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U.S. Citizenship through Naturalization - LPR married 3 years to USC

U.S. CITIZENSHIP THROUGH NATURALIZATION BASED ON 3 YEARS AS A LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT MARRIED TO A U.S. CITIZEN

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U.S. Citizenship through Naturalization - LPR married 3 years to USC

NOTE THIS PRODUCT PREVIEW FOR THE iKITTM HAS BEEN MODIFIED TO SHOW SELECTED PAGES AND DOES NOT REPRESENT THE

iKITTM IN ITS ENTIRETY. THIS iKITTM HAS 42 PAGES IN TOTAL, TOGETHER WITH LINKS TO ALL OF THE REQUIRED IMMIGRATION FORMS, STATUTES, AND REGULATIONS, AND CONTAINS LINEBY-LINE INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF ALL OF THE REQUIRED FORMS.

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U.S. Citizenship through Naturalization - LPR married 3 years to USC

TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION I – IKIT OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................... 5 A.

B. C. D. D. H.

WHO SHOULD USE THIS IKIT?.................................................................................................................................5 1. ELIGIBILITY .....................................................................................................................................................5 2. WHEN TO FILE? ..............................................................................................................................................5 US CITIZENSHIP BENEFITS ......................................................................................................................................5 TRANSLATIONS.....................................................................................................................................................6 PHOTOS .............................................................................................................................................................6 IMPORTANT RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................................7 OVERALL PROCESS FOR NATURALIZATION..................................................................................................................8 1. STEP 1 – PREPARING TO APPLY ..........................................................................................................................8 2. STEP 2 – COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATION & GETTING PHOTOGRAPHED ....................................................................8 3. STEP 3 – GETTING FINGERPRINTED .....................................................................................................................8 4. STEP 4 – BEING INTERVIEWED............................................................................................................................8

SECTION II – IMMIGRATION LAWS ....................................................................................................................... 10 A. B. A.

INA § 312 – REQUIREMENTS AS TO UNDERSTANDING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, HISTORY, PRINCIPLES AND FORM OF GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES [8 U.S.C. § 1423] ......................................................................................... 10 INA § 316 – REQUIREMENTS OF NATURALIZATION [8 U.S.C. § 1427] .......................................................................10 INA § 319 – MARRIED PERSONS & EMPLOYEES OF CERTAIN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS [8 U.S.C. § 1430] ...................13

SECTION III – FILLING OUT FORM N-400 ............................................................................................................... 16 A. B.

GENERAL TIPS ................................................................................................................................................16 N-400 – PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS ON RESIDENCE (LINE-BY-LINE INSTRUCTIONS) (COMPLETED BY THE LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT (LPR) SPOUSE OF US CITIZEN) ..............................................................................................17 1. LINE BY LINE INSTRUCTIONS FOR FORM N-400 (COMPLETED BY THE LPR SPOUSE OF US CITIZEN) ................................17 N-400 CHECKLIST ..............................................................................................................................................26

SECTION IV – PREPARING YOUR PACKAGE ........................................................................................................... 30 A. B. C. D.

COVER LETTER TO USCIS .....................................................................................................................................30 CERTIFICATION BY TRANSLATOR STATEMENT............................................................................................................30 ADMINISTRATIVE ................................................................................................................................................30 ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION OF FILING ....................................................................................................................31

SECTION V – AFTER FILING ................................................................................................................................... 33 A. B. C. D.

RECEIPT NOTICE OF ACTION FOR N-400 .................................................................................................................33 BIOMETRICS / FINGERPRINTS ................................................................................................................................33 CHANGE OF ADDRESS ..........................................................................................................................................34 TRAVELING INTERNATIONALLY...............................................................................................................................34

SECTION VI – NATURALIZATION INTERVIEW ........................................................................................................ 35 A. B. C. D.

REQUEST FOR RESCHEDULING / QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................35 BRING IDENTIFICATION & PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS ....................................................................................35 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS .......................................................................................................................................35 ENGLISH & CIVICS TEST .......................................................................................................................................36 1. ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST ...............................................................................................................................36 2. CIVICS TEST ..................................................................................................................................................36 RECEIVING A DECISION ........................................................................................................................................36 1. GRANTED .....................................................................................................................................................36 2. CONTINUED ..................................................................................................................................................37

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U.S. Citizenship through Naturalization - LPR married 3 years to USC

SECTION I – IKIT OVERVIEW A.

