4 Benefits Getting U.S. Citizenship

Let’s talk about some of the benefits of becoming a United States citizen.  Many people are confused about the benefits of becoming a U.S. citizen versus remaining a lawful permanent resident (i.e., green card holder), so we hope that we can clear up some of these differences.  In this article, we will cover four benefits of getting U.S. citizenship.

We are Ashoori Law, led by Michael Ashoori, a U.S. immigration lawyer based in Los Angeles, California.  At our law firm we work with clients from all over the world, and we regularly post articles and videos to make sure that you are up to date with the latest immigration news.  If, after reading this article, you have questions, then we invite you to contact us at Ashoori Law.  Feel free to call or text us at +1-818-741-1117 or you may request a free consultation by clicking this link.

Benefit #1:  The Right to Vote

The first benefit of becoming a U.S. citizen is one that many of you may already know.  A U.S. citizen can vote in U.S. elections, which means you can fully participate in the political process.  By contrast, a lawful permanent resident cannot vote in U.S. elections. 

Benefit #2:  The People You Can Sponsor

Another benefit of becoming a U.S. citizen involves the types of family members who you can sponsor for a green card.  As a lawful permanent resident, you would be limited to only certain categories of people who you can sponsor for a green card, including your spouse and your children, if certain conditions are met.  However, as a U.S. citizen, you would be able to sponsor additional classifications of people for a green card, such as your siblings and your parents, provided again that certain conditions are met. 

Benefit #3:  Security in Your Status

Your status in the United States is more secure as a U.S. citizen. By contrast,  there are multiple ways that you could lose your lawful permanent resident status.  For example, if you are convicted of certain crimes or if you spend too much time outside of the United States, then you could potentially lose your status as a U.S. lawful permanent resident.

However, once you become a U.S. citizen, it is much harder to lose that citizenship.  To be sure, there are ways to lose citizenship in the U.S., through a process called “denaturalization.”  But, it is much harder to lose your citizenship once you become a citizen compared to being a lawful permanent resident.