1. You have been a lawful permanent resident for at least 5 years (or 3 years if married to a United States citizen).

2. You are at least 18 years old.

3. You have resided in the United States continuously for at least 5 years.

4. You have been physically present( this is not the same as residing) in the United States for at least 30 months.

5. You are a person of good moral character during the 5-year period. There are many types of problems that can make a person ineligible because they lack good moral character. In addition, the CIS can look into your history prior to the 5 year period under certain circumstances.

6. You can read, write and speak the English language.

7. You can demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts and facts about the history and government of the United States.

8. You promise to support the Constitution and obey the laws of the United States, renounce any foreign allegiance, and be ready to serve in the armed forces of the United States if asked.

You can find further information about citizenship and the naturalization process on the CIS website at www.immigration.gov .

There are specific rules and exceptions to each requirement listed above.

For example, minor instances of misconduct, whether or not they resulted in a criminal conviction, could have an effect on your eligibility for citizenship, depending on the circumstances. Frequent and/or lengthy absences from the U.S. during the five-year period also can have an effect on your application. Any person with a prior criminal history not only could be ineligible for citizenship, but also could be subject to deportation. Before applying, it is therefore advisable to get legal advice . The best course of action to get through the process smoothly and to avoid any unnecessary delays is to have competent legal represention at every step of the way.

In the naturalization process, our services include a detailed consultation, preparation of the application with the necessary supporting documentation and handling all correspondence with CIS. If there are any problems that come up during the process, our firm will work with you and the CIS to resolve those problems wherever possible. Sometimes this is just a matter of submitting additional evidence of, for example, continuous presence in the U.S. Other problems may not be as easily solved, as where there is a prior criminal matter. Those situations can present complicated and difficult issues that require the services of a competent immigration attorney.

Finally, Ms. Ames will be present with you during your interview with CIS to answer questions, to address any issues that are raised by the CIS interviewer, and to help you feel more at ease before and during the interview. Our goal is to get you through the process as quickly and smoothly as possible.