Tag Archives: U.S. Citizenship Benefits

There are 5 Reasons Why You Should Never Let Your Green Card Expire which will be discuss in this guide.

Becoming a permanent resident of the United States should be a monumental achievement for you. After navigating a maze of paperwork, multiple interviews, and a few rigorous tests, and you finally held the hard-earned Green Card, you should be committed to keeping it valid and up-to-date.

5 Reasons Why You Should Never Let Your Green Card Expire

If you’re curious why you should be so vigilant, here are top 5 reasons for never letting his Permanent Resident Card expire:

1. Your Job is at Stake

As a permanent resident, you should cherish the liberty to work anywhere across the U.S. But to exercise this right, you must prove your employment eligibility. Employers are bound by law to confirm the identity and employment authorization of their hires, and your Green Card simplifies this process. An expired card could potentially jeopardize your employment, a situation you’d rather not face.

2. Your Love for Travel

As someone that his/her passion for travel knows no bounds. Being a U.S. permanent resident, you has the advantage of traveling internationally and returning with minimal issues. But this privilege is contingent on a valid Green Card. An expired card can lead to significant hiccups at the border or airports upon reentry, something that could dampen your travel spirit. Therefore, insists on keeping your Green Card current.

3. Staying Out of Legal Trouble

While your status as a permanent resident doesn’t expire, your Green Card, the tangible proof of your status does. If your lets it lapse, you might face difficulties with institutions that require proof of your legal residency status, such as banks and government agencies. To sidestep potential legal disputes or misunderstandings, makes it a point to renew your Green Card regularly.

4. Your American Dream

Becoming a U.S. citizen is part of many people American Dream. You wouldn’t want an expired Green Card to obstruct your path. If you decides to apply for naturalization, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would need to see your Green Card. An expired card could delay your application process. After working so hard and waiting so long, you wouldn’t let an oversight interfere with your dreams.

5. The Much-needed Peace of Mind

Above all, you should value the peace of mind that comes with an updated Green Card. You should know the security of knowing your compliant with U.S. law, can prove your right to live and work here, and can travel abroad on a whim without worrying about reentry.

Moreover, avoid the stress and cost of potential legal complications that could arise from an expired card.

Renewing your Permanent Resident Card isn’t just a necessary administrative step, it’s a crucial part of safeguarding your rights and privileges as a U.S. permanent resident. As such, stays mindful of the expiration date and initiates the renewal process well in advance. This diligence is a small price to pay for the vast opportunities and freedoms that your Green Card affords you.

DISCLAIMER: This guide and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. The information in this guide should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. The information presented in this guide does not create an attorney/client relationship nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice.

Applying for Citizenship with Pending Green Card Application: In today’s, we are going to learn the answer to this question, can somebody apply for naturalization (Citizenship) to become a U.S citizen, even if their application to remove the condition from their green card is still pending?

If you’re somebody that’s a conditional, lawful, permanent resident, you have your conditional green card and you’re waiting for the application to remove the condition from your green card, so that you can become an unconditional green card holder. You’re wondering if you can file your application for naturalization, then this guide will help you out, make sure you read it to the end.

Applying for Citizenship with Pending Green Card Application

In many cases, when somebody gets their green card based on marriage, they first get a 2-year green card and they’re referred to as a conditional lawful permanent resident. They basically have a green card with a 2-year expiration date on it.

Toward the end of that 2-year period, the individual can apply to remove the condition from their green card to become an unconditional lawful permanent resident.

In the context of a marriage-based green card case, the application to remove the condition from the green card is referred to as the Form I-751. The issue is, oftentimes the Form I-751 can take a very long time to process.

While the Form I-751 is still processing, the individual becomes eligible to naturalize, meaning that they are now eligible to technically apply for naturalization to become a citizen of the United States.

In many cases, they’ve satisfied the continuous presence requirements and the physical presence requirements that are required for naturalization purposes, meaning that they have been a green card holder for the minimum required time to apply for naturalization, and they have been physically in the United States for the required minimum amount of time to also apply for naturalization.

But the issue is that their application to remove the condition from their green card is still pending. The question is, can somebody still apply for naturalization in this situation? The answer is yes.

Somebody can still file their form N-400, even if their application to remove the condition from their green card is still pending, assuming they satisfy the naturalization requirements.

Here’s a very important point to note:

USCIS will not approve somebody’s naturalization application until the application to remove the condition from the green card is approved. But you can still file your Form N-400.

What’s interesting is that in some cases, what we’ve seen is that, filing the Form N-400 can at time increase the processing speed of the Form I-751.

It can actually, at times, result in a faster decision of the Form I-751 by initiating the Form N-400. It may not always do that, but it happen at times.

Another important point is that:

Does it always make sense to do this? To file the Form N-400 while the Form I-751 is still pending? The answer is no.

One of the situations that you want to watch out for is if your Form I-751 might be a little bit doubtful. If you do not have a strong application to remove the condition from your green card or there might be something at issue in your case and you’re not confident that the Form I-751 will be approved, then it may not necessarily make a whole lot of sense for you to file your Form N-400 and to spend the money on the filing fee for the N-400 and go through that whole process when you’re not sure that the Form I-751 application to remove conditions will be approved.

That’s one instance where you might want to wait for the I-751 petition to be adjudicated before filing the naturalization application.

Another situation where you might not want to file the Form N-400 naturalization application, is if there’s issues with your naturalization application.

You want to make sure that you clearly satisfy the naturalization requirements before submitting your N-400, because ultimately there’s a big process with filing for naturalization. You have to submit an exhaustive application and you go through a biometrics appointment and a naturalization interview.

