Citizenship and Naturalization

There are many advantages to becoming a U.S. citizen—including helping family members immigrate to the United States, traveling with a U.S. passport, and voting in U.S. elections. Millions of lawful permanent residents are eligible to naturalize but need support to take the important step of becoming a U.S. citizen.

The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) provides critical support to organizations helping immigrants navigate the naturalization process. We provide trainings and technical assistance, publish the top practitioner’s guide, Naturalization and U.S. Citizenship: The Essential Legal Guide, engage in federal and local advocacy. Through the national New Americans Campaign, we also develop and disseminate best practices in providing access to naturalization services.

Latest in Citizenship and Naturalization

Denying the Right to Vote: Politicization of the Naturalization Process as a Novel Form of Voter Suppression

10/15/2020

This report provides a summary analysis of the ways that federal officials have consciously sought to politicize the naturalization process during the 2020 election year in what appears to be a novel form of voter suppression. The report also examines the potential impact of this novel form of voter suppression in closely watched states in the upcoming presidential election, and details immediate...

Status of USCIS Fee Waiver Changes - October 2, 2020

10/09/2020

USCIS attempted to drastically limit fee waiver availability and fee waiver standards through the 2020 fee rule. The agency also tried to limit fee waivers by changing the I-912 fee waiver form. For now, these attempted changes have been stopped by injunctions. Applicants can continue to apply for fee waivers based on the 2011 fee waiver guidance. This practice advisory describes the changes...

USCIS Fee Increases Effective October 2, 2020

10/02/2020

Alert : On September 29, 2020 the Fee Rule was enjoined nation-wide in its entirety by a District court in the Northern District of California, ILRC et al. v. Chad F. Wolf, et al . (ND California) (Case 4:20-cv-05883-JSW) (Sept. 29, 2020). This means that the fee rule will not go into effect on October 2, 2020: neither the fee increases nor the changes to fee waivers in the rule will be...

Public Charge and Advising Permanent Residents at the Time of Naturalization

09/30/2020

This practice advisory provides an update on public charge for advocates providing naturalization legal assistance. The advisory briefly discusses the legal standard for assessing public charge and then discusses how to advise lawful permanent residents looking to naturalize. It covers issues related to the 2019 rule on public charge that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published in the...

Acquisition & Derivation Quick Reference Charts

09/24/2020

These three charts outline the different requirements for acquiring and deriving citizenship. Because the law governing acquisition and derivation has changed many times and is generally not retroactive, these charts detail what the eligibility requirements are depending on the time period in question. Each chart has extensive footnotes that provide explanations about the legal requirements,...