From temporary green card to Citizenship directly

[i12rok 0]

Hi everyone,

My wife has had her temporary green card for about a year now. We were told at the INS interview that after two years she would be eligible for the permanent 10 year card. Well, we were at a superbowl party the other day and some friends told us that we should see an immigration lawyer and get citizenship directly before the fees go up because we now have a baby (american). I had read that the fees are rising dramatically but I thought there was nothing we could do until next year when she could apply for the 10 year green card. Has anyone heard how you can get your citizenship 10 year green card without waiting till the second year?

Randy & Karol

Edited February 17, 2007 by i12rok

[Marilyn. 340]

you have be a permanent resident for 3 years (if you are married to a USC) before you can apply for citizenship..

no ifs ands or buts about it.....

your wife is a permanent resident now, the green card she has isn't temporary it is just conditional....

she will have to apply to remove the conditions anywhere between 90 days and the date her green card expires.... (which is 2 years after she received the green card)..

sometimes the process of removing conditions might overlap the 3 year mark but she can still apply for citizenship at that time even if she doesn't have the 10 year green card yet...

Edited February 17, 2007 by MarilynP

[~Jackie~ 30]

From your timeline it looks like she can apply around Sept 2008.

Jackie

[i12rok 0]

From your timeline it looks like she can apply around Sept 2008.

Jackie

Jackie,

yeah, thats right. its just that somebody told us at the superbowl party that we set an appointment or something with the immigration officer and ask about the US citizenship. With the fees going triple, who doesn't want to get US citizenship before the fees go up, right?... thanks Jackie!

Marilyn,

we know very well that i have a "conditional" greencard. we also very well understand that i have to get a 10 year greencard, wait another three years before applying for US citizenship. that means i still have four years in waiting. no arguments. its just that somebody wants to help us. thank you.

KAROL

[Marilyn. 340]

From your timeline it looks like she can apply around Sept 2008.

Jackie

Jackie,

yeah, thats right. its just that somebody told us at the superbowl party that we set an appointment or something with the immigration officer and ask about the US citizenship. With the fees going triple, who doesn't want to get US citizenship before the fees go up, right?... thanks Jackie!

Marilyn,

we know very well that i have a "conditional" greencard. we also very well understand that i have to get a 10 year greencard, wait another three years before applying for US citizenship. that means i still have four years in waiting. no arguments. its just that somebody wants to help us. thank you.

KAROL

no, you don't have to wait another 4 years....

you can apply to be a citizen 3 years after becoming a permanent resident, which you are now, conditions and all....

so 3 years after you got the card you have now... you can apply for citizenship....

Edited February 17, 2007 by MarilynP

[Boiler 47,460]

Ap0rt from being at a Superbowl party, what qualifications does your 'source' have on immigration matters?

[tammiandtom 0]

Ap0rt from being at a Superbowl party, what qualifications does your 'source' have on immigration matters?

ha, good point.

The info you've been given in this post is all very true. You can varify it all on the websites.

You cannot apply to be a citizen until you've been a permanent resident for 3 years. You do not have another 4 years to wait after you get your 10 year card, or whatever you mentioned.

You can't just apply for citizenship to avoid the fees going up. Everyone would do that if that was the case.

The fees stink, but what can you do? (start saving now?).

[nscvet 0]

Your friends may know someone who: A) was a USC working abroad for an American company, B) married in that country, C) continued to live there as husband and wife for two years or more and D) was transferred back to the U.S. Under those conditions it is possible to apply for citizenship at the same time as the green card. I know two people who did this. One of them set up his own company in order to do it.

[meauxna 15]

we also very well understand that i have to get a 10 year greencard, wait another three years before applying for US citizenship. that means i still have four years in waiting. no arguments. its just that somebody wants to help us. thank you.

Then you MISunderstand.

Please review the pinned post in this forum; it's been spelled out quite straight.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=311

In general, if you have been a Permanent Resident for three years and have been married to and living in a valid marital union with the same U.S. citizen spouse for all three years AND you meet the other criteria (Residence and Physical Presence, Good Moral Character, Language etc), you are eligible for naturalization.

So called "conditional residents" are Permanent Residents nonetheless.

5. When does my time as a Permanent Resident begin?

Your time as a Permanent Resident begins on the date you were granted permanent resident status. This date is on your Permanent Resident Card (formerly known as Alien Registration Card).

[japau 1]

The only thing somene could "help" you with is making your wallet a bunch lighter by stealing your money (and of course not offering any guarantees). Generally, certain lawful permanent residents arried to a U.S. citizen may file for naturalization after residing continuously in the United States for three years if immediately preceding the filing of the application: (1) the applicant has been married to and living in a valid marital union with the same U.S. citizen spouse for all three years; and (2) the U.S. spouse has been a citizen for all three years and meets all physical presence and residence requirements; and (3) the applicant meets all other naturalization requirements. It's not rocket science, and no one or nothing can "help" you except the clock running for 3 years from the date of lawful permanent residence...

Edited February 17, 2007 by japau

[milimelo 4,736]

I think all are correct, but what about getting the citizenship after a year - I know someone mentioned on the forum being naturalized or in the process of naturalization after one year (I think she is with her husband deployed in Germany) under certain conditions - spouses of military personnel, not sure about government employees.