WHO SHOULD USE THIS IKIT? This iKit is for the foreign national spouse who is eighteen (18) years of age or older and is considering applying for Naturalization based on his/her being married to a US Citizen and residing as a Lawful Permanent Resident for the last three years. 1. ELIGIBILITY To apply for Naturalization you must meet the following requirements: a. Be at least eighteen years of age; b. Be married to your US Citizen spouse and be a Lawful Permanent Resident (“LPR”) for the last three years; c. Have physically been present in the United States (“physical presence”) in the US for one-half of the applicable three-year period (eighteen months) preceding your application; d. Not have spent more than six months (some exceptions do apply) outside (“continuous residence”) the United States for the most recent three years preceding your application. The applicant cannot have a single absence long enough to break the “continuous residence” continuity. Time spent in the Bahamas, American Samoa, or other US Territories must also be considered for the time spent outside the US. 2. WHEN TO FILE? You may file for Naturalization 90 days preceding the three-year statutory continuous residence requirement. Locate the “Residence Since” date on your Lawful Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card’), add three years to that date, and then subtract 90 days. Do not make the common mistake of subtracting 3 months instead of 90 days. Consider using an online “date calendar calculator” to eliminate any chance of error. Example: The “Residence Since” date is June 1, 2009, where adding three years makes June 1, 2012 the statutory continuous residence date. After subtracting 90 days the earliest filing date is March 3, 2012. If you made the common mistake of subtracting 3 months, the filing date would have been March 1, 2012. Filing too early will result in your application being rejected and returned to you.

US CITIZENSHIP BENEFITS There are many benefits to becoming a US Citizen and they are as follows: 1. Full rights and protection under the US Constitution; 2. Right to vote in municipal, county, gubernatorial, congressional, and presidential elections; 3. Possession of a US passport;

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U.S. Citizenship through Naturalization - LPR married 3 years to USC

SECTION II – IMMIGRATION LAWS A.

INA § 312 – REQUIREMENTS AS TO UNDERSTANDING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, HISTORY, PRINCIPLES AND FORM OF GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES [8 U.S.C. § 1423] (a)

No person except as otherwise provided in this subchapter shall hereafter be naturalized as a citizen of the United States upon his own application who cannot demonstrate— (1)

an understanding of the English language, including an ability to read, write, and speak words in ordinary usage in the English language: Provided, that the requirements of this paragraph relating to ability to read and write shall be met if the applicant can read or write simple words and phrases to the end that a reasonable test of his literacy shall be made and that no extraordinary or unreasonable condition shall be imposed upon the applicant; and

(2)

a knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the history, and of the principles and form of government, of the United States.

(1)

The requirements of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to any person who is unable because of physical or developmental disability or mental impairment to comply therewith.

(2)

The requirement of subsection (a)(1) of this section shall not apply to any person who, on the date of the filing of the person’s application for naturalization as provided in section 1445 of this title, either—

(b)

(A) is over fifty years of age and has been living in the United States for periods totaling at least twenty years subsequent to a lawful admission for permanent residence, or (B) is over fifty-five years of age and has been living in the United States for periods totaling at least fifteen years subsequent to a lawful admission for permanent residence. (3)

The Attorney General, pursuant to regulations, shall provide for special consideration, as determined by the Attorney General, concerning the requirement of subsection (a)(2) of this section with respect to any person who, on the date of the filing of the person’s application for naturalization as provided in section 1445 of this title, is over sixty-five years of age and has been living in the United States for periods totaling at least twenty years subsequent to a lawful admission for permanent residence.

INA § 316 – REQUIREMENTS OF NATURALIZATION [8 U.S.C. § 1427] (a)

Residence No person, except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, shall be naturalized unless such applicant,

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U.S. Citizenship through Naturalization - LPR married 3 years to USC

SECTION X – CONCLUSION If you have followed all of the instructions in this iKit you are well on your way to becoming a Naturalized US Citizen. You have been able to prepare your entire application at a fraction of the cost that you would have to pay to an immigration law attorney to prepare your case. In addition, you have been prepared far better for your immigration interview than you would have been had you completed the case yourself, without the aid of this iKit. It has been our pleasure to assist you with your case. If at any time you feel that you need to consult with one of the immigration law attorneys from this office, you can call us at (407) 833-8951 or make an appointment online. Furthermore, we hope that you will continue to visit our website at www.ImmigrationLinks.com for any information you need regarding US Immigration Law. CONGRATULATIONS! YOU WILL SOON BECOME A US CITIZEN!

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