Military spouse naturlization

[Scott and Mhay 57]

Ok, I know that my wife doesnt have to wait 3 years to apply for naturalization since I got orders to Italy for a 4 year tour. I am just trying to see who has applied for the early naturalization. Our situation is that my wife has been with me since May 2010 (she has the 2 year conditional card now), I just got orders to Aviano and I was talking to my personnel section and they were telling me that they wouldnt help with the italian visa for my wife. Who has gone from the US to an overseas location? I know it is in our best interest for us to apply for naturalization, but has anyone brought their wife over to italy with a conditional permenant resident card? I did call the military helpline and they seemed to be clueless about it and couldnt give me a really good answer. Of course my Personnel section was even more clueless.

I did do the search on here and saw that we just need to get the DD Form 1278 filled out and sent with the N-400 (granted there was more than that, but the 1278 was the biggest thing I need). For those that have done it this way, how long did it take? I was planning on trying to submit the paperwork and then see if they would approve an expedite too. Right now I dont have to report to Italy for awhile, so I am fairly confident that my wife could be through the process and be able to get the no-fee passport and visa before we would leave.

I did also e-mail the personnel section in Italy to see if they could give me better information since I think they have dealt with situations like this more than my personnel section here in alaska. Any insight on this process would be great. I just need to either get started on it now or have better information on the actual process with the military. I am working the command sponsorship right now and it should be sent off to Aviano by the beginning to middle of April.

[Lynnami 8]

Hi, I am a military spouse myself. The military helpline has NEVER helped me with anything. They are a bunch of retards that read things to you from a computer screen. I wish you lots of luck with this. I'm sorry I am no help either but at least it's not my job to advise you.

[Geramer 0]

I think you will need a copy of your orders with her name on it to get it expedited. So if you haven't been cut orders yet for your assignment, you might need to wait for that.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

Yeah I found that in another thread. I might see if they will take the 1466 approval...if not, i will just push my personnel flight to cut my orders early. They will have to ammend them anyway. We have a baby on the way and will have to get the 1466 done for him after he's born. I will probably have to adjust my report date so we have enough time to do everything. I thought about sending everything in without the orders and get to the point of the RFE, but I dont see that speeding anything up...just slowing it down. Hopefully I can get the orders cut around the 120 day out mark instead of 90 days...then we might have a chance for naturalization before we leave...although, I still think we will be in the process either way. I will try to talk to the legal office too.

I also remember reading something about the 1278 cant be completed more than 90 days from departure.

Edited March 25, 2011 by Scott and Mhay

[Geramer 0]

Because you are sending them to the Nebraska service center, I'd definitely include the orders with your original packet. I wonder if a letter from your commander would work? Assignments change all the time so in my 19 years of active duty life (spouse), I don't do anything without orders! Good luck and congrats on the baby!

[nane1104 146]

Hi!

I am also a military spouse and currently on orders in Germany. I am german though, so I had no problems entering with my german passport.

However, I haven't heard anyone of the other spouses here that had to get a visa. They just got through customs with their military orders and recieved a SOFA stamp in their passports.

About the expedited naturalisation process- I don't think you have to rush that. Legal/personnel offices overseas are usually pretty good in helping you out with all of that, I for example removed conditions here from Germany.

I think you can do it any time while overseas, as long as your wife is on your orders.

Sorry, I am no expert but this is what I was told when I inquired about it.

Good luck and congratulations to the baby!

[Scott and Mhay 57]

The dd form 1278 is a form signed by my commander & a requirement for the process. On the uscis site it doesn't say anything about orders, but I did find it in one of the guides to naturalization on the uscis site. It also stated about the 1278 can't be completed earlier than 90 days prior to sending in the n-400.

We want 2 do the expedited naturalization so we don't have to pay to remove the conditions. (590 for ROC vs 680 for naturalization)

As far as a SOFA stamp, italy is different. All dependents have 2 get a missione (sp) visa. I am going 2 talk 2 my functional 2day so I can get in contact w/ my shop there that they have me projected in to.

[lethimrace 5]

Hi Scott and Mhay,

We're kind of in the same boat. But only thing i'm a 10.yr gc holder. My husband is PCS to Japan and is already there since February, i was supposed to follow him last March but due to recent events in Japan it got cancelled. I just got an email from him saying that we need dd1278 for the speed up of my naturalization. I am on his orders, i am wondering if your wife will just apply that once she gets to Italy? Maybe this will help a little if you haven't checked yet... My link

hoping for the best and congrats on the baby.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

I would wait until we get to Italy, but by that time we will have to apply to remove her conditions, which is another 580 or so...dont want to put both petitions in at the same time. Hopefully we will get the orders a little early so I can send off the whole package and see how it goes. Worst case senario, she will have to do her testing and oath in Italy (which I am sure that will be the case anyway).

I have seen that link. Some of the stuff will apply to us when we send in the application. I just wish we could do it without the orders, but I dont see anyway to do it. The DD1278 should be good enough because I have seen people with hardcopy orders get cancelled too. Either way, I hope this will save us some money in the long run. Thanks for your reply.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

well, I talked to the visa office here in italy. The only way that my wife can naturalize abroad under 319e of the INA is if she meets either the 3 or 5 year as a permanent resident. (under 316a and 319a of the INA) The expedited version of 319b has to be done in the US. Basically if I had to deploy, then she would be able to apply for that. So it looks like we will sending in the application to remove conditions. The only good thing with that is we won't have to pay the fingerprinting fee since they will do the fingerprinting here on base.