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punkster

I voted but I'm not a US citizen

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Filed: Country: Spain
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I'd be consulting a competent immigration attorney, first off. I wonder if it makes a difference if it is a "willful" misrepresentation or not. I recall reading something about the consequences of false claims of citizenship with respect to I-9 entries, that were not as dire when or if the alien could demonstrate that it was due to a misunderstanding of the terminology.

By the way, I could well surmise that this can happen quite accidentally, without premeditation or malintent, desert_fox. In some countries 'citizenry' refers to inhabitants or the folk that reside there and has little to do with legality of their immigrant status or their right to vote.

I agree..."citizen" is used as a generic term.

I certainly would not be volunteering infor to anyone right now and do not apply for naturalization, as you would have to fess up.

Talk to an immigration attorney and see what could happen....but dont vote, and get off the voters roll. Also.....dont serve on any juries should you be called.

I finally got rid of the never ending money drain. I called the plumber, and got the problem fixed. I wish her the best.

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Russia
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Once I read that there was a difference between being a US citizen and being a citizen of the United States.

Is there any? Even if so, you're neither one of those. You're an LPR.

I would forget about N-400...

Filed AOS from F-1
Green Card approved on 01/04/07
Conditions removed 01/29/09

Citizenship Oath 08/23/12

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Canada
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Once I read that there was a difference between being a US citizen and being a citizen of the United States.

Is there any? Even if so, you're neither one of those. You're an LPR.

I would forget about N-400...

The only difference is the wording. A citizen of the US and a US citizen are the exact same thing. Meaning you hold citizenship of the US and are a US citizen.

Well how would they find out? They know a lot more then you think they do. They also are very keen at seeing people lying about something. So yes, it's either abandon the US citizenship N-400 all together and just hope nothing now happens with your Green Card, or get the lawyer...

I'm just a wanderer in the desert winds...

Timeline

1997

Oct - Job offer in US

Nov - Received my TN-1 to be authorized to work in the US

Nov - Moved to US

1998-2001

Recieved 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th TN

2002

May - Met future wife at arts fest

Nov - Recieved 6th TN

2003

Nov - Recieved 7th TN

Jul - Our Wedding

Aug - Filed for AOS

Sep - Recieved EAD

Sep - Recieved Advanced Parole

2004

Jan - Interview, accepted for Green Card

Feb - Green Card Arrived in mail

2005

Oct - I-751 sent off

2006

Jan - 10 year Green Card accepted

Mar - 10 year Green Card arrived

Oct - Filed N-400 for Naturalization

Nov - Biometrics done

Nov - Just recieved Naturalization Interview date for Jan.

2007

Jan - Naturalization Interview Completed

Feb - Oath Letter recieved

Feb - Oath Ceremony

Feb 21 - Finally a US CITIZEN (yay)

THE END

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punkster,

You might want to contact the office of Stuart Folinsky, an immigration attorney practicing in LA. He's had some experience with this aspect of immigration law.

Yodrak

Does anyone of you know someone who made the same mistake.

I wrongly assumed that as a permanent resident it was ok to participate in local election.

I am in such trouble

any advice will be greatly appreciated

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Didnt you bother to read the affadavit before signing the registration form??

Not everywhere has such an "affidavit". In Pennsylvania, you get asked if you want to register to vote on the screen as you're sitting down to have your DL photo taken, its really easy just to press "yes". Of course, I never would!

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: England
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Didnt you bother to read the affadavit before signing the registration form??

Not everywhere has such an "affidavit". In Pennsylvania, you get asked if you want to register to vote on the screen as you're sitting down to have your DL photo taken, its really easy just to press "yes". Of course, I never would!

Very similar in Oregon, I got asked if I wanted to register to vote when I got my licence. Then again when we changed the registration on our vehicles from just my wife's name to joint names they asked me again if I wanted to vote. Don't know if they would have given me a form or not with something more on it, I just so no each time.

What to expect at the POE - WIKI entry

IR-1 Timeline IR-1 details in my timeline

N-400 Timeline

2009-08-21 Applied for US Citizenship

2009-08-28 NOA

2009-09-22 Biometrics appointment

2009-12-01 Interview - Approved

2009-12-02 Oath ceremony - now a US Citizen

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Filed: Other Country: Netherlands
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I was going to say that Permanent residents are able to vote in some local elections. The USCIS website states this. But it seems as if this has less to do with voting in a local election and more to do with registering to vote.

Clueless. Sorry.

Edited repeatedly for missing previous posts!

Edited by Arazia

Our K-1 Visa/AOS/RoC timeline can be found here.

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  • 2 weeks later...

My husband when he got his license they had his sign a voters card i then said he wasn't elgible but i'm not sure if they sent it in or not. I have not found him on the website you can check in IL to see if you are registered but how do you know? He just signed it because they told him to. We are not ready for the N-400 but what now?

03/29/2003 Our wedding in Canada

04/30/2004 I became a Permanant Resident of Canada!

IR-1/DCF

09/19/2006 Filed I-130

09/19/2006 I-130 approved!

10/05/2006 Packet 3 arrived with approval letter.

10/19/2006 Sent Packet 3 back to Montreal

10/20/2006 Montreal receives Packet 3

01/23/2007 Everything currently on hold due to Adam Walsh Act :(

03/14/2007 E-mail from Montreal saying i'm clear from USCIS on Adam Walsh Act

03/22/2007 Got e-mail from Montreal that interview is May 22nd!

05/15/2007 Finally received interview letter

05/22/2007 Approved!!!!

05/28/2007 Visa arrived!!!

