The road to becoming a full fledged citizen is a long and bumpy one. You put yourself at risk every day if you aren't filling out the proper forms and submitting them to the government. All it takes is a few minutes to fill out the form and mail it in to the right place, but many people are too lazy to do even this and end up being deported as a result. 1. Get Approved You can't apply for citizenship without first getting a status of a permanant resident. Also, remember, you can't just keep this form on your person, it has to be submitted and approved by an agency known as the USCIS.
Of course, once you have your green card you will be afforded many other rights and benefits. 2. Why You Should Waste No Time In Getting Your Green Card - You have the right to live in the country and not be deported - If you leave the country, you can come back in simply by presenting your identification - You may now be employed as long as it is legal work - You may make a formal application for Citizenship, but there are no guarantees 3. Getting Your Citizenship Although this step is the easiest to do, it also takes the longest - five years in fact. All you have to do is stay within the country as a permanant resident for five years.
After that, you are free to apply for full citizenship. 4. Special Rules For Illegal Immigrants One of the oldest known loopholes for people trying to become citizens is to get married to someone who is already a legal citizen. This must be a completely valid marriage and you must be able to present a marriage certificate.
Contact the USCIS immediately if you can - this will avoid any dispute about when you first entered the country and will ensure you get full citizenship as soon as possible.
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