There’s a lot of steps to the naturalization process, and you do not want to initiate that process unless you know that you satisfy the requirements. To that end, it can be very beneficial to consult with an experienced immigration lawyer that can guide you through these various considerations.

That’s it about whether it’s possible for somebody to apply for naturalization while their application to remove the conditions from their green card is still pending.

I hope you found this guide about Applying for Citizenship with Pending Green Card Application very helpful.

Source: Ashoori Law

DISCLAIMER: This guide and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. The information presented in this guide should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

The information presented in this guide does not create an attorney-client relationship nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice. If you need legal advice, you should seek the advice of an attorney in your jurisdiction before taking any legal action.

As such, I disclaim all liability with respect to actions taken based on any information presented. Nothing herein is intended to nor constitutes a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. Every case is different and outcomes will vary depending on the unique facts and legal issues of your case. Thank you.

Can A Green Card Holder Be Deported? Immigrants who have obtained a green card can live and work in the U.S on a permanent basis. Although green cards give immigrants permanent legal status, it does not exempt them from being deported in certain cases.

The word permanent resident mean you are a permanent resident of the United States of America. But it doesn’t mean that you are permanent forever. There are things, if you do, they will take away that permanent residency status and deport you back to your home country.

Before we proceed, let look at some frequently asked questions concerning deportation of U.S green card holder or permanent resident.

• What are the things where a permanent resident can be subjected to deportation?
• Can a permanent green card holder be deported?
• How can a green card holder be deported?
• When can a green card holder be deported?
• Can a green card holder be deported for a felony?
• Can a green card holder be deported for domestic violence?

This guide will help you understand why green card holders can be deported and how you can protect your legal rights in immigration courts.

Note: There are difference between a green card holder and a U.S citizen because a green card holder or permanent resident can be deported back to their home country while a U.S citizen cannot be deported.

Deportation and Immigration Law

Like all citizens, green card holders must abide by U.S laws. But for these residents, legal violations can lead to deportation depending on the circumstances of each case.

According to U.S law, any non-citizen may be subject to removal. In some cases, green card holders applying for U.S citizenship can face deportation as a result of discoveries made during background checks.

But non-citizens are more commonly deported due to criminal activities including the violation of immigration laws.

Crimes That Lead to Deportation for Green Card Holders

• Crimes of moral turpitude.

There are certain crimes can be severe, higher magnitude, which can lead you to deportation. For example:

• Felonies, you become a felon, aggravated felonies, you will be deported.
• Someone doing theft is subject to deportation.
• Someone doing fraud, you are subject to deportation.
• Destruction of properties of someone or government building, you might be subject to deportation.

As green card holder, you have to look what type of things you are going to do, you are working on the eggshell, you are permanent, yes, but some things can lead to your deportation.

Other things which can be going to make you be deported:

• Domestic abuse or domestic violence, can be one among the reasons people can be able to be deported.
• If they do the background check and they found out you have done some of these things, you’ll be into trouble.
• Driving under influence (DUI), that is subject to be deported or jailed.

Also, let’s say you have a car, maybe you had your beer and it’s half of the bottle, you put the container back and that bottle is still in your car.

But maybe the next day or two days later, one week later, you are not drunk even a sip of alcohol, but you get caught with the alcohol bottle already opened, even if you put it back, but it’s already drunk. It’s called open bottle.

You’ll be considered like almost similar to someone with driving under influence.

• If you commit sexual abuse, if you commit especially sexual abuse against the minors
• If you perjury, you go to the court and you start lying on the court.
• You do human trafficking,
• You do murder,
• You do money laundering,
• You do illegal drugs

You have to understand that by being given and labeled as permanent resident it doesn’t mean permanent, it is just a status which allows you to stay there without the status of applying for the visa all the time or asking for the work permit, or after ten years you’ll be renewing.

If you want to be fully enjoying everything, you have to become a U.S citizen. Because if you are a U.S citizen, naturalized, even if you commit any of these crimes mentioned above, they’re not going to do anything to you of the issue of deportation. Rather, you’ll be prosecuted, jailed, whatever it is like any other American.

In Summary

In most cases, deportation proceedings are levied against immigrants who have committed crimes of moral turpitude or those classified as aggravated felonies.

There are additional criminal violations that may also lead to the deportation of green card holders.

Crimes of moral turpitude consist of the intent to harm other individuals or their property, theft, fraud, and larceny. Domestic abuse and driving under the influence may also fall under this classification.

In order for green card holders to be deported, crimes of moral turpitude must have been committed within the 5-year period following their admission into the U.S.

Committing two or more criminal acts of moral turpitude at any time after a non-citizen has been admitted into the U.S. may also lead to removal proceedings for green card holders.

Aggravated felonies include drug trafficking, murder, rape, money laundering, sexual abuse against minors, perjury, and other crimes.

Conviction of an aggravated felony will result in deportation. More importantly, convicted non-citizens won’t be allowed to re-enter the United States.

DISCLAIMER: This guide and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. The information presented in this guide should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. The information presented in this guide does not create an attorney-client relationship nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice.

If you need legal advice, you may contact an attorney. You should seek the advice of an attorney in your jurisdiction before taking any legal action.

As such, I disclaim all liability with respect to actions taken based on any information presented. Nothing herein is intended to nor constitutes a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

Every case is different and outcomes will vary depending on the unique facts and legal issues of your case. Thank you.

This guide is on five (5) important pieces of information that your immigration lawyer needs to know when they’re helping you plan for your immigration to the United States.

5 Important Things Your Immigration Lawyer Should Know to Help Your Case

• Status

Your immigration lawyer needs to know what your current status is relative to where you are. Are you currently in the United States? Are you currently outside of the United States?

If you’re in the United States, did you enter with a visa or did you enter without inspection?

If you entered with a visa, are you currently in valid status? If so, when does that status expire?

