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US citizenship

Top 10 Reasons U.S. Citizenship Application (Form N-400) is denied

The USCIS receives thousands of applications for naturalization every day. Aspiring to become an American citizen is in high demand! Many applicants are surprised to find out that their application was denied. The USCIS could reject your citizenship application for various reasons. Before you start the long and costly naturalization process, let’s look at some of the top reasons that may hinder your N-400 application process.

#1. Due to Criminal Records

The first and foremost reason that your N-400 form may be rejected is due to a criminal record against you. The USCIS officer reviews the history of each applicant, ranging from green card-related issues to arrests and citations. If a person is found guilty in any of these cases, their application form gets rejected automatically. Any crime committed by someone trying to become a citizen is grounds for an immediate hearing with the immigration court for deportation.

#2. Failing the English and/or Civics Test

Part of the naturalization process involves passing the English and Civics test. The English test is made up of three sections: speaking/understanding, reading, and writing. In the Civics test, you are asked ten questions about the history, geography and government of the USA. You must answer six questions correctly to pass. If you do not pass either test, you will not be approved for U.S. citizenship that day.

#3. Improper completion of the N-400 Form

Becoming a U.S. citizen can feel like a daunting and intimidating process. Being 100% accurate and paying heightened attention to detail is essential when filling out the N-400 form. If it feels too overwhelming, it can give you peace of mind to hire professional help. It’s surprising but true that a small mistake in your N-400 application form could result in the rejection of your U.S. citizenship. When applicants forget to fill in the complete details or fill in incorrect information, these careless actions may result in rejection or delay the acceptance of the N-400 form. Also, if you are a male between 18 and 26, you need to register for selective service, failing which your applications will be rejected. After that, you could only refile again after the age of 31.

#4. Due to a Fraudulent Green Card

The officer will verify your green card and will check its issue date. If they discover any fraud related to your green card, your application form will automatically be rejected. In the worst-case scenario, you could be summoned to appear in court for deportation proceedings.

#5. Improper Behavior in the Interview

The USCIS officer will observe how you conduct yourself at the interview. Even nervousness can reflect poorly on your character. Suppose you provide false information in your application form or unintentionally give any wrong or questionable reply. In that case, there is a high risk that your form will be rejected.

#6. Lack of Moral Values

The interview is a formal process; everything from your attire, responses, tone and behavior should respect that standard. The USCIS officer carefully reviews all your documents and history. Any information found suspicious may reflect on your moral character, which could delay your citizenship process.

#7. Fraud in Taxes

Applicants must be sure that no outstanding taxes are pending against them. Even a small pending amount could result in the rejection of your N-400 application form. So, you need to have all your taxes paid to date.

#8. Divorce

Divorce could also be a significant reason for rejecting your N-400 application form. The people applying under the three-year rule must ensure that they remain married to the same U.S. citizen who sponsored them for permanent citizenship for three years. If they fail to prove so, then their application will be denied.

#9. Not Paying Child Support

Besides timely tax filing, the citizenship applicant must ensure appropriate child support. If the applicant has a minor child or children that do not live with them, they need to provide full financial support, failing which can result in the denial of the application.

#10. Missed Opportunities and Deadlines

Last but not least, if a candidate fails to meet the deadlines of the citizenship process, then their application process could be delayed for a long time or could even be rejected. If you apply by yourself, you will be notified of every phase of your citizenship process. Any missed appointments or deadlines can cost you considerably over your N-400 application.

Conclusion

Becoming a U.S. citizen is not necessarily difficult. However, it requires a lot of diligence. A small mistake in your application form or inappropriate behavior during the interview could result in your application being delayed or, worse, denied. Therefore, it is essential to understand the application process and utilize expert guidance to complete your citizenship process successfully. Let us help you fulfil your dream of becoming an American citizen! We are the Number One Free Online Training for the U.S. Citizenship Test. 🥇 Our online training program offers extensive practice test questions and test simulations, including all components of the English and Civics tests, to help prepare you for the interview. ➜ Start preparing with us now for your U.S. Citizenship Naturalization Test!

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US citizenship

Obtaining U.S. Citizenship is a much slower process under Trump

Processing U.S citizenship applications has slowed down significantly since the Trump Administration took office. It seems that the USCIS – United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that reviews the applications, is putting more resources into immigration enforcement rather than processing citizenship applications. The approach the USCIS is currently taking towards legal immigration goes against the agency’s original mandate. Its clearly defined priorities were to eliminate application backlogs—and prevent future delays. Its purpose was to provide immigration benefits to customers; as opposed to functioning like an enforcement agency. But it’s a new era, a new president. USCIS processing delays and application backlogs are having a devastating impact on the legal immigration system. New security protocols such as in-person interviews with employment-based green card applicants and a revamp of the refugee program is dragging out processing times. As a result, this is having a negative effect on families and employers nationwide. Families struggle to pay the bills, survivors of violence and torture face danger, and U.S. companies fall behind. The federal agency blamed the delays on a steep rise in applications. According to an analysis by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), from Fiscal Year 2017 to 2018, processing times had increased by 19 percent even though receipts of new applications had declined 17 percent. So the delays cannot be reasonably blamed on rising workload.

