citizen of 2 countries, list both?

[Ryan1 0]

Hi,

Question about n-400 natualization based on marriage to US citizen.

Our confusion is about question on n-400 - Part 3 E - country of nationality. My wife is dual citizen (cuba/russia), soon to be tri-citizen I guess

Anyway, on all of the other forms previously submitted to USCIS (751, k-1, etc), we put my wife's country of birth - Cuba as country of citizenship.

This is where her 'ties' are as well.

However, my wife is also citizen of Russia (and has valid passport). She hasn't been back in over 15 years, has no ties to Russia, but anyway, remains a citizen there too.

So, on the Part 3 E. for n-400 , I am tempted to put just Cuba as country of nationality (so as not to start confusion , since we didn't list russia anytime before) ,

OR should we put Cuba and Russia? We don't really care what US certificate says, we just want to be consistent and correct and not cofuse anything at this point.

Furthermore, the actual wording of the intructions for Part 3 E. on the N-400 is confusing in itsefl. In the instructions for 'country of nationality' , USCIS says list country (countries) of nationality, but then in a note (2) that follows it: IT READS: "if you are citizen or national of more than one country, write the name of the country that issued last passport". So, i should just write Cuba then?

I am tempted just to write cuba, and then tell the officer during the interview that also citizen of Russia, if that matters?

thanks for any advise!

[NycBra 4]

Furthermore, the actual wording of the intructions for Part 3 E. on the N-400 is confusing in itsefl. In the instructions for 'country of nationality' , USCIS says list country (countries) of nationality, but then in a note (2) that follows it: IT READS: "if you are citizen or national of more than one country, write the name of the country that issued last passport". So, i should just write Cuba then?

Since the instruction say to list the country that last issued the passport, I would just follow that rule. If during interview they ask if she is also a citizen of another country, she can then say "Russia". If asked why didn't include in the application, she can say she followed instruction which says to include the country that last issued the passport.

Edit:

Has she renewed her Russian passport recently? Is indeed the Cuban passport the one that was last issued/renewed?

Edited January 4, 2010 by NycBra

[Ryan1 0]

good question. Actually, just by coincidence, she is in process of renewing her Russian passport. She hasn't gotten the valid one back yet, and probably she won't for another 2 months since its a bureaucratic wait.

So technically , as of the day we sign the n-400 and send it in (this week), she is with expired Russian passport and valid Cuban passport. All ties are in Cuba, which is her country of birth and the country of citizenship we've been using, since that's where she originally got her K-1.

I may call the 800 number tomorrow, but I doubt there will clarify much. I don't think its a huge deal either way, but I just don't want to put Cuba and Russia on the n-400, and then we have red flags go up, since we had only put Cuba on the forms up until this point (mainly b/c the other forms were unclear about country of citizenship(S))). IE , she got her green card just lising Cuba as country as birth/citizenship.

[antda 13]

Hi Ryan1,

Likewise, I had a similar problem too....

I have a birth country, and I have another country of citizenship.

So when I filled out my forms..truthfully, I always put...

Country of birth: other country, Country of nationality/citizenship: Canada

I admit, I hated the fact that my green card and other documents have my birth country on it, as I have no connections to such anymore, and have not been there since I was born. I have lost citizenship to that birth country, and the only citizenship that I have is Canadian and my passport is Canadian.

So for the N-400, I answered it the same way....

But..I also enclosed an extra note/letter, plus proof of my Canadian citizenship, and explained my situation accordingly...

I basically said to them "My country of birth is (insert country name here), But my former country of Citizenship/Nationality is Canada. I would like my naturalization certificate to say "Canada" on it, as "I am Canadian"!. Any other country listed on my naturalization certificate is an error, and if this is the case, I would like a new certificate with "Canada" as my former country of citizenship, at no additional costs..."

Needless to say, my citizenship certificate says "Former country of citizenship: Canada"...which I am happy about...

Lol...So for you, and for anyone else in this situation, it boils down to:

What would you like listed on your naturalization certificate as "former country of citizenship".

In your case, Ryan1, I would just say "Cuba" for country of birth since your wife was born in Cuba, and "Cuba" for country of nationality, since your wife is a national of that country, and travels with that country's passport.

