Becoming a citizen of the United States is a big step for a person who immigrated here from another country. Successfully completing the process can provide you with some nice benefits, but you will also have to take some responsibilities. It is imperative to think about all of these so that you make the decision about becoming a citizen that is best for you.
When you become a citizen, you will take an Oath of Allegiance. This means that you will serve this country if necessary and that you agree to support and defend the laws and Constitution. This oath nullifies any other national or sovereign allegiances that you had. Other responsibilities, such as serving on a jury and respecting others in this country are also necessary.
In exchange for the responsibilities, you can enjoy several rights. You can travel around the world with a U.S. passport, become an elected official and be eligible for federal jobs. You can vote in the elections in this country, bring family members into the U.S. and have children who are citizens even if they aren’t born here.
Because these responsibilities and rights work together to create a stronger country, you should ensure that you are fully prepared to uphold all of them. This might be challenging sometimes, but you may decide that your citizenship here is worth the challenges. If you do decide to pursue this, you should ensure that you have everything in order when you file your petition. The process is long and having everything in order might speed it up.
