to determine your eligibility and to guide you on how you can address issues or problems that may result in denial of your application.
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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.
We would like to take a moment to sincerely thank Khiabett for her exceptional work and dedication in handling my husband’s removal proceedings case. We also want to thank Agata for her great communication during the gathering of all documents. Khiabett, we are incredibly grateful for your expertise, guidance, and persistence throughout the entire process. I can't thank you enough for your empathy and for standing by me during such…
I used their services for my case, and everything went smoothly. Rafael and Matthew are very knowledgeable and helpful, and answered all my questions. I highly recommend them!
I have used their services since 2022, and my experience was great. My own case was successfully finished this year. I want to say Matt and Raf were of great help throughout, and also Jennifer, who attended the interview with me. I would highly recommend their services.
Mr. Jeffery and Mr. Kevin Racia were the attorneys handling a complex immigration case of mine. On the assurance of both attorneys that the case is going to be presented in a systematic way, I went ahead with confidence. I was able to become a legal permanent resident. I highly recommend Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC for all your immigration needs.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to the remarkable team of Khiabett Osuna, Brittani Rivera, and Rafael Rodriguez, who were responsible for the successful release from detention of one of our parishioners, husband and father of four, after over 10 weeks of incarceration. From his detention to the payment of his bail and from Immigration Court to his reunion with his family, there were blessings aplenty made possible through the…
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my attorney, Brittni Rivera, for her professionalism and support during a very difficult time. I was in detention for 6 months, and thanks to her hard work and filing a habeas corpus petition, I was finally released. In addition, when I was released, ICE did not return my documents. Brittni did not ignore this issue — she took action and successfully…
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Our case was very difficult, and at times it felt like there was no way out. My wife was detained for a long period of time, and it was an extremely challenging experience for our family. Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC truly changed our situation. I would especially like to thank our attorney, Brittni Rivera, as well as Natalia. They were attentive, honest, and always ready to help. It was…
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