In this video, we'll talk about how long does it take to get US citizenship
after applying? And also what are the actual steps to apply for US citizenship
in a nutshell? So, what are you waiting for? I'll see you on the other side. Hello, everybody
and welcome to our Immigration channel. This is the place where you get the most up-to-date news,
integration information, and everything else that you need to make your immigration journey
less stressful. My name is Jacob Sapochnik, and I'm an immigration attorney located in
San Diego, California, and I help clients in all 50 states. If you want to connect with me further,
you can find me on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and, of course, on YouTube. So,
how long does it take to get US citizenship these days? Well, currently, it's taking over 12 months.
From the moment you start until the moment you get the oath ceremony to get your US citizenship. This
is because of all the COVID delays and all the different backlogs that USCIS has experienced
in the past year, and that backlog may last for another year or so probably all through 2023.
First, let's run through the steps of actually what it takes to apply for your citizenship. So,
step number one, file and prepare Form N-400. This is the actual form that you use to apply
for US citizenship. Currently, this form takes about a year to be processed. Step number two,
attend your biometrics appointment. This is where they check your background. Take your picture and
fingerprints. They're going to call you for this appointment about four or five months after you
file your application. Step number three, actually attending your citizenship civics exam, and the
actual citizenship interview that should take about four or five months after your biometrics
appointment. Step number four, you either get approved or denied after this exam. Sometimes,
they ask for more evidence. Sometimes, people are not qualified for citizenship. At that point,
you're going to receive a decision or an actual approval with a date for your oath ceremony, which
leads us to step number five. Step number five is the actual oath ceremony where you take the
oath of allegiance and receive your certificate of naturalization. Now, in some jurisdictions,
due to the severe delays, due to the pandemic, you may get the oath ceremony right at the time
of the interview. So, if you pass your interview in step number four, some USCIS offices will also
give you the oath ceremony, if there are no other problems with your case, but that's not the norm.
It's something that they do currently. And we don't know how long it's going to continue. So,
let's dive a little bit more into the different steps. So, step number one,
completing your Form N-400 copies of your green card, other supporting documents proof of selected
service, and make sure you complete the form correctly. One of the most reasons why these
applications take too long. Because people make mistakes, they don't complete the forms correctly,
they forget to sign and therefore the applications can drag for months and months. So, if you do
everything correctly, you provide the correct supporting documents the correct fee, and you
send the application to the correct place, your N-400 will start smoothly and continue processing
normally without any further delays. Step number two, the biometrics appointment. This is where
they take your fingerprints, your picture, and your signature. It's a very important step
for your citizenship process. In order to avoid any delays in this appointment,
make sure you bring the necessary documents, your ID, the appointment notice that they give you,
and make sure you show up on time. Sometimes, they need to see you again because they can’t
read your fingerprints. But typically, in most cases, you just need one appointment. But make
sure you take care of that. If you don't show up for your biometrics appointment,
your case could get denied and closed. Step number three, the citizenship exam and interview. So,
typically, at the time of the interview, they're going to ask you questions about your address,
questions about your travel. So, if you spend more than a year outside of United States in the
five years before you file for your citizenship, you're going to have to explain and justify. If
you didn't file taxes, have any problems with child support, you have to bring documents to
explain. Those things could be reasons as to why your citizenship case could be denied. So, if you
have any issues with tax, delinquency, or child support, absences outside of the United States,
or any criminal convictions, make sure you speak with an immigration attorney
before you attend the interview. Remember that in interviews, you can get denied. Also,
for somebody who has bad moral character. So if the officer catches you in a lie in the interview,
for example, if you tell him that you live at a certain address in your green card application,
and then now, you change your version, and you tell him a whole different address, that could
be deemed as misrepresentation. Even if everything else looks good, your case could be denied for bad
moral character for misrepresenting yourself at that interview. So, make sure you're prepared,
you know your facts, you come with all the supporting documents that you need so you
have no issues at the interview. If you apply for citizenship based on marriage to a US citizen,
you can apply after three years. At the interview, they may question you about the marriage. So,
make sure you're prepared as well, because this is some new things that they've done in the past
year or so. At the interview for citizenship, they can question you about your marriage and the bona
fides of your marriage if that's the reason why you're applying for citizenship after three years,
so make sure you're prepared for that as well. And at the same time, they're also going to give you
the civics exam. Right now, they're reverting back to the old version, which is great. All you have
to answer six out of these 10 questions, and you have three attempts to pass that exam. So, if all
goes well, and you pass, the officer will tell you at the time of the interview, if you don't
pass and they need more time to review your case, then we're going to move to step number four,
which is the decision. If your case is denied, you will have an option within 30 days to file for an
appeal on Form N-366. And at that point, you'll be able to explain why you deserve citizenship. If
you get approved, they'll call you for the oath ceremony, the oath of allegiance. And usually,
that will be scheduled 30 days after you pass the exam. As I mentioned at the beginning of
this video, in some jurisdictions, they will administer the oath of allegiance
right there at the end of the interview, if you pass and they determine that you pass.
Remember, the average processing time for N-400s nationwide is about 15 months. It's more than a
year, it's close to a year and a half. But with the continued backlogs of USCIS, we definitely
don't see that timeframe to decrease. It will continue to be around that time, over a year,
close to a year and a half. It is really important that you do your N-400 correctly. You provide all
the supporting documents, you pay the correct fee, and you file it at the correct address
and always prepare for the exam correctly, so there's no reason for them to deny your case.
Once again, hopefully, you find this video helpful. Many of you have been asking how
long does it take to get your citizenship after applying. And hopefully, this video will answer
that question. Thank you for watching. Once again, if you're here for the first time, click the
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to show this video to more people just like you. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you next video.