Counting Waiting Years of GC (EB)towards Citizenship requrement

pmpforgc

Registered Users (C)
Hi

I thought this might be of interest and good point to discuss, that I found on the immigrationvoice.org website. It does not affect most of those members as they are waiting for GC. But most of us here already got GC based on EMPLOYMENT and being in US for several years and waiting for it for long time, so it affects many of US.

The question put by the member there is - Can it can be persued to count waiting period (for GC) by HIGHLY SKILLED IMMIGRANT FOR HIS EMPLYMENT BASED GREEN CARD ( or a portion of waiting period) to reduce his requirements for Citizen ship years . Say for marriage based it has only three years after GC, so why not employment based ( Highly skilled) who already contributed to taxes and system for several years before getting GC get break and get GC in say 3 years ( or period depending on his contribution to US taxes )

Original question on that forum is like this

http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18393

"I was wondering if any one in the core or other members think about the next step towards getting citizenship after passing the hurdles of getting the green card. If a person is here for 10 years and then get his green card (average period), then he need to wait for another 5 years to get the citizenship. 15 years for this process in a person's life is too much.
IV Core can push or lobby for a law which can make the person a US citizen, if he is living in US for 10 years legally without any issues and paying taxes for the entire period. It is just my idea."

I think when next time immigration issue comes in the discussion this may be good thing to pursue. As someone already mentioned in that forum last time there was proposal to reduce citizenship requirements to 4 year if some one is proficient in english or some thing like that.Immigration issue might come in the light after presidential elections are over.
 
I strongly support your suggestion, but don't know how to get to the point of changing the law: lobbying? writing a collective letter to congress or presidential candidates? Anyone has a plan here? For many of us, lives after the green cards are just temporary, and compared to the lives before, are somewhat improved, in terms of lawfully work and live in this country (alone perhaps), but still we face so many discriminations because of our immigration status despite our significant contributions to this country for many many years.

Our green cards were delayed because of the stupid name check (was put on the shelf for three years, and then finally was processed after we filed a lawsuit). We would have been eligible for citizenship this year, but in stead, will have to wait another three years, and who knows if our application will be further delayed because of the beraucracy of immigration again this time). Our lives have to be on hold again because of the restriction of being a LPR but not a citizen. We both work in higher education and pay 10 years of tax to this country.

I am shocked by the comments made by the immediate post to the original proposal. It is a perfect legitimate proposal and good for everyone on this board. E.g., those who fight for getting a GC will eventually move on to this part of the land, and realize lives after green cards are still quite struggling. Aren't we all hoping the period of waiting for our final goal shorter? I would really like to see more activities on this tread.
 
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So you need to cancel the GC step for those waiting long time in name check, backlog, .....etc (more than 5 years for example) to go directly to citizenship from H,J,F or any other legal visa!. This will be cool. But what will happen if someone wait another 5 years or so after applying for citizenship, the USCIS should appoint him/her for an important rank in the state he/she is living in.
 
I would say, give the Citizenship instead of giving them the Green Card. Already the GC process takes about 5-7 seven years and on top of that, one has to wait for five years to apply for N400 and to get it approved wait for two more years, taking the whole path to citizenship to 14-15 years.

Also, the processes involved in approving GC is the same as that of the Citizenship except that the person has to prove knowledge on the US History.
They can get rid of that process because, if one is here for so many years (7-8) without getting involved in any legal troubles then it proves the genuinity of the person and nothing else can prove the attachment to the US.

In any case, all these ideas look good for reading. Only the Congress has to actually do something about it.
 
We are asking for "Compensation"

To reduce the time for waiting to apply for citizenship. The USCIS will be able to collect "fee" from us sooner than 5 years.

1- We waited for years because of Name Check
2- Priority Dates have been neglected/ignored
3- We paid "Extra costs" due to this extensive delay
4- Beneficiaries & dependents faced obstacles during the waiting period, the college/university bound stundents were unable to avail education aids scholerships, etc.
5- Professional ehnacements/advancements were blocked
6- The lingering situations affected adversely both mentally and physically, and lots of inconveniences
7- We suffered due to In-effective system, coordination, restructuring, weak immigration policies, test plans, reorganization, you name it.
8- In my case, all dependents cleared NC but did not get freedom, because mine was in the "Extensive Pending Queue".
9- Beneficiaries were so helpless that they approached to WH, Senators, Congressman, FBI, Ombudsman, justice system to be heard. Instead of USCIS system, we were seeking help from BILLS, MEMOS, MIRACLES, TALK SHOWS, NEWS PAPERS ARTICLES, ...
10- USCIS Century 21 services proved as "Worst Client Service", Speed-up processing, transfers proved as "Messed up" processing and what not.
Please keep on adding, if you have something in your mind.
 
