USCIS Simplifies Naturalization Process for Lawful Permanent Residents

On November 14, 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated their policy manual in regard to the naturalization process. Under the new guidance, a naturalization applicant’s burden in demonstrating that they have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence solely applies to their initial admission or adjustment to LPR status.

Background

A naturalization applicant must prove that they have been lawfully admitted into the United States for permanent residence according to all immigration laws that are in effect at the time of admission. Moreover, in determining the eligibility for naturalization, the previous USCIS regulation outlined this requirement as applying “at the time of the applicant’s initial entry or any subsequent reentry.”

However, this latest policy update explains that USCIS will focus just on a naturalization applicant’s initial admission or adjustment under permanent residence status. This means that any subsequent entries, regardless of how they were handled, will no longer be considered a factor for an applicant’s eligibility for naturalization.

The Significance of This Update

By only focusing on the applicant’s initial admission, this policy update proves to be a significant step forward in simplifying the naturalization process. With this new implementation, we hope to see USCIS’ ongoing effort to streamline the process of obtaining U.S. citizenship.

As this announcement is subject to further updates, we encourage readers to check our website regularly for updates on this and all topics regarding immigration law.