Lexy

Whenever you like (after the 5 year mark) as long as you continue to meet the requirements, or never.

It is the law in the US to enter and exit the US on your US passport. You will need to show your Aussie passport to the airline when you leave as a "visa" of sorts though and then again when you enter Australia and exit Australia (and US passport as the "visa") and enter the US on the US passport. Good times.

Australia has no issues with dual or multi-nationality.

Sometimes I worry about the dual citizenship. What if one day Australia changes its laws and we will have to choose which one to keep?! Hmm....

I wonder if that 5 year tax penalty still applies if you renounced the US citizenship?

You would be breaking the law if you leave without it.

Thanks newacct. It makes sense now.

Thank you Girimuthy and Shub for the replies. I appreciate your help.

Very true, once you are naturalized must have a US passport to enter the US, but can leave without it. And our DOS has 202 different sets of laws with each country they have agreements with. With the country and the place of birth they put in my wife's home country, she was forced to renew her citizenship in that home country she was born in, but left if she wanted to visit her family there.

But certain privilages in being naturalized, like if our home town decides to have a strong tax hike to build a statue for the mayor, and least she can vote no. Have no say in this matter as an LPR. For me was freedom from that I-864 say if my wife was hit by a hit and run driver and kicked off our health insurance policy because of a precondition. But maybe this will change if the republicans permit this.

And of course, as a sponsor, no more obligation to maintain the AR-11 in case we move. Yet another advantage depending on your state, with my wife's employer with a slow down, LPR's are the first to go.

But in a sense, now we have to maintain three passports, but the lesser of the evils, but in a sense, they get you one way or the other. You have to weigh this out for yourself. But it is great to be finally free of the USCIS. Seven years with a wife and a stepdaughter.

Thanks Nick D. There are certainly some advantages and disadvantages having US citizenship. A couple of disadvantages are the filing of taxes every year, inheritance tax and apparently some US citizens in German were having problems borrowing money for a house mortgage because they were US citizens and the IRS required the banks to provide information often about the finances of those US citizens. Some banks do not have that kind of system, or capability and it is costly so they just refuse loans to US citizens. That is terrible in my opinion.

No that's the earliest you can apply. The 10 years is when you would have to renew the GC if you hadn't applied to become a citizen yet. You can apply any time you wish after that 90 days before your 5 year mark. Or as others said, never if you choose. If you never do, you'll just have to renew the GC every 10 years as that's when it will expire. That's all that 10 year thing means...

Thanks Warlord, it is now much clearer.

Oh I see.

I thought it was compulsary to apply within 90 days before hitting the 5 year mark!! Else your next chance to get your citizenship would be at the 10 year mark.

Or can you apply after 6 or 7 yrs?

Also, once naturalized could I still travel on my other passport from my old country?

True true. You're not sure if you're gunna keep your GC? 'cause even with a GC you are taxed wherever you are (say you move back to Aus for a year and get a re-entry permit you still need to file US taxes).

Inheritance tax you say? I might look into that

**Edit - Looked into it. So it's called the Estate tax here and the exemption rate is pretty decent! I doubt I'm inheriting more than $1mil anytime soon

I guess you can keep your GC and then renounce it and not have a tax exit fee. With an US citizenship you have a tax exit fee of 5 years or is it 7 years now? So you are paying tax for the following few years after giving up your US citizenship. I am not clear on inheritance tax yet, still digging for info.

It's not a mistake to do what you feel is right... that said, I'm hoping to apply as soon as I am able. My main reasoning being I want to be free to move back to Aus and not worry about immigration. My dad isn't exactly healthy and I'm hoping he lasts for a couple more years yet but I would like to be able to travel without being worried about my immigration status here. I think about having kids and am still not sure whether I want to do that here in Aus but I would like the freedom to make the choice without worrying about immigration timelines anymore!