And then provide an extra note/letter explaining your situation about her Russian citizenship, like you did here....

It is better to tell the truth about this than to lie/conseal the fact of another country of citizenship, as that can be used against you if you lie to an immigration officer. So yes, say "Cuba", bring your Cuban passport to the interview, but also bring the Russian passport and explain accordingly about this citizenship.

Hope this helps too. Good luck with the rest of your immigration journey, and soon to be tri-citizen.

Ant

P.S. You might also have to inquire with Cuba and Russia, as for what happens to those countries' citizenship status when she becomes an American citizen. Some countries allow you to keep dual/triple citizenship, and some don't...So you have to be careful there, especially when travelling....

Hi,

Question about n-400 natualization based on marriage to US citizen.

Our confusion is about question on n-400 - Part 3 E - country of nationality. My wife is dual citizen (cuba/russia), soon to be tri-citizen I guess

Anyway, on all of the other forms previously submitted to USCIS (751, k-1, etc), we put my wife's country of birth - Cuba as country of citizenship.

This is where her 'ties' are as well.

However, my wife is also citizen of Russia (and has valid passport). She hasn't been back in over 15 years, has no ties to Russia, but anyway, remains a citizen there too.

So, on the Part 3 E. for n-400 , I am tempted to put just Cuba as country of nationality (so as not to start confusion , since we didn't list russia anytime before) ,

OR should we put Cuba and Russia? We don't really care what US certificate says, we just want to be consistent and correct and not cofuse anything at this point.

Furthermore, the actual wording of the intructions for Part 3 E. on the N-400 is confusing in itsefl. In the instructions for 'country of nationality' , USCIS says list country (countries) of nationality, but then in a note (2) that follows it: IT READS: "if you are citizen or national of more than one country, write the name of the country that issued last passport". So, i should just write Cuba then?

I am tempted just to write cuba, and then tell the officer during the interview that also citizen of Russia, if that matters?

thanks for any advise!

Edited January 4, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[mario777 0]

Hi Ryan1,

Likewise, I had a similar problem too....

I have a birth country, and I have another country of citizenship.

So when I filled out my forms..truthfully, I always put...

Country of birth: other country, Country of nationality/citizenship: Canada

I admit, I hated the fact that my green card and other documents have my birth country on it, as I have no connections to such anymore, and have not been there since I was born. I have lost citizenship to that birth country, and the only citizenship that I have is Canadian and my passport is Canadian.

So for the N-400, I answered it the same way....

But..I also enclosed an extra note/letter, plus proof of my Canadian citizenship, and explained my situation accordingly...

I basically said to them "My country of birth is (insert country name here), But my former country of Citizenship/Nationality is Canada. I would like my naturalization certificate to say "Canada" on it, as "I am Canadian"!. Any other country listed on my naturalization certificate is an error, and if this is the case, I would like a new certificate with "Canada" as my former country of citizenship, at no additional costs..."

Needless to say, my citizenship certificate says "Former country of citizenship: Canada"...which I am happy about...

Lol...So for you, and for anyone else in this situation, it boils down to:

What would you like listed on your naturalization certificate as "former country of citizenship".

In your case, Ryan1, I would just say "Cuba" for country of birth since your wife was born in Cuba, and "Cuba" for country of nationality, since your wife is a national of that country, and travels with that country's passport.

And then provide an extra note/letter explaining your situation about her Russian citizenship, like you did here....

It is better to tell the truth about this than to lie/conseal the fact of another country of citizenship, as that can be used against you if you lie to an immigration officer. So yes, say "Cuba", bring your Cuban passport to the interview, but also bring the Russian passport and explain accordingly about this citizenship.

Hope this helps too. Good luck with the rest of your immigration journey, and soon to be tri-citizen.

Ant

P.S. You might also have to inquire with Cuba and Russia, as for what happens to those countries' citizenship status when she becomes an American citizen. Some countries allow you to keep dual/triple citizenship, and some don't...So you have to be careful there, especially when travelling....

if the question says "if you are citizen or national of more than one country, write the name of the country that issued last passport" why he should mention russian passport also? He is not lieing, he is only answering the question.

Question does not say "list all of countries you are citizen of".