Quallifying for Citizenship

[Mus24 0]

I have a question.

My wife will apply for naturalization based on me being a US citizen.I know she can do so 2 yrs and 9 mths after remaining married.

But she also spent 4 months as LPR before I became a citizen.Where do these 4 months count?Do they count towards her residence requirement?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Post was made in a pinned topic and was 'buried' up until now. I have split it off to make its own topic, and hopefully the OP will now get some responses - albeit almost a month late.

[NickD 202]

You have to be married a full three years before you can send in your N-400 application, but do get a 90 day grace period before the 3rd LPR anniversary date. You have to meet both requirements, says so in the N-400 instructions.

For most of us, this is not a problem while waiting a near eternity to complete the AOS stage before your spouse gets that first conditional green card. Heck, if I was a bit wiser back then, could have dragged it out a few more months and completely skipped the conditional stage. That was more money, but a lot more frustration.

With that extra four months you have, would think you have to count your trips abroad and employment since becoming a LPR, even though you weren't married that long.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I have a question.

My wife will apply for naturalization based on me being a US citizen.I know she can do so 2 yrs and 9 mths after remaining married.

But she also spent 4 months as LPR before I became a citizen.Where do these 4 months count?Do they count towards her residence requirement?

The fact that you are a US citizen has nothing to do with your wife's naturalization.

Had your wife received her Green Card based on marriage to you, then she would be eligible to become a US citizen 3 years after becoming a Green Card holder. Since this is not the case, being married to you means nothing in regard to naturalization purposes.

Your wife can become a US citizen exactly 5 years after becoming a resident. She will find that date on the front of her Green Card, where it reads: RESIDENT SINCE: xx/xx.200x.

She can submit her N-400 application for naturalization as early as 90 days before the 5th anniversary of that date.

[sean2000 0]

Gotta wait 5 years.

[NickD 202]

Gotta wait 5 years.

Can see the point about marrying a green card holder as opposed to sponsoring an immigrant and bringing that immigrant over here and going through all the stages.

But never ran across the regulations on marrying a previous green card holder. Where are these regulations stating that getting married to a US citizen does not give the marriage privilege if you are already a LPR prior to that marriage?