What are you feeling rushed about specifically? If you're not comfortable becoming an "Australian American" yet that is totally your prerogative

I do understand where you are coming from and it is good reasoning, I felt the same way too about traveling and not worry about immigration status etc... But being taxed anywhere I go is weird, I have not come to grips with that concept yet. Plus the inheritance tax is a doozy.

I just need more time to think about this, and then in 2 yrs if I am still around I will have another chance I suppose.

I have decided to take my time regarding naturalization and not do it this year. I want to make sure I feel 100% comfortable instead of being rushed.

Do you think I am making a mistake?

You know in reality this could be a blessing in disguise. Imagine the drama if she waited until after the wedding to show her true colours. Imagine the drama of going through the divorce, and he probably WOULD have spent much of the money by then. While it's truly sucky this happened it could have been so much worse - and he and his child deserve better than this. It's also probably good that she didn't have enough time to fully imprint herself in the child's life as a mother, ugh.

He will be okay. He will survive and he'll be better for it. And I guarantee that most of her friends who know both him and her feel as you do, so he's not alone or isolated.

Indeed, it may be a blessing in disguise.

Thank you for your encouragement, I will pass it along and make him feel better.

Thank you so much for your reply. I had a feeling that would be the case but you two reinforced it. He has not spent all of his money, but is in a lot of hurt over this woman's actions.

Some of my friends think she may have someone on the side, as the fiance has checked her emails and found a few emails from another guy, and he confronted her about it. Both of you are right the smoking issue was just that smoke to hide the real issue.

Here is the thing, she was the one chasing him to marry her.

She just kicked him out of the house, he is now living with friends. I cannot believe this is happening to him... I know this woman, and I am shocked she would treat her finance this way.

Hi, I know this girl who is an Australian and has sponsored her fiance and his son from Europe to Australia on a promise to marry him. He is from Europe and arrived in Australia mid March 2012.He is in Australia on a Fiance visa. He left his home country, sold everything - house, car, left his good job to move to Australia and marry this woman. The Australian sponsor and he have plans to marry in 7 days.

3 days ago they had an argument about smoking and she left the house they currently live in together, and disappeared for 48 hours. She came back home saying she was at work during this missing time.

She does not want to marry him more. Is the anything he can do about this dilemma he is in? Can he sue her for the pain and suffering? The Australian gov. will probably kick him out of the country in 9 months if they are not married by due date. He is in mid 40's has a son, so is she. To move back to his own country will be difficult for him and his child who should be attending school by now. The child cannot attend school until they marry, as he currently has no rights in Australia.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks.

L.

This waiting game is pretty annoying. I wish everything is over already.

I know, but if you keep busy and try not to think about it, it will come when you least expect it. I was surprised when I got mine. I had other things on my mind on that day and it was refreshing to get some good news.

congrats again..

Thank you 1LUVV. I hope you do not have to wait much longer.

I received my GC today.

I would update the csc table but it seems to be out of font and order for some reason so I did not want to make it worse. .

I just sent in my n400 package with only the form the money and nothing else.

Why?

Did anyone notice Uscis case status has not been working since morning or was it just my computer and android acting up...

It has not been working today. I suspect maintenance is to blame for it.

I go this email from USCIS which states that they are developing an online system for immigration ( I thought they did that 2 yrs ago but apparently it is still going or maybe not finished). Maybe you would like to read this article..

""Posted by Alejandro Mayorkas, Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is in the post-development testing phase of a new system that will transform our paper-based agency into an electronic, online organization. This is an unprecedented step for the world’s largest and most complex immigration system. To view what we have developed – the USCIS Electronic Immigration System (ELIS) – we encourage you to watch our informational video.

Read more at: http://blog.uscis.gov/2011/12/uscis-develops-transformation-system.html#comment-form "

To all those who were approved (INNEEDOFHELP, INNA, LEXY, CHICAGOGUY 2, MYPERFECTFLAW, and MIKE143), is your approval date exactly or close to the expiration date on your conditional green card?

