Can a felony conviction revoke US citizenship? – When it comes to the US citizens who have committed a felony, their citizenship would probably revoke. It is not a small thing for the people whose citizenship is revoked. They have put a lot of effort in gaining the same, and with a felony, it is gone.
Gaining US Citizenship – Know the Options
To gain US citizenship, the immigrant can apply for the same. The options they get are by marrying to an existing US citizen, joining the US armed forces, or following the natural and lengthy process.
Getting Married To an Existing US Citizen
This option suits the best to immigrants if they want to cut down the process. Comparing it with the naturalization process, the marriage option takes around 3 years. Further, it also takes into consideration if the applicant is a green cardholder.
Join US Armed Forces
Just by joining the US armed forces, nobody gets citizenship. Instead, the applicants who are green cardholders need to serve the armed forces for at least one year. Considering this, they get US citizenship. However, the felons have to undergo background checks. Some of them may find them lucky and are eligible for a waiver from past convictions.
The Naturalization Process to Get Citizenship
Here, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) are responsible to grant the same for the applicants. This process is a lengthy one and includes different steps, which you need to follow.
Getting Permanent Residency – Green Card
To get a permanent residency, the applicant should be staying in the US for 5 years. He or she should be more than 18 years of age and maintain a good character. For the languages known, Basic English is necessary along with reading, writing, and speaking. A basic US history can be a plus point too.
Submitting the Form
The second step is to submit the N-400 form by paying the applicable fees.
Biometrics Screening
In this step, the applicant is called upon for biometrics screening. It includes fingerprints scan and photographs of the face. Further, the applicant also goes under international background checks. It is mandatory to take a note of past criminal records.
Interview Session
In the fourth step, the applicant has to face a personal interview with the authorities. It includes a reading and writing test. Meanwhile, the officer appointed by the USCIS judges the character of the applicant. Thereafter, the applicant is given the pledge of allegiance.
Can a Felony Conviction Revoke US Citizenship? – The Reasons
When an individual has committed a felony, his or her US citizenship is not going to be revoked. However, the revocation takes place if any of the below-mentioned statements are true.
- The person obtained citizenship illegally by submitting false documents
- The information shared during the application process was concealed
Meanwhile, a felony conviction revoke US citizenship, if the crime is a serious one – a murder or aggravated felony. In this case, it is a total or permanent bar on gaining US citizenship. Further, there are no expectations for this.
In another scenario, there can be temporary bars on granting US citizenship to felons. In this case, the crimes are not serious and include the following.
- Conviction of indulging in drugs
- Fraud, or breach of trust, etc
- An individual with two or more felonies on record
- Indulged into illegal business
During the personal interview round, the applicants can be judged on their moral character. Further, if they find any kind of minor offense, they put a temporary ban on granting US citizenship to them.
The De-naturalization Process
When a felony conviction revoke US citizenship, it happens to be a de-naturalization for the individuals.
In this case, the federal court files a formal complaint against the holder. Thereafter, the holder gets 60 days to respond to the same. For this purpose, it is advisable to hire an attorney. During this period, the holder gets an opportunity to correct the mistakes based on the claims. They also get a chance to argue if the claims were based on wrong information.
Here, if the prosecution is on the winning side, the citizenship holder will lose it right away. Further, these people can be deported back to their native countries. Meanwhile, if citizenship were granted by sharing false information, the holder would face criminal charges.
Conclusion
A felony conviction revoke US citizenship based on serious crimes, or false information. However, the person will end up facing de-naturalization if there is a felony in the connection. Well, to live the American dream, several immigrants have landed in the country. With hard work, one can always focus on the bright future.
