New and about to file - few questions.

[Yazbo 0]

Hi,

I have lived in the US since I was 3. I have a green card with no expiry date, have served in the US Marine Corps for 4 years and was discharged honorably. I could have naturalized during my service but during this time my mother was murdered and it wasn't a priority for me. I married a US citizen in 1998, we divorced in December of last year and I have an 8 year old child as the result of this marriage. I pay child support and alimony, she is currently in college full time and so relies on me to pay her rent, bills etc. For a while I was a freelance web designer and during that time my taxes got messed up but I have filed all my tax returns and have an agreement with the IRS and am up to date with payments.

When I was 17 I was arrested with my friends as one of my friends had a BB gun in the vehicle I was in, I did not have posession of the BB gun. We were all put in jail and got community service and I am about to contact the police to find out more information. I am therefore unable to file until I find more information so my N-400 is filled in correctly. I did go to see a lawyer at one point and they said my green card was fine but that I would need to investigate the arrest when I was 17.

I am wondering if anyone has any advice for me?

Thanks for your time.

[Otto 83]

First of all - thank you for your service to the country ("Ooo-Rah!"), secondly am sorry about your loss...

As for the arrest - you (if there is still a record) may want to look into seeing if you can have the record expunged (an attorney can help with this, once you find out more about the record). I would imagine either way, you'll be fine given the Marine Corps didn't have a problem with it (sounds like a minor charge to me).

Edited November 15, 2009 by Otto und Karin

[MsAnn 0]

Please refer to USCIS Guide to Naturalization and the Document Checklist for N-400.

For your arrest, I would contact an immigration lawyer for advice.

Edited November 16, 2009 by MsAnn

[maryces21 0]

Hi,

I have lived in the US since I was 3. I have a green card with no expiry date, have served in the US Marine Corps for 4 years and was discharged honorably. I could have naturalized during my service but during this time my mother was murdered and it wasn't a priority for me. I married a US citizen in 1998, we divorced in December of last year and I have an 8 year old child as the result of this marriage. I pay child support and alimony, she is currently in college full time and so relies on me to pay her rent, bills etc. For a while I was a freelance web designer and during that time my taxes got messed up but I have filed all my tax returns and have an agreement with the IRS and am up to date with payments.

When I was 17 I was arrested with my friends as one of my friends had a BB gun in the vehicle I was in, I did not have posession of the BB gun. We were all put in jail and got community service and I am about to contact the police to find out more information. I am therefore unable to file until I find more information so my N-400 is filled in correctly. I did go to see a lawyer at one point and they said my green card was fine but that I would need to investigate the arrest when I was 17.

I am wondering if anyone has any advice for me?

Thanks for your time.

I do not think you would have a problem. I would check about the arrest records and make sure you have a letter that your case was close. About IRS as long as you have an payment agreement it will be ok. I'm about to find out that because we also have a IRS payment agreement and my Interview will be on 11/24/09. I would post my interview experience when the time comes.