N-400 Work History Question (Worked with no permit)

[iwannaleave 0]

Hi all,

I’m helping a good friend file her N-400 and need some help. In the form there is a question about her work history. She has been working for the same company for 15 years. She came to the US as a student and started working with the company while she had a work permit. Later the work permit expired and she remained working without a permit. She married a US citizen and received her permanent green card 5 years ago. The marriage didn’t work and she is divorced now. Is she going to be questioned why the date that she started working is before she became a legal resident? If so is this going to be a problem? Would you recommend seeking a lawyer due to this issue?

I’ve read that if work illegally and marry a US citizen, you are forgiven.

Please advice =)

[NickD 203]

Hi all,

I’m helping a good friend file her N-400 and need some help. In the form there is a question about her work history. She has been working for the same company for 15 years. She came to the US as a student and started working with the company while she had a work permit. Later the work permit expired and she remained working without a permit. She married a US citizen and received her permanent green card 5 years ago. The marriage didn’t work and she is divorced now. Is she going to be questioned why the date that she started working is before she became a legal resident? If so is this going to be a problem? Would you recommend seeking a lawyer due to this issue?

I’ve read that if work illegally and marry a US citizen, you are forgiven.

Please advice =)

For us in terms of the expense, number of forms, and questions asked, it was far more difficult to get a green card for my wife than to receive her US citizenship. So how did your friend manage to get her green card? Agree on using an attorney to answering your questions.

[iwannaleave 0]

She recevied the greencard throgh her ex husband who was a US citizen. But she is no longer with him now, they divorced a year ago.

[moonhunt 1]

She recevied the greencard throgh her ex husband who was a US citizen. But she is no longer with him now, they divorced a year ago.

I don't see the problem, but I would recommend to check with immigration lawyers.

It may cost some money, but you don't want to have any chance for interview officer to use excuse not to give citizenship.

In my viewpoint, working history is reference evidence whether he/she can live with responsibility, but it is not mandatory for naturalization decision.

Even if somebody doesn't have any working history, does Interview officer refuse citizenship based on that fact ?

But since it is involving working without permission from USCIS, I would recommend to check with immigration lawyer as insurance for just in case.

[NickD 203]

She recevied the greencard throgh her ex husband who was a US citizen. But she is no longer with him now, they divorced a year ago.

I don't see the problem, but I would recommend to check with immigration lawyers.

It may cost some money, but you don't want to have any chance for interview officer to use excuse not to give citizenship.

In my viewpoint, working history is reference evidence whether he/she can live with responsibility, but it is not mandatory for naturalization decision.

Even if somebody doesn't have any working history, does Interview officer refuse citizenship based on that fact ?

But since it is involving working without permission from USCIS, I would recommend to check with immigration lawyer as insurance for just in case.

My point with the green card, the I-485 and G-325A the alien must apply for and sign covers that address and work history. So how was that expired work permit covered back then?

I assume your friend received a conditional green card and also had to go through that I-751 thingy too for her ten year card.

In regards to us filling out the N-400, for me, most of it was a copy and paste routine for address and employment history from the older forms, same old stuff all over again with just updates.

N-400 does say this:

"Where have you worked (or, if you were a student, what schools did you attend) during the last five years? Include military service.

Begin with your current or latest employer and then list every place you have worked or studied for the last five years. If you need

more space, use a separate sheet of paper."

So apparently she doesn't have to go back any further, so would think if she held a valid green card for the past five years, she should be okay. Really in no position to assume exactly what happened before, and neither are you as you have to have a good understanding of the immigration system. But am assuming, with all those background checks to get that card, she must be okay, otherwise, she would have been deported a long time ago.

Ha, when I first met my wife, thought we could get married and live happily ever after, as a natural born citizen, my wife knew a hundred times as much as I did about our immigration procedure, just never got involved with it. After I looked over a couple of forms, decided to hire an attorney and pay him to go crazy. But have done quite a bit of reading since then, still a lot I do not understand, just to dang complicated.