Does one HAVE to become naturalized?

[alec]

Hello.

Does one have to become naturalized if you already have permanent resident status?

From my understanding, your permanent resident status can never be taken away unless you commit some crime or abandon it - right?

It's been about five years since I got my green card so the topic of citizenship came up, but I don't want to do it at this time because of some personal reasons. But I also don't want to make some stupid mistake by following this path.

I'm in my 20's so I don't see what benefit it will give me. Yes, it will be nice to vote, but I don't want to fork over $700 to be more in debt and take at least three days off from work for this entire process.

My family is telling me to do it but again I don't see the point.

Are there some other advantages that I will miss out on?

- I don't travel to other countries;
- I'm not the criminal type so I don't see how I can be deported;
- I don't plan on working for government or city jobs;
- I can live without voting for a while;
- I can definitely live without having to serve on a jury.

Anything else?

If I ever go back to college I can still apply for aid, noncitizens are eligible.

So will I be in any danger and/or disadvantage if I don't apply until another 5 years or more?

Appreciate any feedback about this matter. Thank you!!

 

[WBH]

Hello.

Does one have to become naturalized if you already have permanent resident status?

From my understanding, your permanent resident status can never be taken away unless you commit some crime or abandon it - right?

It's been about five years since I got my green card so the topic of citizenship came up, but I don't want to do it at this time because of some personal reasons. But I also don't want to make some stupid mistake by following this path.

I'm in my 20's so I don't see what benefit it will give me. Yes, it will be nice to vote, but I don't want to fork over $700 to be more in debt and take at least three days off from work for this entire process.

My family is telling me to do it but again I don't see the point.

Are there some other advantages that I will miss out on?

- I don't travel to other countries;
- I'm not the criminal type so I don't see how I can be deported;
- I don't plan on working for government or city jobs;
- I can live without voting for a while;
- I can definitely live without having to serve on a jury.

Anything else?

If I ever go back to college I can still apply for aid, noncitizens are eligible.

So will I be in any danger and/or disadvantage if I don't apply until another 5 years or more?

Appreciate any feedback about this matter. Thank you!!

It is up to you. But I believe many criminals used to believe they are good residents who
never thought they would commit a crime. In fact, in USA one is more likely to become a criminal due to technicality than
in many other countries. In many other country, if you slap the face of another person in an argument on street, the police
would not even bother to care unless serious injury is the result.

You also can accidently commit a crime like forgeting to check out an item when shopping, accidently
walking into other people's propety etc etc.

You can also be framed.

Many US presidents used to smoke marijuna, an duse drugs so don't expect an average person to be free of control substance in USA but
violation of controlled substance is deportabel offense.

It is all up to you to decide.

 

[alec]

I see what you're saying, but I highly doubt they will deport you if you slap someone on the face or accidentally walk out with an item without paying. Not that I'm planning to do these things, just saying. Things like murder, rape yeah. But I think deportation is the last of the person's concern.

I basically grew up in the US, and the way you're describing here sounds foreign to me.

Good point on the drug part though. I don't do drugs but whenever I have a prescription on me I always carry the RX label just in case.

So besides the criminal/deportation issue, that's it?

 

[jayoa]

I see what you're saying, but I highly doubt they will deport you if you slap someone on the face or accidentally walk out with an item without paying. Not that I'm planning to do these things, just saying. Things like murder, rape yeah. But I think deportation is the last of the person's concern.

I basically grew up in the US, and the way you're describing here sounds foreign to me.

Good point on the drug part though. I don't do drugs but whenever I have a prescription on me I always carry the RX label just in case.

So besides the criminal/deportation issue, that's it?

Something as simple as slapping someone in the face can get you in jail for assault or simple assault and that can be classified a crime of violence which is a deportable offense. These things happen in domestic violence cases too where a spouse calls the police and there ends up being a conviction because the people involved really do not know the implications of such actions, they end up in deportation proceedings. Some are lucky that the case is dismissed and they can show the disposition to the interview officer.

Anyway, I will tell anyone including my worst enemy to naturalize for your own good because a green card can be revoked much easier than anything else. Furthermore after naturalization you get to fully enjoy all the benefits of a US citizenship status. And do this ASAP because as others have explained to you, you never know what will happen any second even though it may be unintentional or unknown to you what may have happened that can get one in awkward situations with the law.

 

[Huracan]

It's your choice you are the one who might or might not be deported in the future, not me We can come up with a bunch of scary story scenarios which you might not hit. I cannot predict the future, would it be possible that Congress makes naturalization harder in the future and then curtail permanent resident rights? At this point you can live without naturalization, but you have to be aware of the risks if you find yourself in the wrong side of the law.