All of these pieces of information are going to be very important for your immigration lawyer to help you strategize what options you have available to you and what the best plan is for you to ultimately accomplish your immigration goals.

• Immigration issues

Immigration issues can be anything from any previous visa denials, any visa revocations, any denials for any sort of immigration benefits that you’ve applied for in the past.

Have you ever been refused entry to the United States? Have you ever overstayed a visa in the past? Have you ever been in immigration court? Have you ever been subject to removal proceedings?

Any of that kind of stuff that has to do with any previous immigration issues are very important for your immigration lawyer to know about, because certain immigration issues can make you inadmissible for certain immigration benefits.

It’s very important for your immigration lawyer to know these things, so that they can ultimately help you best strategize based on your current circumstances.

• Crimes

Similar to immigration issues above, crimes can also have a major impact on what types of immigration benefits you’re eligible for. So it’s very important for your immigration lawyer to be aware of any previous criminal issues or pending criminal issues that you’re currently subject to.

• Children

Children is very important thing for your immigration lawyer to know about. Do you have children that are ultimately going to be included in your case?

For many different types of immigration benefits, your children that are under 21 years old and that are unmarried can be included as derivative beneficiaries in your case. They can essentially be included as dependents on your case for various types of cases.

For example, if you’re applying for an E2 investor visa, you can include your spouse and your unmarried children under 21 years old as part of your application.

The reason why it’s very important for your immigration lawyer to know about any children that are going to be included in your application is,

• so that they can actually include them in the application and,
• so that they can discuss with you a long term strategy for your children.

Because, for various case types, the children can be included in the case if they are unmarried and under 21 years old.

For example, somebody applies for an E2 visa and they want to include their children in the application, let say one of the children is 20 years old. That child will be eligible to be a dependent on their parents case until they turn 21 years old.

So once they turn 21 years old, they have to have their own independent basis for being in the United States.

It’s important for your immigration lawyer to know this at the outset so that they can help you structure a long term plan.

• Other applications

Other applications is that it’s very important for your immigration lawyer to know if there are any other immigration applications that you have filed or that somebody may have filed on your behalf.

For example, let’s say that you have an employer in the United States that’s sponsoring you for a green card and they’ve filed an application on your behalf, and that application is currently pending.

If you go to your immigration lawyer and you’re going to apply for a certain nonimmigrant visa, there are many nonimmigrant visas that have a requirement of nonimmigrant intent.

Meaning that to get that visa approved, you need to be able to show that you do not have the intent to immigrate to the United States permanently.

It’s very important for your immigration lawyer to know that that immigration application has been filed by your employer. So that in the event that they’re going to be applying for a nonimmigrant visa for you, that they can help you strategize the most appropriate nonimmigrant visa for you in light of that immigrant petition that’s pending.

Because there are nonimmigrant visas that have dual intent, meaning that they have intent that permits you to have immigrant intent, and there are nonimmigrant intent visas that require you to have nonimmigrant intent, meaning that you do not have the intent to become a permanent resident to get your green card.

Again, that’s factor number is important.

In Summary

There’s five important factors for your immigration lawyer to be aware of when they’re helping you strategize your immigration plans.

Status: What is your current immigration status? Are you outside of the United States are you inside of the United States? It’s very important.

Immigration issues and how those can impact what the best options are for you and why those are important for your immigration lawyer to know about.

Crimes.

Children and how it’s important to strategize for your children’s long term immigration plans.

Other applications.

I hope you found this guide helpful.

Source: Ashoori Law

DISCLAIMER: This guide and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. The information presented in this guide should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. The information presented in this guide does not create an attorney-client relationship nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice.

If you need legal advice, you may contact an attorney. You should seek the advice of an attorney in your jurisdiction before taking any legal action.

As such, I disclaim all liability with respect to actions taken based on any information presented. Nothing herein is intended to nor constitutes a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

Every case is different and outcomes will vary depending on the unique facts and legal issues of your case. Thank you.

In this guide, you will learn some possible H4 visa interview questions and example answers to help you pass this test.

What is H4 Visa?

H4 Visa is a United States (U.S) visa. It is issued to a dependent family member of H1B, H1B1, H2A, H2B, H3 visa holders. It allows you to travel to the USA with the primary visa holder. A dependent must be a spouse or children below 21 years.

To get an H4 visa, you need to pass an interview test. Accordingly, schedule an appointment for biometrics and visa interviews.

The H4 visa interview takes place at the US Embassy or Consulate. The interview takes place to evaluate the credibility of your marriage since H4 is a marriage-based visa.

Types of H4 Visa Interview Questions

The H4 visa interview questions and answers are divided into 4 categories. These include questions and answers about –

• You
• Your marriage
• H4 visa
• Your spouse

H4 Visa Interview Questions and Answers

Below are common H4 dependent visa interview questions under these categories listed.

Questions and Answers About You

1. Where will you live in America?

Hint: Provide the name of the town or city you will be residing in the US

2. What are your plans to do in the USA?

Hint: Here, an immigration officer seeks an honest answer. Hence, provide a short yet truthful answer.

3. Do you have family members besides your spouse in America?

Hint: If yes, provide a detailed brief about your family members.

4. Do you wish to work in America?

Hint: The U.S administration withdrew the restriction on the work permit of the H4 visa holder. It means that individuals can work against meeting prescribed eligibility criteria. Therefore, answer this accordingly.

5. Whom do you live with presently?

Hint: Answer honestly. For instance, you live with your in-laws or parents.

6. What is your residential town or city in your native country?

Hint: Mention your current residential city or town.

7. With whom will you reside in the United States?

Hint: Mention that you will be living with your spouse.

8. Who is going to support you financially in the United States?

Hint: State that your spouse will be supporting you financially to stay in the United States.

