When can I apply for citizenship

[moemac59 192]

Hello fellow VJ'ers,

I am wondering when I can apply for citizenship. I entered the US in June of 2012 on a K1 visa and we got married June 22nd, 2012. I received my 2yr conditional GC on February 6th, 2013 and I will be filing my ROC application on November 6th this year. I know that some of the wait times for the PR GC may take up to a year to receive and that some people have applied for citizenship based on marriage to a US spouse if this process is taking too long. I just want to be done with the immigration process as soon as I am eligible for citizenship. Would I be eligible to apply for citizenship in June of 2015?

Any info is greatly appreciated.

[cathy2904 97]

You can apply 90 days (not 3 months) before the three year anniversary of your permanent resident status; it's not 90 days before your 3rd wedding anniversary.

[moemac59 192]

You can apply 90 days (not 3 months) before the three year anniversary of your permanent resident status; it's not 90 days before your 3rd wedding anniversary.

Conditional permanent residency or permanent residency?

Edited January 1, 2014 by moemac59

[cathy2904 97]

Conditional - the date you became an LPR. So you can apply in November 2015.

[Penguin_ie 5,986]

Look at your greencard, it has a "resident since..." date which will noit change when you get your ten year card. Add 3 years to that date, subtract 90 days, and that is the day you can file for citizenship.

[canadian_wife 1,791]

Why are you removing conditions only 8 months after you got your green card?

good luck

[aleful 1,905]

hi

you will remove conditions 90 days prior to your 2 year GC expiring not 2 years of marriage. if you got it in February 6th 2013, then 2 years is Feb 6th 2015, minus 90 days

and you can file citizenship once you removed conditions and if you have 3 years of marriage as a minimum or almost 3 years and 3 years of residency, minus 90 days

check the date on you GC where it says resident since

[florida4life 29]

When Can I Apply for U.S. Citizenship?

If you are a U.S. permanent or conditional resident -- that is, someone with a green card -- the basic rule is that you cannot apply for U.S. citizenship (or apply to naturalize) until you have lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for at least five years. That means exactly five years, to the day. For example, if you were approved for permanent residence on April 17, 2008, you would be eligible for citizenship on April 17, 2013. Check your so-called green card (permanent resident card) for the exact date on which you became a permanent resident.

If you start out as a conditional rather than a permanent resident (most likely because you got your residence either through recent marriage to a U.S. citizen or through an investor visa), your two years as a conditional resident count as permanent residence, on one condition: You must successfully become a permanent resident at the end of the two years.

Any one of several exceptions may, however, reduce the amount of time you must wait.

Exception to Five-Year Rule for People Married to a U.S. Citizen

You need to wait a mere three years to apply for U.S. citizenship if, during that time, you have been a permanent (or conditional) resident married to, as well as living with, a U.S. citizen. (See the Immigration and Nationality Act at I.N.A. Section 319(a) or 8 U.S.C. section 1430(a).) You will need to provide proof that you qualify along with your application.

This exception applies even if you did not get your green card through this marriage. So, for example, you could have gotten a green card through your employer, then married a U.S. citizen soon after, and you still need wait only three years from the date of your marriage to apply for citizenship.

You will, however, need to stay married to your U.S. citizen spouse all the way through to your citizenship interview. The exception won't work if you separate or divorce legally prior to your interview, or even if you choose to stop living with your spouse. Unfortunately, you will also lose the exception if your spouse dies before your naturalization interview.

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/when-apply-us-citizenship-46704.html

[moemac59 192]

Why are you removing conditions only 8 months after you got your green card?

good luck

My conditional residency card expires in February 2015. I am filing my ROC application in November this year as that is my 90 day window in which to apply for permanent residency.

Thanks everyone as this information has been very useful. Much appreciated.