Can My Citizenship Application Be Denied?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Can my application be denied? A denied citizenship application

may be the result of having a criminal record

. The USCIS reviews allow your past criminal history before making their decision to accept or deny your application. Some more extreme crimes may merit a court hearing for someone to be deported after applying for citizenship.

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What happens if your citizenship application is denied?

Once USCIS issues you a citizenship application denial, you can then

request a hearing with a different immigration officer

. This new immigration officer will then conduct a review of your application. After that, you may be subjected to an additional civics test and English Ability exam.

Can you're apply for citizenship after being denied?

In most cases,

you can re-apply for citizenship once you meet the eligibility requirements

. If you fail your U.S. citizenship you get a second chance to take the test. If you fail the test a second time your application will be denied. In this situation, you can re-apply as soon as possible.

How do you get denied citizenship?

  1. Not Registering For The Selective Service. …
  2. Having A Fraudulent Green Card. …
  3. Having A Criminal Record. …
  4. Lying on the Citizenship Application. …
  5. Failure To Pay Taxes. …
  6. Failure To Pay Child Support. …
  7. Proficiency In English. …
  8. Doing Poorly on the US Citizenship Interview.

What can affect my citizenship application?

  • Any crime against a person with intent to harm.
  • Any crime against property of the Government that involves fraud or an evil intent.
  • Two or more crimes for which the aggregate sentence was five years or more.
  • Violating any controlled substance law.
  • Habitual drunkenness.
  • Illegal gambling.
  • Prostitution.

What does immigration check for citizenship?

Part of applying for U.S. citizenship involves going through a

criminal background check

. USCIS will need to get the fingerprints of a foreign national and send them to the FBI and other government agencies to check for records matching the fingerprints.

Can citizenship be denied after green card?

Ordinarily denial of citizenship leaves the person with permanent residence, but

there's a risk of green card cancellation

. By Ilona Bray, J.D. If you've been a permanent resident for the required number of years, you might now be considering applying for U.S. citizenship.

Does credit score affect citizenship application?


USCIS will consider an applicant's credit report, credit score, debts and other liabilities as a factor in determining whether the individual is likely to become a public charge

. A good credit report is considered a positive factor while a bad credit report is considered a negative factor.

How long do I have to wait to reapply for citizenship?

In most cases, the applicant can wait a required number of years — typically

five years or three years for applicants married to and living with a U.S. citizen

— before reapplying for naturalization.

How long after citizenship denial can you apply?

If your application is denied because of serious offenses, you might not be eligible to apply again. However, if your application is denied for petty reasons such as failing the naturalization test, you may appeal the decision or reapply again after

five years

.

Can you fail citizenship interview?


If you fail either of the tests during the interview, another interview will be scheduled within 60 to 90 days of the first interview and you can take the tests again

. If you fail either test a second time, your request for naturalization will be denied.

How many times can I apply for citizenship?

How many times can I apply for naturalization?

There is no limit

to the number of times you can apply for naturalization, but you must pay the filing fee for each Form N-400 you submit to the agency.

Can you get deported while applying for citizenship?


In some cases, green card holders applying for U.S. citizenship can face deportation as a result of discoveries made during background checks

. But non-citizens are more commonly deported due to criminal activities including the violation of immigration laws.

What kind of background check is done for citizenship?

The background and security checks include

collecting fingerprints and requesting a “name check” from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)

. In addition, USCIS conducts other inter-agency criminal background and security checks on all applicants for naturalization.

What happens if a decision Cannot be made after your citizenship interview?

If the decision is not issued within 120 days of the interview,

an applicant may request judicial review of his or her application in district court

. The officer must base his or her decision on the laws, regulations, precedent decisions, and governing policies.

Does USCIS check your text messages?


It doesn't

. The best strategy is simply to assume that anything you post online will be seen and examined by immigration authorities. Some immigration attorneys may even recommend that you refrain from social media use entirely while your visa or green card application is pending.

