tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32559078304790955782024-03-08T13:08:27.111-08:00Citizen By ChoiceThis blog is dedicated exclusively to citizenship and naturalization issues under U.S. Immigration Laws.
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Please note: This blog does NOT constitute legal advice of any kind. Neither viewing nor commenting on this blog establishes an attorney-client relationship.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-5632753344619073232014-06-03T05:14:00.001-07:002014-06-03T05:16:02.326-07:00<br />
N-400 Filing Tips, Updated May 5, 2014<br />
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<a href="http://www.uscis.gov/forms/tips-filing-form-n-400-application-naturalization-rev-91313" target="_blank">N-400 Filing Tips</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-22109924568032215342012-08-14T13:33:00.002-07:002012-08-14T13:33:56.113-07:00Study Materials in Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese<br />
USCIS released Civics Questions and Answers for the Naturalization test in <a href="http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.cdb41483187c7c1014fe271b526e0aa0/?vgnextoid=160ec05083f98310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=c242df6bdd42a210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD&sectionId=160ec05083f98310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&type=2&filter=1">Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese</a>.<br />
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For those age 65 and older who have had their green card for 20 years or more, USCIS offers a shorter civics exam and have provided those study materials in English, Arabic and Chinese.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-53494651482115836822012-05-29T13:47:00.000-07:002012-05-29T13:47:30.118-07:00Practice Test for Civics Part of Naturalization TestTake a practice civics test online: <br />
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http://americanhistory.si.edu/citizenship/Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-92042030999932334322012-05-03T10:12:00.005-07:002012-05-03T10:15:10.857-07:00New Study Materials for Naturalization ExamUSCIS has released <a href="http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.749cabd81f5ffc8fba713d10526e0aa0/?vgnextoid=b51777f48e73a210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=4982df6bdd42a210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD">new study materials</a> for the English portion of the naturalization exam.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-51589788186310828902012-04-20T16:53:00.003-07:002012-05-03T10:14:58.824-07:00Civics Flashcards in SpanishUSCIS has introduced <a href="http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/files/M-623-S_red_slides.pdf">new civics flashcards in Spanish</a>!<br />
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Civics cards are used to prepare for the civics exam administered during a naturalization interview. While applicants must demonstrate a basic knowledge of English, studying in Spanish may be helpful as an aide to comprehending and retaining the information contained in the study materials.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-70459672187066794802012-03-11T11:01:00.002-07:002012-03-11T11:05:49.384-07:00Newly-Published Guide to NaturalizationUSCIS released an updated "<a href="http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/M-476.pdf">Guide to Naturalization</a>", published December 2011, discussing eligibility requirements, each step in the process, frequently asked questions and who to turn to if applicants have additional questions.<br /><br />The public should bear in mind that this publication cannot substitute for the advice of an experienced immigration lawyer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-37084324777753596812012-01-27T12:08:00.000-08:002012-01-27T12:18:33.753-08:00Options for Naturalization Applicants 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semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in">To be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship, you must meet several requirements. This article discusses two of those requirements – continuous residence and physical presence – and how being outside the United States for one year or more can delay your ability to meet the requirements for U.S. citizenship.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in">To apply for U.S. citizenship, you must have your green card and either be married to a U.S. citizen for the past three years or have otherwise been a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) for at least 5 years.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in">First, you must have resided continuously in the United States for that entire time period (3 or 5 years).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A trip outside the United States of one year or more “breaks” continuous residence. Under U.S. immigration laws, you must then wait four years and one day from your return to the United States, following the trip in excess of one year, before you can apply for U.S. Citizenship.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in">Second, you must be physically present in the United States for at least half of the 5 years (or 3 years if you are basing your application on marriage to a U.S. citizen). <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For example, if your application is based on having been a green card holder for 5 years, you must have been physically present in the United States for 2.5 years. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So it is possible that each and all of your trips may be under one year, but in the aggregate total more than 2.5 years outside the United States. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in">What can you do?