Name change with naturalization

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

With kids that are LPR's under 18, they automatically become US citizens, but without proof. To get that proof from the USCIS, its another 600 bucks with the N-600 and typically another six month wait. Plus another trip to your field office. Some just elect to send piles of proof to the DOS and get a US passport instead. All that proof has to be original documentation, and unless you go to a DOS service center with an airline ticket within two weeks of a traveling date, they send it through the mails that can get lost.

Then there are only 12 such DOS service centers throughout the entire USA, for us, a 700 mile round trip, and of all places, in downtown Chicago with one big fat no- parking sign.

Kids under 16 require permission from their biological parent to get a US passport or solid original documentation you have full custody. Another stack of papers to send. Some may even want DNA proof the kid is yours, more expense.

If a kid is a second over that magical age of 18, our case, has to wait the full five years, another $680.00, and in our case, another 1,350 miles of driving at four bucks a gallon for gas. None of this is tax deductible, already argued with the IRS about that. But too bad I don't own a 47 million dollar Gulfstream luxurious jet to entertain with, that is 100% tax deductible. They tell me congress makes the rules, but for that matter, the USCIS also tells congress makes the rules. Only problem I have with that is finding a congressman that has even heard about the USCIS.

Yes, its all in the instructions, will get a migraine headache from reading and trying to comprehend those, but they have migraine medicine for that. Unfortunately, its over the counter, so that isn't tax deductible either.

In our case the local office is right nearby, so that is not a problem and Alla interprets for the guy that will probably give her the interview, unless he steps down from that and lets someone else do it.

I wondered about just using the other evidence to get him a passport. Pasha is over 16 but under 18, the magical age. So that is not a problem. He will probably be 17 when Alla takes her oath.

Would he need this certificate in the future or would a passport be OK? The way I read the law, he will be able to get the certificate at any time since he was under 18 at the time. But if a passport will suffice, why pay another $600?

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Gary,

don't waste the money on the N-600s. Their only purpose is to get them their first U.S. passports, that henceforwarth will serve as proof of U.S. citizenship. You can get them passport easily if the two little ones go with Alla to the passport office and apply at the same time based on her Certificate of Naturalization. If you are smart, and I know you are, spend another $25 per head on a passport card which you will immediately confiscate for safekeeping. If they ever lose their passport book, the card is perfectly suited as proof of U.S. citizenship and to get them a new passport book.

Trust me.

Regarding your oldest who lives in Russia, more or less, I am fairly sure that the I.O. will rip his heart out and step on it until it stops beating, figuratively speaking. As I stated before, I am sure, pretty sure, that he does not meet the continuous presence requirements.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Gary,

don't waste the money on the N-600s. Their only purpose is to get them their first U.S. passports, that henceforwarth will serve as proof of U.S. citizenship. You can get them passport easily if the two little ones go with Alla to the passport office and apply at the same time based on her Certificate of Naturalization. If you are smart, and I know you are, spend another $25 per head on a passport card which you will immediately confiscate for safekeeping. If they ever lose their passport book, the card is perfectly suited as proof of U.S. citizenship and to get them a new passport book.

Trust me.

Regarding your oldest who lives in Russia, more or less, I am fairly sure that the I.O. will rip his heart out and step on it until it stops beating, figuratively speaking. As I stated before, I am sure, pretty sure, that he does not meet the continuous presence requirements.

The oldest one, because he will be (is) over 18 at the time Alla gets her citizenship will have to wait until he is here for 5 years, not three years. As he came as a K-2 to follow and has to stay for 5 years he WILL meet the continous presence requirement by that time. He will be doing his doctorate degree work in the US so that is not an issue anyway.

And just for a clarification. He does not "live" in Russia, it is very important to make that distinction. He LIVES right here in Vermont, he goes to school in Russia. The fact that he is a student rather than "living" there may be used to qualify under the continuous presence rule IF he was under 18. He is not, so it is a moot point. He is a permanent resident of the US and is very careful to maintain that status. If he were under 18 he really would not even have to qualify under the continius presence rule, that is Alla's responsibility.

The other "little one" can drive Alla to the interview in his Volvo S80 T6. But he IS (will be)under 18.

Thanks for the advice! I think I will save the $600

[Ellie-n-Vladimir 3]

Brother Hesekie is right about continuous presence requirements.

