More Immigrants Seeking Citizenship
Posted Jul 26, 2002

In the wake of September 11, 2001, more immigrants are interested in U.S. citizenship. Many are motivated by patriotic feelings. Long-time permanent residents, having adopted the U.S. as their home, now feel the need to formalize that relationship by becoming citizens. Many other permanent residents fear the treatment that they may receive as non-citizens and are applying for U.S. citizenship as a way to protect their civil rights.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service released figures in July 2002 showing a 64% increase in applications for naturalization in the months following the September 11^th attacks, as compared to the same time period in 2000-01. Over half a million applications have been filed post 9/11. Due to increased scrutiny of applications and the required IBIS checks, however, there has been a bit of a drop in the number of applications actually completed. Still, the current delays are significantly less than they have been in prior years and should not discourage any eligible person from applying.

For those interested in becoming U.S. citizens, there are a number of advantages. These include an increased ease of travel and, of course, the ability to vote. The MurthyBulletin covered the naturalization process and advantages of citizenship in our February 8, 2002 article, Benefits of Becoming a U.S. Citizen, and our February 15, 2002 article, Basic Eligibility Requirements for Naturalization.