Whether you’re thinking about coming to the United States or here illegally, an immigration lawyer can help you obtain your citizenship. Immigration lawyers are legal professionals who specialize in anything having to do with immigration, visas, green cards, wrongful deportation, and citizenship. 

The act of legally becoming a US citizen is extremely difficult and timely, especially if you have trouble reading and understanding English. Not only will a skilled immigration lawyer help you obtain your citizenship, but they’ll also help you understand the legal proceedings every step of the way. If you’re on the fence about whether or not you should hire an immigration lawyer, you’ve come to the right place.

Do I Need a Lawyer to Gain Citizenship? 

Technically speaking, there’s no law saying you must have an immigration lawyer to gain US citizenship. You can try to get through all the forms and processes on your own, including the Application for Naturalization and Form N-400. However, some of the language and wording of these forms can be highly confusing. 

Hiring an immigration lawyer isn’t a legal necessity to gain citizenship, but it will make it easier. It can also mean the difference between becoming a citizen and misunderstanding something on the forms that will hold up or hinder the process. 

Can a Lawyer Help Speed Up the Immigration Process? 

While a lawyer isn’t a legal requirement, one can definitely help speed up the immigration process. The main way lawyers help is by making sure that your case doesn’t get held up or dragged out. An immigration lawyer will also ensure that you’ve filled out every form, document, and piece of information necessary to gain citizenship. 

Hiring a lawyer will also show the federal government that you’re serious about legally obtaining your citizenship. As such, they may be enticed to speed up your case and grant you your citizenship faster than if you don’t have a lawyer. 

How Can an Immigration Lawyer Help With My Citizenship? 

Now that you know that an immigration lawyer isn’t legally required for citizenship but can be beneficial, let’s dive into how they can help you. 

Understanding Your Options 

One of the most confusing aspects of filing for citizenship is the number of options you have to choose from. You have to know what kind of visa you need and qualify for, and an immigration lawyer can help you with that decision. Going the route on your own could mean filing for the wrong visa, meaning that you might be rejected and have to start the process over. 

A knowledgeable immigration lawyer will help you decide which visa is right for you and gives you the highest chance of approval. A lawyer will also give you multiple options about proceeding with your case and which avenues to pursue. Knowing the right path to success and how to get there is crucial. 

Save You Time and Stress 

One of the biggest ways that an immigration lawyer can help you is by saving you lots of time and stress. Becoming a US citizen is stressful enough, but worrying that you filled every form out correctly and selected the right visa will definitely increase your stress levels. Knowing that you have a trusted professional who guides you through the process and paperwork will go a long way in reducing that stress. 

Offer Guidance and Support

Along with reducing stress and saving time, your lawyer should offer guidance and support throughout the process. Aside from the physical support of helping you fill out the right forms, the immigration lawyers at Roach & Bishop will offer emotional support throughout your case.  

Ensure Your Documents are Finished 

You might be thinking that you have a good understanding of the English language and won’t have any trouble filling out the necessary documents. What you may not know, however, is that the application you’ll have to fill out is twenty pages long. Each of those pages is packed with difficult terms to understand, even for those who have lived in the US their entire lives. 

However, immigration lawyers are extremely familiar with these forms and will ensure that you say and write the correct things. 

Assist You With Immigration Petitions 

Aside from having words and terms that sound like gibberish to the untrained eye, immigration petitions require an in-depth knowledge of the laws surrounding the petition. No matter how smart or educated you are, you won’t understand these laws unless you’re a trained immigration lawyer. 

Help Your Case Stay Current 

Whether you have a lawyer or not, your immigration case might take some time to complete. There are more than one entity and organization involved, and the constant back and forth of the paperwork takes time. If you’re forced to alter or redo your paperwork, the process gets even longer and slower. 

Although hiring an immigration lawyer will vastly reduce the chances of mixups or errors in the first place, they’ll also get your case back on track if there are. They’ll also help you if your case is denied or challenged. 

Help You Keep Your Citizenship

Your battle isn’t quite over once you’ve successfully won your petition. While citizenship is a one-time thing, you may only qualify for a visa or green card. As such, there are certain obligations and things you’ll have to do to stay in the United States. These include your taxes, renewal documents, paperwork, forms, etc. An immigration lawyer can help you fulfill these obligations and remain in good standing with the federal government.  

How to Find the Best Immigration Lawyer in Pasco

If you’re ready to take the next step in obtaining your citizenship and want to hire the best immigration lawyer in Pasco, Roach & Bishop is here to help. Although hiring an immigration lawyer doesn’t ensure with 100% certainty that your case will be a success, it goes a long way towards improving the odds. The biggest way immigration lawyers can help you is with the documentation