Sergey 'lives' here, studies there won't work. He needs to be in the states for 5yrs, he needs to be present within one state for 3yrs. No any stamps in his international passport for 3yrs. The N-600 will ask for it. I mean you will list all his outs and ins in the form.

Edited October 16, 2011 by Ellie-n-Vladimir

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Gary,

didn't want to pick a fight with you. I used the term "lives" in a deliberately provocative sense.

Hey, that's me!

I'm aware that Sergey has to wait 'til the 5-year mark, but I was under the impression that he would continue studying in Siberia (here we go again). If he does that in the Land of the Brave and Free (bet you like that), then he might indeed get away with murder. Didn't count them days.

You guys must be so proud that he's taking it all the way to the Ph.D. In the 21st century, there's no greater gift (aside from parental love and tons of money) that we can give our children than a top-notch education. My wife and I have a 21-year-old in college now, soon to double-major in Political Science and Environmental Science and she is determined to go all the way as well and has our full support.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Brother Hesekie is right about continuous presence requirements.

Sergey 'lives' here, studies there won't work. He needs to be in the states for 5yrs, he needs to be present within one state for 3yrs. No any stamps in his international passport for 3yrs. The N-600 will ask for it. I mean you will list all his outs and ins in the form.

This is not correct but not an issue for us.

Education is an affirmative defense. At any rate he will be here and there is no such thing as "no stamps in his passport" Seriously, please study what you say before you say it.

Aside from educational absence, the requirement is to have been in the USA more than 30 months of the prvious five years without any absences exceeding 6 months.

You certainly CAN visit foreign countries.

As it turns out in our case, it will not be an issue, as I have stated.

Edited October 16, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Gary,

didn't want to pick a fight with you. I used the term "lives" in a deliberately provocative sense.

Hey, that's me!

I'm aware that Sergey has to wait 'til the 5-year mark, but I was under the impression that he would continue studying in Siberia (here we go again). If he does that in the Land of the Brave and Free (bet you like that), then he might indeed get away with murder. Didn't count them days.

You guys must be so proud that he's taking it all the way to the Ph.D. In the 21st century, there's no greater gift (aside from parental love and tons of money) that we can give our children than a top-notch education. My wife and I have a 21-year-old in college now, soon to double-major in Political Science and Environmental Science and she is determined to go all the way as well and has our full support.

We are. He had applied to several US universities for his masters but Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology offered him full ride with room and board in one of their new dorms which is like a US 2 bedroom apartment! There are four boys there, but still! Much better than the Soviet Style dorm he had for his undergraduate work.

Just this week he was accepted to and given a full scholarship at Dartmouth, just about two hours from here, for his doctorate. Yes we are very excited and proud. Alla is very relieved he will be so close. I told her it is close enough to come home on weekends for her to so hid laundry! And even though he is in a top university now, the best in the FSU for physics, we are glad that his education will now have both foreign and US degrees.

Moscow is not in Siberia.

He is also coming home this winter for semester break in January so there will no longer be any absences of more than 6 months.

[Ellie-n-Vladimir 3]

This is not correct but not an issue for us.

Education is an affirmative defense. At any rate he will be here and there is no such thing as "no stamps in his passport" Seriously, please study what you say before you say it.

Aside from educational absence, the requirement is to have been in the USA more than 30 months of the prvious five years without any absences exceeding 6 months.

You certainly CAN visit foreign countries.

As it turns out in our case, it will not be an issue, as I have stated.

Gary, that's right. I was thinking that it does not apply to your case. In my case, I had this requirement - no stamps. I needed to show that i did not leave the country for 3 yrs. My apologies..

[tom&tanya 48]

Gary, question for you:

How will you handle airline tickets and her Ukrainian passport when she changes her name? This is one of the reasons Tanya didn't change her name.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Gary, question for you:

How will you handle airline tickets and her Ukrainian passport when she changes her name? This is one of the reasons Tanya didn't change her name.

We won't. Alla is not changing her name until she is a citizen, she will have a US passport in her married name. She will use her US passport for traveling to Ukraine.

As for now, you just travel with a copy of your marriage certificate and make tickets in the name on the passport, use the passport for ID. You will only show the green card when re-entering the US and just keep a copy of the marriage license with you if they ask. Lots of people do it.

For internal, US travel, make the tickets in the name on the green card and use the green card for ID.