 

[WBH]

So besides the criminal/deportation issue, that's it?

If you love hunting and you know that yoiru car can not deviate too much from linbe between your
home and hunting plave, if you mistakely deviate by more than 10 miles and a cop happen to pull you
over, you may end up witha deportable offense.

Such thinsg can happen in life. If you grow up here, you need more protection. If I had been
deported to my home country. I still know much about my home country to live. Many peopel who
grew up in USA were deported to their home country where they do not even speak language there.

 

[WBH]

I

I basically grew up in the US, and the way you're describing here sounds foreign to me.

Youc an end up in a local party and soemone else use drugs and offer drugs to you, even if
you refuse, at that moment,poloce may come to bust the house. The DA may not know
who really use drug or not so they can just charge everyone. Don't believe that guilty peopel
will be foudn guilty and innocent people will alwasy be found guilty. AT least if you are a citizen,
you can take some deal with no penelty or minimum penalty. If you arer not a citizen, then
you need to go all out to fight the charge.

 

[alec]

Such thinsg can happen in life. If you grow up here, you need more protection. If I had been
deported to my home country. I still know much about my home country to live. Many peopel who
grew up in USA were deported to their home country where they do not even speak language there.

I probably couldn't survive in my home country I know nothing about it. Actually, I don't even think it exists anymore.

Anyway, I get you guys point. Too many surprises happen in life. Better safe than sorry. I will think hard about it and probably get it done sooner. Thanks all the info and help everyone.

 

[WBH]

So besides the criminal/deportation issue, that's it?

(1) As a citizen, you do not need to carry your ID paper but as a PR you need to carry your GC. As more states follow Arizona, this may become an issue

(2) As a PR you always need to report yoru move to USCIS and faiulure to do so itself is a deportable offense

(3) If you travel outside USA, you lose yoru wallte with your GC inside it, it is much much harder
to get travel permit to come back to USA than a citizen


(4) Applying for citizens save yoru moeny in long run. It seems your major concern is money.
But you need to renew your GC every 10 years so in yoru life time you will spend more money

 

[jayoa]

Let's pile up the horror stories please. If you are in a car full of narcotics that you know exists and the car gets pulled over. You and everyone else in the vehicle are in for the crime regardless if you say you know nothing about it. They will separate each of you and pitch you against each other as co-conspirators who will all eventually take a plea deal. That is no good for you and can get you deported. If someone in your house calls the cops for one issue, once the cops are invited into your house they also use that opportunity to look for other violations within your house, God bless you that you don;t have anything else thay can arrest you for aside from the original incident they came for which may be nothing anyway. While there is usually arrests made for crimes in plain sight, cops can also apprehaned and arrest for crimes "in plain smell", meaning they smell narcotics in the air around where you are or live. They can breach the threshold of your abode on this premise and God help you that you are not the one consuming such substances or that they do not find other violations in progress. Oh, you have a friend with this great deal of an item that you can afford to pay for and you really want and need it, you bought it from him/her and down the line you get arrested for possession of stolen goods even though you had/have no idea it was stolen.
More horror stories please.

 

[alec]

WBH - I was about to take off and just saw your last post... just a few quick comments:

I never carry my green card. I don't think there is any law forcing you to carry that document. Regarding issue with Arizona, they would have just needed to prove legal status. If you have state issued ID or driver's license, that proves legal status.

Also if your GC expires and you don't renew it, your status still remains with you. The GC is just a piece of document. I would assume if you go to a citizenship interview the GC should be valid though.

Don't worry and accept things like that otherwise you'd be more of a slave. Anyway just opinion.

In any case I'll definitely get it done much sooner.

 

[Bobsmyth]

More horror stories please.

Horror story 1:

You're at your friend's bachelor party where a stripper is offering her services to you. You accept and get a little rough with her. Little do you know she is an undercover cop and shortly after charges you with solicitation of a prostitute and assault of a police officer.

Horror story 2:

You're out late celebrating your new job promotion at your local bar, but have a few too many and drive home drunk. You get pulled over at a traffic stop and are charged with aggravated DWI after your blood alcohol level measures 0.27


Horror story 3:

You go quail hunting with Dick Cheney and accidently shot him in the face. However, nearby secret service don't take it as an accident and charge you as a terrorist. Soon after you are secretly sent off to a foreign country for a lengthy interrogation which includes waterboarding.

 

[anxiouscdn2]

I probably couldn't survive in my home country I know nothing about it. Actually, I don't even think it exists anymore.

And you're hesitating to pursue US citizenship??? I was assuming your personal issues had to do with loyalty to the home country, and I was about to chime in with some practical considerations having to do with that. There are good reasons to naturalize apart from fear of arrest and deportation.

