"Technically you're not legal to be here" - huh?

LucyMO said:
there is a certificate of naturalization.... My hubby has one. I'll have one in about a year and a half, if everything goes well. :)
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Is it big? My guess is that its not something you can put in your wallet so you have it on you all the time like the green card. And isn't one of the benefits of citizenship that you don't need to be carrying around any proof of identity?

For most citizens this is moot, its only if you live in an area where you get inspected every time you take a drive out of town. I wonder if they have similar areas in other border towns in TX or AZ?
 
it's a page size.

US citizens do not have to carry proof of citizenship with them, unless they travel overseas. That's the beauty of being a US citizen.
 
LucyMO said:
it's a page size.

US citizens do not have to carry proof of citizenship with them, unless they travel overseas. That's the beauty of being a US citizen.
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You are right in theory but not in practice where I live. I get inspected by the CBP twice a week and probably get asked citizenship 10% of that time. I just don't believe that if I tell them I am a US citizen they will take my English accent word for it.
 
why not? I know plenty of US citizens who do not carry any proof of citizenship with them (unless they are applying for benefits which only US citizens are eligible for), and some of them don't even speak English (pretty old).

When you are a citizen, get yourself a US passport - that's a pocket size proof of US citizenship.
 
LucyMO said:
why not? I know plenty of US citizens who do not carry any proof of citizenship with them (unless they are applying for benefits which only US citizens are eligible for), and some of them don't even speak English (pretty old).
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My guess is that these people will carry proof when they know it is required (like with benefits, as you say) which is very infrequently. But if they are driving from Brawley to San Diego/Palm Springs/AZ and tell the border patrol agent they are US citizen without any proof they are going to be put in secondary or made to do a 180 and go home and get it.

Looks like I will have to carry a US passport all the time which kinda negates one of the major perks of being a citizen :( Too bad there isn't a GC-sized proof that I can just keep in the wallet so it is with me all the time. When I had the H1-B I always feared losing my UK passport from carrying it all the time.

Lucy, I hope I don't come across as argumentative, appreciate your input.
 
tangodancer said:
Looks like I will have to carry a US passport all the time which kinda negates one of the major perks of being a citizen :( Too bad there isn't a GC-sized proof that I can just keep in the wallet so it is with me all the time. When I had the H1-B I always feared losing my UK passport from carrying it all the time.
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Once upon entering the USA on my H-1B I was verbally dressed down by the CBP officer for having such a beat up passport. I don't know why he cared but I did take pains to tell him it was the result of the rule saying I must carry it on my person at all times, so what did he expect? ;)
 
tangodancer said:
My guess is that these people will carry proof when they know it is required (like with benefits, as you say) which is very infrequently. But if they are driving from Brawley to San Diego/Palm Springs/AZ and tell the border patrol agent they are US citizen without any proof they are going to be put in secondary or made to do a 180 and go home and get it.

Looks like I will have to carry a US passport all the time which kinda negates one of the major perks of being a citizen :( Too bad there isn't a GC-sized proof that I can just keep in the wallet so it is with me all the time. When I had the H1-B I always feared losing my UK passport from carrying it all the time.

Lucy, I hope I don't come across as argumentative, appreciate your input.
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Hi:

Yes these checks within the US are common in S Cali/AR/TX border areas. Here in San Diego I have never personally seen a check, but they usually occur when travelling from San Diego to e.g. Yuma or Mexicali etc. It is generally a good idea to carry some proof of status at all times.
 
I am a naturalized US citizen who passes the Border Patrol checkpoints throughout Arizona almost weekly.
Before this year I would travel to Mexico just about every week. Now I am playing the waiting game on my wife's AOS application, so I haven't been down since January.

As far as going past BP checkpoints, I am always asked about citizenship. I always answer US citizen. When asked where I was born, I answer in Mexico, but Naturalized in Yuma. Usually the next question is 'when?' which I answer before they finish the question. 90% of the time that is good enough for them. If anything they will ask for an ID, which I always give them my AZ driver's license. BP has never asked for a passport on naturalization certificate once they see my driver's license.

As far as port of entry, I always show my driver's license to the Customs or Immigration officer. And I get the same questions as above. I would say only about 2% of the time will I be asked for my naturalization certificate.

Sometimes I will have it on me sometimes I won't, I just don't like carrying it for fear of losing it. Once it becomes mandatory to have a US passport then I will carrry that.

But the one time I was asked for proof of citizenship and did not provide it I was send to secondary inspection, where the officer had to look up my info (I did have a valid ID) and asked me more questions such as mother's maiden name, etc...

In the end he allowed me through and asked that I have proof next time.

So I guess providing a DL is usually enough for BP just as long as you give them no reason to be suspicious about anything.
 
tangodancer said:
I was wondering about that - citizens don't have to carry passports, but do naturalised ones?
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No. Once you become a citizen, your means of obtaining citizenship (naturlization or birth) are irrelevant legally except for eligibility for public office. The government cannot make a requirement for a naturalized citizen that is different from a natural-born citizen.

The CBP isn't likely to believe me if I just state it grrr.
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That's unfortunate for them. If they harass you too much you have an excellent civil rights lawsuit.
 
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