Citizenship is defined as the status of being a citizen, and along with such status comes the rights and duties of being a citizen. In general, citizenship is based on one or more of the following factors: 1) one or both of the person's parents are citizens, meaning the right of citizenship is established based on ancestry, 2) the person is born in a country - people are presumed to be a citizen when they are born in a country, 3) through marriage to a citizen, and 4) by the naturalization process.
Many countries grant citizenship when a person has immigrated to that country and lived there for a specified number of years. In some countries aspiring citizens are required to pass an examination, swear their allegiance to their new country and give up their prior citizenship.
Citizenship in the United States
In the United States, to become a citizen at birth you must have been born within the United States or certain territories, or you must have had a parent or parents who were citizens at the time you were born abroad, and you must meet other requirements. In order to become a citizen after birth you must apply for derived or acquired citizenship through your natural parents or apply for naturalization. Naturalization applicants are required to take a test on English and on Civics (U.S. history and government).
The United States has welcomed immigrants from all parts of the world and from all walks of life for hundreds of years. The U.S. values immigrants who contribute to the nation's economy and who continue to enrich the country's diverse cultural atmosphere. If you follow the proper procedures to become a U.S. citizen legally, you will be awarded the rights and privileges that come with U.S. citizenship, and this includes the many freedoms its citizens enjoy such as the right to flourish and prosper.
If you need assistance with a citizenship and naturalization issue in Ohio, we urge you to contact an attorney from Brown Immigration Law. Our firm has over 50 years of experience in the field of immigration law, our lead attorney Robert Brown is a former District Director for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, which gives him valuable insight into the inner workings of the federal immigration agencies, and attorneys Rishi Oza and Aleksandar Cuic have been included in Ohio's selection of Rising Stars® by Super Lawyers® magazine, an achievement that no more than 2.5% of attorneys achieve in a given state. To schedule a consultation with one of our Ohio immigration attorneys, contact us today, we look forward to hearing from you.