Illinois Woman Told She Is No Longer an American

[robertlaird 2]

Not sure of the is the correct forum for this from Fox News

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,585152,00.html

Illinois Woman Told She Is No Longer an American

Angela Boneva is living in limbo.

For years she, and the U.S. government, thought the Bulgarian-born 34-year-old was an American citizen. But, when she went to renew her passport in 2003, the State Department reportedly told her something terribly different.

Boneva's father was born in Indiana, and the consulate in Bulgaria gave her U.S. citizenship while she was growing up in the country in 1981. She was able to visit relatives in Chicago and eventually move to the area in 1997, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Then in 2003, the married mother of a now 7-year-old U.S.-born boy received a letter from the U.S. State Department saying there was a mistake and she wasn't an American citizen, according to the Tribune.

"I thought it was some kind of joke," she told the Tribune. "I grew up believing I'm an American, and now they want to take that away? This is like a bad dream."

The State Department said in the letter that an employee at the consulate broke a rule that required her father to have lived in the U.S. for 10 years before she was born, the Tribune reported. Her father had only lived in the U.S. for six years before moving to Bulgaria.

The letter also pointed out that that requirement changed in 1986 to five years, meaning that someone in the Boneva's position today would be eligible for U.S. citizenship, but she isn't.

Another letter sent later that year then told her "it does not appear" she qualifies to be a U.S. citizen anymore, the Tribune reported.

Since then, Boneva has made numerous attempts to get he situation cleared up, but has never received a straight answer from the State Department, the Tribune reported.

State Department spokeswoman Adriana Gallegos declined to talk with the Tribune about Boneva's situation, but told the paper in an e-mail, "We don't revoke citizenship, we revoke documents." Gallegos wouldn't specify to the newspaper what that meant for Boneva.

The experience has left Boneva frustrated, and afraid to apply for a new driver's license, look for a new job or even travel to visit her sick grandmother in Rousse on the chance that she could be accused of identity fraud.

"I don't want to go back because I'm afraid it would be a one-way ticket," she told Tribune.

[Krikit 1,165]

How annoying would that be?

Moving from AOS Process to Immigration News.

[john_and_marlene 162]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,585152...test=latestnews

Boneva's father was born in Indiana, and the consulate in Bulgaria gave her U.S. citizenship while she was growing up in the country in 1981. She was able to visit relatives in Chicago and eventually move to the area in 1997, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Then in 2003, the married mother of a now 7-year-old U.S.-born boy received a letter from the U.S. State Department saying there was a mistake and she wasn't an American citizen, according to the Tribune.

"I thought it was some kind of joke," she told the Tribune. "I grew up believing I'm an American, and now they want to take that away? This is like a bad dream."

The State Department said in the letter that an employee at the consulate broke a rule that required her father to have lived in the U.S. for 10 years before she was born, the Tribune reported. Her father had only lived in the U.S. for six years before moving to Bulgaria.

[Krikit 1,165]

There is a thread going in the Immigration News forum:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=241181

[milimelo 4,522]

They skipped the part which said her husband has been an American citizen for 7 -8 yrs now (originally from Bulgaria) and he has offered to now sponsor her.

This is a very strange case. I wonder what would happen if he did AOS for her - what would he put as entered into country - as a US citizen, no visa required?

[GueraKristina 1]

this is ridiculous, give the women her citizenship, she didnt do anything wrong. so her dad cut it 4 years short... SO???? if they are law abiding citizens, what is the problem here?

[Krikit 1,165]

I'm going to merge the two threads so the comments are all in one area.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Since the US Consulate made the error she shouldn't have to suffer for it. If they have to do something to right the wrong then have her apply for citizenship and process her now, although I think they should just have let it be under the circumstances. Poor woman - she is living the nightmare of not having verified legal status in the US through no fault of her own. She should definitely get her Senator/Representatives involved if she hasn't already. It's good that the problem has been made public by the media as well - it might help her get some quicker action on getting this resolved than if it was not publicized.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Since the US Consulate made the error she shouldn't have to suffer for it. If they have to do something to right the wrong then have her apply for citizenship and process her now, although I think they should just have let it be under the circumstances. Poor woman - she is living the nightmare of not having verified legal status in the US through no fault of her own. She should definitely get her Senator/Representatives involved if she hasn't already. It's good that the problem has been made public by the media as well - it might help her get some quicker action on getting this resolved than if it was not publicized.

I was just going to say this myself. I think the state department will eventually fix this.

[M.O 6]

[Audy_Rob 26]

State Department spokeswoman Adriana Gallegos declined to talk with the Tribune about Boneva's situation, but told the paper in an e-mail, "We don't revoke citizenship, we revoke documents." Gallegos wouldn't specify to the newspaper what that meant for Boneva.

This is such a typical answer to avoid the real issue. "We revoke documents." What does that mean?

[Zen Den 18]

Not sure of the is the correct forum for this from Fox News

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,585152,00.html

Illinois Woman Told She Is No Longer an American

Angela Boneva is living in limbo.

For years she, and the U.S. government, thought the Bulgarian-born 34-year-old was an American citizen. But, when she went to renew her passport in 2003, the State Department reportedly told her something terribly different.

Boneva's father was born in Indiana, and the consulate in Bulgaria gave her U.S. citizenship while she was growing up in the country in 1981. She was able to visit relatives in Chicago and eventually move to the area in 1997, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Then in 2003, the married mother of a now 7-year-old U.S.-born boy received a letter from the U.S. State Department saying there was a mistake and she wasn't an American citizen, according to the Tribune.

"I thought it was some kind of joke," she told the Tribune. "I grew up believing I'm an American, and now they want to take that away? This is like a bad dream."

The State Department said in the letter that an employee at the consulate broke a rule that required her father to have lived in the U.S. for 10 years before she was born, the Tribune reported. Her father had only lived in the U.S. for six years before moving to Bulgaria.

The letter also pointed out that that requirement changed in 1986 to five years, meaning that someone in the Boneva's position today would be eligible for U.S. citizenship, but she isn't.

Another letter sent later that year then told her "it does not appear" she qualifies to be a U.S. citizen anymore, the Tribune reported.

Since then, Boneva has made numerous attempts to get he situation cleared up, but has never received a straight answer from the State Department, the Tribune reported.

State Department spokeswoman Adriana Gallegos declined to talk with the Tribune about Boneva's situation, but told the paper in an e-mail, "We don't revoke citizenship, we revoke documents." Gallegos wouldn't specify to the newspaper what that meant for Boneva.

The experience has left Boneva frustrated, and afraid to apply for a new driver's license, look for a new job or even travel to visit her sick grandmother in Rousse on the chance that she could be accused of identity fraud.

"I don't want to go back because I'm afraid it would be a one-way ticket," she told Tribune.

ayayay! a govt. blunders and a citizen has to pay for it!

if the State Dept's Gallegos doesn't fix this (meaning give back Boneva's right to citizenship because the mistake wasn't her fault and not even her father's fault), she's gonna have a lot of enemies soon, including me!

[3bvsla 1]

lol

if her husband is naturalized US citizen and got sponsored by her, does it make his citizenship invalid as well? like he was an immediate relative of US citizen, which wasn't actual citizen.. Very confusing

[coraliesolms 47]

lol

if her husband is naturalized US citizen and got sponsored by her, does it make his citizenship invalid as well? like he was an immediate relative of US citizen, which wasn't actual citizen.. Very confusing

Good point

[Spoom 8]

Her situation sounds like one that could be fixed with a private bill. She should contact her representatives and/or senators.