N400 app for wife - very worried

[vishwaskaroo]

My wife is applying for naturalization. On the N400 form it asks for employment history for the last 5 years. She has always been a house-wife and has never worked. Now during the naturalization process - will she her case be rejected since USCIS will consider that if she has not worked and will likely never work - she should not become citizen.

What should we do?

 

[Huracan]

Don't be as worried as the thread subject says. Her being a housewife should not matter at all for her naturalization. Employment situation is not taken into account for naturalization. Other thing would be if she got her permanent residency through employment based and she never worked for the sponsoring company, but your post doesn't seem to imply this situation.

This is not legal advice(TM)

My 2 cents.

 

[dckaraja]

Hurucan is correct.There are more like you wife than you think.Most of my buddies wives are homemakers and all went breezed right thru the citizenship phased.As long as husband's background was ok eg paid taxes,residency issues ,and travel gaps.As long these are up to date.She is OK.

 

[takadigi]

My wife is applying for naturalization. On the N400 form it asks for employment history for the last 5 years. She has always been a house-wife and has never worked. Now during the naturalization process - will she her case be rejected since USCIS will consider that if she has not worked and will likely never work - she should not become citizen.

You got to realize that the naturalization process is not dependent on one's ability to get a job. This will have absolutely no bearing to processing of your wife's case.

 

[kinkyed]

only one spouse taking citizenship...advantages/disadvantages

I am planning on applying for citizenship.
And had some questions, before I go ahead.

I got employment based GC, and my wife is always a homemaker.
Now is it possible that I apply citizenship only for my wife.
And I remain on GC, that way I can be indian citizen, and my wife
is US citizen.
Is it possible ? and what are advantages, and disadvantages.

Thanks

 

[vdostoi1]

I am planning on applying for citizenship.
And had some questions, before I go ahead.

I got employment based GC, and my wife is always a homemaker.
Now is it possible that I apply citizenship only for my wife.
And I remain on GC, that way I can be indian citizen, and my wife
is US citizen.
Is it possible ? and what are advantages, and disadvantages.

Thanks

Yes, this is possible. You are not required to file for US citizenship.

 

[kinkyed]

Thanks.
Will there be any specific questions, during her citizenship process
...about her income(which she does not have, tax is filed jointly)
...why husband not taking citizenship etc.
And what happens to child, does child remain indian citizen or becomes
US citizen(child is 10 years of age and born in India)

 

[WBH]

I am planning on applying for citizenship.
And had some questions, before I go ahead.

I got employment based GC, and my wife is always a homemaker.
Now is it possible that I apply citizenship only for my wife.
And I remain on GC, that way I can be indian citizen, and my wife
is US citizen.
Is it possible ?

Of course it is OK. No one is forced to become a US
citizen (many perhaps hope there is such enforcement
so that procedure will be simplied to accomodate mass
naturalization).

Is it possible ? and what are advantages, and disadvantages.

Frankly speaking, I do not see any advantage unless
you want to go back to India permenently. Otherwise
what is the point of not becoming a citizen? If you
need convenience of going to India, you can apply for
PIO card.

 

[WBH]

My wife is applying for naturalization. On the N400 form it asks for employment history for the last 5 years. She has always been a house-wife and has never worked. Now during the naturalization process - will she her case be rejected since USCIS will consider that if she has not worked and will likely never work - she should not become citizen.

What should we do?

It is not an issue at all. There is no job requirement or public charge requirement for citizenship.

 

[c1mth0g]

Frankly speaking, I do not see any advantage unless
you want to go back to India permenently. Otherwise
what is the point of not becoming a citizen? If you
need convenience of going to India, you can apply for
PIO card.

I think there might also be disadvantages (although probably no more than what exists for you currently as two LPRs). I believe that husbands and wives inherit tax free from each other only if they are both US citizens. This was a problem after Sept 11 - where there were many American women married to British men working in finance who died. They had to sell the house etc to pay the estate duties. (This is only based on my hazy memory of a few articles I read - please do not treat this as tax advice - I am neither a lawyer or an accountant).

 

[Jackolantern]

I think there might also be disadvantages (although probably no more than what exists for you currently as two LPRs). I believe that husbands and wives inherit tax free from each other only if they are both US citizens.

Inheritances are 100% tax free to citizen spouses, but even for noncitizens there is an exemption of at least a million dollars (probably more by now, it changes almost every year) that can be inherited tax free. But the exemption is for the entire estate, not to each heir.