Questions and Answers About Your Marriage

9. Is there any photograph or legal document proof of your marriage?

Hint: Carry important documents like a marriage certificate and a wedding photograph as document proof of your marriage.

10. What was the date of your marriage? For how many years have you been married to your spouse?

Hint: Answer this question directly and appropriately.

11. Was your marriage arranged or love? If arranged, who arranged it?

Hint: If anyone arranged your marriage, provide his or her details. It can be your parents, cousins or friends.

12. What was the location of your marriage?

Hint: Here you need to provide a detailed answer, stating the city, state and country’s name.

13. Was there any engagement before you got married to your spouse?

Hint: In case of engagement before marriage, you need to showcase proof of the same.

14. What was the total expenditure of your marriage? Who financed it?

Hint: Furnish the details with relevant information or documents, if any.

15. When and where did you meet your spouse for the first time?

Hint: If you cannot remember the exact date, mention the year or month.

Questions and Answers About H4 Visa

16. Which visa are you applying for?

Hint: Provide a direct answer that you are applying for an H4 visa.

17. Why do you want an H4 visa?

Hint: You need an H4 visa because you want to visit the United States along with your spouse (H1B visa holder).

18. Have you scheduled an appointment by yourself?

Hint: Don’t hesitate to answer if you didn’t make an appointment by yourself. Mention if anyone else has scheduled it for you. Also, state a legitimate reason why you could not schedule an appointment.

19. When did your spouse receive approval for an H1B visa?

Hint: Provide the accurate approval date, month and year for an H1B visa.

20. How did you collect all necessary documents for this interview?

Hint: Give an appropriate answer as per the requirement.

21. Why did you not attend the H4 visa interview with your spouse?

Hint: Provide an honest reason for why you did not attend this interview with your spouse.

Questions and Answers About Your Spouse

22. From which University did your spouse graduate? What is the highest educational degree of your spouse?

Hint: Provide the University’s name and year of graduation of your spouse. For the second question, mention the highest educational degree your spouse completed.

23. When is your spouse’s birthday?

Hint: Answer the exact date, month and year of birth of your spouse.

24. What is the name of the organisation your spouse is currently working in? Where is its location?

Hint: Mention the name of the organisation where your spouse is currently working. In the case of the second question, mention the location details of the organisation.

25. How long has the current company employed your spouse?

Hint: Provide the accurate month, year and date for which your spouse has been associated with the current company.

26. What is the profession of your spouse?

Hint: Provide the details of your spouse’s profession and the associate job description.

27. What is the annual income of your spouse?

Hint: You need to submit proof to verify your answer. Hence, your answer must be honest.

28. Do you have your spouse’s bank statement?

Hint: Submit your spouse’s bank statement and receipts to the immigration officer.

29. Does your spouse currently stay in the United States?

Hint: If the answer is yes, provide an accurate answer on the date, month and year of his or her stay.

30. Is your spouse a U.S citizen? If not, has he or she applied for a green card?

Hint: Provide an appropriate answer, don’t lie, be sincere.

How to Prepare Yourself for an H4 Visa Interview?

Once you know H4 visa questions and answers, prepare yourself by following these 4 tips:

• Be on Time

Reach the venue 30 to 20 minutes before the scheduled time with all the required documents. Arriving early will also allow you to stay calm during the interview process.

• Answer Confidently

Answer H4 visa questions clearly. It is one of the essential factors that determine the given visa approval. Skipping or providing false information can eliminate your chances to get an H4 visa. It is because the immigration officer verifies your answers with relevant documents.

• Keep the Documents Ready

As you can find from the questions mentioned above, you need to provide certain documents to verify your answers. This includes marriage certificates, bank statements and other essential files. It is wise to keep a copy of those documents ready to submit whenever asked.

• Check Your Documents

Review your documents carefully. All details such as name, birthdate and other information in it will be printed on the visa. Hence any potential mistake in data can be a hassle later.

Additionally, when you receive your visa, check it carefully. If you notice any errors, report them the appropriate place immediately.

Make sure to prepare yourself with H4 visa interview questions for quick visa approval.

DISCLAIMER: This post/guide and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any legal advice, not offering any visa too. If you need legal advice, you should seek the advice of an attorney in your jurisdiction before taking any legal action.

The information presented in this post/guide should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

What is green card lottery? What is a diversity visa lottery? Green card or diversity visa lottery is one of the pathways, one of the methods of someone to become green card holder of the United States. Understand the Diversity Visa Program before you apply for the DV Lottery this year.

Green Card

Green card is the official nickname of permanent residence status of the United States of America. So when someone says I’m a green card holder, it means the person is a permanent resident of the United States of America.

Diversity Visa Lottery

The diversity visa lottery is a random selection of people who are supposed to apply, and if you win in that particular lottery, you become a permanent resident of the United States of America.

In the mid or early 1990s, the United States introduced something called diversity visa lottery. One of the objectives while diversity visa lottery program was established in the United States of America is to increase the diversity of the immigrants coming to live in the United States. The greatness of the United States is its diversity.

Diversity Visa Lottery Eligibility Countries

The countries which has low number of representation, the low number of immigrants and by immigrants in this context, according to the immigration law in the United States, immigrants are people who are permanent residents of the United States of America.

Countries with less than 50,000 immigrants, 50,000 people with green card and the green card obtained through family or through work, if in the last five years that country has more than 50,000, the country is not supposed to participate in the diversity visa lottery.

The countries with the low number of representations, low number of immigrants, low number of people with a green card based on family or work, those countries are eligible to apply for the diversity visa lottery.

The purpose is to bring more diversity from the countries with the low number of immigrants in the United States of America.

