Citizenships thru marriage: after 3yrs or 2yrs 9months?

[BostonChick 0]

Hello friends,

Trying to find out the earliest date when I can submit my naturalization application... Situation - married to a USC, permanent resident and counting the years. Understand the timeframe is 3 years, but remember reading somewhere I can get started 3 months BEFORE the completion of 3 years. Is this true?

Would appreciate it if you could share any info with me!

Thanks!!!

[raymaga 25]

You can submit your Naturalization application, 2 years and 9 months from the date you received your PR status.

[lucyrich 20]

You're not eligible to actually take the citizenship oath and receive citizenship until three years have passed. But you're eligible to send in the paperwork to get the process started after 2 years and 9 months.

Hypothetically, if through some miracle they processed everything in one week, you'd still have to wait until after the three year anniversary to take the oath of citizenship. But realistically, you'll be past the three year mark before they're done with the paperwork.

Reference: The USCIS Guide To Naturalization, see especially page 22:

You may file your Application for Naturalization (Form N-400) up to 3 months before you meet your “continuous residence” requirements. For example, if you are applying based on 5 years of “continuous residence” as a Permanent Resident, you can apply when you have been a Permanent Resident in “continuous residence” for 4 years and 9 months. INS allows you to send your application before you have met the requirement for “continuous residence” only. You must meet all the other eligibility requirements when you file your application with INS.

[Yodrak 7]

raymaga,

Provided that you also meet the other requirements.

See the last sentence of lucyrich's post in this thread. A lot of people seem to forget that there are other requirements. It's not as simple as 2 years and 9 months from the date of LPR status. (Had an unfortunate debate with Girona over this a week or so ago.)

Yodrak

You can submit your Naturalization application, 2 years and 9 months from the date you received your PR status.

[BostonChick 0]

Thank you, everyone, for your detailed replies! I appreciate it. I can't wait to be able to start my naturalization process - roughly one more year to go...

Boston Chick