Hello everyone,

I am German Citizen living with my Husband who is in the USmilitary, we are married since 4years, got married in germany and never lived together in the states.

Now i wanted to file first for a green card, cause you know how the military is sometimes it's you gotta go NOW back to the States,anyway i filed for the green card got all the paperwork done until the medical part and the interview part, cause they embassy wanted to have us leave to the states right after the medical and interview part , but unfortunate that suddendly never happend anymore, so everything got on hold.

Now my husband and i talked about me getting the USCitizenship, i worked for the US here in germany as an LN and want to have a goverment job in the states as well, maybe considering applying for an police officer job , anyway i can't file for the US until we leave that is ok, but now i'm a little bit confused, cause people here in the forum say you need to be 3 years married in the STATES, perm.residence, well but we are stationed in germany for another 2years, does that mean i'm ending up beeing almost 6years married and can't file for an USCitizenship because we are not in the states because the Army???? Can i apply for goverment jobs or as an police officer just with a green card???

i'm a little bit worried about my future career, so if somebody may know somthing about living overseas,Germany, with USCitizenship spouse since almost 4years married, applying for a USCitizenship, without ever having perm.residence in the states together!!!
I need HELP and every help is highly appreciated, thanks for your time
manuela

P.S. the embassy told me here,before we leave i need to have a purpose for applying as USCitizenship, so in my case that would be wanting to work for the goverment and there jobs require USCit., does that mean the embassy gives me wrong information???

i was always under the impression u had to have the green card 3 years before applying for citizenship but sometimes the military has different rules. hopefully some one here can answer your question since i really dont know.

Thank you anyway for your support i really do appreciate it.
See it's just that i really don't know cause like you already said Military has
certain exceptions. Sometimes it's i really feel like crying because nobody
really know, or can tell me who has any information based on this.


But i really do appreciate your support!!
thanks again

You must first be a permanent resident for 3 years.

http://www.jagcnet.army.mil/JAGCNETInterne...xpandSection=16

Naturalization for Dependent Spouses of Servicemembers (INA §319(a); 8 US.C.§ 1430(a); 8 C.F.R. §319.1)
This applies to spouses married to US citizens. All the normal requirements for naturalization apply, including LPR status, except that the required period of residence is 3 years (instead of 5) and the required period of physical presence is 18 months (instead of 30). The US citizen spouse must have been a citizen throughout the same 3 years of residency for his or her spouse to qualify. The 2 years as a conditional resident count towards the 3 years. 8 C.F.R. §216.1.
Procedure: File N-400 with the INS office where applicant resides.

Expeditious Naturalization for Dependent Spouses (INA §319(; 8 US.C. §1430(; 8 C.F.R. §319.2)
A spouse married to a US citizen, whether military or civilian, who is assigned overseas by the US government may qualify for expeditious processing of an application for naturalization. LPR status is still required; but all residency and physical presence requirements are waived. The overseas assignment must be one year or more. Marital unity is still a requirement.

First of all thanks for your answer


I now that is 3years ,Military spouse, instead 5 years marital status. But what about me want to applying for an goverment job or as already said police officer or in general jobs that require US Citizenship, can i apply with my green card until the 18month living physical in the states and applying for a neutralization or do i have to wait after the 18month until the neutralization gets approved??

thanks
manuela

You can apply for jobs that require citizenship only when you have a naturalization certificate.

Isn't there someone on base who can explain the procedure? There are so many exceptions with the military! Do they have lawyers there? I am not sure, but I guess you will need a Green Card first before applying for citizenship.

You can also call in Frankfurt and ask them a Loch in den Bauch Somebody has to know the answer... If you were in the US it would be easier, you could make in Infopass appointment and ask them there (in the local offices they usually know all the answers). Don't call the immigration hotline in the US, waste of time, they know less than we do!!!!


Good luck!

Anna

You do not clearly mention whether you have the green card or not. If you do not have a green card, then you cannot apply for citizenship. You need to apply for green card first, that is the first step. After you get the green card you can research the citizenship requirements for military spouses.

Hallo Manuela,

mein Mann ist bei der Air Force und wir haben kuerzlich erst geheiratet. Eine Freundin von mir (auch dt.) hat mir gesagt, dass es eine neue Regelung gibt, dass du zusaetzlich zur dt. die amerikanische Staatsbuergerschaft annehmen kannst. Voraussetzung hierzu ist aber, dass du eine conditional green card hast/hattest. Sprich, wenn du hier in Amerika bist, kannst du die GC beantragen. Du wirst dann erst die 2-jaehrige bekommen. Nach den 2 Jahren kannst du dann eine 10-jaehrige beantragen. Da dein Mann bei der armed forces ist, sollte es keine Probleme geben (in Bezug auf den Grund).