Hi foolskill - mine is a little over 1 week before the expiration date. I pray that everyone will have a smooth and fast approval too.

I mean who would have an interest in contacting USCIS and the IRS with facts about his cheating other than yourself? You of course because you have an interest to protect regarding financial sponsorship and immigration. He figured it out, not hard to do.

Could he have gotten this under the Freedom of Information Act? Usually when there is a complaint against you, you will be informed of the facts of the complaint but not the person who made the complaint. So even no one told him who made the complaint the deduced it was you because you lived together and no one else could have known all the correct facts about his shady business...

Congrats Lexy !!

Thanks Yurika & Jim. Took 81 days. CSC is moving way faster than Vermont. Maybe the workload is too disproportionate.

Just waiting on the card now.

Updating my approval date: -

I received an email with "Your Case Status: Card/ Document Production. On November 30, 2011..."

California Service Center (30 applicants, 4 approved 13%)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

CHANTEL..............08/31/11........09/02/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--....(K2)

BULGARICAN...........09/01/11........09/09/11.......10/03/11........--/--/--....(RFE received 11/29)

FOOLSKILL............09/02/11........09/06/11.......10/10/11........--/--/--....(Early Bio 9/21)

INKY.................09/03/11........09/06/11.......10/03/11........--/--/--....

INNEEDOFHELP.........09/07/11........09/09/11.......10/03/11........11/02/11....(card received 11/07)

ADIIANN..............09/09/11........09/1?/11.......10/19/11........--/--/--....(Early Bio 10/13)(RFE received 11/25)

GUNDAS...............09/09/11........09/12/11.......10/03/11........--/--/--....(Early Bio 9/19)

INNA.................09/09/11........09/14/11.......10/05/11........11/21/11....(care received 11/28)

TANKGURL38...........09/09/11........09/12/11.......10/07/11........--/--/--....

FREYJA...............09/10/11........09/12/11.......10/03/11........--/--/--....

LEXY.................09/10/11........09/12/11.......11/02/11........11/30/11....(Early Bio 10/14)

JULIDEN..............09/10/11........09/12/11.......10/07/11........--/--/--....

CHICAGOGUY 2.........09/12/11........09/19/11.......10/12/11........11/21/11....(card received 11/25)

MYPERFECTFLAW........09/12/11........09/19/11.......10/11/11........--/--/--....

TODSKIE82............09/12/11........09/15/11.......10/24/11........--/--/--....

LOVABLE81............09/13/11........09/15/11.......10/24/11........--/--/--....

DAVINCHI.............09/13/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--....

MINNEW...............09/14/11........09/16/11.......10/24/11........--/--/--....

SELMA&ELVIR..........09/14/11........09/16/11.......10/21/11........--/--/--....

SHAIMA...............09/15/11........09/??/11.......10/28/11........--/--/--....

1LUVV................09/16/11........09/19/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--....

MATT & BING..........09/16/11........09/19/11.......10/24/11........--/--/--....

VA8688...............09/19/11........09/23/11.......10/28/11........--/--/--....

PURPLE22.............09/21/11........09/22/11.......10/21/11........--/--/--....

SIMPS................09/21/11........09/22/11.......10/20/11........--/--/--....

CHICAGOMAMMY.........09/21/11........09/27/11.......11/02/11........--/--/--....

(former _HOPEFULLY)

MIKE143..............09/22/11........09/23/11.......10/24/11........--/--/--....(Early Bio 10/12)

JULY09BRIDE..........09/24/11........09/26/11.......10/31/11........--/--/--....

JJBANDERO............09/27/11........09/28/11.......10/25/11........--/--/--....

NAT&SUL..............09/27/11........09/30/11.......10/23/11........--/--/--....(Early Bio 10/07)

Vermont Service Center (23 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

BMORE................09/01/11........09/06/11.......10/21/11........--/--/--....

