PR and Citizenship

[Pungiwalla]

Me, mywife and our kid(9yrs) got our GC in Jan2004. I assume I'm eligible to apply for USC after 4 yrs and 9 months. How long it takes to get a citizenship ? Once you apply, can you leave US and be back for citizenship ?

I like to give my daughter a USC option so if she decides to come back later on for studies or whatever.

What are my options ? How to preserve a USC for her ? Does it mean I will have to get a USC and then file for her before she turns 21 ? How does that process work ?

 

[sg_orl]

Me, mywife and our kid(9yrs) got our GC in Jan2004. I assume I'm eligible to apply for USC after 4 yrs and 9 months. How long it takes to get a citizenship ? Once you apply, can you leave US and be back for citizenship ?

I like to give my daughter a USC option so if she decides to come back later on for studies or whatever.

What are my options ? How to preserve a USC for her ? Does it mean I will have to get a USC and then file for her before she turns 21 ? How does that process work ?

1. You will qualify after 5 yrs of residency, but can submit an application after 4 yrs and 9 mos, but be careful of the dates and don't submit the N-400 even 1 or 2 days too early otherwise it will get rejected. Time to become citizen varies greatly from one local district to another. It can be anywhere from 6 mos to 2+ years. Until you take the oath, you're still a PR, and all the rules to maintain the PR status apply. You CANNOT leave US and come back. You are free to travel abroad, but it has to be temporary in nature. Also, you need to be here for the fingreprinting, interview, and the oath ceremonies. If you postpone or miss any of these appointments, you will face the delays and even risk the abandonement of your N-400 application.

2. Once you and/or your wife become US citizen, i.e. take the oath, your daughter will be automatically a US citizen from that day forward, as long as she is under 18 on the day of your oath. You will be able to apply for her US passport along with your US passport. You amy also file for her N-600 to get her the Certificate of Citizenship as an additional proof of her US citizenship.

Once your daughter is a US citizen, she can go and live anywhere in the world, and come back whenever she pleases for studies or to work.

Read up on the naturalization and citizenship info at: www.uscis.gov

Good luck!