When to apply for citizenship

[wadeisno22 0]

My wife from China who has been a LPR since 3-09 and I are wondering when we should send in her application for citizenship. She has about 19 months before she is eligible. Of course we don't want to be to early.Any thoughts out there.

Thank you.

[Darnell 8,478]

Wife of US Citizen - rule is 3 years -

from the 'as of' date on the first greencard.

So, check the greencard, what date you got there?

Break out the calendar, figure out the 3 year mark, then go backwards 89 days.

THAT day, is the first day that she can file for Citizenship.

[wadeisno22 0]

Wife of US Citizen - rule is 3 years -

from the 'as of' date on the first greencard.

So, check the greencard, what date you got there?

Break out the calendar, figure out the 3 year mark, then go backwards 89 days.

THAT day, is the first day that she can file for Citizenship.

Thank you Darnell. May I ask where you found that info? Thanks

There is only expiration date of 3/6/19 and resident since 6/28/06

Edited August 11, 2010 by wadeisno22

[Darnell 8,478]

6/28/06 ? Cool ! She's been eligible for a bit, already, then.

Yay !!!

http://www.visajourney.com/content/naturalization_guide

http://www.visajourney.com/content/naturalization_process

GoGoGadget FileTheN-400ThisWeek !

Edited August 11, 2010 by Darnell

[wadeisno22 0]

Hey Darnell,

From what I have read, my wife is not eligble until she has had her green card for three years to test for citizenship. Five if she were not married to a U.S. citizen. It

is right in the USCIS website. Which goes back to my original question. She has about 19 months before she is eligible. Must we wait until that exact date or can we get it in the system

prior to the date she is eligible. Thanks, Wade

[wadeisno22 0]

Hey Darnell,

From what I have read, my wife is not eligble until she has had her green card for three years to test for citizenship. Five if she were not married to a U.S. citizen. It

is right in the USCIS website. Which goes back to my original question. She has about 19 months before she is eligible. Must we wait until that exact date or can we get it in the system

prior to the date she is eligible. Thanks, Wade

Her Green card was issued 3/09. It is a ten year card. So the way I read this the 3 year clock starts 3/09.She wou;ld be eligible 3/12

[aleful 1,905]

Thank you Darnell. May I ask where you found that info? Thanks

There is only expiration date of 3/6/19 and resident since 6/28/06

is that date from her conditional GC? then darnell is correct. she has been a resident since 2006, that's the date that counts, since the first day she became a LPR and if she got her GC through marriage and still married to the petitioner.

3 years of marriage and 3 years of being a LPR, doesn't matter if she had a 2 year GC, the date starts counting from there on.

[wadeisno22 0]

is that date from her conditional GC? then darnell is correct. she has been a resident since 2006, that's the date that counts, since the first day she became a LPR and if she got her GC through marriage and still married to the petitioner.

3 years of marriage and 3 years of being a LPR, doesn't matter if she had a 2 year GC, the date starts counting from there on.

I should clarify. Her conditions were removed 3/09. Is that the start date for the 3 year????

we were married under a k1

Edited August 12, 2010 by wadeisno22

[Darnell 8,478]

no - the 'start date' is on the FIRST GREEN CARD, not the 2nd one.

The second green card, issued as 'no conditions, 10 year green card'.

The first green card, issued as 'conditional, 2 year green card'.

So, if the 'first date on the first green card' is 6/28/2006 - Congratulations ! She can apply for citizenship this week.

Prior 'steps' breakdown?

K-1 visa issued in Guangzhou , on some date

She arrives in USA, you guys marry, on some date

AOS filed, on some date

She received Conditional Green Card, 2 year duration, with 'as of ' date of 6/28/06.

I-751 filed, Removal of Conditions on Permanent Residency', on some date

New Green Card Issued, unconditional , 10 year duration, on some date.

So if you look at both cards, if you look at the first card, the 2 year CONDITIONAL card,

it's the 'as of' date on the FIRST card that's important, here - NOT the 'as of date' on the 2nd, 10 year card.

HTH?

FWIW, I'm mostly grasping at straws, but trying to imbue 'actual dates' on some template, with a process leading to citizenship based on 3 years of 'lawful presence' in the USA, married to a USCitizen. If you make the time to fill out yer official VJ timeline, over at http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=22610 , completely, then I could be absolutely certain of facts, then be able to say , with no uncertainty, what that 'first date' really is, as it would be listed in yer timeline. Sure, you've given us a date of 6/28/2006, and In My Mind - that's the first 'as of date' on the first green card - and with that date being accepted as 'fact' - hei ! She already qualifies to file for US Citizenship.

With that in mind, to 'be a citizen' - once she becomes a citizen, the priority date for the I-130 she's filed for the child, will be changed, put in different queue, with supposedly a bit more speed. She'll have to request the 'status change' once she has her citizenship certificate in hand, is a manual process for showing the change of status of a petitioner.

GOOD LUCK !

Edited August 12, 2010 by Darnell

[wadeisno22 0]

no - the 'start date' is on the FIRST GREEN CARD, not the 2nd one.

The second green card, issued as 'no conditions, 10 year green card'.

The first green card, issued as 'conditional, 2 year green card'.

So, if the 'first date on the first green card' is 6/28/2006 - Congratulations ! She can apply for citizenship this week.

Prior 'steps' breakdown?

K-1 visa issued in Guangzhou , on some date

She arrives in USA, you guys marry, on some date

AOS filed, on some date

She received Conditional Green Card, 2 year duration, with 'as of ' date of 6/28/06.

I-751 filed, Removal of Conditions on Permanent Residency', on some date

New Green Card Issued, unconditional , 10 year duration, on some date.

So if you look at both cards, if you look at the first card, the 2 year CONDITIONAL card,

it's the 'as of' date on the FIRST card that's important, here - NOT the 'as of date' on the 2nd, 10 year card.

HTH?

FWIW, I'm mostly grasping at straws, but trying to imbue 'actual dates' on some template, with a process leading to citizenship based on 3 years of 'lawful presence' in the USA, married to a USCitizen. If you make the time to fill out yer official VJ timeline, over at http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=22610 , completely, then I could be absolutely certain of facts, then be able to say , with no uncertainty, what that 'first date' really is, as it would be listed in yer timeline. Sure, you've given us a date of 6/28/2006, and In My Mind - that's the first 'as of date' on the first green card - and with that date being accepted as 'fact' - hei ! She already qualifies to file for US Citizenship.

With that in mind, to 'be a citizen' - once she becomes a citizen, the priority date for the I-130 she's filed for the child, will be changed, put in different queue, with supposedly a bit more speed. She'll have to request the 'status change' once she has her citizenship certificate in hand, is a manual process for showing the change of status of a petitioner.

GOOD LUCK !

Thanks Darnell. Time for me to get to work. My wife will kill me when I tell her I goofed and could have done this last year.

[Darnell 8,478]

Yes, she will. In consolation, perhaps prep life insurance policy, prior to revealing this to her?

[wadeisno22 0]

OOPS.

[Summer75 16]

Yes, she will. In consolation, perhaps prep life insurance policy, prior to revealing this to her?

LMAO!!!!

[Captain Oates 911]

I like a happy ending

I am an admin nut and I was prepared with all the forms done 4 months before I was eligible

so that I could check em 50 times over before filing 2 minutes after the post office opened on the first eligible day.

I sometimes forget that other people are not like me

Perhaps they have got a life and I haven't !

I will still be glad when it's done.