bank listed me as US citizen and never asked me for imm. status

V

vdostoi1

Volunteer Moderator
Folks,
I am getting ready to apply for citizenship and need your input. I know this has been discussed before but I could not find the thread when I used the SEARCH function.

Last night, I went to my bank to add my future wife to my checking account so that we could make it a joint account. The bank teller asked her if she was a USC and she answered that she was a PR. This prompted me to ask the teller what it said in their profile I was since when I opened the account years back I was never asked this question. He checked and said that it says I am a USC and I politely asked him to immediately change it to PR since I am not a USC. Question: do I need to disclose this on my N-400? My inclination is to answer "No" to the question of have I ever claimed to be a USC since this was not my claim, the bank never asked me this info when I opened the account and the only reason I found out is because I happen to have been making changes. My reasoning for answering "no" and being truthful is that the question asks about the applicant's claims to USC. My thinking is that I, the applicant, never claimed USC. The bank claimed that I was without my knowledge so I would be answering truthfully to the question since the question is about the applicant's claims - not someone else's claims. Any input is appreciated.
 
You would anser "No" on the application since you never knowingly claimed to be a US citizen. It's the bank that erroneously listed as a US citizen.
 
vdostoi1 said:
Folks,
I am getting ready to apply for citizenship and need your input. I know this has been discussed before but I could not find the thread when I used the SEARCH function.

Last night, I went to my bank to add my future wife to my checking account so that we could make it a joint account. The bank teller asked her if she was a USC and she answered that she was a PR. This prompted me to ask the teller what it said in their profile I was since when I opened the account years back I was never asked this question. He checked and said that it says I am a USC and I politely asked him to immediately change it to PR since I am not a USC. Question: do I need to disclose this on my N-400? My inclination is to answer "No" to the question of have I ever claimed to be a USC since this was not my claim, the bank never asked me this info when I opened the account and the only reason I found out is because I happen to have been making changes. My reasoning for answering "no" and being truthful is that the question asks about the applicant's claims to USC. My thinking is that I, the applicant, never claimed USC. The bank claimed that I was without my knowledge so I would be answering truthfully to the question since the question is about the applicant's claims - not someone else's claims. Any input is appreciated.
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Nobody can hold you accountable for other people's mistakes !
Not worth mentioning or worrying about !
:cool::cool::cool:
 
rick92 said:
Nobody can hold you accountable for other people's mistakes !
Not worth mentioning or worrying about !
:cool::cool::cool:
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Thanks. I thought the same way. I started worrying about it but I am glad that my fellow posters are siding with me on this one. Thanks, rick92.
 
I'm siding with you on this one as well, vdostoi. This is a simple bank error and it had nothing to do with you. The correct answer would be "NO".
 
Did they say your status was mentioned in their forms as US citizen vs US national?
Even if you claimed to be a US national, that does not have those consequences you are afraid of (like if you claimed to be a US citizen). It is really harmless to have a claim to US nationality, other than the bank could close your account.

No, never applied for employment at this bank. Would that be important if I ever did?
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Then you would have a written statement in your I-9 form about your status.
 
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I think even if the bank finds a witness who remembers you made a statement about US citizenship, they will not be able to prove that was US citizenship, not US nationality, unless they have a tape recording. I do not think they have tape recordings.
I also do not think businesses are going to testify volunteerly against their clients (but about their potential empoyees is a different story).
And, of course, you have to list only claims you made to US citizenship, not to US nationality, moreover, not the claims you have never made.
 
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I would call them and ask if your status was mentioned as US citizen vs US national or at least if their records for customers distinguish between US citizens and US nationals. If they do not, (and I believe so), you have nothing at all to worry about.
 
raevsky said:
Did they say your status was mentioned in their forms as US citizen vs US national?
Even if you claimed to be a US national, that does not have those consequences you are afraid of (like if you claimed to be a US citizen). It is really harmless to have a claim to US nationality, other than the bank could close your account.

