Claiming to be citizen - N400 question

I

integral

New Member
Hello,

I have been a GC holder for 5 years and want to apply for my citizenship. For the question of whether I've ever claimed to be a citizen, I have when I applied for the University. Will this result in an automatic denial of my application? I have been in the states since I was 7 and never realized about my status until after 9/11 when everything required proof of citizenship...
 
integral said:
Hello,

I have been a GC holder for 5 years and want to apply for my citizenship. For the question of whether I've ever claimed to be a citizen, I have when I applied for the University. Will this result in an automatic denial of my application? I have been in the states since I was 7 and never realized about my status until after 9/11 when everything required proof of citizenship...
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What was your status before getting GC. If you are not citizen but claims as citizen is an issue on N-400 application. Even if person lives in USA for 30 years by renewing green card regularly, he or she can not claim as citizen. The Citizenship proof needs either US Birth Certificate or Naturalization certificate. If someone has neither of the documents, one should not claim as citizen. I wonder why some people still claim as citizens though they are not. If you have any evidence or special circumstance that made you this claim, you need to explain and my best bet is you need to consult an immigration attorney.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
integral said:
Hello,

I have been a GC holder for 5 years and want to apply for my citizenship. For the question of whether I've ever claimed to be a citizen, I have when I applied for the University. Will this result in an automatic denial of my application? I have been in the states since I was 7 and never realized about my status until after 9/11 when everything required proof of citizenship...
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Falsely claiming can have very serious consequences, especially if it was used to apply for university. Best for you to contact a lawyer before deciding whether you should apply.

http://www.philadelphiaimmigrationlawyerblog.com/2008/05/false_claim_to_us_citizenship_and_its_unintended_consequences.html
 
My understanding is that the INA has exemptions for long-residing aliens (since early childhood) who may honestly believe themselves to be citizens. Best to consult an attorney.
 
If the OP has been a GC holder for only 5 years but claimed to be a citizen long before that, the question is - what status he had? It is pretty hard to explain how you believed to be a citizen before even being a LPR. Best of luck anyway.
 
integral said:
Hello,

I have been a GC holder for 5 years and want to apply for my citizenship. For the question of whether I've ever claimed to be a citizen, I have when I applied for the University. Will this result in an automatic denial of my application? I have been in the states since I was 7 and never realized about my status until after 9/11 when everything required proof of citizenship...
Click to expand...

INS doesn't look at school applications. Call the school and ask what is in their system. If it does say citizen, then provide them your PR card and tell them is was in error. Don't answer "yes" on your citizenship application, answer NO! If you say you did, your application will be denied, and it could cause you problems.
 
DreamUSA said:
also suggest to consult with the attorney....
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The op doesn't need to. The school isn't going to argue with him. They have to correct the error. But again, USCIS doesn't check school records, only voting records and DMV. I wouldn't worry about it, but hay it's free to correct with a call to the school...
 
Shoould anyone be that honest? I doubt USCIS will go into all universties to
see a particular applicant ever claimed to be a citizen there. I know such discusstion is not suitable on a open forum while everyone plays a saint,
which I beleive itself is dishonesty

But I doubt privately one will advise his relatives friends to be that honest.
 
trialanderror83 said:
The op doesn't need to. The school isn't going to argue with him. They have to correct the error. But again, USCIS doesn't check school records, only voting records and DMV. I wouldn't worry about it, but hay it's free to correct with a call to the school...
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Giving advice not to disclose something serious on application solely based on the fact if USCIS can find out it is simply bad advice.
 
Bobsmyth said:
Giving advice not to disclose something serious on application solely based on the fact if USCIS can find out it is simply bad advice.
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I didn't say they wouldn't find it, I rather said they usually only check DMV and Voting records. Do you seriously think they have the resources to check such information with the hundreds of thousands of applicants?? Common sense my friend...
 
Bobsmyth said:
Giving advice not to disclose something serious on application solely based on the fact if USCIS can find out it is simply bad advice.
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Let the person make his own decision. By the way, it is a crime to advise another one not to disclose information? I believe it is a crime for a lawyer
to such advise his friends but I am not sure one anynimous poster to anothers
 
WBH said:
Let the person make his own decision. By the way, it is a crime to advise another one not to disclose information? I believe it is a crime for a lawyer
to such advise his friends but I am not sure one anynimous poster to anothers
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Yes some people get uptight on here.:D
 
trialanderror83 said:
I didn't say they wouldn't find it, I rather said they usually only check DMV and Voting records. Do you seriously think they have the resources to check such information with the hundreds of thousands of applicants?? Common sense my friend...
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I personally believe many people seriously regret they had been too
honest. For the OP, I think he should choose not to file N400.

Disclosing it is perhaps a suicide anyway, not much different from not disclosing it but getting caught.
 
WBH said:
Let the person make his own decision. By the way, it is a crime to advise another one not to disclose information? I believe it is a crime for a lawyer
to such advise his friends but I am not sure one anynimous poster to anothers
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This immigration forum is based on helping others, not on providing advice on deceptive means on how to beat the system.
 
WBH said:
I personally believe many people seriously regret they had been too
honest. For the OP, I think he should choose not to file N400.

Disclosing it is perhaps a suicide anyway, not much different from not disclosing it but getting caught.
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I told him to call the school and verify that he is a US citizen in their system. If he is then he needs to simply them them it was in error, he is rather a US permanent resident, they must have checked the "US citizen" box in error, and have them correct it.

Then the person(usually a student aid) behind the counter easily corrects the error(unchecks the US citizen box). then the op requests the school mails him something that say's it was updated with the proper information and corrected. Simple

To let this petit thing ruin his citizenship chances is simply NOT necessary.....

If it were in the voting records, I would then be concerned.

:eek:
 
Bobsmyth said:
This immigration forum is based on helping others, not on providing advice on deceptive means on how to beat the system.
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Then OK the OP should disclose it prepared to face three consequences
(1)deportation (significanelt chance), (2) citizen denied without deportation
(chance is still great) (3) citizenship approved (very slim chance)

Or he can just not apply. And rememeber this may come back later
even if one does not apply for citizenship. Maybe one day I90
process also chnage and ask "have you ever claim top be a citizen"
 
WBH said:
Then OK the OP should disclose it prepared to face three consequences
(1)deportation (significanelt chance), (2) citizen denied without deportation
(chance is still great) (3) citizenship approved (very slim chance)

Or he can just not apply. And rememeber this may come back later
even if one does not apply for citizenship. Maybe one day I90
process also chnage and ask "have you ever claim top be a citizen"
Click to expand...

No, the OP doesn't disclose it. Call the school, fix the problem so he wouldn't have to say anything. It was the school's error. So he put he was a US citizen on a school application, so what.....
 
trialanderror83 said:
I told him to call the school and verify that he is a US citizen in their system. If he is then he needs to simply them them
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I even doubt univeersty keep that record. DO they keep application form for ever? Even if they keep for ever, perhaps they send old application form
to some storage places where it is hard to access easily. It is a big issue
for the OP but not big enough for teh university to do anyone a favor,
 
trialanderror83 said:
I told him to call the school and verify that he is a US citizen in their system. If he is then he needs to simply them them it was in error, he is rather a US permanent resident, they must have checked the "US citizen" box in error, and have them correct it.

Then the person(usually a student aid) behind the counter easily corrects the error(unchecks the US citizen box). then the op requests the school mails him something that say's it was updated with the proper information and corrected.
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This doesn't sound like a simple school error where they checked off the wrong box. The OP posted:

..."I've ever claimed to be a citizen, I have when I applied for the University"

thus indicating he knowingly claimed to be a US citizen on the application process. It's not just a matter of calling the school to see what status they have him under. Do you not think they would not check his application to see where he claimed to a US citizen first??
trialanderror83 said:
To let this petit thing ruin his citizenship chances is simply NOT necessary.....


:eek:
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Did you not read the consequences of a similar case in the link I provided above?? It can be very serious.
 
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