If you wish to go through the process to become a U.S. citizen, you may also be wondering if you can go through the citizenship expedited process to speed up this process. This is an option that is available but it only applies to certain situations and not everyone will be eligible. Here is everything you need to know about how to expedite the citizenship process and why you need to hire an immigration attorney to help you accomplish this.
Can You Expedite the Citizenship Process?
When you are applying for naturalization, one option you may have is to submit a citizenship expedited process request, which will help the USCIS to prioritize your case. The USCIS will process expedited requests on a case-by-case basis, evaluating each situation and determining how urgent it is. If the USCIS decides to expedite your citizenship, this will usually speed up the citizenship process and put your case ahead of those who may have filed earlier than you.
If you believe that your situation falls into one of the recognized categories, you could begin the citizenship expedited process. However, you need to first take the necessary step of hiring an immigration attorney to help you decide if this is your best course of action. They can also help you ensure you are compliant with the regulations and provide all of the documentation necessary to prove the details of your situation.
Severe Financial Loss
Some situations involving severe financial loss for yourself or a business can get you an expedited request for your naturalization application. For this to qualify, you have to prove that the financial loss is not the result of you filing your application late or failing to respond to requests for additional evidence.
Employment opportunities can also fall into the category of severe financial loss for companies and individuals. For example, you may have an employment opportunity that has a deadline that you must meet, or you may lose the job. Or a company may need employees as soon as possible to continue running successfully.
Humanitarian Reasons
Some applicants may be able to have their citizenship expedited if they can prove urgent humanitarian reasons. In general, many immigrant situations qualify as humanitarian situations, which is why you need to demonstrate the urgency of your specific situation. For example, a war may be breaking out, you may be in severe danger of physical harm, or you may be being persecuted for religious reasons.
Urgent Travel Needs
The USCIS may expedite an applicant’s request if they can prove that they have urgent travel needs. For example, you may have had a death in the family, or you may have a serious illness that requires that you get medical treatment right away. You will need to provide documentation in relation to your urgent situation that can back up your claims and showcase the urgency.
Situations involving human welfare can also correlate with urgent travel needs, such as living in extreme living conditions or having a disability.
Non-Profit Organizations
Some non-profit organizations can get an expedited request if they will benefit the cultural or social interest of the U.S. For this to be a viable option, the beneficiary’s benefit request has to demonstrate why it is urgent that the case is expedited due to the beneficiary’s role within the non-profit organization.
Government Interest
Some citizenship cases can be expedited because they fall under the category of government interests. This can apply to cases that the government has deemed urgent because they involve public interest, national interest, or public safety. Government interest can also apply to individuals in the military.
USCIS Error
You also have the option of making an expedited citizenship process request if there has been a USCIS error. The USCIS may have denied your application for naturalization or delayed it due to a mistake. If this is the case, the USCIS may be able to prioritize your current application so that it can get approved in a timely manner.
How to Expedite Citizenship Process
To start expedited green card processing, you need to make an expedited request by contacting the USCIS contact center. The USCIS has also created a web page specifically designed for those who want to start the citizenship expedited process. Every applicant or petitioner has the right to request expedited citizenship and the USCIS will evaluate whether or not your case qualifies.
Before you start the U.S. citizenship expedited process, you need to have already filed a receipt notice. It is also critical that you check your case status online to ensure there aren’t any pending case needs, such as needing to provide additional documentation or submit to biometrics. You should also be up-to-date with the current case processing times to better determine whether you actually need an expedite.
Another step to take before requesting an expedite is to check whether you qualify for premium processing service. If the USCIS sees that you qualify for this service, you will automatically not qualify for an expedited request. You also only want to make one expedited request, as doing this more than once will only delay the USCIS’s ability to process the original request.
When submitting the request, you will need to provide information regarding your situation and why it qualifies for an expedited citizenship process. You also need to provide supporting evidence that can back up your claims and prove that your situation is urgent.
The documentation you provide is very much dependent on the situation and what is the most convincing. For example, you may have urgent travel needs related to your health, so you should provide documentation such as doctor’s notes or test results. An immigration attorney will be able to help you identify important pieces of evidence that the USCIS will take into account.
Contact an Immigration Attorney Today
Do you want to expedite your citizenship application? Contact us today at U.S. Immigration Law Counsel® at 800-666-4996 to speak with an immigration attorney about your case. We deal with the government, so you don’t have to!
