When does the waiting tIme start for citizenship?

[soulprovider915 4]

Hello everyone. I just sent my wife's I-485 to Chicago on 3/3/08. We've been married since 7/17/03. (Long Story) When does the clock start for her to apply for citizenship? I realize that she has to adjust status first, but does it start 3 years from the marriage date or from the permanent residence approval? Thank you!!!

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Hello everyone. I just sent my wife's I-485 to Chicago on 3/3/08. We've been married since 7/17/03. (Long Story) When does the clock start for her to apply for citizenship? I realize that she has to adjust status first, but does it start 3 years from the marriage date or from the permanent residence approval? Thank you!!!

She can file for Citizenship 3 years from the date she was approved for AOS.... once she has her Greencard have a look at it and you will see "Resident Since" use that date, add on 3 years that will be the date she is eligible for citizenship, you can file the N-400 application 90 days before that date.

Kez

[RICHIE07 0]

Hello everyone. I just sent my wife's I-485 to Chicago on 3/3/08. We've been married since 7/17/03. (Long Story) When does the clock start for her to apply for citizenship? I realize that she has to adjust status first, but does it start 3 years from the marriage date or from the permanent residence approval? Thank you!!!

She can file for Citizenship 3 years from the date she was approved for AOS.... once she has her Greencard have a look at it and you will see "Resident Since" use that date, add on 3 years that will be the date she is eligible for citizenship, you can file the N-400 application 90 days before that date.

Kez

2 years and 9 months- correct if I'm wrong..

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Hello everyone. I just sent my wife's I-485 to Chicago on 3/3/08. We've been married since 7/17/03. (Long Story) When does the clock start for her to apply for citizenship? I realize that she has to adjust status first, but does it start 3 years from the marriage date or from the permanent residence approval? Thank you!!!

She can file for Citizenship 3 years from the date she was approved for AOS.... once she has her Greencard have a look at it and you will see "Resident Since" use that date, add on 3 years that will be the date she is eligible for citizenship, you can file the N-400 application 90 days before that date.

Kez

2 years and 9 months- correct if I'm wrong..

Its actually 3 years -90 days, that is the earlist you can file the N-400.... 90 days does not always = 3 months..

Kez

[john_and_marlene 162]

Hello everyone. I just sent my wife's I-485 to Chicago on 3/3/08. We've been married since 7/17/03. (Long Story) When does the clock start for her to apply for citizenship? I realize that she has to adjust status first, but does it start 3 years from the marriage date or from the permanent residence approval? Thank you!!!

She can file for Citizenship 3 years from the date she was approved for AOS.... once she has her Greencard have a look at it and you will see "Resident Since" use that date, add on 3 years that will be the date she is eligible for citizenship, you can file the N-400 application 90 days before that date.

Kez

2 years and 9 months- correct if I'm wrong..

Its actually 3 years -90 days, that is the earlist you can file the N-400.... 90 days does not always = 3 months..

Kez

Edited March 12, 2008 by john_and_marlene

[soulprovider915 4]

Hello everyone. I just sent my wife's I-485 to Chicago on 3/3/08. We've been married since 7/17/03. (Long Story) When does the clock start for her to apply for citizenship? I realize that she has to adjust status first, but does it start 3 years from the marriage date or from the permanent residence approval? Thank you!!!

She can file for Citizenship 3 years from the date she was approved for AOS.... once she has her Greencard have a look at it and you will see "Resident Since" use that date, add on 3 years that will be the date she is eligible for citizenship, you can file the N-400 application 90 days before that date.

Kez

2 years and 9 months- correct if I'm wrong..

Its actually 3 years -90 days, that is the earlist you can file the N-400.... 90 days does not always = 3 months..

Kez

Thank you all, I just wanted to be sure. One more question. How long does it usually take after she applies?

[lucyrich 20]

Actually, there are three requirements that you must meet to apply for citizenship based on marriage to a USC. The "three years less 90 days of continuous LPR status" is usually the last one that most folks around here reach, so that's usually what sets the limit. But you also must have been married to and living with your spouse for three full years, and your spouse must've been a Citizen for three full years. Sometimes the latter two might not have been met when the first one is; for example, if you got your GC through employment but later happened to marry a USC, or if you got a CR-1 visa and began living with your spouse on the same day that you gained LPR status.

About the other question, the timeline thing is hard to answer. Around last June, they were flooded with a huge number of naturalization applications, due to a huge fee increase. Before that spike, naturalization timelines were in the neighborhood of 5-9 months or so (unless you got stuck in an FBI background check). They're now officially saying that if you filed after June 2007, it may be an 18 month wait. But they're supposed to be using the money from the fee increase to hire more people and speed things up, so three years from now, the new people should be on board and they should have worked through the huge number of applications filed in June of 2007, so the time may be much faster than it was before the fee increase. It's anybody's guess.