Why do people realize more than ever the importance of attaining U.S. citizenship?

Since the administration has been tightening restrictions on immigration, many long-term residents have woken up to the importance of obtaining citizenship. They realize that a green card is not sufficient to protect them from deportation and they feel compelled to cast a vote in the 2020 election. Obtaining citizenship makes people feel more secure, connected to the community and like they belong in the U.S. Citizens have better access to job and career opportunities, can vote and have a say in the government process.

How can we help you in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen?

It is essential that you pass the test to become a U.S. citizen. You must take this test very seriously, as failing it could result in being denied naturalization. The test has two parts: an English Test and a Civics Test. The English Test contains a Speaking and Understanding Test, a Reading Test as well as a Writing Test. The Civics test portion is about your knowledge of U.S. Government, U.S. Geography, U.S. History, U.S. Holidays and U.S. Symbols. We offer a free and complete online training for the U.S. Citizenship Test, so if you are in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen, please view our website USCitizenshipSupport.com You could also read some of our other articles to prepare for your U.S. Citizenship Test: U.S. Citizenship Test – What is it all about? U.S. Citizenship Test– How to prepare for it? U.S. Citizenship Application – Understand the process

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US citizenship

U.S. citizenship: huge backlog of applications since Trump’s election

Donald Trump’s hardline views on immigrants, both legal and illegal, is driving an unusual explosion in U.S. citizenship applications. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) now have 709,000 applications, and are having a hard time dealing with the enormous backlog. This number of applications is extraordinary because there is usually a surge in applications before an election, not after. For example citizenship applications almost doubled before Barack Obama’s election, and then dropped below 600,000. The highest increase is in Texas because of its number of potential citizens, with a jump of 61%. 1 million applications are expected in 2018. U.S. citizenship provides security and the right to vote. Under Trump’s rules, a legal permanent resident can be deported for a growing number of offences. He and his policies appear to be the motivation behind a large number of applications. National and local organizations, including the Mexican consulate in Dallas, have been providing greater resources and support, such as citizenship workshops, to encourage people to apply for citizenship. Being a US citizen offers added protection from deportation and can impact a person’s financial situation positively. According to a 2012 economic study, a citizen is more likely to be employed, and earns more than a non-citizen. The citizenship applications backlog is worrying. The average national waiting time is about 9 months right now according to USCIS. USCIS has increased funding for employee overtime and is recruiting new employees, but it might not be enough. The backlog can be seen as a “second wall” according to the National Partnership for New Americans. Legal permanent residents must have lived in the United States for 5 years before they can apply for citizenship. They must also pass a citizenship test assessing their abilities to speak, write and read in English. As well, their knowledge of American government, American principles of democracy, rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship, American history, American geography, American symbols and American holidays is assessed. You can learn more about the citizenship application with this article: U.S. Citizenship Application – Understand the process You can learn more about the citizenship test with these articles: U.S. Citizenship Test – What is it all about? U.S. Citizenship Test – How to prepare for it? Are you preparing for your U.S. citizenship test? Our FREE U.S. Citizenship Test Online Training Program is up-to-date and will help you pass your test first time.
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US citizenship

858 people wrongly received U.S. citizenship instead of being deported

According to a report from the Department of Homeland Security Department (DHS), 858 immigrants who were supposed to have been deported, were granted U.S. citizenship instead due to insufficient digital fingerprint records. The report, released in September, is the result of an inquiry aiming at finding out whether U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has been using personal data adequately in the U.S. citizenship application process. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration officer uses only digital fingerprint records during their assessment of a citizenship application. But, it appears that about 148,000 fingerprints, which have not been digitized yet, correspond to people who are to be deported, or who have a criminal history. These fingerprints were compiled before Homeland Security set up their digital fingerprint database in 2007. In 4 of those 858 cases, people were even able to obtain security-sensitive jobs such as airports, ports or law enforcement. These jobs have been revoked since the report was released. There are also some information-sharing deficiencies between the DHS and the FBI. The FBI, who has maintained their own digital fingerprint database since 1999, is also missing fingerprint records because the DHS did not systematically forward to the FBI all fingerprints resulting from immigration cases. The report does not include the names of the 858 immigrants or their countries of origin, but it does recommend that all 858 cases are to be reviewed. All immigrants found not eligible for U.S. citizenship by the review are to be stripped of their citizenship. The report also recommends that all old fingerprints be digitized. The DHS said they agree with the report’s recommendations and that they start to apply corrective measures. Do you need preparing for your US citizenship test? We offer a free U.S. Citizenship Test Online Training. Check it out!