Diversity Visa Application Dates

Diversity visa lottery application is done on an annual basis (i.e each year). From first week of October to November is the application time and the results come out on the month of May, while the interviews start on October to start that particular fiscal year.

Diversity Visa FAQs

How long does it take to get a Diversity Visa?

The winners of the green card lottery are generally notified 7 months after applying. It can take up to 14 months to for the government to schedule your interview and issue your visa, depending on how soon you apply for your visa.

Can I enter the Diversity Visa lottery if I’m in the United States?

Yes, you may enter the green card lottery from anywhere, including from within the U.S.

Can my spouse and I each submit separate entries?

Yes, each spouse may submit their own Diversity Visa entry. If one of the spouses is selected, then the other spouse will qualify for a green card as your dependent.

What if I’ve lost my confirmation number?

You need your confirmation number to access the Entrant Status Check — the online portal where you see whether or not you’ve been selected. If you lose your confirmation number, you can retrieve it using the email address you used to register for the lottery.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information and educational purposes only, and is NOT legal advice. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice. If you need legal advice, you may contact a licensed attorney.

Electronic Diversity Visa Lottery Entry: Interested individuals who are eligible are encouraged to apply, including selectees who were unable to obtain a visa during a prior program year. The choice of winners of the U.S diversity visa lottery is completely random. In this guide, we will learn 5 Tips To Win America DV Lottery.

Diversity Visa Lottery program allow those from countries with low U.S immigration rates, who meet eligibility requirements, to enter for a chance to apply for a U.S immigrant visa.

For the 50,000 available visas each year, between 13 million to 20 million eligible people from various countries in the world apply.

Many people are always looking for ways to increase their chances of success. For example, some have tried entering more than once. This led the U.S Department of State to implement a system that automatically disqualifies anyone who submits multiple entries and the disqualification applies to ALL your applications.

READ NOW: All You Need To Know About 2025 Diversity Visa Lottery Application

You can, however, increase your family’s chances of becoming residents of the United States by various legal and acceptable means, which we’ll discuss in this article.

5 Tips To Win America Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery

1. Both Spouses, If Eligible, Should Enter the Diversity Visa Lottery Drawing

The best way to increase your family’s chances of success is to have all eligible family members register for the lottery. A winning applicant can bring both spouse and unmarried children under age 21.

For example, let’s say you and your spouse are both Irish citizens (citizens of Ireland), you both work in skilled jobs, and both graduated from secondary school (high school diploma). As a family, you now have two numbers that may win the lottery.

You can file one application under your name, and your spouse can file one application under his or her name. You will each receive a confirmation number. If one of you wins, the other enters as a derivative spouse.

It is important to remember that each person applying for a diversity visa must meet the eligibility requirements. Therefore, if your spouse does not meet the employment, country, or education requirements, he or she is not eligible to apply on his or her own.

2. Eligible Children Should Also Apply

There is no limit on how many eligible members of the same family may apply. If you have any children who have met the educational or work experience requirements (which usually requires them to be at least 16 to 18 years of age), those children should also enter the lottery. They won’t, if they win, be able to bring you to the U.S immediately; but they will start a path to helping you and other family members immigrate in the future.

For example: You and your 20-year-old son are eligible for diversity visas, and you both apply. Your son wins, but you do not. Your son enters the United States and becomes a lawful permanent resident. After five years of living in the U.S, your son can become a U.S citizen. As a U.S citizen, he can petition for you (considered his “immediate relative”) to become a resident of the United States.

Find out more about Which Children To Add As Derivatives in DV Lottery

3. Do Not Submit More Than One Lottery Application in the Same Registration Period

If you submit more than one application for the diversity lottery during one open-registration period, your applications will all be rejected.

While you cannot submit two applications under your name, spouses can each submit their own application and list their spouse as a derivative. This will increase each spouse’s chances of being selected, even though each person can apply only once.

4. Submit a Valid Photograph

You must submit a recent (taken within the last six months) photograph of yourself and your co-applicants. The photographs you submit must be taken facing forward and in front of a plain background. You cannot wear any hair covering unless it is for a religious purpose. Failure to submit a photograph that meets these regulations could result in the disqualification of your application. It’s usually easiest to find a professional to take the photo for you.

Find out DV Lottery Photo Requirements.

5. Pay attention to details.

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In this guide, we will learn the answers to some civics test questions. The civics test is an oral test which USCIS Officer will ask the applicant seeking for U.S citizenship or naturalization.

The USCIS officer will ask the applicant up to 10 of the 100 civics questions. An applicant must answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly to pass the civics portion of the naturalization test.

On the naturalization test, some answers may change because of elections or appointments. As you study for the test, make sure that you know the most current answers to these questions.

Once you attend your naturalization interview, the USCIS officer will ask you up to ten civics questions in random order. In other to pass the interview, you need to give correct answers to the questions.

The naturalization interview and test are critical steps in the naturalization process. Depending on the USCIS office that you’re in, you might take the test at an information desk in the waiting room. The most important thing for you to remember is to be prepared for your interview and test.

The purpose of the guide is to help applicants for naturalization prepare for the naturalization interview and test. This guide pertains to most applicants who are eligible for naturalization, but not pertain to all applicants.

The administration of the interview and test may also vary depending on the circumstances. The physical interview and test settings may vary based on each field office’s use of the space and processes.

This guide is only an example of what an applicant may experience at an actual naturalization interview. The questions in the guide are just sample questions and may or may not be asked in your interview. Any tests in this guide are just samples and may or may not be given at your interview.

Difference Between Naturalization and Citizenship Certificate

A U.S. Certificate of Citizenship is granted to a person who acquires or derives citizenship from his or her birth to U.S. parents.  A naturalization certificate, on the other hand, is granted to a person who becomes a citizen through the naturalization process.