05/31/2007 Big move to the US

06/12/2007 SSN arrived

06/22/2007 Welcome letter arrived

06/28/2007 10 year Green Card arrived!!!

N-400

05/31/2010 Eligible to apply for citizenship

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This is a very interesting topic. Before I enter the US, I already know that as a Legal Permanent Resident, I can do all what a USC can do (work, pay taxes, etc...) EXCEPT to VOTE. I have read it on their web and I wanted to be familiarize with my "rights" when I enter the U.S. When I applied for a driver's license, there's a portion there regarding: Register to Vote and my husband especifically told me not to check that part because we know I cannot vote yet since I'm not a USC (yet).

Your case will be a very complicated one as you have called USCIS and told them about what you did, you had voluntarily told them your mistake because of the confusion you had with being a Citizen and a USC (but we are not a Citizen, we are still a Permanent Resident). Although your excuse may sound right but for the U.S. Government, "Ignorance of the Law is no excuse". For this matter, you will need a very good Immigration Lawyer to get you off the hook as this will be judged as a "felony case" and may be a reason for deportation or being banned to enter the US. Ask the Immigration Attorney what you can do for the meantime and hopefully it will still turn out for the better. Good Luck.

HELEN

agif003.gif

22 February 2010 - mailed the N-400 packet

02 March 2010 - Check encashed/I-797C NOA

03 March 2010 - USCIS Acceptance Confirmation via e-mail and text message

06 March 2010 - received I-797C, Notice of Action/Receipt

01 April 2010 - Biometrics Appointment (Biometrics done 4/7/10)

27 April 2010 - received I-797C/ Request to Appear for Naturalization Interview

02 June 2010 - Interview schedule

17 June 2010 - Oath Taking (Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, CA)

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  • 1 month later...
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: England
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Whoa hold your horses !

U.S. law is based on English law...

There are 'absolute' offences like speeding when you need no intention..

Then there are serious criminal offences where you need TWO elements

'mens rea' the guilty intent and 'actus rea' the guilty act

So if I borrow your stapler and put my own staples in and staple one piece of paper to another and then put your stapler back on your desk, there is no 'mens rea' - guilty intent and no theft

same with conspiracy /theft/assault etc etc etc etc etc - if I bump into you accidentally and break your nose there is no offence - only a civil case for negligent damages - that's why you cant be guilty of murder (murder1 in US terms) if you get drunk and leave your car on a railway crossing and 500 people die. No 'malice aforethought'

Now if this offence is as serious as it sounds then surely some 'guilty intention' is necessary. Thats as far as the felony is concerned - dont know about the USCIS element where they can act without proving a crime.

Also we all know that the website says you CAN vote in certain elections and registering to vote would be necessary to do this surely ?

Are there different levels of voter registration - local and state and national - or only one ?

If its only one then how can a person vote locally without registering (somebody else made this point)

Summary

So I don't think the felony stuff is important here if this person can show that there was no guilty intent - only a brain cell deficit.

BUT !!! I also think the USCIS don't care about that and they can bump your n400 anyway without a conviction and let you prove it rather than the courts ...

A far as 'would they know' I suspect US computerization is pretty pathetic generally and bigamy is rife as the FED dont even have a common States database of who is married - and I reckon they would not know (90%) - but sod's law says they would sweep this one and then it is a felony to claim you didnt when you did as that claim would be done with guilty intent

So having green card status only is better than the slammer. So what you cant vote in future - I wouldnt want to....

Did you vote for George first time ? I wonder if its too late to get the election result annulled ?

Edited by saywhat

moresheep400100.jpg

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Filed: Country: Spain
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same with conspiracy /theft/assault etc etc etc etc etc - if I bump into you accidentally and break your nose there is no offence - only a civil case for negligent damages - that's why you cant be guilty of murder (murder1 in US terms) if you get drunk and leave your car on a railway crossing and 500 people die. No 'malice aforethought'

people get convicted all the time of manslaughter for example, without having any prior intent of hurting someone, but as a consequence of their own illegal behavior such as running a red light or leaving their car on the railroad tracks because they decided to drive while they were drunk.

I finally got rid of the never ending money drain. I called the plumber, and got the problem fixed. I wish her the best.

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Wow, a lot of older threads have been popping up lately :blink:

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United States & Republic of the Philippines

"Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid." John Wayne

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
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Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Peru
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This is an interesting topic, therefore while at my local county board of elections I asked them about a situation where a non-US Citizen registers to vote.

Basically, it was stated if it was an honest mistake and you immediately de-register then it’s like no harm no foul. But if you stay registered and then actually vote--then you are probably toast.

The Elections Board official stated that INS Agents routinely query voter registration records and pull those files of suspected aliens, illegal or legal who are registered and voting. And this may not be immediate, as one person was registered to vote since 2004, and just recently INS pulled his records.

In my state it clearly asks if you are a US Citizen and over 18. If you check no to either then you cannot register, if you lie and swear by checking yes that you are a US Citizen and over 18 years of age and then register you are committing a felony--perjury before sworn representative of the government.

squsquard20060929_-8_HJ%20is.png

dev216brs__.png

In accordance with Georgia law, "The Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act," I am required to display the following in any and all languages that I may give immigration related advise:

'I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY LICENSED TO PRACTICE LAW AND MAY NOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE OR ACCEPT FEES FOR LEGAL ADVICE.'

"NO SOY ABOGADO LICENCIADO PRACTICAR LEY Y NO PUEDO DOY ASESORAMIENTO JURÍDICO O ACEPTO LOS HONORARIOS PARA El ASESORAMIENTO JURÍDICO."

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