Calculate 5 years before applying for USC

[mmdude 1]

Hi all,

USCIS website mentions that after 5 years of residency in US you can apply for US citizenship.

If someone was in US for 4.5 years on F1 visa and now has green card for through marriage to USC for 6 months can this be counted as 5 years of residency in US?

What are the terms and conditions for counting 5 years of residency before applying for US citizenship?

[Deep2009 18]

The date is when your GC was issued.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=86bd6811264a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD

Check the second eligibility requirements. I hope it answer your question.

[jhm3 15]

The requirement is 5 years as a Lawful Permanent Resident, so the clock starts on the date the Green Card was issued. Periods of residence prior to that don't count, unfortunately.

[mmdude 1]

The date is when your GC was issued.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=86bd6811264a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD

Check the second eligibility requirements. I hope it answer your question.

Thank you very much

The requirement is 5 years as a Lawful Permanent Resident, so the clock starts on the date the Green Card was issued. Periods of residence prior to that don't count, unfortunately.

Thank you

[Little_My 464]

If you are a permanent resident through marriage to a USC, then the requirement is 3 years as an LPR, not 5. So you are eligible once you have had your GC for 3 years.

[Basee 2]

If you are a permanent resident through marriage to a USC, then the requirement is 3 years as an LPR, not 5. So you are eligible once you have had your GC for 3 years.

Just out of interest, the two year card is a conditional, so do you calculate from the date of the issuance of the conditional or when you get your 10 LPR?

[K and L 27]

No, it's from the conditional green card. It wouldn't make sense to start counting from the first 10 year card -- that would be 2 years (conditional) + 3 years + process time for the green card, which would be longer than it takes to naturalize on the basis of ... well .. living here on a green card.

Edited April 29, 2012 by K and L