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Here are some tips and exceptions. </p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Wait four years and one day (or 2 years and one day if applying based on 3 years of marriage to a U.S. citizen) following the date of your return to the United States to resume lawful permanent residence. </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">In certain circumstances, you can file Form N-470, Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes. You must be employed by or under contract with the U.S. government abroad, an American Institution of Research, a U.S. firm or corporation engaged in the development of U.S. foreign trade and commerce, a public international organization of which the U.S. is a member by treaty or statute (and by which the applicant was not employed prior to becoming an LPR), or if you are someone who performs religious duties for a religious organization having a bona fide organization in the U.S.,</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">Discuss with your attorney if you are an employee of a bona fide U.S. incorporated nonprofit organization which is principally engaged in conducting abroad through communications media the dissemination of information which significantly promotes U.S. interests abroad, and have held such position for the last 5 years while a Lawful Permanent Resident,</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">Discuss with your attorney if you served honorably in the U.S. armed forces for at least one year, or you are the spouse or child of a U.S. military member who, during a period of honorable service, died while on active duty.</li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in">There are more requirements to apply for U.S. citizenship, including domicile for three months in the jurisdiction where you intend to file your application, good moral character, and your ability to answer U.S. Civics questions and read and write English.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>USCIS adjudicates naturalization applications thoroughly, including an examination of how the green card was obtained, and legal representation may be essential in your case.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The process should not be taken lightly because you could be placed in removal proceedings in the event the application is denied. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-79328208894877152362011-06-18T06:22:00.001-07:002011-06-18T06:27:28.379-07:00English & Citizenship ClassesHogar Immigrant Services (part of Catholic Charities) offers English and Citizenship classes. Fall registration is from August 1-3 from 10 am to 12 pm and 6 pm - 8 pm.<br /><br />Classes are held Monday through Thursday in the morning or in the evening.<br /><br />The cost is $115 for the semester and includes textbooks.<br /><br />Hogar Immigrant Services is located at 6201 Leesburg Pike, Suite 307, Falls Church, VA, 22044. For more information, please call Hogar Immigrant Services at (703) 534-9805 Ext. 222.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-84093415059054319622011-05-17T08:34:00.000-07:002011-05-17T08:45:19.413-07:00New Citizenship ToolkitUSCIS has unveiled a <a href="http://www.citizenshiptoolkit.gov/">Civics and Citizenship toolkit</a> which consists of a collection of civics and citizenship resources for immigrants and the organizations that serve them.<br /><br />You have the opportunity to <a href="http://www.citizenshiptoolkit.gov/Explore/">explore</a> the toolkit on the website and view the contents. Unfortunately the toolkit is only available to organizations. Individuals can either <a href="http://bookstore.gpo.gov/collections/cis-toolkit.jsp">purchase the materials</a> directly or receive free study materials if you retain the <a href="http://www.immigrationforvirginia.com">Law Office of Amy A. Long, PLLC</a> to assist with your naturalization legal matters.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-19738547277514770842011-04-28T14:59:00.000-07:002011-06-19T13:06:26.800-07:00Naturalization Based on Three-Years of Marriage<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> 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mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">You’ve had your green card for three years and you’re married to a U.S. Citizen. Now is the time to file your naturalization application, right?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Not so fast. There are a number of eligibility requirements that applicants must meet before applying to naturalize. When applying based on 3 years of marriage to a U.S. citizen, the applicant must have been living with their U.S. citizen spouse for the three years preceding the date of filing the citizenship application. Specifically the couple must have been living in marital union, defined in the regulation as actually residing with each other. The burden is on the applicant to prove that his or her marital union satisfies this requirement. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">If the couple divorces, a party dies, or the U.S. citizen spouse expatriates, then the applicant can no longer naturalize based on three years of marriage to a U.S. citizen. So what happens to an applicant who is separated but not divorced? The determining factor is whether or not the separation signifies dissolution of the marital union. Legal separations and some informal separations will serve to dissolve marital unity thus making the applicant ineligible to naturalize based on 3 years of marriage. Involuntary separation, such as that which occurs when one spouse is deployed in the course of service in the U.S. Armed Forces, does <i style="">not</i> dissolve marital unity.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">This immigration benefit permitting a green card holder to apply for U.S. citizenship after 3 years if the applicant is married to a U.S. citizen is governed by 8 C.F.R. 319.1(a)(3) and Immigration and Nationality Act section 319(a). The U.S. citizen spouse must have been a U.S. citizen for the entire 3 years. If the relationship doesn’t work out, marriage to another U.S. citizen will not serve as a substitute for purposes applying for this benefit.