Need help with 5 years PR - URGENT.

R

ramesh_kumar

Registered Users (C)
We will complete 5 years on September 12, 2007 on Green Card. I want to apply before July 30th to avoid higher fees. Is it ok to apply now?

Also, my wife was in India two timeS, once she was out for four months and second time she was out for three months.

Do we need to mention minor traffic violation tickets in the application?

Can we apply now for citizenship? Could you answer above questions? I would appreciate your help.
 
- Yes, you can apply 90 days prior. There is a web site out there that helps you determine exact date.
- She has been out less than 6 months each time, so ok there too.
- Up to you. Some people mention the tickets as they are characterized as "being detained by an officer", but it is a minor issue. You will be asked to take documentation to the interview, though IOs typically do not seem to care for minor infractions.

I would strongly urge you to read the FAQs and other postings carefully as these are typical questions asked over and over again.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi Ramesh,

check the top 5 threads on this board, they are sticky ones. and they have all the info you need
 
Thank you all.

I thought the link you were refering to was immigration related to calculate eligibility to apply for citizenship.
 
I know I qualify for 5 years minus 90 days, I have pasted below the qualification criteria for Citizenship from N-400 Guide. It says continuous residense minus 90 days, I was not sure can we file with permanent residence mnius 90 days.

N-400 guide instructions:
-------------------------

If you are applying based on 5 years as a Permanent Resident or 3 years as a Permanent Resident married to a U.S. citizen, you
may file for naturalization up to 90 days before you meet the continuous residence requirement. For example, if you are applying
based on 3 years of continuous residence as a Permanent Resident married to a U.S. citizen, you can apply any time after you
have been a Permanent Resident in continuous residence for 3 years minus 90 days. You may send your application before you
have met the requirement for continuous residence only. Therefore, you must still have been married to and living with your U.S.
citizen spouse for 3 years before you may file your application. You must also meet all the other eligibility requirements when
you file your application with USCIS.
 
I am confused with all these terms. I got my GC on 9/10/2002 and never been outside the country for more than 6 months.

Do you think I am eligible to apply for citizenship?
 
Mr. Ramesh Kumar,

First and foremost, most of us are not qualified to offer advise as we are not immigration attorneys. We have/are gone/going through the process and done so after a thorough understanding of the process and requirements. So take it for what is worth.

Second, like most of us on this forum, please take the time to read the instructions as per M-476. Don't take the easy way out by asking simplistic questions on this forum. Who will you hold responsible for bad/wrong advise?

The requirements for citizenship, believe it or not, are not that difficult and most people will be able to follow. (the only issue you will have is number of marriages - but I am sure you will drop us a line on this issue)

Please review the Naturalization Eligibility Worksheet in the M-476 (Form M-480 page 1 to be exact). Again this is as easy as it gets.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well said Takshila. It is important to read the guide to naturalization.

takshila1 said:
Mr. Ramesh Kumar,

First and foremost, most of us are not qualified to offer advise as we are not immigration attorneys. We have/are gone/going through the process and done so after a thorough understanding of the process and requirements. So take it for what is worth.

Second, like most of us on this forum, please take the time to read the instructions as per M-476. Don't take the easy way out by asking simplistic questions on this forum. Who will you hold responsible for bad/wrong advise?

The requirements for citizenship, believe it or not, are not that difficult and most people will be able to follow. (the only issue you will have is number of marriages - but I am sure you will drop us a line on this issue)

Please review the Naturalization Eligibility Worksheet in the M-476 (Form M-480 page 1 to be exact). Again this is as easy as it gets.
Click to expand...

Well said Takshila. It is important to read the guide to naturalization.
 
ramesh_kumar said:
I am confused with all these terms. I got my GC on 9/10/2002 and never been outside the country for more than 6 months.

Do you think I am eligible to apply for citizenship?
Click to expand...

According to what you say (September 10th, 2002), yes. Hurry up before fees go up.
 
ramesh_kumar said:
We will complete 5 years on September 12, 2007 on Green Card. I want to apply before July 30th to avoid higher fees. Is it ok to apply now ?

Also, my wife was in India two timeS, once she was out for four months and second time she was out for three months.

Do we need to mention minor traffic violation tickets in the application?

Can we apply now for citizenship? Could you answer above questions? I would appreciate your help.
Click to expand...

I will be completing 5 yr since PR also in second week of Sep. I applied on date you see in my signature. I was out of country three times, each < 20 days in different years.

I m hoping your wife was away from country in two different years. That she was not outside US for more than 180 days in a single year. Most likely if you took vacations to India as a normal desi, you are eligible.

Yes minor traffic violations have to be mentioned. I mentioned on my form and also got proof of payments frm court last year in preparation of document collection. I spend several months researching websites, USCIS Documents, preparing application form one page a week all well in advnace. You have to put in substantial amount of independent research to get everything correct. I am assuming you have no lawyers. Well researched and filled forms save months of processing delays. With the boatload of people applying now, earlier you apply it is better. But I suggest you research thouroughly and apply. proofread proofread, proofread and proofread. Even simple things like signing the form is different from your regular signature. You have to sign in full in full cursive form on N-400.

Please post if you have any specific questions on the form and I am sure members here will help you. I hope you post your app soon.. good luck
 
desihai said:
I m hoping your wife was away from country in two different years. That she was not outside US for more than 180 days in a single year. Most likely if you took vacations to India as a normal desi, you are eligible.
Click to expand...

Actually there is no requirement to limit your trips to a maximum of 180 days in any calendar year. The physical presence test simply requires an aggregate of 30 month residence over a 5 year (60 month) period.

From a simplistic viewpoint, continuous residence rules require no single trip longer than 6 month duration. There would however be little problem spending a longer period away from the US provided you can conclusively demonstrate that:
(a) you always intended to return to the US, and maintained close ties with your US residence
(b) you did not work abroad
(c) your return to the US wasn't an attempt to circumvent the continuous residence rules. (i.e. you really were making two separate trips, not just one long one)
 
Page 25 in the Guide to Naturalization says:

Note that unless a traffic incident
was alcohol or drug related, you do not need
to submit documentation for traffic fines and
incidents that did not involve an actual arrest
if the only penalty was a fine of less than
$500 and/or points on your driver’s license.
 
Thank you all for ur response, I applied on July 23rd. I live in Illinois, so sent to Nebraska. Any body sent to Nebraska, how long is it taking threre for the whole process?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top