Applying for Naturalization without an Attorney

[stry]

My wife is a foreign national who is awaiting the approval of her Form I-751 application. We expect that she will receive her permanent Green Card sometime this year. We would like to proceed with the citizenship application shortly afterward, however we are contemplating whether to retain an attorney. We used the same attorney throughout the Green Card process, and we're very happy with his work, but my wife's situation seems quite straightforward and therefore we are wondering whether we need an attorney for the citizenship application. I am a US citizen, both my wife and I are gainfully employed, we have no previous legal issues, we're financial stability, and we have a solid marriage (the first for us both). In short, there are none of the red flags that I've seen listed on many immigration websites. That said, since we've never been through the naturalization process, I'm slightly apprehensive about unanticipated issues that might arise.

Assuming attorney costs were not an issue, I'm curious whether others have applied for citizenship without the use of an attorney. If so, were there any considerations that, in hindsight, you felt might have benefited from the assistance of an attorney? For those who assumed your application would progress smoothly, were there any unexpected problems that emerged along the way? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!

[Jot18]

My wife is a foreign national who is awaiting the approval of her Form I-751 application. We expect that she will receive her permanent Green Card sometime this year. We would like to proceed with the citizenship application shortly afterward, however we are contemplating whether to retain an attorney. We used the same attorney throughout the Green Card process, and we're very happy with his work, but my wife's situation seems quite straightforward and therefore we are wondering whether we need an attorney for the citizenship application. I am a US citizen, both my wife and I are gainfully employed, we have no previous legal issues, we're financial stability, and we have a solid marriage (the first for us both). In short, there are none of the red flags that I've seen listed on many immigration websites. That said, since we've never been through the naturalization process, I'm slightly apprehensive about unanticipated issues that might arise.

Assuming attorney costs were not an issue, I'm curious whether others have applied for citizenship without the use of an attorney. If so, were there any considerations that, in hindsight, you felt might have benefited from the assistance of an attorney? For those who assumed your application would progress smoothly, were there any unexpected problems that emerged along the way? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!

We used to get things done through an agent and not an attorney when I was younger. As I got older and started doing things on my own. I did my own I-90 replacement application, my own citizenship application and for a friend. I did my I-130 back in June 2020. Attorneys are not required if you know how to navigate forums and uscis website. People just ask on forums if there's something they are confused about and ppl help.

[NA1978]

If she has no red flags on her application and her English is good and she can advocate for herself, then no, lawyer is not needed

[Donald_Trump]

stry Unless there are some complications in the case, you don't need an attorney for either green card or naturalization applications. I filed green card application for my wife on my own and also N400 applications for myself and other family members on my own and never had a single issue. Forums like immihelp and others are very useful if you have any questions anywhere in the process.

[lisapull]

No. You can file USCIS forms yourself, including Form N-400 and Application for Naturalization, which can be submitted online. But you can't be sure that you will do it correctly. I also tried to apply on my own, but I have committed some mistakes, so when I submitted for the second time, I used the services of an attorney from oxnerpermarlaw.com. He helped me understand what I had done incorrectly during the first attempt and helped me to do it correctly, and finally, I succeeded in getting what I needed.

[cgbadamosi]

My husband and I have had an paid attorney since we filed for adjustment of status way back in 2017 & are using that same attorney for naturalization in 2022. For us, we don’t have to worry about filling out the forms incorrectly and having to pay more for a new submission. The attorney also keeps us updated on any changes with USCIS & tells us what documentation needs to be submitted. We pay the fee for peace of mind & to know that the application is done right the first time. We consider it a small price for unnecessary headaches and longer processing time.