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">What can you do if you no longer qualify for this benefit? You can submit your naturalization application after you have had your green card for five years. USCIS should not penalize you in the event that you had applied after 3 years and were deemed ineligible for this reason (or you withdrew your application after discovering you were no longer eligible for the 3 year benefit). However, keep in mind that every application to USCIS gives the agency a new opportunity to dig into your immigration history. Should you have an irregularity in your past then you should see an immigration lawyer who can advise you on whether or not to proceed. <span style=""> </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-53719087008868107142011-03-19T07:56:00.000-07:002011-03-19T08:07:06.572-07:00Naturalization Information SessionUSCIS will be hosting a naturalization information session to provide the public with information on citizenship requirements and steps to become a U.S. Citizen.<br /><br />The session will also cover:<br /><br />--overview of the naturalization process<br />--the naturalization test and what you can expect<br />--free educational resources<br /><br />This event will be held on April 12, 2011 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Thomas Jefferson Library, 7415 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church, VA.<br /><br />Please visit the <a href="http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.749cabd81f5ffc8fba713d10526e0aa0/?vgnextoid=6013df6bdd42a210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=6013df6bdd42a210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD">USCIS website on Free Information Sessions</a> for a time and location near you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-2597171168132116862011-02-16T10:19:00.000-08:002011-02-16T10:29:51.762-08:00Open House at USCIS (Washington Office)The Washington District Office for U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) is holding a meet-and-greet open house on Saturday, March 5, 2011 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.<br /><br />The address for the event is:<br /><br />2675 Prosperity Avenue<br />Fairfax, VA 20598-2400<br /><br />This is an opportunity to meet the District Director and speak with staff members about issues that are important to you and your community. The open house will also feature:<br /><br />* A Naturalization Ceremony<br />* Information on Applying for U.S. Citizenship (including the latest test preparation materials)<br />* Information on petitioning for relatives<br />* Overview of the Application Support Center (ASC) (where biometrics are taken in connection with an applicant's N-400 citizenship application i.e. your photograph and fingerprints).<br /><br />You must RSVP to washington.communityrelations@dhs.gov by March 2, 2011.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-56392950307240311182011-01-25T06:42:00.000-08:002011-01-25T06:50:27.959-08:00USCIS Issues New Naturalization Fact SheetUSCIS released a new <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B73TmxRDjwjgYjljNGZhMjYtNjkwNy00ZGQ1LTgzYzYtYTZhNGNiMmRkYjc5&hl=en">Fact Sheet</a> on eligibility requirements to become a naturalized U.S. citizen.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3255907830479095578.post-15247813946749357822011-01-24T06:47:00.000-08:002011-01-24T07:23:10.169-08:00Pending N-400 Applications: A Serious MatterDid you successfully pass your naturalization exam and then find yourself waiting months, even years, without another word from USCIS?<br /><br />You are not alone. As an immigration attorney, I often hear from clients who have gotten so far as to pass their English and Civics test in connection with their application to become a naturalized citizen (Form N-400) only to find themselves waiting and waiting to be scheduled for their oath ceremony.<br /><br />The government's answer to this delay is that the government is conducting mandatory FBI checks on applicants for citizenship, and are unable to schedule those applicants for their oath ceremony until the background checks are complete. Due to long wait times with the FBI, this wait can take many months.<br /><br />There are <u>three</u> steps that you can take while you wait which should give you a better idea where the government is in adjudicating your application as well as piece of mind:<br /><br />1. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Wait six months from the date of your citizenship exam</span>. This should be long enough for the government to obtain criminal background results from the FBI.<br /><br />2. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Call USCIS customer service at (800) 375-5283 to follow-up on your application</span>. Make sure to have your Receipt Notice handy which contains your Receipt Number. This is the notice that you received from USCIS that acknowledged receipt of your N-400 application. The receipt notice should also contain your Alien Registration Number (also known as your "A number"), which customer service may request.<br /><br />3. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Schedule an InfoPass appointment</span>. When you <a href="http://infopass.uscis.gov/">schedule an Infopass appointment</a>, you will make an appointment to appear in person to meet with a USCIS customer service representative, with whom you can discuss your case.<br /><br />If none of these options produce the answers that you are looking for and deserve, then you may want to consult with an immigration attorney. Make sure to keep a record of all of your communications with USCIS, as it may prove useful to show the steps that you took in the event of litigation. Your attorney may recommend filing an action in your state's district court, asking the judge to adjudicate the application or remand the case back to USCIS with instructions to reach a decision on your application within a certain number of days.<br /><br />Under current U.S. immigration laws, it is important for lawful permanent residents to have the opportunity to became naturalized U.S. citizens because of the benefits and protection that U.S. citizenship provides. Once you are a U.S. citizen you can vote, apply for a U.S. passport, and petition for immediate relatives. There are certain jobs with the U.S. government that require U.S. citizenship. Moreover, until you are a U.S. citizen you are subject to the immigration laws, including the laws pertaining to removal and deportation. This means that even one mishap with the law can potentially land you in removal proceedings before an immigration judge. Therefore, the failure of the U.S. government to complete applications for citizenship is a serious matter for which it must be held accountable.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0