HELP!! Applying for Naturalization

[LivA 6]

So my job is taking me to Qatar to teach English and the school will give myself, my son and my husband a visa to live there. My husband just received his letter of Approval for ROC and we are waiting for his GC to come in the mail. Can he apply for Citizenship and then have my company apply for his visa so he can temporarily visit me in Qatar? He has a Moroccan passport so it isn't for him to just enter any country.I really hope someone knows the answer to this! Thank you!!

[Jojo92122 1,924]

He can only apply for citizenship 90 days before the 3rd anniversary of having a green card and living with you in the US.  

 

He does not need your company to file for a visitor visa to Qatar.  He can do this on his own.

 

Here is the problem, if he moves to Qatar without US citizenship, then he risk losing his green card.  You will need to make a decision between your career and him losing his green card for moving to another country.

[LivA 6]

I only was going to have him stay for a month or two in Qatar while his papers were processing then he would come back to the US to get his citizenship. That wouldn't be a issue right? But I guess what I would have to do is just have my school make his visa a visitor visa. 

[lost_at_sea 995]

He can visit, yeah. How long are you planning to be in Qatar?  You could also look into a re-entry permit that would allow him to be outside of the USA for a longer period of time (so, if you were in Qatar for a year, he could be with you for that year), but it will count against his total US residency time for qualifying for N-400 application window start date.

[Jojo92122 1,924]

Citizenship under the 3 years rule requires you and him to be living together IN THE US.  A visitor visa holder does not live in Qatar.  You would living in Qatar and he would living in the US.  

 

Get a Re-Entry Permit and delay US citizenship.

[LivA 6]

Yes, we will be there a year. But I figured if we applied for Naturalization this May and it takes say 6 months for him to be a citizen that would take us to November and we wouldn't need to do any extension. I more worried about him applying for a visa while applying to be a citizen. But I guess it would be just the same if we were planning a trip to say somewhere in Europe. I think I just answered my own question lol

[Jojo92122 1,924]

What will his answer be when he is asked where you live at his interview?  Qatar would not be a good answer.

[LivA 6]

@Jojo92122 He will have his 3 years May 21st. I will be leaving in August. 

[LivA 6]

They might ask him this at his naturalization interview?!

[lost_at_sea 995]

2 minutes ago, LivA said:

Yes, we will be there a year. But I figured if we applied for Naturalization this May and it takes say 6 months for him to be a citizen that would take us to November and we wouldn't need to do any extension. I more worried about him applying for a visa while applying to be a citizen. But I guess it would be just the same if we were planning a trip to say somewhere in Europe. I think I just answered my own question lol

 

6 months for naturalisation is optimistic! I wouldn't bet on that.

 

And yep. I think you did just answer your own Q.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Just now, LivA said:

They might ask him this at his naturalization interview?!

 

Yes, especially because he'll be naturalising on the 3 year (married to a US citizen) rule.

[Jojo92122 1,924]

1 minute ago, LivA said:

They might ask him this at his naturalization interview?!

He's filing under the 3 years rule, so yeah you will come up at his interview.

[LivA 6]

Just now, lost_at_sea said:

 

Yes, especially because he'll be naturalising on the 3 year (married to a US citizen) rule.

Oh wow. Ok so our best bet is to maybe delay his US citizenship and he comes on a visitor visa.

[LivA 6]

Thank you guys so much!!!

[MyJourney 276]

If you have lived together, so far, in the US for 3 years and you are accepting a job over there. He can apply for his citizenship and he can travel while his petition is for citizenship is pending to be together with you.
I personally do not see any problems here. The only time he cannot travel is between after the oath ceremony and getting the passport.
I do not think you guys should worry about this at all. If he will be asked where he went, he can tell just that: visit my wife.
However, if this job offer is not like once in a lifetime type of offer, and if you have other options in the US, just stick around and reapply after he gets his citizenship. Your would-be employers in Qatar may understand this situation and may even allow you to come once your mahram is able to go and be with you while you are over there.