what need to be done to get citizenship

[aboodi 0]

Hello All great visajaourney members,

finally today i received my greencard based on marriage of USC.

what need to do to get the citizenship..

also what tax amount need to be payed each year, maybe this is stupid question but we are student and all funds we get it is money from the scholarship for living. its around 40k a year, but for both of us me and my wife.. the source is scholarship from outside usa but these is payments rolls shows in our bank accounts.

i believe this website has experience and knowledge more than any other place,

Edited January 21, 2014 by aboodi

[Shub 78]

Did you get a 2-year green card or a 10-year green card? Check the expiration date.

If it's a 2-year green card, you need to worry about Removal of Conditions before citizenship.

http://www.uscis.gov/i-751

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/86-removing-conditions-on-residency-general-discussion/

ROC is an extremely important process and USCIS does not remind you to apply for it -- and if you do not apply for it at the right time, your green card can and will be revoked.

But as far as citizenship is concerned, it's relatively easy. If applying on the basis of being married to a US citizen (the "3-year rule"), you can apply within the 90 days preceding the 3rd anniversary of your becoming a permanent resident (the date on your green card next to "resident since").

Make sure you file your federal taxes each year, make sure you don't leave the country for more than 6 months. There are other requirements of course.

You should read USCIS publication M-476, A Guide to Naturalization -- http://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/citizenship-through-naturalization/guide-naturalization

You can also review the eligibility worksheet by going to http://www.uscis.gov/n-400 and clicking on "Document Checklist, Current Fees, Naturalization Eligibility Worksheet". The worksheet is very useful.

As for your taxes, well, this is an immigration forum. To be clear though, when it comes to applying for US citizenship, it doesn't matter how much you pay in taxes, so long as you filed your taxes.

I really have no idea how LPRs getting income from international scholarships are taxed, but you could go to some place such as H&R Block and ask for advice.

[aboodi 0]

thanks Mr. Shub... i really appreciate it..

my travel not more than 180 days in 3 years or each time i should back before 6 month of stay outside,,

[Shub 78]

It's OK to have 180 days outside of the US in a period of 3 years (like if you went on vacation trips for a few weeks at a time here and there which totaled 180 days over a period of 3 years). What you want to avoid is trips of 6 months or more, like leaving the country in January and not coming back until 6+ months later.

It's technically OK to do that, but there are special considerations.

Read part C of http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartD-Chapter3.html to get a better understanding.

And before you make a mistake which a lot of people do, it's not OK to leave for almost-but-not-quite-6 months, come back for a week, and leave again for almost-but-not-quite-6 months. USCIS may consider that one long trip of a little under 12 months instead of two trips of a little under 6 months.

[aboodi 0]

got you. what i will do is :

each year will travel three times. each time will stay a month outside USA.

i think this is ok. right??

so total in three years will be 9 to 11 months outside USA.

each time not more than a month..

[Shub 78]

That should be alright. Keep in mind one of the requirements when applying for citizenship based on the 3-year rule, you have to have 18 months of physical presence in the USA. A total of 9 to 11 months, like you said, should leave you well within those limits.

[Cathi 5,770]

it's important to remember that you are supposed to be living in the US. so don't spend more time outside the US than in.

[aboodi 0]

yes sure guys. i will stay here in USA, if i been there just a little to see my mother,

Thanks Mr.

Shub

Thanks Mr.

mimolicious

[warlord 73]

Being out 6 months or more is not the issue. The issue is what you are doing out of the country period. That is what the USCIS will be taking in consideration if you are breaking residency and or abandoning your GC. You can be perfectly fine living out of the US for more than 6 months if YOU can prove that you haven't broken the rules with the GC. You can also be in trouble if you're even out 1 month if the USCIS can prove that you did break the rules.

Remember the 6 month thing has always been misinterpreted on here. The only thing the 6 months means is who has to prove that the GC has or hasn't been broken. Under 6 months out of the county, the USCIS will have to prove you broke or abandoned your GC. After 6 months you need to prove that you didn't break or abandon your GC.

If you live and work in another country for say 2 months and plan on continuing that and only coming back to the US for short stays, then most likely the USCIS will catch up and revoke your GC. Regardless of how long you were out. If you were caring for a sick family member and were able to prove it for 9 months, then you would be fine.

So stop using the 6 months as some imaginary rule of allowance. It isn't.

Now anything over a year without a re-entry permit is pretty much an automatic revocation of the GC...

[aboodi 0]

wow warlord u make me afraid,

whats the words and answers that make abandoning the GC..

like if i said i'm going to do work for a month it's will abandoning GC?