When eligible to apply for naturalization?

[chatnoir 0]

My husband received his conditional green card/CR-1 in August of 2006. He has just been approved for his 10 yr green card though we haven't received it yet and were wondering when he is eligible to apply for naturalization?

The INS instruction booklet states:

You may be able to apply for naturalization if you are at least 18

years of age and have been a permanent resident of the U.S.:

...

• For at least 3 years during which time you have been, and

continue to be, married to and living in marriage with your

U.S. citizen husband or wife;

...

Does that mean 3 yrs, then, after the first conditional green card or the 10 yr green card?

Thanks in advance!

[Mononoke28 135]

Three years from the date that appears on his conditional green card. Based on your post, I'm assuming August 2006. So he should be eligible for US citizenship in August 2009 if he's still married to you, the petitioner.

Diana

[chatnoir 0]

Thank you, Diana.

We were wondering if it was 3 yrs from the date on the conditional green card or the 10 yr green card. Good to know.

Thanks again!

Three years from the date that appears on his conditional green card. Based on your post, I'm assuming August 2006. So he should be eligible for US citizenship in August 2009 if he's still married to you, the petitioner.

Diana

[YuAndDan 153]

You can file N-400 ONE year after you filed the I-751 to remove conditions, or within 90 days before Third anniversary of becoming a permanent resident, as long as has been resident in the USA more than 18 months, and no periods out of the country longer than 6 months.

[chatnoir 0]

Hi YuAndDan,

Thanks for the info. I was not aware of the 90 day window before the 3rd anniversary. I'll keep this in mind for next year.

Thanks again!

You can file N-400 ONE year after you filed the I-751 to remove conditions, or within 90 days before Third anniversary of becoming a permanent resident, as long as has been resident in the USA more than 18 months, and no periods out of the country longer than 6 months.

[akdiver 3]

The answer to this question is plainly found in the N-400 application instructions. Highly recommend you give them a look, they have a lot of helpful information in them.

[NickD 203]

The answer to this question is plainly found in the N-400 application instructions. Highly recommend you give them a look, they have a lot of helpful information in them.

Wished you could get a M-476 manual, couldn't find a printed copy anywhere, still like the old fashion books where you can turn pages. But after carefully reading all 68 pages, will still have some questions in filling out the form. Contacted my old immigration attorney, and he briefly told me how to answer them, didn't even charge me, believe I only had about four questions that were rather nebulous, and you want to fill out the form correctly, still can keep your 675 bucks and reject it.

First question was more for reassurance, can use logic, but logic doesn't always apply with the USCIS, like can you apply with an expired green card. Logically, the answer is yes, you are a LPR with an expired green card either with that one year extension, I-551 stamp, or a I-94, but the M-476 doesn't explicitly state that. Okay, I admit I am stupid, but did want reassurance. Many on this board has asked that same question. Another one is traffic violations, we didn't have any to report, but that is clearly stated in the instructions. Listing fund raising organizations like the United Way, Red Cross, American Heart Organization, or others, he said to list those. They are fund raising organizations just like anti-American societies, but they do not make that distinction.

Days out of the country taking literally in the last five years, is days out of the country in the last five years, interviewer said the days wife was out of the country since she became a LPR is what they wanted, but wife simply replied, they did not ask that, her interviewer changed that to the total number of days she was out of the country since she became a LPR, but didn't hurt her interview. My attorney advised listing those days she was out of the country in the last five years, but he must have been thinking about different interviewers. Can't please them all.

We joked about that question, did you ever commit a crime you were not caught or arrested for, wonder how many people answer yes to that.

Rest of the form was easy, with Adobe Arcobat on my computer, full version, just copied and pasted the rest of the stuff off the G-325a, I-130, and I-485, maybe even some off the I-751, that assured every 'i" was dotted as in the original applications. SOS all over again, same old stuff or that other word that starts with S.

Should be a big notice on this board to read the N-400 instructions and download and read the M-476 manual first.

[chatnoir 0]

I did read the instructions but only saw:

"The INS instruction booklet states:

You may be able to apply for naturalization if you are at least 18

years of age and have been a permanent resident of the U.S.:

...

• For at least 3 years during which time you have been, and

continue to be, married to and living in marriage with your

U.S. citizen husband or wife;"

...

And was not sure which card they were referring to. Unless there was more info in the instructions that I missed reading...

The answer to this question is plainly found in the N-400 application instructions. Highly recommend you give them a look, they have a lot of helpful information in them.

[chatnoir 0]

Thank you for all the info/advice! I was not even aware of the M-476 until your post. I found it online and will print it out to read. It seems like it should answer many (if not all) of the questions that might arise later for us.

I will def keep in mind the points you made below. He just received his 10 yr green card, so we don't need to worry about it expiring anytime soon but would prefer to do it sooner rather than later. Would a traffic violation include a parking ticket? hmm, will have to look that one up.

Thanks again for all your advice and for pointing out the M-476.

The answer to this question is plainly found in the N-400 application instructions. Highly recommend you give them a look, they have a lot of helpful information in them.

Wished you could get a M-476 manual, couldn't find a printed copy anywhere, still like the old fashion books where you can turn pages. But after carefully reading all 68 pages, will still have some questions in filling out the form. Contacted my old immigration attorney, and he briefly told me how to answer them, didn't even charge me, believe I only had about four questions that were rather nebulous, and you want to fill out the form correctly, still can keep your 675 bucks and reject it.

First question was more for reassurance, can use logic, but logic doesn't always apply with the USCIS, like can you apply with an expired green card. Logically, the answer is yes, you are a LPR with an expired green card either with that one year extension, I-551 stamp, or a I-94, but the M-476 doesn't explicitly state that. Okay, I admit I am stupid, but did want reassurance. Many on this board has asked that same question. Another one is traffic violations, we didn't have any to report, but that is clearly stated in the instructions. Listing fund raising organizations like the United Way, Red Cross, American Heart Organization, or others, he said to list those. They are fund raising organizations just like anti-American societies, but they do not make that distinction.

Days out of the country taking literally in the last five years, is days out of the country in the last five years, interviewer said the days wife was out of the country since she became a LPR is what they wanted, but wife simply replied, they did not ask that, her interviewer changed that to the total number of days she was out of the country since she became a LPR, but didn't hurt her interview. My attorney advised listing those days she was out of the country in the last five years, but he must have been thinking about different interviewers. Can't please them all.

We joked about that question, did you ever commit a crime you were not caught or arrested for, wonder how many people answer yes to that.

Rest of the form was easy, with Adobe Arcobat on my computer, full version, just copied and pasted the rest of the stuff off the G-325a, I-130, and I-485, maybe even some off the I-751, that assured every 'i" was dotted as in the original applications. SOS all over again, same old stuff or that other word that starts with S.

Should be a big notice on this board to read the N-400 instructions and download and read the M-476 manual first.

[akdiver 3]

Should be a big notice on this board to read the N-400 instructions and download and read the M-476 manual first.

Amen to that!!!

[NickD 203]

And was not sure which card they were referring to. Unless there was more info in the instructions that I missed reading...

Yes there is more, even show photos of the old alien and newer green cards with an arrow pointed to the date of that card. And lawful permanent residence does not start until that card is issued.

Interesting, if your USC spouse dies, have to wait three years, but if beats or batters you and your deportation was canceled due to that or your child, you only have to wait three years.

Will let you look up the parking ticket, I don't even know what a parking ticket is. LOL

[akdiver 3]

Interesting, if your USC spouse dies, have to wait three years, but if beats or batters you and your deportation was canceled due to that or your child, you only have to wait three years.

Three years...or...three years. Amazing (: