Realistic Timelines Surrounding Immigration
Are you wondering how long it takes to become a U.S. citizen? Perhaps you are unsure if you qualify for citizenship and want to know what steps you should follow.
Immigrants make up a significant portion of the U.S. population. According to the Census Bureau, immigrants make up almost 14% of the U.S. population, estimated at 45 million people out of a total of nearly 332 million.
Still, some issues surrounding U.S. immigration need to be resolved by the state. Each year, Congress convenes to address some immigration issues with little success.
In this blog, you are about to learn a thing or two about realistic timelines that usually apply to immigration applications and how immigration lawyers Lakeland FL will help you to speed up the application process.
What are Realistic Timelines in Immigration?
The citizenship application timeline will vary from one person to another. Or from one case to another. However, the average processing time is 14.5 months, which doesn’t include processing wait time. Let’s look at some steps you’ll likely go through when applying for immigration.
- Step 1: You’ll need to process your application for naturalization by filling out an N-400. The processing time for this step is 14.5 months. The immigration timeline of the first step may take slightly less if you work with an immigration lawyer.
- Step 2: In this step, you’ll have to attend your biometrics appointment. This should take you less than a month.
- Step 3: From there, you’d need to attend a citizenship interview and exam: This should happen within four months.
After USCIS gets your naturalization application, they will send you a letter that informs you to attend an interview. This letter will contain the date and the location where the interview will take place.
Sometimes USCIS may schedule the exam with the same data as your interview, but they may choose to have it on a different day. So your goal should be adequately prepared for the interview and the exam.
- Step 4: In this step, expect to get feedback regarding your application. In other words, you’ll know if your application was successful or not. That usually happens between 0–4 months.
- Step 5: Lastly, you’ll have to take the Oath of Allegiance and receive your Certificate of Naturalization. That typically happens between zero and 1.5 months.
Overall, expect the total time from 18.5 months to 24 months.
Have an Immigration Lawyer by Your Side
Remember that for an application to be successful, you must ensure that you fill out the form correctly and are thorough for your citizenship interview and test.
To ensure you are taking the right actions, seek immigration attorneys at the Espinoza Law Offices. With the help of a lawyer in Lakeland, Florida, you can get your immigration application processed faster and easier.
An attorney will not only give you legal immigration advice, but they will help you to choose the right category for your visa, help you fill out the right documents, and help you go through all the steps of the application process. Contact us today for an easier immigration process.