Citizenship... or not?

[Chickaflick 0]

I'm just curious- does one have to proceed to citizenship after ROC or can you just stay in perm res status with a green card until the end of your days? I recognize the benefits to being a citizen but I was just curious if one HAS to continue to citizenship.

Thanks

[OKflyboy 35]

No, you don't have to. It's a privilege, not something you have to do. You can remain a LPR all your life.

[Inky 1,110]

No, you don't have to. It's a privilege, not something you have to do. You can remain a LPR all your life.

What about thos who are forced to apply for citizenship as their ROC has never been approved and the 1 year extension is running out?

[OKflyboy 35]

What about thos who are forced to apply for citizenship as their ROC has never been approved and the 1 year extension is running out?

I've never done ROC, so I'm not sure.

How can you apply for citizenship if you conditions are not lifted anyway?

You can not be forced to apply for citizenship. As long as your ROC application is pending, you're legal here.

[olivier 0]

Of course, you can decide to stay a resident until the end of days.But what's the point if this is the country you decided to live in ? The naturalization process is very easy compared to the green card quest.It is not super expensive and brings you peace of mind for ever.You never know what can happen in the future with immigration laws.Plus, you have to renew the green card every ten years.Better a citizen than a resident.When travelling, coming back to the U.S as a citizen is much less stressful too.In less than 3 years from now, i'm sending my n-400 !

[Inky 1,110]

I've never done ROC, so I'm not sure.

How can you apply for citizenship if you conditions are not lifted anyway?

You can not be forced to apply for citizenship. As long as your ROC application is pending, you're legal here.

When your 1 year extension runs out as I have seen on VJ, people are forced to apply for N-400 to push the ROC application through.

They then approve the ROC while you are doing the N-400.

I haven't seen any other way around that posted by anyone as of yet. Other than be forced to apply for Citizenship if your ROC 1 year extension is running out.

[w8inglongtime 29]

You don't have to do anything you dont want. N-400 is a priviledge that's why some people get denied even after ROC is approved.

[v333k 59]

One thing that will haunt you is if you wish to travel, then you will have to keep in mind the continuous residence and physical presence rules. In addition, you need to update your address with USCIS every time you move. Even though at one point you become eligible for citizenship, that will not mean that you can apply anytime. Your eligibility will easily be lost if you violate your continuous residence and physical presence. In addition, the fees will continue to creep up over the years so you will be looking at a higher price to pay (if not a more complicated process if USCIS sees it is necessary to tighten its fist).

Just some thoughts but OKflyboy is absolutely correct.

What about thos who are forced to apply for citizenship as their ROC has never been approved and the 1 year extension is running out?

You can keep getting 1 year extensions until they make a decision. Unless the decision is denied, they have to keep giving you extensions.

[Inky 1,110]

You can keep getting 1 year extensions until they make a decision. Unless the decision is denied, they have to keep giving you extensions.

So you would have to make an infopass to get the extension if you don't want to apply for N-400 right away?

[VanessaTony 3,567]

What about thos who are forced to apply for citizenship as their ROC has never been approved and the 1 year extension is running out?

They are not "forced" to apply for citizenship. They can speak to their congressman or senator. They can make an INFOPASS. Lots of things. There is no "force" for citizenship. Especially as some countries will revoke your home countries citizenship if you get USC.

[EasternDE 35]

Of course, you can decide to stay a resident until the end of days.But what's the point if this is the country you decided to live in ? The naturalization process is very easy compared to the green card quest.It is not super expensive and brings you peace of mind for ever.You never know what can happen in the future with immigration laws.Plus, you have to renew the green card every ten years.Better a citizen than a resident.When travelling, coming back to the U.S as a citizen is much less stressful too.In less than 3 years from now, i'm sending my n-400 !

I can tell you have not dealt with the american incomes taxes yet.

An american citizen is taxed on his international incomes, whereas in France, you're only taxed on french sources incomes.

Once you become an american citizen you will have to file every year, wherever you live, even if you decide to return to your home country.

Well, it would not be a real problem if the tax system and form were not so complicated...

I will personnaly wait a few years and make the step when I really feel like doing it.