Naturalization is the process to become a U.S. citizen if you were born outside of the United States.

Civics Test Questions and Answers (Naturalization Interview and Test)

Below are civics (history and government) questions and answers for the naturalization test:

Question: In what month do we vote for President of the United States?

Answer: November.

Question: Who is the father of our country?

Answer: George Washington.

Question: When was the Constitution written?

Answer: September 17, 1787

Question: Who signs bills to become laws?

Answer: The President.

Question: What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

Answer: The Bill of Rights.

Question: What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

Answer:

▪ Checks and balances

▪ Separation of powers

Question: Who is in charge of the executive branch?

Answer: The President

Question: Who makes federal laws?

Answer:

▪ Congress

▪ Senate and House (of Representatives)

▪ (U.S. or national) legislature

Question: What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*

Answer: The Senate and House (of Representatives)

Question: How many U.S. Senators are there?

Answer: One hundred (100)

Question: How many members do we have in the House of Representatives?

Answer: The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population.

Question: Name the writers of the Federalist Papers.

Answer: The Federalist, commonly referred to as the Federalist Papers, is a series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison between October 1787 and May 1788.

Question: What is freedom of religion?

Answer: You can practice any religion or not practice a religion.

Question: How many amendments does the Constitution have?

Answer: Twenty Seven (27)

Question: What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

Answer:

▪ Life

▪ Liberty

▪ Pursuit of happiness

Question: What is the economic system in the United States?

Answer:

▪ Capitalist economy

▪ Market economy

Question: What are the two major political parties in the United States?

Answer: Democratic and Republican.

Question: What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States?

Answer: Terrorists attacked the United States.

Question: What is the name of the national anthem?

Answer: The Star Spangled Banner.

Question: When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?

Answer: April 15.

Question: Before he was president, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

Answer: World War II.

Question: What ocean is on the west coast of the United States?

Answer: Pacific Ocean.

Question: Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Answer:

▪ because there were 13 original colonies

▪ because the stripes represent the original colonies

Question: Why does the flag have 50 stars?

Answer:

▪ because there is one star for each state

▪ because each star represents a state

▪ because there are 50 states

Question: When do we celebrate Independence Day?

Answer: July 4

Question: We elect a President for how many years?

Answer: Four (4)

Question: In what month do we vote for President?

Answer: November

Checkout more of the questions and answers later…..

Note: The American Civics Test (also known as the American Citizenship Test, U.S. Civics Test, U.S Citizenship Test, and U.S. Naturalization Test) is an oral examination that all immigrants must pass to gain United States citizenship.

Disclaimer: This educational guide is for informational purposes only. The use of information contained in this article does not constitute any legal advice. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice. If you need legal advice, you may contact a licensed attorney.

Citizenship Interview Tips: At your interview, a USCIS officer will ask you questions based on the N-400 Application for Naturalization you submitted. Familiarize yourself with the most commonly asked naturalization/citizenship interview questions, drawn from your responses on Form N-400 and your A-File. This article will guide you on how to pass your U.S. citizenship naturalization interview.

12 Tips to Pass Your U.S. Citizenship Naturalization Interview

Below are the tips to pass your U.S citizenship naturalization interview

1. Have the exact copies of your completed citizenship application, the form N-400, including the entire packet that you submitted to the USCIS office.

Make sure that you understand and everything and can answer all the questions on the N-400 form.

You need to review your entire citizenship application. The interviewing officer will go through your whole naturalization application form and document, then verify the answers that you have provided them.

2. Study well and master the 100 questions and answers for the U.S history and Civics Test.

You will not know what will be the six questions the USCIS officer will give you out of the 100 civics test questions, so it’s best to master all of the questions and answers for the history and government tests.

You also need to practice both the reading and writing tests where you will write sentences related to the history and civics exams.

3. Be prepared for a short talk with the USCIS officer who will conduct your naturalization interview.

The officer may ask you about the day’s traffic, the weather outside, or whether you had difficulty in finding the USCIS building, and among other things.

Through this short talk, the immigration officer will be able to tell how well you understand English. The USCIS officer will start to evaluate your English speaking skills before the start of the interview.

4. Collect all your important supporting documents in a file bag or waterproof safe expanding document organizer the night before your naturalization interview, and make sure to put them in a place that you will not forget.

Read all the important documents that you are going to bring for your interview. It’s easy to get any document from your file bag when it’s well organized, in case the USCIS officer will see any documents during your interview.

5. You must leave home early for your naturalization interview.

Traffic can make you late, so it’s advisable to be there ahead of time. If you are driving, plan an extra time for rush hour traffic, there might be road construction, and the difficulty finding a parking space that can take time on the scheduled day of your naturalization interview.

Know the exact location in advance to avoid getting lost in finding the right USCIS building.

6. Wear the appropriate outfit for your interview.

Remember that your attire can add confidence during the interview. It’s better to wear clothes that are formal or semi-formal. A clean, well pressed, and appropriate clothes for an important event is an ideal outfit.

A formal or semi-formal attire could also show respect for the USCIS officer who will conduct the U.S Citizenship interview.

Men may wear a long-sleeve shirt and pants, while women may wear a long-sleeve blouse, or sweater with a formal skirt or pants. Wear an outfit appropriately for the naturalization interview, like it is an important event.

Your appearance is also important to the success of your interview. Choose an outfit that will reflect the type of person of who you really are.

When you walk into the interview office, it’s highly recommended that you look neat and professional. You may try to avoid too much makeup. If you like using jewelry, it should be kept at a minimum.

7. Avoid using too much perfume, the officer that will handle the interview might be sensitive to it. Avoid chewing any gum or having any candy inside your mouth, even if you are nervous.

