Issues we can review
Citizenship & naturalization
- N-400 eligibility and filing review
- Application preparation and interview planning
- Prior travel, taxes, arrests, selective-service, or immigration-history concerns
Focused immigration counsel
Citizenship & naturalization
Naturalization is an important step, but filing without reviewing the full history can create unnecessary risk. We help clients understand the application, interview, and issues that need closer analysis.
Naturalization review should come before filing
Applying for citizenship can be a meaningful step, but the N-400 invites review of residence, travel, taxes, family obligations, selective service, criminal history, prior immigration filings, and the basis on which permanent residence was obtained. A person who appears eligible based on years as a resident may still have an issue that deserves attorney analysis before the application is submitted.
AG Law Firm reviews the green card history and the period relevant to the application, including trips outside the United States, addresses, employment, marriages, children, and interactions with police or courts. The purpose is to identify questions early, obtain missing records, and prepare truthful, consistent answers.
Travel, residence, and physical presence
Travel can affect several parts of the naturalization analysis. The attorney may need exact departure and return dates, the length and purpose of longer trips, ties maintained in the United States, and whether any reentry permit or other document was used. Passport stamps, airline records, tax transcripts, employment records, and residence documents may help reconstruct the timeline.
Continuous residence and physical presence are related but distinct concepts, and the applicable period can depend on the basis for filing. A website calculator cannot account for every fact. If travel was frequent, lengthy, or poorly documented, build the timeline before submitting the N-400.
Criminal, tax, family, and prior immigration questions
Arrests, charges, dismissed cases, municipal matters, probation, and older incidents should be reviewed with certified court records when available. A person should not assume that an expungement, dismissal, or age of the case makes it irrelevant to immigration. The attorney may also ask about taxes, child support, alimony, selective service, voting or registration, and statements made on prior applications.
The naturalization process can also lead the government to revisit aspects of the permanent-residence case. If the green card was based on marriage, employment, asylum, a family petition, or another category, bring the approval record and any related applications you have. Inconsistent dates or facts should be understood before the interview.
Preparing for the N-400 interview
Interview preparation includes reviewing the filed application line by line, updating changes since filing, organizing supporting documents, and practicing clear answers without memorizing a script. The officer may test English and civics unless an exception or accommodation applies, and may ask follow-up questions about any part of the record.
If a medical disability, language issue, or other accommodation may be relevant, raise it early so the legal and practical requirements can be reviewed. After the interview, the case may be approved, continued for more evidence or testing, or decided later. No lawyer can guarantee which outcome the agency will reach.
How the first attorney review works
Immigration matters rarely turn on one form or one fact. At the first review, the attorney looks for the history behind the immediate question: entries and departures, prior applications, immigration court activity, arrests or citations, family relationships, safety concerns, and notices from government agencies. The purpose is not to make a quick promise. It is to identify the questions that must be answered before anyone recommends a filing or strategy.
Bring the documents you already have, even if the file is incomplete. Helpful records can include passports, I-94 records, receipt notices, approval or denial notices, immigration court papers, prior applications, criminal dispositions, family court orders, and a simple list of important dates. Do not upload sensitive records through the public contact form. The intake team will explain when and how to use an approved secure channel.
A plan should be clear about both options and limits
A useful consultation separates what is known from what still needs proof. The attorney may explain a possible next step, request additional records, identify a deadline that needs verification, or advise that another lawyer or service is a better fit. If the firm offers representation, the scope of work and fee are provided in a separate written agreement. Contacting the firm or attending a consultation does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.
This page gives general information and cannot determine eligibility or predict an outcome. Immigration law and procedure can change, and similar-looking cases can require different strategies because of one entry, statement, order, deadline, or document. An attorney must review the individual facts before providing legal advice.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Should I file the N-400 as soon as the online calculator says I can?
Use calculators only as a starting point. Travel, the basis for residence, marriage history, and other facts can affect timing. Attorney review is helpful when the history is not straightforward.
Do dismissed arrests need to be disclosed?
Do not assume an incident is irrelevant because it was dismissed or expunged. Bring certified records and obtain advice about how the application asks for the information.
Can I request help because of a disability?
Accommodations or medical exceptions may be available in some circumstances, but the requirements differ. Raise the issue early for individual review and proper documentation.
What should I bring to a naturalization consultation?
Bring the green card, passports, travel history, tax records, prior immigration applications, marriage and divorce records, criminal dispositions, and any N-400 draft or notice.