n 400 (all 5 year questions become 3 yrs?)

[Ryan1 0]

Hi,

I am sure this question has been asked before, but I couldnt' seem to find a thread.

My wife will shortly be applying for citizenship based on 3 yrs. (b/c she married us citizen). Since she will be applying as permanent resident for 3 yrs, married to US citizen, do all of the questions on the n-400 form that say 5 years, just mean 3 for her?

For example,

6.a.

where have you lived during past five years?

[do we take this to mean just 3 years?]

Another example is,

6b. where have you worked past 5 years.

and

7c. Trips outside US past 5 years.

[3 years for us?]

I was going to just put answers for just 3 years , but then got confused and anxious since all of the questions are posed as "FIVE" years.

thanks for your help

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Yes, that is correct. If you look at the USCIS website: http://uscis.gov on the right hand side you will see three options listed under Naturalization - click the first one. It will open up a page that lists several more options in the far right hand corner. Click on the third one is a link to How to know if you qualify. It opens up a PDF that contains a table that shows the requirements for each class including the 3 year marriage one - the criteria you need to satisfy are listed there, but basically, yes, every 5 becomes a 3. Here is a direct link: http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/chapter4.pdf

Good luck.

Edited November 9, 2009 by Kathryn41

[antda 13]

Hi Ryan1,

According to the USCIS, one has to meet ALL of the following conditions in order to become a US Citizen (based on marriage):

-Been a permanent resident for 3 years

-Been married to the same US Citizen for 3 years

-Your spouse/you must have been a USC for at least 3 years (which if born in the USA, since their birth)

-Been residing physically in the USA for 3 years

As for the N-400 forms, yes there are many mistakes an inconsistencies there. The N-400 form is a generic form really, and catered more to those who are applying for citizenship based on the 5yr general rule instead of the 3yr marriage rule.

This is how I answered such when I submitted my N-400 application recently in September (I applied under the 3yr marriage rule too):

-For 6a...I just listed the places I have lived in for the last 5 years (which includes Canada too).....I see no problems in mentioning all those places..

-For 5...I just listed the places that I went to school and worked/volunteered in for the last 5 years (which includes Canada too)...I see no problems in mentioning all that, and added to the fact that I have no paid work history in the USA...lol...might as well add something to fill up those lines...

-For 7c....I crossed out five and wrote "three and since permanent residency"....if I were to use the 5yr rule year, it wouldn't make sense, as 2 out of the 5 years I wasn't even the USA as a permanent resident in the first place...and don't want them to think I was out of the country longer than I should have been and not eligible for citizenship..lol...definitely an error on their part here....

-Hopefully what I did is ok for the forms....I'm going in for my interview next week...so will clarify and/or explain further to them if need be....

So yes, it would be ok for you too, to cross out five and put three instead, as that makes sense, based on your application criteria based on marriage

Be sure too to check of the box that you are gaining citizenship through marriage too (the box is the second one on the front page).....

Hope this helps too. Good luck with the rest of your journey too.

Ant

Hi,

I am sure this question has been asked before, but I couldnt' seem to find a thread.

My wife will shortly be applying for citizenship based on 3 yrs. (b/c she married us citizen). Since she will be applying as permanent resident for 3 yrs, married to US citizen, do all of the questions on the n-400 form that say 5 years, just mean 3 for her?

For example,

6.a.

where have you lived during past five years?

[do we take this to mean just 3 years?]

Another example is,

6b. where have you worked past 5 years.

and

7c. Trips outside US past 5 years.

[3 years for us?]

I was going to just put answers for just 3 years , but then got confused and anxious since all of the questions are posed as "FIVE" years.

thanks for your help