When can I apply for citizenship?

[brocku00 1]

Hi everyone,

I was reading some posts on here and looking at some of your timelines and am curious on when to apply for citizenship. I married my husband (USC) in December 2001. I moved to US with my GC in March 2010. For some reason I thought I had to wait two years to obtain citizenship but I could apply at a year and a half out in order to start it before two year mark. Am I correct in this or can it be sooner? I thought from looking at some people's timelines that it was a lot sooner than the two years. Thanks for any help.

[IncorrectPolitics 26]

I think you can apply after you have been a permanent resident for 3 years if you are still married at the time. If you are not married you will have to wait until you are a permanent resident for 5 years. I imagine you have a 10 year green card because you have been married to your husband since 2001. You could be getting the citizenship process confused with the removal of conditions process. If you had been married less than 2 years you get a 2 year conditional green card and in the 90 days prior to your green card expiring you need to file the I-751 and send in supporting evidence of a good faith marriage. Look at your green card, when does it expire? If your green card is only good for 2 years please don't forget to remove conditions or you will have a big headache.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

You should have a 'resident since' date on your green card. 3 years after that date, as AlwaysWaiting pointed out' if you are still married, then you can apply for citizenship

"You have been a permanent resident for 3 years or more and meet all eligibility requirements to file as a spouse of a U.S. citizen."

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=d84d6811264a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=d84d6811264a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD

Good luck

[payxibka 10,045]

Hi everyone,

I was reading some posts on here and looking at some of your timelines and am curious on when to apply for citizenship. I married my husband (USC) in December 2001. I moved to US with my GC in March 2010. For some reason I thought I had to wait two years to obtain citizenship but I could apply at a year and a half out in order to start it before two year mark. Am I correct in this or can it be sooner? I thought from looking at some people's timelines that it was a lot sooner than the two years. Thanks for any help.

If based on an ongoing marriage to a USC, then you need to calculate three dates... your eligibility will be the latest of those three dates.

1) Third anniversary of your marriage to your USC spouse. (December 2004)

2) Third anniversary of your RESIDENT SINCE date on your greencard.... (March 2013.)

3) Third anniversary of your USC spouse becoming a USC... (I will assume from birth therefore a long time ago)

based on the above, the eligibility date will be March 2013

Edited July 31, 2010 by payxibka