Should my spouse withdraw citizenship application (N-400)?

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

It’s difficult for anyone to give you a definitive answer when the new rules haven’t even been implemented yet and no one has seen how harsh they are in practice. What we have seen even before this, is a number of instances reported where COs already want to see more than the minimum requirements to overcome public charge concerns. 

[northusa44 4]

7 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

It’s difficult for anyone to give you a definitive answer when the new rules haven’t even been implemented yet and no one has seen how harsh they are in practice. What we have seen even before this, is a number of instances reported where COs already want to see more than the minimum requirements to overcome public charge concerns. 

Thank you SusieQQQ. These are my thoughts as well, which is why it would seem to make sense to hold off for a bit and see how they are implemented.

[carmel34 3,654]

13 hours ago, northusa44 said:

I am a doctoral student here in the US, and so while we have good income potential, our current income is not high (~50,000 a year for the household).

If you are near graduation and are confident in your ability to increase your earnings significantly once you get a university faculty position (I assume this is your goal), then I recommend that your spouse go for the US citizenship interview scheduled and petition for your in-laws shortly thereafter.  You'll have more than a year after filing the petition to increase household income, and this will definitely be the big issue in sponsoring two parents, as others have said, adequate health insurance for them without an employer plan or Medicare will be very expensive, around $800 per month for one person age 60, plus deductibles, so you're looking at $1,600 per month plus deductibles of around $4,000 each per year, so for two people that's about $27,000 per year just for health care.  COs will also look at living expenses as part of the totality of the circumstances judgment call.  Some faculty disciplines are very competitive.  I just filled an economics position for example, and we had more than 300 applicants.  If you are in a very good PhD program and have some research publications on your CV, you have a much better chance of finding a position.  Also keep in mind that for most university or college faculty positions, you will very likely have to move, and that could be to a higher cost of living part of the country.  Based on what you have posted, I think you can do this and reunite your family here in the US.  Good luck!

[Suze1 366]

Great and, I think, helpful responses so far.

Good for you on your endeavors and plans.

What areas are you and the missus in? I ask because it can matter, salary-wise.

 

Just a note - Recently we had a dozen PhD & MD holders (some in neuroscience, like me) apply for one of our coop apartments in NYC. Their salaries were in the $50K-65K range as starting doctorate holders.

(A cardiologist and head of ER did get it, but only with financial help from us. Being from overseas with no US credit history is not a pretty sight! Don't know your circumstances, and those of your in-laws, just saying, do the math on the finances all along the way, as you plan.)

 

I suspect you have some real and realistic idea about all that. Just saying...

 

All the best to you.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Suze1

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

It’s so dependent on what field the PhD is in and prospects in your area, etc. I’ve know PhDs to go straight into 6 figure salaries, and I’ve known one or two become uber drivers because they need to supplement their salary.

[Boiler 46,005]

5 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

It’s so dependent on what field the PhD is in and prospects in your area, etc. I’ve know PhDs to go straight into 6 figure salaries, and I’ve known one or two become uber drivers because they need to supplement their salary.

I can think on one who washes dishes, another serves at a local Brewpub, does the qualification have commercial value?

[DELETEME1234 208]

I think you guys are getting ahead of yourself at this point. 
 

First I’d advise to look into the nationality matter a bit better. Most countries, in particular the one’s that don’t allow dual nationalities have provisions in which they make exceptions if you attain the nationality of a spouse. Similarly, most countries have inexpensive and fast track options to regain nationality for ex citizens. 
 

Then there’s the grey area of practical reality in which a lot of said countries rely on self reporting that you’ve attained a different nationality (often time without being legally compelled to report) causing a lot of people to hold both nationalities in practice regardless. 
 

So in short, I’d do a bit more research on the matter if I were you. 
 

On top of that you’re worried about something that doesn’t become relevant until much later (i.e. first naturalisation > filing for parents > assessment) because of processing times and depending on how the election this year turns out (or the mood of the incumbent president should he be re-elected) none of this might be relevant by that time. 

[northusa44 4]

Thanks to all of the new posts. Short answer to the discussion regarding job prospects is that I will still be in graduate school when their interview takes place. Still, we should have a good chance of boosting our income at least somewhat before the interview.

 

Many thanks again to those who have responded--in some ways the lack of a clear consensus was in itself quite helpful. My spouse more or less decided today to go through with citizenship; as I wrote yesterday, the final decision was not mine, but it was still helpful to be able to report everyone's thoughts when making the decision today.

 

I have a feeling that I will start another discussion topic sometime in the near future regarding interview/financials preparation, and again, thank you all very much.

 

 

[northusa44 4]

On 2/12/2020 at 4:53 PM, Poseidon1212 said:

I think you guys are getting ahead of yourself at this point. 
 

First I’d advise to look into the nationality matter a bit better. Most countries, in particular the one’s that don’t allow dual nationalities have provisions in which they make exceptions if you attain the nationality of a spouse. Similarly, most countries have inexpensive and fast track options to regain nationality for ex citizens. 
 

Then there’s the grey area of practical reality in which a lot of said countries rely on self reporting that you’ve attained a different nationality (often time without being legally compelled to report) causing a lot of people to hold both nationalities in practice regardless. 
 

So in short, I’d do a bit more research on the matter if I were you. 
 

On top of that you’re worried about something that doesn’t become relevant until much later (i.e. first naturalisation > filing for parents > assessment) because of processing times and depending on how the election this year turns out (or the mood of the incumbent president should he be re-elected) none of this might be relevant by that time. 

And thank you for this post (missed it when I posted my last one). We have friends from a different country who could try this approach (this being one of the countries that does not really do much to enforce its law), but my spouse's country is quite strict about citizenship. (some try to get around it but it is not a smart thing to do)