Does USCIS know everything about you?

The simple answer, of course, is that it is impossible to know whether USCIS knows if an applicant for a green card or for naturalization is lying to them. The safe assumption is that

they DO know everything about you

and that, if you lie in the interview, you will be caught.

Does USCIS check your bank account?


Yes USCIS may verify information about your bank account with bank

.

How many immigrants get denied citizenship each year?

2014 2019 Citizenship by Naturalization Petitions Denied

66,767


97,789

What are the hardest questions on the US citizenship test?

  • Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
  • Who was President during World War I?
  • What is the rule of law?
  • Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
  • Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.

Can I get denied citizenship because of speeding tickets?


If your speeding tickets are tied to criminal charges (such as DUI), the U.S. government can deny you citizenship

. If you're still on probation for a traffic ticket (like reckless driving or DUI) at the time of your interview, your N-400 application is most likely to get denied.

What crimes affect citizenship?

USCIS's definition of aggravated felony includes many crimes that you would expect; such as

rape, sexual abuse of a minor, drug trafficking, firearm trafficking, racketeering, running a prostitution business, child pornography, and fraud of $10,000 or more

.

Does unemployment affect citizenship application 2020?

The short answer is that,

as long as you received the public benefits lawfully (without using fraud, for example), it will not hurt or affect your eligibility for naturalization in any way

.

Why would the USCIS deny my application?


You made mistakes on your application

. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) might have denied your application if you made any errors or mistakes on your paperwork. Errors are some of the top reasons for green card application denial.

What happens if you fail U.S. citizenship test twice?

If an individual fails either part of the test, he or she will need to retake failed portions no later than 60 to 90 days after the date of the initial exam and interview. If he or she fails these portions a second time,

he or she will be unable to retake the exam and USCIS will deny citizenship

.

Why do you get a second interview for citizenship?

If a foreign national does not pass their initial naturalization interview, they will be given a second opportunity

to show that they meet the requirements for U.S. citizenship

. Often, this occurs when the foreign national fails one of the tests for citizenship.

What is the three year rule for citizenship?

3 Years of Continuous Residence. The spouse of a U.S. citizen residing in the United States must have continuously resided in the United States as an LPR for at least 3 years immediately preceding the date of the filing the application and up to the time of the Oath of Allegiance.

What if my green card expires while waiting for citizenship?

If your green card expires, or is about to expire, while you're waiting for citizenship,

you don't need to worry

. The USCIS has created Form I-90 specifically for the purpose of replacing an expired green card.

Do you need tax return for citizenship interview?

What should I expect at my citizenship interview?

During your naturalization interview,

a USCIS officer will ask you questions about your application and background. You will also take an English and civics test unless you qualify for an exemption or waiver

. The English test has three components: reading, writing, and speaking.

What shows up on USCIS background check?


Your name will be checked against various databases of known criminals or suspects, including the FBI's Universal Index, to check whether there is a match

. This includes administrative, applicant, criminal, personnel, and other files compiled by law enforcement.

Does USCIS check your tax returns?

Does USCIS check your Facebook?

They look throughout the internet, for information about the people that are applying for benefits. Don't just think that because USCIS officials said in Washington, that

they don't check social media

, that they don't in fact.

What happens if a decision Cannot be made after your citizenship interview?

If the decision is not issued within 120 days of the interview,

an applicant may request judicial review of his or her application in district court

. The officer must base his or her decision on the laws, regulations, precedent decisions, and governing policies.

How many times can I apply for citizenship?

How many times can I apply for naturalization?

There is no limit

to the number of times you can apply for naturalization, but you must pay the filing fee for each Form N-400 you submit to the agency.

How many times can you fail the citizenship test?

An applicant has two opportunities to pass the English and civics tests: the initial examination and the re-examination interview. USCIS denies the naturalization application if the applicant fails to pass any portion of the tests after

two attempts

.

Maria LaPaige
Author
Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.