Our firm has years of experience representing clients in obtaining their U.S. citizenship, be it through the application process (N-400) or by derivation (N-600), as well as medical disability exceptions (Form N-648). A lawful permanent resident who is 18 years or older, has five years of residence (three years if married to a U.S. citizen), good moral character during the statutory period, and has physically been present in the United States for at least one-half of the statutory period is eligible to apply for naturalization. As in all cases, we urge applicants to retain Counsel before any proceedings before USCIS or the Immigration Court. Applicants with criminal convictions and/or arrests are especially urged to seek legal counsel before applying for naturalization, as there numerous criminal grounds of inadmissibility and deportability that may affect a resident’s eligibility for naturalization and may even result in the denial of the citizenship application and the referral of the case to the Immigration Court for possible removal. We also urge all residents to speak with Immigration Counsel prior to traveling abroad if he/she has a criminal conviction (whether it be obtained by a guilty plea, no contest, or adjudication withheld, as all of these are considered convictions for immigration purposes). Our office has seen numerous cases where a client had a criminal conviction that made him inadmissible but not deportable and vice versa and he/she has traveled abroad or applied for naturalization and been referred to the Immigration Court. The naturalization process requires fingerprinting.