If you are a resident alien living in the state of Michigan, you may be nervous about all the recent changes in immigration law happening in states like Arizona. While legitimate green card holders really have no reason to worry, many residents are now very eager to take that extra step toward full security and confidence by becoming United States citizens. Citizenship is the only way to ensure that you can never be deported for any reason, and this is the sort of peace of mind that many residents long to have. If you are thinking about making a citizenship application in Michigan, you probably already know that there is a long process ahead of you, but it can be made relatively straightforward if you simply follow the rules and get the necessary help.While you may think that it's simply a matter of acquiring the appropriate immigration forms, filling them out yourself, and waiting for an interview, an application for citizenship can go a lot more smoothly if you have a legal representative to help you. A lawyer can not only help facilitate the process, can also help prevent frustration in navigating the ever more complex minefield where state laws and federal laws overlap. You cannot be expected to understand all these laws yourself, but not understanding them can mean that if you attempt to apply on your own, your application may be rejected on a technicality, which can be frustrating to say the least. Citizenship services and lawyers can help you avoid frustration.If you are already living in Michigan with a blood relative who is a United States citizen, then you can avoid most of the process of naturalization by applying to citizenship via your blood ties. However, this does not apply to most applicants, and everyone else must go through the full process of naturalization. This includes those who are married to United States citizens. Hollywood often makes it look like marriage is some magic key to United States citizenship, but this is hardly the case. The only way in which marriage helps you is by reducing your residency requirement from five years to three years. All the other aspects of the citizenship application process remain the same.Aside from the residency requirements, applicants must also complete an interview during which they demonstrate certain knowledge and skills. For example, the interview will be conducted in English, and applicants must show that they can handle the level of English involved. If you are nervous about this, you can discuss your concerns with your lawyer, who can advise you if you need to do any additional preparation on top of what you already know. You will also be required to show that you have a basic level of knowledge regarding United States history and government. While the history and government exam is not a particularly difficult one, you do need to be prepared, as part of the process of demonstrating that you take your application for citizenship seriously.