Everything You Need to Know About Filing Your Own Citizenship Application

Have you decided to become a United States citizen? Are you wondering if you can file your own citizenship application or if you need to hire an immigration lawyer to help you with the process? If so, this article is for you. Here’s everything you need to know about filing your own citizenship application and what you can expect along the way.

Getting Started

The first step is to make sure you are eligible for citizenship. You must have lived in the United States for at least five years as a permanent resident, or three years if you are married to a U.S. citizen. You also need to be 18 years or older and have good moral character. If you meet these requirements, you can begin filling out your citizenship application.

The Basics of the Form

The citizenship application, also known as Form N-400, is used to apply for naturalization. The form is available for free on the USCIS website. The form must be complete and accurate in order to be processed. Along with filling out the form, you will need to submit a copy of your passport and birth certificate. Once all requirements are met, it can take up to six months before USCIS makes a decision about your citizenship application.

What Is The N-400 Form For?

The N-400 form is the form used to apply for United States citizenship. The form is available for free on the USCIS website. The form must be completed and filed online or by mail.

You will need to gather supporting documents, such as your birth certificate and passport, before you can fill out the form. Once you have all the required documents, you can begin filling out the form. Be sure to answer all questions truthfully and accurately.

Gather the Necessary Documents

The Next step is to make sure you have all the required documents for the Citizenship Application. The list of documents can be found on the USCIS website. If you're missing any of the required documents, it's important to get them as soon as possible. Some are available from your family or friends, but others may require a trip to your home country. For example, if you don't have a passport for some reason, then it's not possible to file for citizenship without one. Other things that might require a trip back home include an original birth certificate or medical records if they are needed by USCIS.

Carefully Review and Complete the Form

The next step is to carefully review and complete the form for the Citizenship Application. Make sure to answer all questions truthfully and completely. Once you have finished the form, sign, and date it. The first step is to carefully review and complete the form. The form itself is not difficult, but it is significant to make sure that you have all the required information and supporting documentation before you begin.

Submit Payment For Fees

Then submit your payment for the application fees. The total cost is $725, which includes the $640 filing fee and the $85 biometrics fee. You can pay by check, money order, or credit card. If you're paying by check or money order, make it payable to the Department of Homeland Security. Include your full name, address, phone number and mailing address in the memo line.

Don’t Forget To Submit Proof Of U.S. Residency!

When you file for citizenship, you must submit proof that you’ve been living in the United States for at least five years (or three years if you’re married to a U.S. citizen). This can be in the form of a lease, utility bills, or other official documents. If you don’t have these documents, your application will be denied. Don't worry though! As long as you provide them within 90 days of filing, USCIS will update your status to show pending, and it won't affect your eligibility.

Wait For A Receipt Number From USCIS

After you've filed your application, you will receive a receipt number from USCIS for the Citizenship Application. This number is very important, and you'll need to use it to check the status of your application or to contact USCIS about it. Once you have the receipt number, keep it in a safe place. Remember that this number isn't transferable; if someone else wants to know the status of their application, they will need their own receipt number.

What Does Alien Registration Number Mean?

 

It is currently unknown how Alien Registration Number was born, but it is an abbreviation for A-R-N, which stands for Alien Registration Number, a secret identifier used for the security purposes of the NSA. While the number is supposed to be secret, the scheme was leaked by Edward Snowden in 2013, and now even more people can obtain it without having to worry about getting identified. All in all, it is quite simple to obtain the A-R-N from the NSA, as long as you possess a certain set of documents, as described in the next section.

What's it all for?

While all these documents and forms can be quite complicated, the true objective behind A-R-N is to track and surveil those citizens of the United States who are suspected to have ties with intelligence agencies. The truth is that the A-R-N is a method of intelligence collection, and it is simply used for determining the source of a leak.

According to a 2013 statement released by the NSA's inspector general, it has a legitimate reason to be needed, considering:

the possibility of disclosures to foreign governments. The Agency must protect U.S. national security information from unauthorized disclosure by foreign governments and individuals; unauthorized disclosure could result in embarrassment to a U.S. government official or employee, impairment of diplomatic relations, loss of insider information, or compromise of the security of information technology assets of U.S. government agencies.

With that in mind, the National Security Agency has launched a program called RED FLAG to help curb and prevent leaks. The CIA and the Department of Defense are also using the program.

How to access the A-R-N information?

While the source code for the Alien Registration Number database is available on GitHub, there are some measures you can take to protect yourself from identity theft by ensuring that you are using a safe password.

You can also avoid identity theft by implementing other security measures, such as turning on two-factor authentication, and setting up two-factor authentication to limit access to your financial accounts.

The following are examples of how the A-R-N system works:

While the A-R-N number is a unique identifier for each Alien Resident (or Permanent Resident), it is possible for multiple aliens to have the same Alien Registration Number (which also means they can have different numbers for different persons, with completely different purposes)

Someone can obtain the A-R-N number of someone else by taking a picture of his or her Resident Alien Card (shown below), and then placing a photocopy of the card in the Alien Resident’s passport or visa (also on file with the A-R-N system)

Once the A-R-N number has been obtained, someone can perform “Man in the Middle” attacks and intercept the individual’s personal information, including SSNs and other important personal information. This is the primary method used by perpetrators of data breaches like the Verizon hack. For more information, see Steps to Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft.

