15February 2020
If you’re looking for information on the naturalization process in Maui, you’re in luck!
While American citizenship comes with certain responsibilities, it also provides several benefits, including the right to vote, hold public office, travel freely with a U.S. passport, and children born after naturalization will be U.S. citizens.
At Maui Immigration Law, LLC, we’ve helped countless individuals with the application process and preparing for the interview and the test. Therefore, if you’re curious to learn more about the naturalization process in Maui, here are a few facts that you need to know.
Naturalization process in Maui: how to become an American citizen
There are three ways for an individual to become a citizen of the United States: by birth, blood, or naturalization.
If you or your child were born here, the American law states that any person born within the United States will be automatically granted citizenship. Furthermore, when a parent naturalizes, or if a parent was a U.S. citizen at the time of the child’s birth, the child is automatically granted citizenship, even if the child was born outside the United States.
Obtaining citizenship through naturalization is different. The term “naturalization” refers to the process in which a person not born in the United States becomes an American citizen by choice. For immigrants living here, the naturalization process in Maui is the most common way to become a citizen and acquire new rights and responsibilities.
What requirements need to be met in order to become a naturalized U.S. citizen?
Naturalization is a legal process that allows a foreign national to become a U.S. citizen. This implies that a foreign born person must go through the naturalization process that consists of several requirements that must be met.
The naturalization process in Maui can be long and complex, but the effort is well worth it since citizenship and naturalization is the culmination of the realization of the American dream.
That in mind, here are some of the steps that the naturalization process includes:
- Eligibility – Applicants who wish to become American citizens must be 18 years or older at the time of the application or parents may file on behalf of children under the age of 18. Furthermore, the applicant must show that he or she can understand, speak, read, and write in English.
- Proof of Residence – The person must live in the U.S. for at least five years and be present in the country at least half of the time. Furthermore, applicants traveling outside the country for more than 1 year may encounter difficulties when applying for naturalization and, if there is an absence of six months or more on an application, the naturalization process may be delayed or disrupted.
- Demonstrating Good Moral Character – A person cannot become a U.S. citizen unless they demonstrate good moral character. This requires that the applicant does not have a criminal record or is associated with any factors like drunkenness, perjury or polygamy.
- Knowledge of the United States history – Applicants must be attached to the principles of the Constitution, be familiar with the United States history and believe in representative democracy.
- Pledging Loyalty to the Country – Once the naturalization application is approved, immigrants are required to pledge their loyalty through the country and thus, become American citizens.
Ready to learn more about the naturalization process in Maui? Contact us today to request an initial consultation with our immigration advocate.