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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.
The residence requirements include the completion of a minimum period of four years and nine months before the date of applying and if the person already has a green card by way of marriage to a US citizen the time lapse is just two years and nine months. The five year general requirement has many exceptions. Continuous residence stipulated allows a time gap of a minimum of six months to one year absence time from the country. The applicant should have spent a minimum of thirty months (of the sixty month period) continuously as a resident before his applying date. Green card holders need just eighteen months spent in residence continuously before filing their applications.
By learning which cities are dangerous, you can help discern the worst cities America has in a more general sense. For example, if crime is high, that indicates that people are desperate for money, which suggests that unemployment is high as well. If unemployment is high, then cities do not have a lot of tax revenue coming in, so there is likely to be less green space and parks. Less green space and parks means that property values will not be as high, so neighborhoods may have challenges keeping quality housing around.
The following is a list of the top ten safest U.S. cities. These are the 2010 list, based on the 2009 crime figures that address the top 6 types of crime that impact community safety (those being murder robbery, assault, rape, burglary, and car theft). All but one of the top ten safest cities in America has a population between 75,000 and 85,000, so even if you don’t choose one of these, you have a good indication of a particularly safe size to choose when selecting your new home.
What is the Green Card DV Lottery?
1. Groundwork: With a bit of luck you will have done at least some initial preparation before leaving your home country as this is especially helpful regarding things like the rules and regulations of the area in which you plan to settle. 2. Exactly Where to Live: This is certainly one of the absolute top 10 must do things when you arrive in America. Decisions concerning the landscape of the city such as an urban metropolis or a country town for example need to be considered. As everyone knows, your home is your castle! If you are planning on staying with friends or family already living in America; then obviously this will influence your decision on where to settle.
The current oath is as follows:
What’s required to become an American? Firstly immigrants wishing to become citizens of the US must agree to uphold the United States Constitution as well meet the specific responsibilities deemed as all American. By swearing allegiance to these US principals and thereby becoming a naturalized citizen; certain benefits and privileges are granted in return. In fact as a naturalized American citizen you are afforded the same rights as someone that is born in America.
A person who specializes in immigration and naturalization law will be able to advise you of the best methods to legally be permitted to stay in the US. The person knows about all laws and other information you need to make the process run as smooth as possible with little or no chance of rejection. The main reason most applications are “thrown out” is that the application is not completed correctly or not completed in full.
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Myusgreencard.com assists persons seeking US Citizenship to apply for the US green card lottery.
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. |