K-1 To Passport!

[Preston]

One question? From the time she arrives in the US to the time she gets her full blown US Passport how long does that take?

[jb]

About 5-6 years.  7 years,,, outside number.

[Admin]

One question? From the time she arrives in the US to the time she gets her full blown US Passport how long does that take?

My wife arrived on a K1 in April 2001. She was sworn in as an American citizen in September 2005. We expect to received her US passport by mid-November, 2005. In our case, we could have shortened it by almost a year - so though it has taken about 4.5 years, it might well have taken 3.5 to 4 years.

- Dan

[jb]

Dan,

Congrats on getting it done so speedily, however, due to the backlog on AOS interviews now-a-days I would expect the N-600 process to run a bit longer.

I'll have to check my bookmarks but I'm pretty sure the usual waiting period from AOS to filing the N-600 is; 4 years and 9 months.... Or,, is it 3 years and 9 months???  Can't remember off the top of my head.  I'll have a look and get back to you on that.

[Preston]

Thanks for the info. Guys

Well I'm going on 3 years this coming Jan. 2006! I kind of figured 4-5 years! No way of speeding it up ?

Preston

P.S. Dan I tried to post a picture of my wife and I but can't get it to go through?

[Admin]

Thanks for the info. Guys

Well I'm going on 3 years this coming Jan. 2006! I kind of figured 4-5 years! No way of speeding it up ?

Preston

P.S. Dan I tried to post a picture of my wife and I but can't get it to go through?

Preston, send me a PM with the problem description and I'll help you get it sorted out.

- Dan

[Admin]

Dan,

Congrats on getting it done so speedily, however, due to the backlog on AOS interviews now-a-days I would expect the N-600 process to run a bit longer.

I'll have to check my bookmarks but I'm pretty sure the usual waiting period from AOS to filing the N-600 is; 4 years and 9 months.... Or,, is it 3 years and 9 months???  Can't remember off the top of my head.  I'll have a look and get back to you on that.

jb,

We were at 15 months from the time of filing AOS, to the interview date. I *think* that is pretty normal by today's standards, but the timeline varies by BCIS office. VisaJourney has up-to-date stats on the AOS timelines. Here is their AOS timeline page which shows an average of 228 days from filing to interview -- http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/aosstats.php. This is LESS than the 15 months my wife and I experienced.

Anyway, once a person has become an official "permanent resident" (conditional or otherwise), if they are married to a US citizen, the waiting time is 3 years.

4 years seems like a reasonable expectation, so long as people recognize the variability from one BCIS office to another will affect their specific case.

- Dan

[Goombah]

Here is a related question:

What is the status of a K-2 child with regards to US Citizenship?  Does she go through the same citizenship paperwork and oaths as her mother?  

Kevin

[jb]

I mis-spoke when I mentioned the N-600, I should have said N-400.  The two forms are similar but not interchangable.

To answer your question about a K-2 child, you would file a seperate N-400 if the child has reached their 18th birthday at the time of eligibility, having held a valid green card for three years.  You can read all about it at:

http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/n-400.htm

[ConnerVT]

This is the first time I've looked into this, as my son is still much too young, and my wife has not yet expressed an interest in obtaining her American citizenship.  So correct me if I am wrong, but from the following paragraph, I can not see how it can happen in less than 5 years (unless she has 1 year in the US Armed Forces):

Residence and Physical Presence

An applicant is eligible to file if, immediately preceding the filing of the application, he or she:

-- has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (see preceding section);

-- has resided continuously as a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. for at least 5 years prior to filing with no single absence from the United States of more than one year;

-- has been physically present in the United States for at least 30 months out of the previous five years (absences of more than six months but less than one year shall disrupt the applicant's continuity of residence unless the applicant can establish that he or she did not abandon his or her residence during such period)

-- has resided within a state or district for at least three months

http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/general.htm

Full text of the INA ACT 316 text can be had here: http://uscis.gov/lpBin/lpext.dll/inserts/slb/slb-1/slb-22/slb-9226?f=templates&fn=document-frame.htm#slb-act316


(edit: damn .rtf formatting!)

[jb]

Connor,

According to the instructions listed on the N-400, 'Application for Naturalization' under the sub-heading, "Who Should Use This Form?"

To use this form you must be at least 18 years old.
You must be one of the following:

(1)- - - skip this one, (the five years requirement doesn't apply to a spouse) - - -

(2) A Lawful Permanent Resident[/i] for at least three years

AND

You have been married to the same US citizen for the last three years.

Three years is the correct number after she receives the green card.  Actually she can file in 2 years and 9 months and still be street legal.

We are in this phase now, waiting for the required time to elapse.  We'd have already been eligible more than a year ago if the AOS has gone in a more timely manner.  

[Goombah]

Thanks... she is only 10 now.  Is she eligable to become a citizen before age 18?

Kevin

[jb]

Dan,

When you spoke of 14 months to get the AOS interview it reminded me of the agony we went through.  We got caught in the aftermath of 9-11.  Although we have been married for 4+ years now, my wife's green card is dated October 2004, so we were on the back burner of the BCIS for a total of 31 months.

Hopefully they have gotten their act together a little better by now.

[jb]

Goombah,

She will be the minor child of a US citizen,,, she's automatically granted citizenship in that case.

Edit:  On further reflection, I think you will have to file a form N-600K on the child's behalf to get the deal done legally.

[dostogirl]

One question? From the time she arrives in the US to the time she gets her full blown US Passport how long does that take?

When she applies for a GC (temporary), you'll get a receipt with the date. Count 3 years from that date - that's when she can apply for her citizenship. How long it may take her after the application, no one knows. ..

[Preston]

Thanks for the info. Dostogirl

That gives a better idea!

[jb]

dostogirl,

I hate to disagree, but the rules state that the naturalization applicant must have been; "A Lawful Permanent Resident for at least three years".  I don't think the date on the AOS application receipt would be the right time to begin counting days. I could be wrong, but I think you have to get the permanent green card before the clock starts the countdown towards citizenship.

Edit:

I'm sitting here looking at the N-400 as I write this, Page 1, Part 2, spells out the 3 year requirement for being married to the same US citizen.  Page 2, Part 3, Section C, asks for the "Date you became a Permanent Resident".  Page 4, Part 7, asks for the applicant to list all trips outside the USA for more than 24 hours.  From this I deduce that the number of days, weeks or months spent out of the US visiting the home country (or Canada and Mexico) are deducted from the time spent in actual residence (three years), since the Green Card was issued.  I suspect that if the dates you submit do not fulfill the required length of residency the petition will not be approved.