[NickD 202]

ROC was our worse stage, before that one year extension expires,have to make an infopass appointment to either get a I-551 stamp in your valid foreign passport book, or bring in two passport photos for an I-94. Wasn't too bad for a friend living in Milwaukee, only gave her a 30 day extension, so she to go back. They have a field office in Milwaukee, but for us a 450 mile round trip.

You can't either work nor travel with an expired one year extension and have a hell of a hard time explaining to everyone what the hell a one year extension is. One reason why we applied as early as possible for citizenship. That certificate is like a final divorce decree with the USCIS. As to whether applying or not for citizenship expedites your ten year card is a good question. Know of a few people that kept themselves legal that you have to do with the I-555 or I-94 never even saw that ten year card. If it wasn't for delays in my wife's oath letter, she would have only kept her ten year card for eleven days, but the way it turned out, was for seven weeks. No refunds.

It could well be by applying for that I-551 and I-94 at an infopass also prompts the USCIS to get you your ten year card. This is difficult to say either way. If there was one key cause in stress in our marriage, was dealing with the USCIS since day one, citizenship ends that stress. You have no idea as to whether they will let you live as a family or not.

[v333k 59]

So you would have to make an infopass to get the extension if you don't want to apply for N-400 right away?

If your ROC application is still pending and your 1 year extension is about to expire, then yes, infopass and get a new extension.

[Barbara J 115]

They are not "forced" to apply for citizenship. They can speak to their congressman or senator. They can make an INFOPASS. Lots of things. There is no "force" for citizenship. Especially as some countries will revoke your home countries citizenship if you get USC.

Maybe a really silly question butttt after 10 years is it going to cost again to renew the GC like the cost of ROC? I will have to look this up as I said not sure about citizenship and this paying taxes even if you go back to home country BS I think but then I don't work but if I lost my hubbie tomorrow not that it is going to happen I would be going back home to OZ and my family not stay here.

[NickD 202]

If your ROC application is still pending and your 1 year extension is about to expire, then yes, infopass and get a new extension.

ROC came as a strong shock to me, especially after that long grilling the USCIS put us through during the AOS stage. It didn't make a damn bit of difference to them that we dated for well over two years. Both of us with bad marriages wanted to be absolutely sure we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together and the only way to do that is to spend a lot of time together. That wasn't easy either living over 5,000 miles apart. All they cared about is that date on your marriage certificate, and if just a few days short of two years, you are in for that I-751.

That form is crazy anyway, ignoring is a form of abuse, if you spouse asks you a question and it takes you several moments to answer it, can claim abuse from ignoring. If that doesn't work, immigrant spouse can claim would be a hardship to return to the home country. Not much question about that, selling your property, quitting your job, and reestablishing your life in this country. Or if that isn't enough, just say you entered the marriage in good faith, but it didn't work out.

If I were to bring an immigrant here, yes its fraud, would want to receive at least three million bucks, if caught, $250,000 fine and five years in a federal prison, and with a felony, could never get a job, so would have to be well worth my trouble. But then that fraudulent spouse would be in a perfect position to blackmail me for the payment, only thing that would happen is that person would be deported, I would go to jail.

The same evidence you need for that I-751 holds true for the N-400, but also with that same evidence you already gave them for that AOS stage, divorce papers, proof of US citizenship, marriage certificate, etc.

So exactly what good is that I-751?? It doesn't do a thing except cause severe stress. Read the USCIS only process 140,000 I-751's and they take their damn sweet time with it. Not only have to carry your expired green card, but that extension letter as well. You have done everything right, filled out the form, compiled over an inch thick of evidence, and sent it in overnight exactly 90 days before that second CLPR expiration date, then wait, wait, and wait. And its up to you to keep yourself legal, sure no help from them, but awfully damn quick on cashing your check.

Didn't help either being interrogated by a lazy a$$ snotty nose kid that doesn't even know how to wipe their butt, when you are an honored veteran of a foreign war during the AOS. But you had to be nice to that a$$ hole, being nice is what killed me more than anything.

Only way to get out of this is to apply for US citizenship, and be very nice and polite during this process.