In order to live and work in the United States for any extended period of time, in most cases you’re legally required to obtain a green card. Anyone who has tried to obtain a green card can tell you that the process and procedure required for a successful application can become extremely complicated, and for some individuals it may be impossible. It involves an overwhelming amount of paperwork, legal assistance, and time.
Remember: one simple mistake can have disastrous consequences.
Citizenship is preferred to green card status, even though both grants an individual the right to live in the United States, and travel abroad with the ability to return. Citizenship bestows upon an individual rights that a green card holder cannot posses, such as the right to vote, to serve on a jury, and other rights that only citizens can possess. More importantly, citizenship provides an individual with peace of mind. A green card holder can lose his or her status if he or she resides outside of the United States for an extended period of time. Also, if the green card holder is convicted of, or admits to, certain crimes the green card can be taken away. Such a result often causes families great hardship. A alien who is naturalized cannot lose his or her citizenship unless the alien lied or committed fraud during the immigration process, or engage in some form of treason against the government.
Immigration law is a very complex, and rapidly changing, area of law. When an application is submitted, Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) uses the submitted information for several purposes:
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