How to protect yourself from unauthorized access to your A-R-N number?

Use only official government-issued Alien Registration Numbers on your identification documents (Driver’s License, Passport)

Place the Alien Registration Number in the conspicuous place in the top-right corner of your documents (this is the location for the Social Security number on a US passport)

Use a unique combination of letters and numbers (i.e., not sequential) when recording the information on a Resident Alien card (or a visa)

When renewing your Resident Alien Card, request a photocopy of your passport or visa (on file with the A-R-N system)

Aliens on Multiple Visas or Nationals or Consular Documents (A-R-N numbers are required for certain travel documents)

Can I File a Lawsuit Against the NSA?

This is still a matter of debate. Some experts believe that it is legal, while others do not think so.

In any case, it is important to realize that the A-R-N program is not one that is done by a private company, and thus you can't file a lawsuit against the NSA for the same reason that you cannot do it against Verizon, Facebook or any other corporation, even if it has breached your privacy.

There are legal methods that you can use to take the case to court, but they are time-consuming and require an experienced attorney to get you the outcome you want. There are also certain confidentiality issues that may have to be addressed before you can file a lawsuit, which means that it is best to consult an attorney as soon as possible.

What if I am a victim of identity theft?

The Privacy Ombudsman (PO) will address your complaint, but it could take up to 60 days for the PO to reach you. During this time, you are required to not contact the perpetrator to tell them that you have a complaint against them.

 

How to Apply for Citizenship in the United States | DYgreencard Inc

 

To apply for Citizenship in the United States, you must meet the requirements of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. These rules and requirements can be found on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website.

USCIS also provides multiple ways to become a U.S. citizen. Find out more in the How to Become a U.S. Citizen guide.

Citizenship Testing & Certification

There are multiple steps involved with passing your citizenship test and becoming a U.S. citizen. The actual test is just one part of it. You also need to pass a government background check, take a language test and complete a U.S. civics test.

Even though the actual test is the first step, you can take the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) citizenship exam at home if you do not have a U.S. government-issued license or document that you can take the test with. It’s easier to pass the government-issued license or government-issued document test if you do not have to travel to an actual testing site. You can find out more information about the pass/fail rule for government-issued documents here.

Loan Agreement & Loan and Accompanying Documents

Once you have passed your citizenship test, you are eligible to take an oath to become a U.S. citizen. Your oath of allegiance to the U.S. is similar to the oath sworn to the Queen of England.

To become a citizen, you will need to pay a fee that includes a bond of $725. If you cannot afford the entire amount, you can apply for a grant or loan and pay it over time.

You must pay the bond, background check and citizenship exam fee in full before your citizenship test date. You can complete the application process through an official immigration services agency or directly through the USCIS website.

Citizenship Courses & Application

You will be required to attend a citizenship course. The total cost of your citizenship course can range from $600 to $750. There are also some other options available, depending on your area.

The cost of a USCIS-certified citizenship class can be as low as $120 per person.

If you are applying for citizenship through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and are over 60, you may qualify for a discounted class. The discounted class costs $45 per person.

Once you complete the class, you will have to take an exam to show you are well-versed in U.S. history and government. If you pass the exam, you will receive a Certificate of Citizenship. You will also receive a letter of verification of U.S. citizenship.

You can also complete a naturalization application. These applications can take up to three months to process and are good for five years. Once you have completed the naturalization application, you must return the completed application, your naturalization certificate and fee in the mail to USCIS within three months from the date you mailed the application.

A naturalization certificate also includes an oath of allegiance. A new citizen must swear the oath to the U.S. Constitution. If you choose not to swear the oath, you must then take a test to prove you understand the U.S. Constitution. This is why it is recommended to take a citizenship course before you submit your application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Passing the Naturalization Exam

The Naturalization Exam is the final step in the naturalization process. It consists of 30 multiple-choice questions. You will need to score 30 out of a possible 40. This exam usually costs $160. If you want to avoid the exam and can pass the naturalization test for free, take the citizenship exam before applying for a U.S. passport. This way, you will know if you passed before you apply for your passport.

The Citizenship Exam includes questions about U.S. history, the American flag and Pledge of Allegiance. You will also need to answer questions about the U.S. Constitution.

After you complete the exam, the U.S. government will issue you a Naturalization Certificate. You will also receive a list of documents you will need to apply for your U.S. passport.

Restrictions

You cannot become a citizen of the U.S. without attending a naturalization class and taking an exam. The following citizenship documents are not accepted:

A marriage license

A birth certificate

A citizenship card issued to any immigrant (or his or her child) under age 18 who is at least 18 years old

A naturalization certificate issued by any other country

A certificate of naturalization issued by the state of Alabama

You can still be approved for citizenship and receive the certificate if you complete a naturalization course that is given by an official immigration services agency.

Application Process

Once you complete the application process, the USCIS will send you a Letter of Intent. The Letter of Intent contains all the information you have supplied to the USCIS. You must pay the citizenship fee in full before you begin the application process. The cost of the fee varies by state. If you live in a state that has a USCIS office, you may apply for the fee at that office. If you live in a state without a USCIS office, you must contact the USCIS to ask what your options are.