Citizenship & Naturalization

From N-400 filing to oath ceremony, typically 8-14 months depending on the USCIS field office. Some Los Angeles cases run faster (6-10 months); others run slower. The exact time depends on the field office's workload and any complications in your case.

USCIS evaluates your conduct during the eligibility period (5 or 3 years). Permanent bars include murder, aggravated felonies, and a few other categories. Conditional bars include arrests, DUIs, unpaid child support, unpaid taxes, false claims to U.S. citizenship, and failure to register for Selective Service (males 18-26). Most issues can be addressed but require careful handling.

A single DUI generally does not bar naturalization but may prompt USCIS to scrutinize the rest of the moral-character period. Multiple DUIs, a DUI with injury, or a DUI combined with other infractions raise serious concerns. Honest disclosure plus mitigating documentation (treatment completion, character letters) is critical.

If you fail at the interview, USCIS schedules a second interview 60-90 days later for a re-test on whichever portion you failed. Failing the second test results in N-400 denial — but you can re-file with no waiting period. We do extensive interview preparation precisely to avoid this outcome.

It depends on your country of origin. The U.S. allows dual citizenship. Some countries (e.g., India) automatically revoke their citizenship when you become a U.S. citizen. Others (e.g., Iran, Mexico, Canada, U.K., most EU countries) allow dual citizenship. We discuss this individually with each client.

Trips of less than 6 months do not break continuous residence. Trips of 6-12 months presumptively break continuity (rebuttable with evidence of U.S. ties). Trips of 12+ months conclusively break continuity (the clock restarts after re-entry). N-470 preserves residence for certain employment categories.