Can a permanent resident apply for their citizenship if the ten year green card hasn't been received yet? I'm looking a bit into the future here so bear with me. I am only actually at the removal of conditions phase of this long and arduous process. Unfortunately my I-751 had to go to Vermont where they are apparently so backlogged, it's taking 12-15 months on average to process (at least that's what I've read). If everything went within a 'normal' timeframe, I'd be able to apply in July of 2009 (90 days prior to my three year anniversary of arriving in the US with my husband). If I have to wait for the 10 year card, I might be looking at October 2009 or later before I can apply.

Also, I haven't seen this (obvious) question posted before so I'm going to to throw it out there.......has anyone queried the USCIS as to why they don't split up the states more equitably in terms of caseload? I mean if Vermont is taking 12+ months to review I-751 petitions and California is taking 4+ months, ummmm HELLO!

Thanks y'all,

Jo-Anne

The short answer is YES. You can apply for "Naturalization" as long as you meet all the requirements, as defined in the Naturalization Guide.

As long as you have been married three years, meet the continuous residency requirements, are within 90 days of your 3 years as a LPR, and have your NOA from your I-751.

Well, 12-15 months is better than the no processing at all that I received from Texas, so I personally was glad to be transferred to anywhere but there!

Oh, and VSC has been giving the backlog of citizenship applications priority processing for the last few months, and anything that isn't that kind of application has been put on the back burner -- there should be movement at that centre soon.

To answer your question, yes you can apply for citizenship while the ROC is in process. Many people in this forum have done that in the past 6 months.

To be accurate, you apply for Naturalization, not Citizenship. Citizenship is what you receive after you have become Naturalized.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

That's our plan if it ends up like that.

We got 64 days waiting time on our N-400 before the green cards came in, those ten year kind, some have reported not even receiving their green cards and already were USC before receiving their cards.

Have mixed emotions on this subject, on one hand with all the expense, traveling, and aggravation to get those cards, would like to get more use out of them. On the other hand, wish that darn oath letter would come in so we can say our journey is over.

We send in a copy of our expired green card with the near to expire extension notice, was accepted okay 90 days exactly before my wife's 3rd PRC anniversary. When her new card finally came in, copied that and sent that to Nebraska, same address as where we sent the N-400, it was in her file when she had her interview. No, they didn't touch our case.

NickD,

It's not about the cards... it's about the process. Regardless, you had to follow the process that you followed. There is no advantage of being a LPR over a USC. NONE. Once the naturalization process is complete, there's no more carrying around a GC, no more updating your address with the USCIS, no more travel problems, or worries about how long you stay outside the US.

In other words, there should be NO mixed emotions about this. It is what it is, and be glad you can apply for naturalization w/o having to wait for the 10 yr GC!

In other words, there should be NO mixed emotions about this. It is what it is, and be glad you can apply for naturalization w/o having to wait for the 10 yr GC!


Ha, that is just my dull insipid sense of humor of the USCIS process we have to go through in terms of amortizing the cost of these cards and what use we are getting out of them.

I am the USC that is paying the bills for my wife and daughter, for that first two year conditional card, had expenses with fees, immigration attorneys, gathering documents from foreign countries, translated into English, medical cost, travel that came to about $14,000.00 for two two year conditional cards. So that averaged about $3,500.00 per year, per card, per person.

We did get a free stay with that one year extension, but again with fees, gathering of data, long trips for biometrics around $1,200 bucks for the ten years cards for two people, much cheaper with an average cost of $60.00 per year per person. Daughter has to wait a little longer for citizenship, she didn't plan this out and turned 18 before her 3rd anniversary so has to wait the five year period, but wife could apply meaning she would only get about 3-4 month usage out of her ten year card. So looking at it in purely financial terms, it's costing us about 200 bucks a month to keep her here legally.

USC is about the best deal, again costing us about $1,400.00, but that is good for a lifetime and hope she lives a nice long life, plus as you mentioned, has added benefits. Ha, she can even apply for a job with the USCIS for one.

I here ya brother, and I feel your pain! We all have forked out insipid amounts of money, and it amazes me how our government could have a deficit with the cash cow it has with USCIS!!!

It does seem like a waste to go through the added hassel of removing conditions, when one year later you can start the naturalization process.

Once again, it's all about the almighty dollar, and on top of that, I think they just like to torture us!

It looks like VSC will process I-751 again in about 9mo time frame. Looks like they have sorted out the mess with TSC transfers.
Regarding naturalization, you can send N-400 but it will be on shelf till priority time for I-751. At that point, they might adjudicate both petiotions at the interview. They would never call for N-400 interveiw if I-751 is not approved and priority time is quite far (N-400 would not get approved without first or at the same time approved I-751).
I guess some people think that they can just avoid I-751 decision if time for N-400 is aproching. But it is not the case.

The original question was:

Can a permanent resident apply for their citizenship if the ten year green card hasn't been received yet?

That implies the I-751 was submitted, can't get around that, but with long delays for processing, it's easy for that year to go by.

But the answer is yes, many have applied on this board 90 days for their 3rd anniversary of their PR card date and the application was accepted.

My wife's interview for the N-400 occurred exactly 20 days after her 3rd PR card anniversary date and was approved.

But now, we have to wait for delays in the justice department so she can say her 30 second oath to finish the ordeal, always something.

We received quite a stack of #10 envelopes in the mail today, but nothing from the USCIS, some of it could be used as evidence as proof of our relationship, just by habit, filed that rather than pitching it. Wonder how long I will be doing that?

Old habits are hard to break!

So what am i going to send ? Im a february filer to TSC.. None of us received NOA. Im planing to apply naturalization end of december.. All im going to send is acopy of expired green card

I'm the same - no NOA at all.

I too plan to send a copy of the expired greencard.... along with perhaps a copy of my stamped/completed Biometrics letter and a copy of my passport stamp.

Trying to start planning now so that we'll actually have the spare money to burn on the process... partly it seems like a waste... and at the same time its worth a lot more to see an end to dealing with USCIS.