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America has rightly been called a nation of immigrants. Immigrants have built this country. Even today, America is an inspirational destination for people from all over the world. Immigration into the United States is governed by the country’s immigration laws.

 

U.S. Immigration laws are federal laws that allow aliens to enter the country, stay here, working, acquiring citizenship and becoming naturalized citizens. It is worth noting that the Congress is the supreme authority when it comes to U.S Immigration. Refugee-related policy decisions fall within the president’s domain. The law courts in America are not involved in decision-making but come into the picture if a person’s rights are violated.

 

The Department of Homeland Security was formed in 2003 and is the premier agency in America for ensuring that U.S Immigration laws are adhered to. Three agencies under the DHS do all the work regarding immigration. The work includes checking antecedents, deporting illegal aliens, granting asylum, citizenship, and patrolling porous borders. The agencies in question are the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement (CBE).

 

The visa procedure is totally in the hands of the federal government. As against a non-immigration visa which does not have a cap, there is a limit on immigration visas that can be issued in one year. Moreover, immigration visas also have a limit to the numbers allotted to applicants from different countries.

 

America has been following immigration laws for more than two hundred years; the first immigration policy that was put to work came to being with the Naturalization Act of 1790. In a landmark amendment of naturalization laws of the country in 1870, African-Americans were given the right to become naturalized citizens.

 

Another big leap in making the immigration policies fair and egalitarian came in 1952 in the form of the McCarran-Walter Act which removed all bias related to race and ethnicity from the immigration process.

 

Illegal immigration has been a big bother for the country and the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 was passed to check this menace. And in 1990, the Immigration Act changed the face of immigration and immigrants to the country by removing any elements of preferential treatment by introducing the Diversity Lottery system and upping the immigration visas from 500,000 to 700,000. Permanent worker visas and temporary job-related visas were also created by this law. This law has perhaps had the most significant effect on immigration to the U.S in the past thirty years preceding it. It has enabled America to acquire skilled labor from countries and fill labor and technology gaps in American industry.

 

Visa scrutiny and self-reporting by aliens in America have been pursued more diligently after 9/11. Enforcement of immigration laws has become stricter but that does not mean that the applications for immigration into the U.S and the number of visas granted have fallen. America still continues to the one most coveted destination for people from all over the world that dream of a better standard of living.

 

 

 

 

Here’s a detailed how to  guide to becoming a  citizen of the US, for all those that wish to become naturalized citizen of the land of the free, the land of opportunities – the US of A.

 

American law makes it possible for immigrants to become permanent or naturalized citizens of America. U.S citizenship brings with it several rights and benefits not available to green card holders. These include the inalienable right to stay in the country without the fear of being extradited. Green card holders can be asked to leave the country for even not-so-serious crimes but with U.S citizenship you need not worry about being asked to leave the country. Naturalized citizens are eligible for government benefits. Once you become a U.S citizen you can bring your family members to America that much more easily. The job sector opens up for U.S citizens, you can apply for employment opportunities with the federal government. Estate taxes rules are different for U.S citizens and green card holders.

 

As a general rule, you need to be 18 years or older and be a legal green card holder to be eligible for naturalization. You need to stay for five years in the U.S as a permanent resident before you consider becoming a citizen of the US. If your permanent residentship is no longer applicable because you have married an American then you need to reside in America for one year after this. You cannot leave America after your application for U.S citizenship. If you are a permanent resident and wish to apply for U.S citizenship do not stay outside the U.S for more than one year without first getting approval for Form N-470.

 

The USCIS Form N-400 is the form to be filled when applying for citizenship. You can actually fill this form three months prior to completing the eligibility requirements. The filing fee for this form is a not insignificant $595. Once you have submitted your form you will have to undergo fingerprinting and then an interview. Finally, after a wait of months, if all goes well, you will be called for your swearing-in ceremony and receive your certificate of citizenship given by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) which is documentary proof that you are a citizen of America.

 

If you are planning to apply for U.S citizenship, you should be reasonably conversant with the English language and have some knowledge of American history as well as how the U.S government functions. However; you can be exempted from knowing English if you have lived as a permanent resident in the country for twenty years and are fifty years of age. If you are fifty-five years of age, you need have been a permanent resident alien for only fifteen years.

 

Be on your best behavior all through the permanent resident status period and particularly during the phase when the application is in review. Stay on the right side of the law. Your moral conduct has to be above reproach.

 

One minor along with you can become a citizen of the  U.S ; this includes adopted children as well.

 

If you come from the United Kingdom, Canada, or Northern Ireland you are eligible for dual citizenship.

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We are not affiliated with the US Government or US Citizenship and Immigration Services and do not guarantee applicants have a better chance of winning a US visa by applying for the Diversity Lottery using our service. We are well-versed in the terms and conditions for application to the US Diversity Lottery. Our service provides the electronic submit needed to enter the green card lottery on your behalf. You provide the information, and for a fee we review and submit your application.