Important Post GC Qestions!!!

[sairam03]

After stamping last week, I just got some questions, which are very important and valid for most of us. I appreciate the inputs of those seniors and knowledgeable.

1. Can I switch to 1099 from W-2?

2. Can I go for certain benefits/grants offered by the state or federal? Would they affect the citizenship process?

3. Is a GC holder eligible to vote?

4. A short travel to Caribbean or Bahamas or Canada/Mexico do count as days of absence in the US towards citizenship?

5. Can a GC holder sponsor a brother or sister?

Wishing great success to all the readers of this forum.

 

[BritGC]

I know the answers to some of these...

1. No idea. I thought everyone needed to fill out a W-2 for each job, either to say they were a Citizen or PR, or prove eligibility to work in the US. I thought a 1099 was for something else....

2. As a PR, you are eligible for *all* Federal and State benefits available to Citizens. Unemployment, Social Security / Disability, etc.

3. Can you vote? NO. Only US Citizens may vote.

4. Short (i.e. < 6 months / year) out of the Country do not count as absence, so long as you can prove to INS that you *live* and *work* in the US, and that all absences were made with intent to return. Also, pay your taxes.

5. Family Sponsorship: YES. You can sponsor brother, sister, mother, father or children. There are some limitations to this, and you're given a lower priority than US Citizens, though.

 

[DelhiCP]

Agree

I agree with all of Girish's responses.

One more thing to add though....you can leave the US for more than 6 months, if you have prior approval (kinda like an Advance Parole). However if you want to become a US citizen, you have to be a PR for at least 5 years and you have to be physically in the country for 2.5 years within these 5 years. Furthermore, if you are out of the country for more than 1 year and you are a GC holder, your 5 year clock will start again !