Sounds like your husband should talk to the legal office on base. If you got married on the US military base then that's the same as being married in the USA. It's considered US property so you can check into that. Ken

Hi,

I think you should go to the consulate in Frankfurt and just ask about all this. Or call. They are usually very helpful.

From what I know the amount of time you're married to a USC doesn't have any effect on the visa/citizenship process.
I know a couple who has lived in Germany for 15 years and they had to do the exact same procedure: apply for greencard, then citizenship.

But I think you might want to look into the DCF process, which still seems to be possible in Frankfurt. This would be the fastest way of getting the greencard, and because you've been married for more than 2 years, it would be the 10 year unconditional card.

The folks in Frankfurt should know...

Good luck!

Federal jobs require US citizenship, it's usually on the job description. However, (I believe) German citizens can work on base because the US government has an agreement with the German government to hire German nationals for some civilian jobs.

You cannot apply for US citizenship unless you're a permanent resident, so I suggest you look up info about applying for permanent residency first. The consulate at Frankfurt should have info about this http://frankfurt.usconsulate.gov/

Once you're a permanent resident you can apply for expedited citizenship via INS Section 319(a), depending on the terms of your husband's military orders.

Good luck!

I can't help you with any of the visa questions, however if you plan on obtaining the US citizenship and want to keep your German citizenship as well, you have to apply for a "Beibehaltungserklaerung" from the German authorities. Once that's approved you can get the US citizenship without losing the German one, otherwise you would instantly lose your German citizenship when obtaining the US citizenship.

I am almost in the same situation! Living in Hessen, GE with my U.S. military hubby except that I already have my green card. Is it possible to apply for U.S. citizenship without lifting conditions on my 2 year green card? and can I apply without habving to go back to America? Anyone in a similar situation here? Any reply would be appreciated! Danke-schon!

Cathy,..I am cutting and pasting below an answer I gave you in another post where you asked the same question in January, Just in case you couldnt find it,...


*****( Any person,


(1) whose spouse is


(A) a citizen of the United States,


( in the employment of the Government of the United States, or of an American institution of research recognized as such by the Attorney General, or of an American firm or corporation engaged in whole or in part in the development of foreign trade and commerce of the United States, or a subsidiary thereof, or of a public international organization in which the United States participates by treaty or statute, or is authorized to perform the ministerial or priestly functions of a religious denomin ation having a bona fide organization within the United States, or is engaged solely as a missionary by a religious denomination or by an interdenominational mission organization having a bona fide organization within the United States, and



© regularly stationed abroad in such employment, and


(2) who is in the United States at the time of naturalization, and



(3) who declares before the Attorney General in good faith an intention to take up residence within the United States immediately upon the termination of such employment abroad of the citizen spouse, may be naturalized upon compliance with all the requirements of the naturalization laws, except that no prior residence or specified period of physical presence within the United States or within a State or a district of the Service in the United States or proof thereof shall be required. *******


Then,...read this in between the stars****** and *******

******(k) Naturalization Issues Relating to Conditional Residence .



.(1) Form I-751 Filed by a Naturalized Citizen . If, prior to the second anniversary of his or her date of admission or adjustment as a conditional permanent resident, an alien naturalizes (such as an alien who qualifies under sections 319( B ) , 319© or 319(d) of the Act), the requirement to apply for removal of conditions no longer exists. Should a naturalized citizen file a Form I-751, either jointly with his or her spouse or individually as a waiver under section 216©(4) of the Act, the naturalized citizen should be advised in writing that, as a citizen of the U.S., the removal of conditions provisions do not apply to him or her. If there was Service error involved in the Form I-751 being filed (for example, if the citizen received a computer-generated notice from the Service that he or she had to file such petition), the filing fee should be refunded. The Form I-751 should be counted as a statistical denial. *******

YOU or more importantly, WE qualify under 319( .

I am going to send an email to the USCIS Frankfurt quoting these laws, and see what they say. The only stipulation in reading it, is that is YOU must be physically present in the States when applying for it, just as I stated before, in previous posts.


Ok,..there you go,...

Jodee

editted to note: wherever you see a smiley face a "b" should be there,..i tried editting to suit but the smiley kept coming up,..


SO yes you can, as a Military spouse apply for Naturalisation, and not have to Lift conditions, in the circumstances listed above.

Just to add, I did contact USCIS frankfurt, and the above law is utilised, and you do have to be in the USA to do your Naturalisation, you can apply from here but have to go back for the test and oath..they said if your lucky, you get your test and oath the same day...probably could be organised if they knew you were coming from Overseas....


Bitte!
Jodee

thanks Jodee! I know! I ask redundant questions hahah - I should get spanked hehe... Anyways, thanks a lot! And is that 319b? or 319a? Do I still qualify even if my hubby just got back from deployment? and even if I'm still a conditional resident? Where can I get the forms by the way and where can we file it (what service center)? Does it have to be signed by someone from the military? Danke!!!!