Naturalization

The process through which a person becomes a US Citizen.

Oath Completed US passport Applied !!! Long Immigrtion Journey Ended !!!

Finally my long immigration journey has ended this moning. Oath ceremony took only couple of hours & at the end was given that precious naturalization certificate. Feeling bad to give up that GC but guess in order to get something bigger you have to gve up something !!!!!! Just kidding !!! Man I'm excited. I'm a proud US citizen now. I didn't wait any longer. My US pssport form that I alreay completed last night was turned in right after the oath ceremony at a US post office. Now just have to wait for that passport to arrive at my mail box. 

Citizenship and Naturalization

Reentry permits and citizenship application

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My husband is a LPR (since 1993) interested in applying for naturalization. He was granted a reentry permit and used it to enter the country nearly 2 years ago. How long does he have to wait to apply for naturalization?

If he was out of USA for more than one year at any one time, the reentry permit will allow him to file after 4 years and 1 day from re-establishing domicile in USA.

Shoplifting and naturalization

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I am permanent resident of USA for 5 years,and I was shoplift in JCPenny and caught by securities in 2008,they took me to their office,took my picture, and got copy of my driver license,and asked me to sign 2 form of documents,one was saying I can't enter store for a year,second one was a civil demand($500 fines),they did't called police,do I have criminal record? FBI will check it out? I already sent in the citizenship application,and have wait for 3 months after the fingerprint taken,still didn't receive interview notice. Will they reject my application?

From what you have described it does not appear you have a criminal conviction. Nevertheless, in my view, you should get yourself a local lawyer to assist you with the naturalization process.

Travel while citizenship/naturalization pending

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I am currently a GC holder and have resided in the US for 30 month out of 5 years. I will be eligible to file my Citizenship (N400) paperwork next month. Once I have filed my application for Citizenship, can I leave the US and travel to Canada to visit my daughter? I was planning to be out of the US in Canada for 3 months. Will it be ok or me to leave the US once I have filed my application or Citizenship? or should wait to file upon return back from Canada?. Do I need to live continuously in the US while my application for Citizenship is in process?

Temporary absence of three months while your citizenship application is pending should not pose a problem as long as you remain a permanent resident of USA.

Citizenship Form

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Iam a US citizen I want to fill for citizen for my mom I dont know which form I should fill out to send to immigration.

I am assuming she has been a green card holder for 5 years the form is N-400.

US Citizenship, misdemeanor case

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First of all I would like to thank Rajiv for this website. I am a new user but I've read some answers and felt so easy already. I had a misdemeanor charge back in 2007, shoplifting (less than 500). I did community service 24 hours and was on probation, got early termination of probation in 2008. All records got cleared in the state of Colorado. I am thinking to apply for US citizenship but very nervious about it. Please advise. I have two daughters. My husband could apply first with kids and I could try after them. Please help me. Need your advice.

Thanks for your kind comments about our web site. You can apply, but USCIS can certainly make an issue about the misdemeanor. You may want to retain a local lawyer.

My naturalization interview experience

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I had my interview today.The officer asked me simple direct questions like my DOB,when I came to USA ,when I moved to this state..then on the trips section he said "what was your purpose of your visits, becuase I see trips for like 3 months "i said " i visited my husband and relatives"and thats it on this section,given that i made 6 trips out,the longest is for 5.5months after civics,he said I passed,but no decision was made because they need to review my physical residency. Is my case very bad? I am worried!total days spent out were 554(1.5yr)in my 5yr residency!how bad is that? do they take long time to respond?

I see no problem with the visits - they were all less than 6 months. I think it should be ok. It is difficult to estimate how long it will take.

How does Immigration office verify the dates of entries/exits

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Could you tell me how does the Naturalization Office verify dates of US entries/exits? My wife and I have been lawful US Green Card Holders since 1990 and we're interest in applying for naturalization now. We've been traveling in and out the US for the past 19 years and I didn't save all the plane stubs. I believe we only have some of the US entries (not exit) stamps on our passports. Also we've renewed our passports once, so our passports only show the entries stamps for the past 3 years or so.

As far as I know they rely upon your passport and their own entry-exit records through Form I-94 system. This situation is common and can be corrected by supplying affidavits from applicants along with any other evidence you may have.

Renewing Expired GC and Citizenship for autistic/disabled persons

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One of our clients (I think I have worked with these folks for over a decade) had these questions:

Quote:  A member of our family was issued a Green Card in November 1980. The green card did not have any renewal date (see enclosed). I assume Green Cards at that time did not have a renewal date. Does this need to be renewed?

Ans: Replace the green card. See:
http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-90instr.pdf

Consequences of DUI's on naturalization and green card

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Dear Mr.Khanna, I have reading all your post and found you quite informative. I will appreciate if you can let me know the possible consequences of my case.

I was in restaurant in Gaithersburg MD on Jan 29 2008 with my boss who was visiting from Atlanta. I had a beer and 2 glasses of wine with dinner came out sat in the car and started backing up. As you know it was winter and had rained earlier the windscreen at the back got fogged out. While backing up I hit a car parked. Police was in that parking lot and arrested for drunk driving. I blew .09. I was given a bunch of tickets after being 30 minutes in the precinct and was released. In the court they dismissed 2 tickets like DUI and DUI par se and convicted me DWI and Failure to control Speed to Avoid Collision. BTW DWI in MD is a lesser offence when you blow less than the state .08 BAC typically .07. And Failure to control speed to avoid collision which is maximum fine $130.00.Now the Judge gave me Supervised Probation till I finish my MADD Class. After that the Probation goes to Unsupervised for 12 Months. Now I am elligible to file citizenship. I have finished 5 years of LPR time with minimal travel aborad.

Now my questions are :

1.) Will I get deported or removed.
2.) Will I have problems while entering POE while travelling from overseas.
3.) Will my Citizenship be denied if I file after my probation gets over.

Please share your knowledge It will immensly help my stress. This one mistake of my life has really taken a toll in my life.

Your earliest reply will highly appreciated.

Let us look at the law for green cards and removal (deportation) first.

Remember the following GENERAL elements of the law (there is more to it).