NoHotAshes

I have been eligible to naturalize for at least a few years now but never committed to applying. I've noticed quite a few SF/SJ Bay Area members here. Do any of you have any lawyer recommendations as I do not feel comfortable filing myself, and I have read far too many horror stories to risk screwing it up. Thanks

SultanOfSwing

The naturalisation process is about the easiest step in the whole immigration journey, as it is the one point where USCIS does actually want you to be successful.

Without knowing how you have reached your eligibility it is misguided to dismiss the need for a lawyer outright just now but honestly, you should be able to do it yourself with no issues. Just about everyone I know of on here who have done it, filed themselves and there are plenty of us around who can answer any questions regarding the N-400.

Obviously, it's your peace of mind so it's up to you which way you choose to do it but that's just my thoughts.

Pulaski

+1. It's really not difficult.

I won't say anything about many of the applicants for citizenship because some will pounce on me and criticise me for, but suffice to say, as a native English speaker, you'll find it's a piece of cake.

ian-mstm

You've actually read naturalization horror stories? How odd! In 15 years of following immigration forums, I only know of one - yes, one... and even that one was successfully resolved.

Naturalizing is the absolute easiest immigration step - because the US government wants you to succeed!

Ian

sir_eccles

The only horror story I know involved an undisclosed open container violation. It got resolved relatively easily.

ian-mstm

I'm thinking of member jmood... who missed her oath ceremony - but it was also resolved. Okay... so that's two instances out of how many tens of thousands?

Ian

sir_eccles

Actually just remembered another, where someone said they voted and claimed federal benefits I can't remember the outcome on that one.

Bottom line, if you kept your nose clean, never got arrested, never voted or claimed federal benefits and can follow instructions it's the easiest part of the process. Only caveat being the form just got twice as long.

bewildering

I completed the forms in January and my interview is at the end of this month. Very easy to complete the forms - it took me less than an hour. The 'evidence' easy to obtain as the IRS now provides online tax transcripts.

My only problem has been trying to find my old traffic tickets/traffic school information as I received a yellow letter requesting this information. Perhaps the lawyer would not have included the minor crimes - I have read that traffic fines under $500 do not need to be reported on the N-400 - but then again I prefer to be completely honest with the USCIS.

But do what makes you feel comfortable. I now seem to spend my life filling in grant applications for the NSF/NIH. The USCIS forms are easy-peasy in comparison.

Guindalf

As someone who completed the process a couple of years ago, I can attest to the 'easy' part!

Fill out the N400 and submit all information required, mail it in with the appropriate fee and sit back and wait for your biometrics appointment. Then wait again for your interview (oh, and study the answers to 100 questions, of which you need to correctly answer six - easy peasy!). Then go to your oath ceremony and done!

Pulaski

You studied? The first thing I did was a dry run through the questions, ..... and discovered I already knew the answers to 93 of them.

They might be a bit tricky if you're Polish or Sudanese, but the UK and the US share so much history and culture, that with only a passing knowledge of the US political system you're already home and dry.

Noorah101

Or Iranian, like my husband! LOL He had to learn almost all 100 questions (and answers), and his English wasn't even very good. We started a few months ahead of time, I made a tape of me reading each question/answer (this was before they handed out a pre-made CD at the biometrics appointment), which he listened to at home. Then we started with 5 questions per week, learning those 5. The following week, we did those 5 plus 5 more. By the end, he knew all 100.

My favorite story is when we were studying one evening and I was testing him. I asked him "What is Abraham Lincoln famous for?" With my husband's accent, his answer was "He fried the slaves!" LOL I had to make sure he learned the word is "freed", not "fried"!!!

Rene

sir_eccles

You may know an answer, but the trick is making sure you know the answer they want to hear.

"just say slavery"

Pulaski

Yeah, the "list the advantages of US citizenship" question is a hoot!

Pulaski

That's my point, in a nut shell: the questions are designed to not be unduly challenging for those who know little about American history and government, and who's native language is not English. The result is a one size fits all "test" that is embarrassingly easy for immigrants from Britain.
Too funny!

MarylandNed

I echo what the others said. Unless you have something in your past which might cause you an issue, you can easily handle a citizenship application yourself.