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  1. Hey all. For background, we had a hell of a time getting my wife’s IR-1 visa from 2013-2014. Because of CPC membership she spent 16 months in AP. Regardless, after 7+ years in the U.S. (and 10+ years since last paying Party dues) we are applying for her U.S. citizenship. Over the past years I’d seen threads here about folks getting rejected because of the ten year rule, so we decided to wait until ten years had passed. We’ve started on the N-400 and I’m planning for us to copy and paste from her CPC statement we prepared for AP way back when. She’ll also add a note that this was previously disclosed when applying for her IR1 and highlight that more than ten years have passed since any involvement or passing any dues. Any suggestions on other things we should add? Or is the struggle mostly with the USCIS officer you eventually met? What’s the opinion on whether or not it’s worth getting a lawyer?
  2. Hi everyone! As always, thanks for all the help and support through this crazy process! My wife has her N-400 interview scheduled in a few weeks, though we did try to push the date due to medical issues (haven't heard back on that yet). I'm looking at the letter scheduling the interview and it asks for so little compared to every other step of this process, so I'm wondering beyond: The letter Her greenscard Her passport Our marriage certificate My birth certificate What she needs to bring? There's also a statement about all document she used for entry. She entered on a K-1, and I remember having a lot of documents then, so is there something from that she needs to bring??
  3. My wife has been in the US for about 2 years of the needed 3 to begin the neutralization process. I am curious about the requirement or 18 months physical presence. Does that mean cumulative 18 months, or do they have to be consecutive? If we take a trip back to visit her family in China for a few weeks, does that start the clock over? Does she need to hit the 3 year mark before filling out the N-400?
  4. ok this is most likely a silly question but I have read so much that it is confusing me so much. Wife is wanting to file for citizenship and my question is will are 15 year old son ride on her form like a greencard or will he have to file his own paperwork? Any info would be great thanks everyone.
  5. I'm happy to say this forum has been an enormous help to me over the last several years while I applied for a green card for my spouse through DCF and then the removal of conditions process. During this time I have amassed a large amount of paperwork to show as "evidence" for the removal of conditions. Thankfully my husband finally has received his 10 year permanent resident card. He currently does not plan on applying for citizenship and will most likely renew his green card in the future when it expires. So my question is... am I finally safe to shred all this evidence of the bona fides of our relationship?! From what I can tell it is not needed for applying for citizenship or to renew his green card, however I think I will be forever paranoid that someone out there is going to ask me to prove our relationship is not a sham. Can someone reassure me that It's not necessary to hold onto all these bank statements, old lease agreements, expired rental insurance contracts ect that I have been lugging around for years? I would love nothing more than to shred it all and finally close this chapter in my life.
  6. Can't threaten to send her back anymore...... Hui went and got her Citizenship this last week. She worked hard learning all the things we all forgot after the 8th grade. Now a few questions. Dose she have to update Social sec and the DMV? She said SS ight want to keep her original citizenship papers I told her that this was most likely BS but I thought I would ask.
  7. My X wife is applying for citizenship. The big problem is after we were separated she got arrested for prostitution and massage without a license. The charges got reduced to massage without a license, since then she passed the TX massage license and waiting for her license now. She is divorced and has a US born baby by her Chinese boyfriend. What kind of problems will she have to become citizen? We separated in 2014 and I filed my taxes with only me so she does not have a 2014 tax return. I am helping her with the paper work. Do I put my name as the preparing translator ?
  8. Hope this isn't too silly a question. I am the u.s. citizen and my wife who is a LPR (10-yr green card) is applying for citizenship as she's been here 5 years now. Question is about N-400, Part 11, question 2, about listing stepchildren. I have two adult children who have not even met my wife. She feels she should list them as "stepchildren." I feel not. Should my children be listed on her N-400? Any input will be appreciated.
  9. I am the U.S. citizen and my wife, a 10-yr green card holder is applying for citizenship as a 5-yr LPR. Long story short, she wants to list in the n-400, Part 12, question 9b, these two organizations: Chinese communist youth league with membership ending in 1995, and Chinese young pioneers with membership ending in 1981. I feel it is okay to do so. As for Part 12., Question 10: Have you EVER been a member of, or in any way associated (either directly or indirectly) with. a. the Communist Party? Ans: yes based on listing the two organizations above (she want to write a letter explaining the 2 youth leagues) b. Any other totalitarian party? Ans: no c. A terrorist organization? Ans: no Anybody answer the same as my wife wants to, and what was your experience, good or bad, in doing so? Any input will be much appreciated as we'd like to get this in the mail soonish. Thanks. Added Note: When she did her ds-230 she answered NO to the question "who is a member of or affiliated with the Communist or other totalitarian party..." Reason for saying NO is because the ds-230 question was in present tense and the truth was she was NOT a member nor affiliated at the time. The N-400 however puts the question as "EVER" a member or affiliated with..., which requires a different response, I think.
