Many legal residents hoping to secure a green card or citizenship face many financial difficulties, but are apprehensive about filing for bankruptcy because they fear it may hurt their immigration process. The good news is that there is no immigration law, statute, or regulation that states that if you file for bankruptcy you cannot become a naturalized citizen or apply for a green card. Not only that, but Form N400 the Application for Naturalization doesn’t even ask applicants about bankruptcy. The only question asked that’s related to debts is if you failed to file a tax return which doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with bankruptcy. Also, remember that just because a person files for bankruptcy doesn’t mean that they failed to pay taxes or failed to file a tax return. If you are filing for bankruptcy and plan to apply for citizenship in the United States within five years, speak with your Dallas Fort Worth attorney first.
