We filed the N-400

[jb]

We filed the N-400 on Monday, July 2, 2007. 

It will be interesting to see how long it takes to do the last step.  It took 5 + years to get this far.

[BC]

jb,

by leaps and bounds....

Wish Etna in this process godspeed.. an important step indeed.

May the next 4^th be even brighter.

God knows she's earned it!

Cheers!

[catzenmouse]

JB & Etna,

 A heartfelt congratulations on getting to this point! I hope all goes very well for you and that a Blue passport will be coming in the near future!

Ken

[ecr844]

JB and Etna,

  Best wishes and good luck with everything!

[BillyB]

We filed the N-400 on Monday, July 2, 2007. 

It will be interesting to see how long it takes to do the last step.  It took 5 + years to get this far.

Keep us posted on your progress, my fiancee and I talked about doing this in the future too. Good thing you beat the higher fees which start July 30th!

[jb]

Keep us posted on your progress, my fiancee and I talked about doing this in the future too. Good thing you beat the higher fees which start July 30th!

True,,, but in the overall scheme of things the higher fee is just a drop in the ocean.  What the USCIS doesn't know is I'd have gladly paid the fee X 10 just to get it over and done with.  Some things are just worth more than money.

[Air Dog]

Congratulations on getting it submitted.   

My wife also just submitted her N-400.  I checked and in our part of northern California the wait has been about seven months, but I expect that time to greatly increase due to a surge of people trying to file before the July 30 fee increase.

The good news is that about two weeks after she submitted her paperwork she reconfirmation of receipt of the paperwork and she received a separate letter giving her an appointment to be fingerprinted.  Hopefully all will go smoothly.

Air Dog

[jb]

Congrats, AirDog,

This filing was to the Texas Service Center, famous for being backlogged and slow on everything. We'll see how it goes.

[Jet]

Here's hoping everything goes smoothly for you two 

[DKMM]

Hey jb,

Does this mean she loses her status as a UA or Russian citizen?

[Jet]

Hey jb,

Does this mean she loses her status as a UA or Russian citizen?

No, she will retain her Russian citizenship.

[Wayne B]

I believe that the Ukraine only recognizes one citizenship and the US recognizes two

[Sohkay]

So, let me understand this. When my Ukrainian fiancee' eventually makes it to the point of citizenship, she will be both a U.S. citizen and a Ukrainian citizen? I thought part of the U.S. citizenship oath has to do with absolving oneself of any previous citizenships.

[ecr844]

So, let me understand this. When my Ukrainian fiancee' eventually makes it to the point of citizenship, she will be both a U.S. citizen and a Ukrainian citizen? I thought part of the U.S. citizenship oath has to do with absolving oneself of any previous citizenships.

Dual Nationality


The concept of dual nationality means that a person is a citizen of two countries at the same time. Each country has its own citizenship laws based on its own policy.Persons may have dual nationality by automatic operation of different laws rather than by choice. For example, a child born in a foreign country to U.S. citizen parents may be both a U.S. citizen and a citizen of the country of birth.

A U.S. citizen may acquire foreign citizenship by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. citizen may not lose the citizenship of the country of birth.U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

Intent can be shown by the person's statements or conduct.The U.S. Government recognizes that dual nationality exists but does not encourage it as a matter of policy because of the problems it may cause. Claims of other countries on dual national U.S. citizens may conflict with U.S. law, and dual nationality may limit U.S. Government efforts to assist citizens abroad. The country where a dual national is located generally has a stronger claim to that person's allegiance.

However, dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country. They are required to obey the laws of both countries. Either country has the right to enforce its laws, particularly if the person later travels there.Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U.S. citizenship.Most countries permit a person to renounce or otherwise lose citizenship.

Information on losing foreign citizenship can be obtained from the foreign country's embassy and consulates in the United States. Americans can renounce U.S. citizenship in the proper form at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.

Other sources and info:

http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_778.html
http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/dualnat.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_citizenship
http://wellington.usembassy.gov/dual_nationality.html
http://www.richw.org/dualcit/

HTH,
ECR844

[Sohkay]

Thanks ecr.

[ecr844]

Thanks ecr.

You're welcome, anytime "Sohkay."

[BC]

Congrats, AirDog,

This filing was to the Texas Service Center, famous for being backlogged and slow on everything. We'll see how it goes.

Hope Etna doesn't get caught up in this mess:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/07/05/bc.waitingforcitizenship.ap/index.html

maybe will be easier though since she probably has had a few name checks along the way.

[Rags II]

We also filed this month (not to beat the fee increase but because V had her five years in the 16th). Since she has already been digitally fingerprinted for her K-1, I wonder if they will make her do it again or refund the $70? I don't really care about the money but would hope that we don't have to go through getting the fingerprinting done as that place was a zoo. The senorita that was running the scanner had no clue as to what she was doing and it took a good 25 minutes (after waiting "in line" for almost two hours) to do a simple scan.

It will be nice to have blue passports all around! 

[jb]

Rags,

It seems fingerprints do expire after 6 months.  You can count having to do the biometrics all over again.  I think the explanation for this to prevent someone from trying to sneak in a ringer, her new biometrics will be compared to the fingerprints taken during the AOS process just to make sure this is indeed the same person.

I'm curious as to why you waited 5 years to file.  Your wife was eligible to file the N-400 after 3 years from the issue date on her permanent green card, as long as she was still married to the same USC who sponsored her K-1.

[catzenmouse]

Your wife was eligible to file the N-400 after 3 years from the issue date on her permanent green card, as long as she was still married to the same USC who sponsored her K-1.

JB,

 Is that the 2 year permanent resident card or the 10 year card?

Ken

[jb]

Ken,

My understanding is it's the 10 year GC that counts.  You can actually file the N-400 at 2 years and 9 months.

[catzenmouse]

Thanks JB,

 That was my initial understanding but I started to question that re: your question to rags about the 5 year mark. With our initial 2 year card then 2 years 9 months to file the N-400 the 5 year timeline is about what I was expecting.

Ken

[jb]

Ken,

It took us 5 years to get there because we married in Russia and waited 14 months for the K-3 visa to be issues.  I would think a K-1, with marriage within 90 days, to go much quicker since the sponsor should have filed the AOS for GC almost immediately after getting married.

[Wayne B]

Ken,

It took us 5 years to get there because we married in Russia and waited 14 months for the K-3 visa to be issues.  I would think a K-1, with marriage within 90 days, to go much quicker since the sponsor should have filed the AOS for GC almost immediately after getting married.

 jb, on K-1, after marriage the USCIS requires AOS paper work to be in their possession within 30 days....a good point to hand delivering the marriage license and to get a certified copy that day...instead of waiting 2 weeks to have the original mailed back to you...

[catzenmouse]

Don't know about quicker. Here's our timeline so far:

Arrived here Dec 10, 2004
Married Jan 7, 2005
Got SSN and filed for AOS, EAD, and AP end of January 2005
Got initial 2 year GC in November 2005
File for 10 year GC in August 2007
Expect 10 year GC to be received by end of November 2007 (WE HOPE!)
Add 2 years 9 months until the N-400 can be filed

That's about 65 months (if my quick math is close) from marriage until we can file for the N-400

Does that sound about right for anyone else?

Ken