Avoiding these actions will help you start a positive outcome for your naturalization interview.

8. Try to look straight into the eyes of the Immigration Service officer when you speak.

This will show honesty that you are telling the truth with what is being asked of you. Looking away from the officer most of the time during your interview may give a negative impression that you are not confident in your application, or you may be hiding something.

If you keep on looking down or to the side, this could also give a negative impression of too much nervousness or rudeness.

9. Try to sit up straight during your N-400 interview to help you feel more self-assured, since this will also add confidence through your body language.

Sitting up straight will also make you look directly into the USCIS officer’s eyes when speaking. Try to continue constant eye contact and express interest in the success of your citizenship application.

Remember to answer only the questions asked of you. Simply offer short answers to questions directly and honestly.

10. Talk clearly so that the USCIS officer can understand you well. Do not speak so softly or so loud. You also need to avoid speaking too fast or too slow.

If you do not understand any of the questions given, you could say;

“Officer, can you please repeat what you just said?”

“Can you please repeat that in different sets of words?”

“Officer, can you please speak louder?”

“Can you please speak slowly?”

Don’t expect that immigration officers speak the English language fluently without any accent, because some of them have their native language accent too.

If you have a difficult time understanding the immigration officer who is assigned to interview you that day, try to make him or her repeat the question so that you can answer it correctly.

11. Know the Immigration Service officer (ISO) who will conduct your citizenship interview by his or her name and badge number.

Simply ask the officer for his or her name and badge number. For example, sir or Ma’am, may I know your name and badge number?

You can write this down and take it home with you. This will let you follow up with any specific problems or complaints, if there’s any, for your naturalization interview.

12. Try to have a genuine and confident smile during the naturalization interview.

This will help you have a positive energy and will help you relax as well. This will also show that you are being friendly and open for communication about your N-400 application case.

At the end of your U.S citizenship Test interview, you will be asked to read on the digital tablet the correct spelling of your name and more before you sign your naturalization application

The Immigration Service Officer shall give you the form N-652. This form is known as the Notice of Examination Results and this will officially inform you if you have passed or failed the tests, or if for some reason you still need to submit additional documents or your case is still pending.

There are times that the USCIS officer will not be able to make any decision right away because an applicant still needs to provide additional documents.

In case this happens, the Immigration Service Officer will give the applicant the form N-14, explaining what documents the applicant needs to submit, plus when and how to submit them.

If the applicant fails to follow the instructions provided, the USCIS could deny the naturalization application.

If you will pass your naturalization test, you may be able to attend your U.S Citizenship Oath ceremony on the same day, depending on location and availability.

On the other hand, you will officially receive a notice in the mail that will inform you of when and where your American Citizenship Naturalization ceremony will take place if you will not be given the same day of ceremony.

Assuming that you failed the English or Civics test, you shall be tested at a later date, but only on the parts of the test that you had failed. You shall be rescheduled for a second opportunity interview within 60 to 90 days from your first naturalization interview.

If ever you fail the U.S citizenship Examination again during your second chance interview, your application will be denied. Granted that your case is denied, you shall receive an official written notice in the mail explaining why it was denied.

In this case, you may have an option to request an appeal hearing with an Immigration Service Officer. If you request an appeal hearing, you have to fill out the form N-336 “Request for hearing on a decision in naturalization proceedings under section 336 of the INA” and send it with the fee included, within 30 days following the receipt of your denial letter.

You can also decide to re-apply if your case is denied when you meet all the citizenship application requirements.

Therefore, it is important to understand why you have been denied in order to have the best decision for your naturalization application.

Most of the time, re-applying could be better and faster than going through the appeal hearing process. In case you are in this type of situation, it’s advisable to seek advice from an immigration lawyer.

If you think that this guide is helpful for you, please share it out for others to learn too. Thank you.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice. If you need legal advice, you may contact a licensed attorney.

U.S Citizenship Interview Questions: This guide is to prepare you with the important questions on the day of your naturalization interview. These questions may be asked in different ways, so this guide will help you get ready to be approved, moved, and become an American citizen.

A large part of the nationalization interview involves reviewing your Form N-400 application. They will ask you questions about the information that you gave on your form. They will also review the documents you have submitted to them with your form.

When reviewing your Form N-400, they are testing your ability to speak and understand the English language, which is a requirement for naturalization. If you do not understand a question, ask them to repeat the question or explain the question using other words.

At any time during your interview, it is fine for you to ask the officer at your interview to repeat a question.

Try to practice and answer these questions that could be asked during your interview. Make sure you read this guide to the last part, because the more you learn, the higher your chances in passing your interview and tests for U.S Citizenship.

U.S. Citizenship Test Questions

Below are some N-400 interview questions for U.S citizenship:

Do you want to ask something before we start?

What made you decide to become an U.S citizen?

What’s the main reason why you want to become a U.S citizen?

Do you think that you’re eligible to become a U.S citizen?

Please tell me your qualifications to become a U.S citizen.

Can I see your green card, passports, and state issued ID?

It’s important to recheck your application if there have been any changes.

Say your first name, please

Please say your last name.

Give me time to check it on the computer.

Are you currently single, married, divorced or widowed?

What’s your current legal name?

Have you ever used any other names?

Do you want me to change your name?

What’s the date of your permanent residency?

What is your date of birth?

Can you say your country of birth? or Where were you born?

What’s your country of nationality?

Any accommodations requested because of a disability?

What’s your home address now?

Where else have you lived in the past five years?

Where else have you lived in the past three years?

Is your mailing address too, correct?

It’s the same address since you submitted your application, correct?

So there’s no change of address after submitting your N-400 form?

How long have you lived with this home address?

What’s your previous home address?

Are you still living at this address?