CANADA2US............09/06/11........09/09/11.......09/30/11........--/--/--....

MISR.................09/06/11........09/09/11.......09/29/11........--/--/--....

CHERRYRED_04.........09/07/11........09/12/11.......11/07/11........--/--/--....

JEFF&MADZ............09/08/11........09/12/11.......10/12/11........--/--/--....

FLICKER..............09/09/11........09/13/11.......10/17/11........--/--/--....

FABILOUS.............09/09/11........09/12/11.......10/14/11........--/--/--....(Early Bio 10/5)

BIGBUBBLE............09/10/11........09/??/11.......10/24/11........--/--/--....

JOHN & MARY..........09/12/11........09/16/11.......10/26/11........--/--/--....(Early Bio 10/12)

JOSHUA EBBI..........09/12/11........09/15/11.......10/12/11........--/--/--....(Early Bio 10/3)

KAT & A..............09/13/11........09/19/11.......11/23/11........--/--/--....

MONKEYJUICE..........09/14/11........09/19/11.......10/14/11........--/--/--....

ANNA1988.............09/15/11........09/16/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--....

KARENANDTREV.........09/15/11........09/19/11.......10/18/11........--/--/--....

SHANI-SAURUS.........09/15/11........09/??/11.......10/28/11........--/--/--....

ACINLOVE.............09/17/11........09/20/11.......10/14/11........--/--/--....(Early Bio 10/12)

BRIAN-CHARISMA.......09/17/11........09/21/11.......11/10/11........--/--/--.....

BABYROG..............09/19/11........09/22/11.......10/28/11........--/--/--....

DYLAN&DOUGLAS........09/20/11........09/23/11.......10/21/11........--/--/--....(Early bio 10/11)

ELLIE-AND-DAVID......09/20/11........09/23/11.......10/21/11........--/--/--....

BLUESTUMCGREW........09/22/11........09/26/11.......10/24/11........--/--/--....

BARCA................09/24/11........09/27/11.......10/26/11........--/--/--....(Early Bio 10/7)

MARTIN AND RAVEN.....09/24/11........09/30/11.......11/02/11........--/--/--....

IMPORTANT!

* Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

* Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.

* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.

* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.

* Please check that you have not deleted anyones NAME & DATA.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

Approved = The Date your case was approved

* Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list.

* When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly

* If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.

"Application Type: CRI89 , PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS RECEIVED

Your Case Status: Card/ Document Production

On November 29, 2011, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service at..."

Wooohooo!! Got the text and e-mail this afternoon

G'Day there Aussie compatriot

Congratulations!! woo hoo.

Also congratulations to all the others who have their approvals. Nice Christmas present.

Hi Lexy, that was a misunderstanding. Removing Condition is not yet approved. I am so sorry for convincing you.

I am still waiting like everybody.

Congratulations.....

Ooops...

What was your date of biometrics? Or are you still waiting on that too?

Hi, congratulations.

Hey 1LUVv

You seem to also have had your adjustment status approved in your profile. Is that the same as Removing Conditions? Congrats.

What was the date of your biometrics & the date of your approval so we can update the applications table?

With your name updated we will have 4 approvals now.

Kinda confuse now because when we applied for k1 visa, we just sent my husband's tax return from turbo tax, and they accepted it just fine.

I was told I had to send in the IRS tax papers. Went in and they printed it off for me.

It's up to you.. Do what you think is the safest way of getting your evidence across...

My husband is the primary card holder though I'm authorize with all the cards, its not stated my name in all the bills. I thought that having him as my sole beneficiary in my life insurance as well as dependents in my health insurance is quite enough.

But I guess I can include our tax return for 2009 & 2010.

You need the original IRS tax returns. You can do a walkin one of the IRS offices and they will print your tax returns then and there in 5 mins. No need ton wait 14 days to get them through the mail. Good luck.