Becoming a U.S. Citizen: A Guide to the Law, Exam & Interview [Paperback]

Ilona Bray J.D. (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1413305245 | ISBN-13: 978-1413305241 | Publication Date: October 15, 2006 | Edition: 3

Seeking citizenship? Here's everything you need to know! The path from green card to U.S. citizenship can be a long and winding one -- and bureaucratic hassles are inevitable. But with Becoming a U.S. Citizen, you can shave months or years off the time it takes to become a citizen. Find out how to determine your eligibility, make sure you won't risk deportation by applying, fill out application forms, study for the citizenship exam, have a successful interview, deal with setbacks, enjoy your status as a U.S. citizen and help family members immigrate. Becoming a U.S. Citizen also shows how you may be able take advantage of special procedures if you are disabled, in the military, the spouse of a U.S. citizen, or for other reasons. The revised 3rd edition reflects current and proposed laws, as well as new fees and procedures. It also includes the latest forms, plus handy checklists that help you organize your application and interview materials.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A useful guide for individuals seeking to become naturalized citizens of the U.S. I highly recommend it." -- Carl Shusterman, former INS Naturalization attorney, author of Shusterman's Immigration Update

"Covers topics that most other guides don't, helping you to avoid troublespots." -- ForeignerInAmerica.com

Review

"Covers topics that most other guides don't, helping you to avoid troublespots." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: NOLO; 3 edition (October 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413305245
• ISBN-13: 978-1413305241
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,707,825 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > Education & Reference > Education > Citizenship

More About the Author

If I could be a perpetual college student, I would -- but researching and writing books is the next best thing.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book if you have to prepare on your own, October 11, 2008

By 

H. Bozeman - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Becoming a U.S. Citizen: A Guide to the Law, Exam & Interview (Paperback)

Before applying for citizenship, I bought three books from Amazon. I found this one by far the most comprehensive. The author, an immigration lawyer, covers every aspect of the procedure, including helpful sample letters, tips, exam preparation strategy, and when to consult a lawyer. A tip: get the latest edition, because the test has changed recently. My only criticism would be that someone with limited English might have trouble understanding some of it. Other guides focus more on the English and civics test, though this book provides all you need to know, presented in orderly fashion.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Becoming a U.S. Citizen: A Guide to the Law, Exam & Interview, November 5, 2007

By 

Greek Eleni (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Becoming a U.S. Citizen: A Guide to the Law, Exam & Interview (Paperback)

Good book with much useful and clear information. Good buy. BUT, if you go to an adult education center in your neighborhood and sign up for a citizenship class you can buy a similar book for $10, AND get personalized help filling out the forms AND the latest information on the whole process.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I became a US Citizen yesterday and this book helped me, March 23, 2011

By 

Thomas Wikman "Texas Swede" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Becoming a U.S. Citizen: A Guide to the Law, Exam & Interview (Paperback)

(What's this?)

When I applied for Green Card I assumed it was going to be a piece of cake. I thought my case was clear cut. It turned out that I was wrong. I had a lot of problems because I was uninformed about the process and the details. This time around, when applying for citizenship, I decided to be better prepared. In my opinion you should not go through this process uninformed even if your case seems straight forward. The risks are simply too great. Getting this book from the Vine program certainly helped me.

This book contains all kinds of valuable information, on the process, the law, the forms, the finger printing, the Naturalization interview, the swearing-in ceremony, the English test, the US history and government exam (all questions), disability, denial, repeals, as well as discussions on potential problems and everything that could go wrong.

The book is well organized, well written, and practical. One thing I particularly liked about this book is that it does not sugar coat the USCIS. There are unprofessional and hostile USCIS agents, applications are lost or mishandled, mistakes happen, sometimes terrible mistakes, there can be excessive delays and USCIS are virtually impossible to contact or get information from. Knowing how to avoid getting into trouble and how to handle trouble when it happens is of essence, and this is an area in which this book excels. If I had read a book like this, but on Green Cards, I would avoided a year of stress for both me and my American wife.

I highly recommend this book to everyone applying for citizenship. You should read it before you apply (as I did). Maybe there is an issue you are not aware of that you need to work on before you do.