Since you submitted your USCIS application form, has your address changed?

We may communicate with you through your phone, say the number please.

Tell me the citizenship and nationality of your parents.

What’s the citizenship and nationality of your parents?

Are either of your parents United States citizens?

Ever since you lived here, have they visited you?

Who visited you while living here in the United States?

May I know the reason for the visit?

Tell me your height or What is your height?

Tell me your weight or What’s your weight?

Your eye color. What’s your eye color?

Your hair color. What’s your hair color?

What do you do for a living?

Are you presently employed? or Where do you work?

What kind of work do you do?

What company do you work for?

How long have you worked in your previous job?

What can you say about working here in the U.S?

Tell me how long you were unemployed.

What was your job before?

Why did you leave your work?

Where else have you worked in the past three years?

During your interview, they will ask you questions about your travels outside of the United States. They will verify the information that you have provided on your application to determine your eligibility for naturalization. They may also ask you for additional information to the answers on your form, N-400 application.

When was your last trip outside of the United States?

Do you remember the date you returned to the United States?

How many trips have you taken outside of the United States in the last five years?

Have you ever claimed to be a U.S Citizen?

Have you ever voted in the United States?

Do you owe any taxes?

Have you ever been arrested?

They will scroll through your form N-400 to make sure that the information and changes made during the interview are correct.

Make sure you familiarize yourself with the most commonly asked naturalization/citizenship interview questions, drawn from responses on Form N-400.

I believe with this listed questions you will be able to answer the questions that the USCIS officer may ask on the day of your interview.

If you think that this guide is helpful for you, please share it out for others to learn too. Thank you.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This is not USCIS official page. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice. If you need legal advice, you may contact a licensed attorney.

There are several benefits of getting U.S citizenship. In this guide, we are going to learn some of the benefits of becoming a U.S citizen. Also, if you currently have your Green card and you’re considering getting U.S citizenship, this guide could also be of help to you, so make sure you read from beginning to end.

This guide will focus mainly on some of the benefits of becoming a U.S citizen.

Many people are confused about what it actually means to be a U.S citizen versus a lawful permanent resident. I hope this guide can clear some of these differences up.

Benefits of becoming a U.S citizen

Below are some of the benefits of becoming a citizen vs Permanent Resident(Green Card holder)

• U.S citizen can vote in U.S elections

A lawful permanent resident, a Green card holder, cannot vote in U.S elections. So that’s one of the benefits of becoming a U.S citizen.

• Respect to the types of family members that you can sponsor for their Green card

As a lawful permanent resident, there are certain categories of people that you can sponsor for their Green Card, such as your spouse and your children, if certain conditions are met.

On the other hand, a U.S citizen has additional classifications of people that they can sponsor for their Green card.

For example, a U.S citizen can sponsor their siblings for their Green card, if certain conditions are met, or your parents, if certain conditions are met.

• The security of your status as a U.S citizen in the United States

As a lawful permanent resident, there are multiple different ways that you could lose your lawful permanent resident status. For example, if you’re convicted of certain crimes, or if you spend too much time outside of the United States, you could potentially lose your status as a U.S lawful permanent resident.

However, once you become a U.S citizen, once you get your U.S citizenship, it’s much harder to lose your citizenship.

There are certain ways for somebody to lose their citizenship, and it’s called denaturalization.

But again, it’s much harder to lose your citizenship once you become a U.S citizen.

• Fees and expenses

When you get your Green card, when you become a lawful permanent resident, your Green card is typically valid for a period of ten (10) years. Every ten years, you have to renew your Green card, and this requires that you file an application with USCIS, and the filing fees for that application are pretty expensive. USCIS filing fees routinely increase. You can check USCIS official webpage for more information on that.

As a lawful permanent resident, you periodically have to apply to renew your Green card. However, once you become a U.S Citizen, you do not have to apply to renew your citizenship, the way you would have to if you were a lawful permanent resident.

Permanent residency or citizenship, which is more beneficial?

Many foreign nationals wonder whether becoming a permanent U.S. resident or a U.S. citizen is a better option. Applying for a Green Card does allow you to legally reside in the United States and provides you with access to certain benefits. Becoming a permanent resident can also be a lengthy process.

Furthermore, if residency is granted, you will still be considered a citizen of your home country and your residency could be affected if you travel outside of the United States for a period a year or more.

U.S. citizenship will grant you access to more rights and privileges; your residency cannot be revoked, you cannot be deported, you can vote and run for political office, and you can receive all federal benefits, etc.

However, applying and being approved for U.S. citizenship can be a lengthy, difficult process.

In Summary

Below are four benefits of becoming a US. Citizen

• U.S Citizen can vote in U.S Elections
• U.S Citizen can sponsor additional family members for their green card, including siblings in some cases and parents in some cases, while a lawful permanent resident would not be able to sponsor those classifications of family members.
• U.S Citizen doesn’t have to go through the tedious and costly process of renewing their green card or renewing their citizenship the way that a lawful permanent resident has to.
• U.S Citizens status in the United States is more secure than that of a lawful permanent resident, and how lawful permanent residents can lose their status through committing various crimes or spending too much time outside of the United States, while it’s much harder for u a citizen to lose their citizenship.

If you are a foreign national and you would like to reside in the United States for a prolonged period of time, becoming a citizen or a permanent resident ensures that you can legally reside in the country indefinitely.

Hope you learned a lot from this guide. Thank you so much for reading this guide.

DISCLAIMER: This guide and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. The information presented in this guide should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. The information presented in this guide does not create an attorney-client relationship nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice. If you need legal advice, you may contact me personally or contact another attorney. You should seek the advice of an attorney in your jurisdiction before taking any legal action. Nothing herein is intended to nor constitutes a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.