Becoming a U.S. Citizen
For most people, naturalization is the last step in a long immigration journey — one that may have taken years of green card renewals, travel documents, and waiting. It should be the easy part. Often it isn't. A gap in your residence history, an old arrest, time spent abroad caring for family, a name that was spelled three different ways on three different documents — any of these can turn a routine application into something that needs real legal attention.
Kanu & Associates, P.C. handles naturalization and citizenship matters for clients throughout Arizona and New Mexico. We take time to understand your goals, explain your options, and help you move forward with confidence. Dr. Kanu has more than two decades of legal experience in immigration law and sits as a Board Member of the State Bar of Arizona's Immigration Law Section.
How We Help With Your N-400
We work with individuals and families on filings before USCIS, and we know what the agency looks for. Before anything is submitted, we go through your history with you — residence, travel, taxes, marital status, selective service, any contact with law enforcement — so there are no surprises at the interview.
- Reviewing your eligibility: continuous residence, physical presence, and good moral character
- Preparing and filing the N-400 with the supporting documents that actually belong with it
- Flagging problems early — long trips abroad, unpaid taxes, missed child support, old criminal records
- Coordinating with our criminal defense practice when a prior charge is part of the picture
- Preparing you for the interview and the English and civics tests, including what the officer may ask about your file
- Requests for disability exceptions and testing accommodations where they apply
- Responding to Requests for Evidence and addressing denials or delays
- Derivative and acquired citizenship questions for children, and certificates of citizenship
If a criminal case is still open, or if a conviction appears in your record, do not file first and ask questions later. Some offenses affect eligibility, some restart the good moral character clock, and some can put a lawful permanent resident into removal proceedings instead of citizenship. We handle immigration law, criminal defense, and removal defense in the same office, which means one team can look at both sides of the problem at once.
What Clients Say
Kanu & Associates holds a 4.3 out of 5 rating from 152 reviewsand was recognized with Avvo's Client's Choice award in 2020.
The very best Immigration attorney out there. Excellent and very exceptional. What sets Dr. Kanu apart is his meticulous attention to detail and commitment to his clients' success.
Attention to detail is the whole job in a naturalization case. The form asks for dates and addresses going back years, and inconsistencies — even honest ones — get noticed.
Credentials
- Admitted to practice in Arizona (2001, Supreme Court of Arizona)
- U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, 2001
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2002
- State Bar of New Mexico, Member
- Juris Doctor, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 1999
- Top 20 Solo Practitioners in Arizona, State Bar of Arizona, 2012
- Excellent Lawyer, Avvo, 2011
Talk To Us About Your Application
Whether you are filing for the first time, were denied and want to understand why, or are simply not sure whether now is the right moment to apply, we are glad to talk it through. Bring your green card, your travel history, and anything USCIS has already sent you.
Call (602) 324-5320 or email solomon@kanulaw.com. Our office is at 15150 W Pk Pl Ste 215-2064, Goodyear, AZ 85395, open Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm. We also assist clients with asylum, removal defense, E-1 and investment visas, immigration court matters before EOIR, consular processing, family law, estate planning, business law, and traffic matters.