However, if you don't have divided loyalties but on the contrary feel you couldn't survive in your home country, you are crazy to defer going after full citizenship in a country where you feel at home and can survive. Get right on it!

 

[Jackolantern]

I never carry my green card. I don't think there is any law forcing you to carry that document.

Yes there is, although it is rarely enforced.

http://law.justia.com/us/codes/title8/8usc1304.html

Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d) of this section. Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

 

[Jackolantern]

Are there some other advantages that I will miss out on?

- I don't travel to other countries;
- I'm not the criminal type so I don't see how I can be deported;
- I don't plan on working for government or city jobs;
- I can live without voting for a while;
- I can definitely live without having to serve on a jury.

Anything else?

If you have citizenship, you can sponsor your spouse and under-21 children for a green card much faster than if you only have a green card yourself. You can also sponsor your parents or siblings for a green card.

 

[John Smith 1]

you have really a boring life, you dont like to be a citizen, you dont like travelling, you dont like new experience, you dont like new challenge, you dont like a lot of things,
what do you like?

 

[König]

I never carry my green card. I don't think there is any law forcing you to carry that document.

Wrong. There is a very real law called the Immigration and Nationality Act that has various provisions concerning immigration matters. Particularly, INA 264(e):

(e) Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d). Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

Regarding issue with Arizona, they would have just needed to prove legal status. If you have state issued ID or driver's license, that proves legal status.

It depends on a state. In Washington state, for example, even illegal immigrants can obtain DL/ID, so it's not a proof of legal status.

Don't worry and accept things like that otherwise you'd be more of a slave. Anyway just opinion.

It is a fact that permanent residents have less rights and protections than US citizens. They are fingerprinted each time they return from a trip abroad, they have to carry GC with them at all times, and they should always stay away from any kind of legal troubles. In addition, they have to report the change of address every time they move, even if only across the street (INA 266(b)):

(b) Any alien or any parent or legal guardian in the United States of any alien who fails to give written notice [of an address change] to the Attorney General, as required by section 265 of this title, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not to exceed $200 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both. Irrespective of whether an alien is convicted and punished as herein provided, any alien who fails to give written notice to the Attorney General, as required by section 265, shall be taken into custody and removed in the manner provided by chapter 4 of this title, unless such alien establishes to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that such failure was reasonably excusable or was not willful.

Here is the requirement of INA 265(a):

(a) Notification of change – Each alien required to be registered under this subchapter who is within the United States shall notify the Attorney General in writing of each change of address and new address within ten days from the date of such change and furnish with such notice such additional information as the Attorney General may require by regulation.

Alec, did you file AR-11 form every time you moved within 10 days? If no, you are already deportable So, think long and hard about applying for citizenship.

 

[WBH]

The OP said the main reason he does not want to do citizenship is $ 675 plus 3 days absence fromn work. I potinted out that he would have to spend $300 dollars or so
for every 10 years in his life because GC expire every 10 years. Conisder hs is in 20s, that will be no less. Of course he said he does not even need to travel so he can live
without renewing his GC .

But it is more and more of trend DL renewal, mortgage application etc required immigration status papers.

 

[jayoa]

WBH - I was about to take off and just saw your last post... just a few quick comments:

I never carry my green card. I don't think there is any law forcing you to carry that document. Regarding issue with Arizona, they would have just needed to prove legal status. If you have state issued ID or driver's license, that proves legal status.

Also if your GC expires and you don't renew it, your status still remains with you. The GC is just a piece of document. I would assume if you go to a citizenship interview the GC should be valid though.

Don't worry and accept things like that otherwise you'd be more of a slave. Anyway just opinion.

In any case I'll definitely get it done much sooner.

You better go look for your green card because even the letter that it comes with tells you to ALWAYS carry it. One of the main reasons is that if you are in anyway in need to prove legal residence, first thing is you cannot say you are a citizen and as such you will be required to prove your residency and if you are unable to do so if and/or when asked to you may be detained for months for that to be sorted out. This has existed before Arizona dreamt of their own unrelated enforcement front. If you really value your stay here you need to ALWAYS carry your GC and file for naturalization ASAP. Nobody here is affected if you file or not but we have all told you what we ourselves would do and most have already done anyway, in essence, you asked us a question and we all unanimously gave you the same answer. So hopefully that helps you make the right choice. Good luck.

 

[Al Southner]

you have really a boring life, you dont like to be a citizen, you dont like travelling, you dont like new experience, you dont like new challenge, you dont like a lot of things,
what do you like?

He likes to get laid, that's what the OP like and since ladies are available locally, there's no need for him to travel...lol!! Worst of all, to get on a plane to abroad for fun in Brazil? Nope, locally grown is better for your health...lol!!!