Then you would have a written statement in your I-9 form about your status.
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I actually have made no claims anywhere. The bank simply decided to input "US citizen" into the field that asks you about your immigration status but no one ever asked me about my immigration status when I opened the account. When I was making changes to my bank account and my wife-to-be was asked her immigration status, I also wanted to ask what it says in there about my status and that is when I asked that the change be made. Also, thanks to everyone for the info about citizenship vs. nationality.
 
The same is true when the DMV inadvertently registers you to vote for Federal elections since they assume you are a US citizen. You would answer "No" to the question about have you ever registered for Federal election since it wasn't done knowingly. USCIS is interested in what you claim to be, not what others claim you to be.
 
Bobsmyth said:
The same is true when the DMV inadvertently registers you to vote for Federal elections since they assume you are a US citizen. You would answer "No" to the question about have you ever registered for Federal election since it wasn't done knowingly. USCIS is interested in what you claim to be, not what others claim you to be.
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Or, atleast thats what we hope they are interested in.
What exactly they are interested in is mysterious. :cool:
 
The answer is very straight forward: NO, NO NO.
Dont even bother calling on the US national or US citizen differentiation.
THe question on the form is if YOU have made a claim to citizenship. It never asked if anybody has mistakenly listed you as a citizen. For all I know, I may have been listed as a citizen on one of my bank accounts or other institutions. I have no idea.
SO just forget about it as long as you had them change it. If you now know about and do not proceed to change it, then the story moves from being their mistake to you giving consent.
HAve the bank change it and let it go.


vdostoi1 said:
Folks,
I am getting ready to apply for citizenship and need your input. I know this has been discussed before but I could not find the thread when I used the SEARCH function.

Last night, I went to my bank to add my future wife to my checking account so that we could make it a joint account. The bank teller asked her if she was a USC and she answered that she was a PR. This prompted me to ask the teller what it said in their profile I was since when I opened the account years back I was never asked this question. He checked and said that it says I am a USC and I politely asked him to immediately change it to PR since I am not a USC. Question: do I need to disclose this on my N-400? My inclination is to answer "No" to the question of have I ever claimed to be a USC since this was not my claim, the bank never asked me this info when I opened the account and the only reason I found out is because I happen to have been making changes. My reasoning for answering "no" and being truthful is that the question asks about the applicant's claims to USC. My thinking is that I, the applicant, never claimed USC. The bank claimed that I was without my knowledge so I would be answering truthfully to the question since the question is about the applicant's claims - not someone else's claims. Any input is appreciated.
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Well, I would be a little worried if someone is telling me I have made a claim to US citizenship before I became one. Maybe I was unconcious while making that claim, or so, and that is why do not remember it. That is a reason to prepare to defend yourself.
However, I would not be concerned at all if someone told me I made a claim to be "a US citizen or a US national" before I became a US citizen.
 
raevsky said:
Well, I would be a little worried if someone is telling me I have made a claim to US citizenship before I became one. Maybe I was unconcious while making that claim, or so, and that is why do not remember it.
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Thing is, though, the OP was never told by anyone that he claimed to be a USC. He was only told that he was LISTED as a USC on his bank records.
 
Exactly my point, he never claimed to be a citizen. THe banker probably just tapped through the entry asking citizenship status without asking. Even if he/she asked, never heard the answer correctly and just tapped on through. Or maybe asked, got the correct answer, but chose the wrong status.
Point is this guy never said he was a citizen. I would not even think about it for more than 1 second after I have had them correct it.

Vorpal said:
Thing is, though, the OP was never told by anyone that he claimed to be a USC. He was only told that he was LISTED as a USC on his bank records.
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Another reason to have a statute of limitations for this unclear cases for which it is very difficult to defend oneself ;)

PS: For people who are not in the private joke I mean statute of limitations for "mistakes" (material or not material, willful or not) made in the N-400 as it relates to denaturalizations. In short, after let's say 5 years your citizenship is yours to keep (perhaps with exceptions for some crimes against humanity or genocide).
 
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