[sparkofcreation 0]

I think all are correct, but what about getting the citizenship after a year - I know someone mentioned on the forum being naturalized or in the process of naturalization after one year (I think she is with her husband deployed in Germany) under certain conditions - spouses of military personnel, not sure about government employees.

Permanent residents who are active-duty military can apply while on active duty if they've been PRs for at least a year or within a year after finishing their tour of duty (I think). Not spouses of USCs on military duty and not government employees (or spouses of government employees, more's the pity).

Edited February 21, 2007 by sparkofcreation

[milimelo 4,736]

I think all are correct, but what about getting the citizenship after a year - I know someone mentioned on the forum being naturalized or in the process of naturalization after one year (I think she is with her husband deployed in Germany) under certain conditions - spouses of military personnel, not sure about government employees.

Permanent residents who are active-duty military can apply while on active duty if they've been PRs for at least a year or within a year after finishing their tour of duty (I think). Not spouses of USCs on military duty and not government employees (or spouses of government employees, more's the pity).

With all due respect please read up on this: http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/MilitaryBrochurev7.pdf Section Spouses of US Citizens deployed abroad page 23 in the M-476 guide.

If you are at least 18 years old and:

Are the spouse of a U.S. citizen who is one of the following:• A member of the U.S. Armed Forces;

• An employee or an individual under contract to the U.S.

Government;

• An employee of an American institution of research

recognized by the Attorney General;

• An employee of an American-owned firm or corporation

engaged in the development of foreign trade and commerce

for the United States;

• An employee of a public international organization of which

the United States is a member by law or treaty; or

• A person who performs ministerial or priestly functions for a

religious denomination or an interdenominational

organization with a valid presence in the United States

and You will be proceeding to join your spouse whose work

abroad under orders of the qualifying employer will

continue for at least 1 year after the date you will be

naturalized. Form N-400 should be filed prior to departing.

You must be

a Permanent

Resident at

the time of

your USCIS

interview.

Continuous residence

Not Required

Physical presence

Not required

Time in USCIS district or State

Not required

Good Moral Character, English and Civics Knowledge as well as Attachment to Constitution is Required.

Edited February 21, 2007 by milimelo

[Misis 0]

With all due respect please read up on this: http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/MilitaryBrochurev7.pdf Section Spouses of US Citizens deployed abroad page 23 in the M-476 guide.

If you are at least 18 years old and:

Are the spouse of a U.S. citizen who is one of the following:• A member of the U.S. Armed Forces;

• An employee or an individual under contract to the U.S.

Government;

• An employee of an American institution of research

recognized by the Attorney General;

• An employee of an American-owned firm or corporation

engaged in the development of foreign trade and commerce

for the United States;

• An employee of a public international organization of which

the United States is a member by law or treaty; or

• A person who performs ministerial or priestly functions for a

religious denomination or an interdenominational

organization with a valid presence in the United States

and You will be proceeding to join your spouse whose work

abroad under orders of the qualifying employer will

continue for at least 1 year after the date you will be

naturalized. Form N-400 should be filed prior to departing.

You must be

a Permanent

Resident at

the time of

your USCIS

interview.

Continuous residence

Not Required

Physical presence

Not required

Time in USCIS district or State

Not required

Good Moral Character, English and Civics Knowledge as well as Attachment to Constitution is Required.

This is exactly what my case is... supposedly "expedited" but because of the name check which nobody can do anything about it, I had to wait anyway. At the time my husband has only less than a year left overseas before he comes back in the US, so the process was put on hold. Now USCIS has resume processing my papers, I have an interview on March 5th, but I was informed by both USCIS and my husband's deparment that I can not take oath not until at least 45 days before his assignment overseas.

[milimelo 4,736]

It must have been really difficult to await the name check. I wish you the best of luck and speedy rest of processing.

Milimelo

With all due respect please read up on this: http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/MilitaryBrochurev7.pdf Section Spouses of US Citizens deployed abroad page 23 in the M-476 guide.

If you are at least 18 years old and:

Are the spouse of a U.S. citizen who is one of the following:• A member of the U.S. Armed Forces;

• An employee or an individual under contract to the U.S.

Government;

• An employee of an American institution of research

recognized by the Attorney General;

• An employee of an American-owned firm or corporation

engaged in the development of foreign trade and commerce

for the United States;

• An employee of a public international organization of which

the United States is a member by law or treaty; or

• A person who performs ministerial or priestly functions for a

religious denomination or an interdenominational

organization with a valid presence in the United States

and You will be proceeding to join your spouse whose work

abroad under orders of the qualifying employer will

continue for at least 1 year after the date you will be

naturalized. Form N-400 should be filed prior to departing.

You must be

a Permanent

Resident at

the time of

your USCIS

interview.

Continuous residence

Not Required

Physical presence

Not required

Time in USCIS district or State

Not required

Good Moral Character, English and Civics Knowledge as well as Attachment to Constitution is Required.

This is exactly what my case is... supposedly "expedited" but because of the name check which nobody can do anything about it, I had to wait anyway. At the time my husband has only less than a year left overseas before he comes back in the US, so the process was put on hold. Now USCIS has resume processing my papers, I have an interview on March 5th, but I was informed by both USCIS and my husband's deparment that I can not take oath not until at least 45 days before his assignment overseas.