Did you know that it’s possible to be an American citizen without realizing it? A client of Puntier Law went through a situation just like this and had their life changed for the better thanks to our committed attorney. Read on for the inspiring story!
If you were born outside of the United States, there’s a chance you could be a US citizen and not even know it. It happened to a client of ours who came to us to renew a work permit when we discovered that he didn’t need it because he was already a citizen. Part of our process with every new case at Puntier Law is to perform a thorough analysis of you and your family’s immigration history to make sure that we have the best possible legal plan. In this case, it paid off because rather than simply renewing our client’s work permit like he asked us to, we were able to apply for a certificate of naturalization, which he qualified for after discovering that he had derived citizenship from his United States father.
You could be a United States citizen automatically, even if you were born outside the country
According to the Immigration and Nationality Act, anyone born outside of the United States to a parent who is a United States citizen may be a United States citizen by derivation or acquisition. That was the case with our client, and the reason we found out was that we asked a series of questions about his family history to make sure he had the best possible legal plan. Prior to coming to the Puntier Law firm, he had been to another attorney who was not as thorough and advised him to get a work permit instead through a humanitarian parole. When he got to Puntier Law, he was simply looking to renew it because he thought he was an undocumented immigrant, and had it not been for the detailed legal analysis that we insist on, with every new case, he might not be enjoying the rights of being a United States citizen right now.
Are you a United States citizen by birthright? We care about your heritage and want to know more!
It may have been a simple question, but it uncovered an important fact: our client was eligible to be granted United States citizenship due to the status of his father! With even just one parent as an American citizen, you too could find yourself with all the rights and privileges that come along with being a United States Citizen – no matter where in this world you were born! This is called “derivation” or “acquisition.” If your parent was born in the United States, it’s “derivation.” If your parent was born in the United States and you entered the United States while under the age of 18 as a Legal Permanent resident then you are a citizen based on “acquisition.” We can find out if this applies to you by asking questions about your family history. If it does apply, then you don’t need to get a work permit as some people do – instead, you already have citizenship status in the United States! Let the Puntier Law firm be your trusted advisor. Contact us today!
The Bigger Lesson!
In this situation, we should strive to learn a valuable lesson that will serve us in the future. It is important to be thorough when it comes to assessing your legal needs, especially with regard to immigration. If you are not careful and do not conduct a detailed analysis of your family history, you could miss out on potential benefits that you may already have access to. In the case of our client who was born outside the United States but had a parent who was a citizen, he almost missed out on his citizenship status because he went to an attorney who did not take the time necessary for such an assessment. This is why it’s so important to go with an experienced lawyer or law firm like Puntier Law that will make sure all possible avenues are explored before settling on any course of action.
Knowledge is Power – Get informed and remain open to expert advice
When it comes to legal questions and immigration matters, you can get informed and formulate an idea of what you may want to do. However, it’s always wise to run that plan by an experienced professional who cares about making sure your decisions are the most beneficial. That’s why working with an attorney or law firm like Puntier Law is so important – we will help you make sure all possible avenues are explored before settling on any course of action. With our expertise in immigration laws, we can advise you on the best steps to take for getting access to potential benefits that may be available to you without even knowing it yet.
Contact the Puntier Law firm and let us fight for your rights.