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Completely agree

Hi

I completely agree that the citizenship period should be reduced from 5 years to whatever the USCIS might agree to do (ideally 2-3 years)

Can we as group do something ? Should we start writing letters to congressman? How do we bring up this issue in forefront?

Thanks
GCcomesoon
 
Credit for time served

Don't even persons under trial gets credit for time served while awaiting trial !! Why not law-abiding legal residents?
 
Hi

I am very much amazed to see the change in thoughts coz of time.......

In the beginning one will do anything to get a Visa for USA He will go to the us embassy early in the morning (old days) nowadays one month early to get the appointment date and if denied then comes the agents n all the other methods to arrive in USA. When the same lands here then start the battle for Green Card. Till he becomes the green card holder he prays everyday and hope that today I will get GC. When He gets it then begins the advancement in status from LPR to USC. At this moment he becomes impatience and less tolering person who wants to get everything with a snap of fingers not thinking that there are many many more who still are at 1st or 2nd stage, not being appreciating his blessings and thus start critisizing the uscis department. They are only few thousands who are managing few million files. and again when he becomes USC he doesnot bother to contact the concerned authority to solve the concerned issue he had before he is usc. So Please be blessed and enjoy.
 
Practically and Politically Possible Argument

The question put by the member there is - Can it can be persued to count waiting period (for GC) by HIGHLY SKILLED IMMIGRANT FOR HIS EMPLYMENT BASED GREEN CARD ( or a portion of waiting period) to reduce his requirements for Citizen ship years . Say for marriage based it has only three years after GC, so why not employment based ( Highly skilled) who already contributed to taxes and system for several years before getting GC get break and get GC in say 3 years ( or period depending on his contribution to US taxes )
 
Practically and Politically Possible Argument

Thanks for continuing thoughts on this topic.

When we argue for consideration of Pre-GC years for Citizenship, we have to be practical and effective based on past successes of the Employment based immigrant community and most justifiable arguments. To my view following is easily arguable


"For STEM Masters and PHD holders who got GC based on Employment (in any of categorey) Citizenship waiting should be reduced THREE YEARS post Approval date of actual I-485 (similar to Marriage based GC). They must have contirbuted 5 years in Federal Taxes (total pre and post GC) before applying for Citizenship"

It has strong point because of inolvment of

(1) STEM DEGREE
(2) MASTERS and PHD ( which most of employment based GC holders are)
(3) We are just asking parity with Marriage based GC (nothing new)
(4) Five years in Federal taxes meets requirement satisfied by Family based immigrants once they enters country.
(5) Offcourse Passing Security check and other moral charecture and citizenship reuirement will be there.
(6) It take care of those who waited more years


Can you have your opinion on above argument.
 
Hi

I am very much amazed to see the change in thoughts coz of time.......

In the beginning one will do anything to get a Visa for USA He will go to the us embassy early in the morning (old days) nowadays one month early to get the appointment date and if denied then comes the agents n all the other methods to arrive in USA. When the same lands here then start the battle for Green Card. Till he becomes the green card holder he prays everyday and hope that today I will get GC. When He gets it then begins the advancement in status from LPR to USC. At this moment he becomes impatience and less tolering person who wants to get everything with a snap of fingers not thinking that there are many many more who still are at 1st or 2nd stage, not being appreciating his blessings and thus start critisizing the uscis department. They are only few thousands who are managing few million files. and again when he becomes USC he doesnot bother to contact the concerned authority to solve the concerned issue he had before he is usc. So Please be blessed and enjoy.



agree :)
 
I also support this idea

I have waited more than 4 years after filing 485 to get GC because of namecheck and other delays. I don't want to wait another 5 years to finally apply for citizenship.
 
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