If you currently reside in the U.S. and want to live in the U.S. permanently, becoming a citizen may be your ultimate goal. By becoming a citizen, you receive protection from deportation, become eligible for government jobs, gain the ability to vote and obtain other benefits.
To apply for citizenship, you must fill out the Application for Naturalization, or N-400, states U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. When completing this process, avoid the following mistakes to prevent issues with your application.
Reporting incorrect information
As you fill out your N-400, triple-check all the information you include to ensure it is correct. Simple mistakes such as an error with reported employment information, living residences or traveling information can result in a rejected application.
Failing to maintain continuous residence
To become a citizen, one of the requirements is to continuously live in the U.S. for three or five years prior. If you must leave the U.S. for more than six months at a time, you may have to gather information that proves you did not break your continuous residence.
Waiting to provide further evidence
To fully process your naturalization application, USCIS may request additional information and documentation from you. When you receive one of these requests, provide the needed information within the listed timeframe to keep your application on track.
Carefully managing the application process is one of the most important parts of continuing your path to U.S. citizenship. If you accidentally make a mistake and your application gets denied, you may be eligible to appeal the decision and reapply to become a U.S. citizen.