  10. In this question, myself, being the step father...can I be put in as the US citizen father, though I'm not his biological father? I did not adopt my step son, only petitioned him. He is applying for citizenship and we are not sure of this question. Thank you very much.
  11. Just curious, looking at the requirements for naturalization. I see I need to provide last 3 years tax return, and bank statement. But I don't see the usual evidence of a 'real marriage' requirements I'm used to seeing in nearly every other previously application I've done. Is none of that required this time around? Will it be expected at the interview to bring photos, ect?
  12. I decide to wait for 2 years instead of appealing because 2 years is not hard to overcome, also because it is harder to appeal from the "mandatory for employment" angle as I never got the job although I tried hard. ========================= Hello, I have learned a lot from this forum since I had to apply for 485. I would like to share some experience of a denied N-400. I have been a LPR in the US for the past 3 years through my USC spouse. When I applied for green card in 2012, I honestly answered "yes" to the communist membership question in my I-485 and explained (1) I have stopped paying the due since the end of 2006 (2)was a bonus for education (3) was mandatory for a job position I was looking for. Because it had been terminated for 5 years at that point, my I-485 was approved and thus I got my green card. However, this year I filed N-400 based on my marriage but it got denied. The decision notes that "you are ineligible for naturalization at this time because you were a member of the CP within the last 10 years". I understand it has only been 8 years since I quitted the party so I do not fit the 10-year waiver. I was prepared to explain that the membership was a must for the job I was looking to but I never got a chance to explain because I got bombed by all tricky questions. Example questions: "do you have any proof or documents that you were out when you said you did?". I carefully explain it is impossible to get such a proof because (1) I am out for many years so my record is likely nowhere to be found. It is easier to prove when something exists, but it is much harder to prove when it no longer exists if something is gone. (2) as a ruling party, CCP can feel offended about members' leaving so it is unlikely to help verify. (3) I do not feel like contacting CCP anyway ever since the departure. Despite my effort, the interviewer only marked "no proof" in the facts. Other tricky questions include: 1) Why did you only passively quit by stop paying dues? Answered because my family work in the government and I do not want to get them in trouble. 2) Why 6 months? Answered it is on the constitution of the CCP. In the denial letter, the stated facts only say "passively quit by stop paying dues for 6 months" "did not have document to prove when he was out/stopped paying the due". None of my explanation were noted. I have already consulted an attorney and was suggested to wait for 2 more years because it is not something hard to overcome, which I agree. But I am really frightened by this interview experience. I think I will need an attorney the next time. Any comments?
  13. My mother-in-law is here on green card as of Nov 2009. We filed for her to become a US citizen, using a lawyer. The reason we decided to use a lawyer was due to claiming inability to learn English based on her medical condition. We did not know how to initiate this. Using a lawyer made sense. Wow, almost sorry we did not do more research on this. Mom had an interview. The legal assistant meet my wife and Mom at the interview. She had all of the documents except the last page. She made an excuse about delaying the interview, she would be back in 20 minutes with the last page. My wife made a feeble attempt at delaying, but they went ahead and had the interview. What an interview. It lasted over an hour and a half. One question directed at Mom. All the others were in relation to the legal assistant. How did we find her, what did she tell Mom. on and on. Towards the end of the interview, the agent said, you do not pass. He stated do not worry. You have answered everything we asked truthfully. You are not in any kind of trouble.Reason for not passing is N-648 Page 4 Question 10. not answered complete. It was only one sentence. And no explanation on why she could not learn English. Page six was also missing. Agent recommended seeing a different doctor. I assume this was based on the form not being filled out correctly. Well, now it seems the legal assistant has disconnected her office phone and changed her cell phone number. The interesting part is that she changed it several months ago. Makes me wonder if she already knew about possible problems. Since we could not reach the legal assistant, my wife took Mom to see the doctor to find out his part. He looked at what the legal assistant gave Mom. This is not what he gave her!! He produced what he filled out. Question 10 was not only filled out, but the continuation section was used to complete the answer. It also had page six, which is where Mom signs. He said, give this to immigration, things should be fine. Next we got a letter from immigration. Dated day after her interview. It is a continuance letter. It states to bring this letter with requested documents to next interview. On line shows Question: Should we just wait for a bit to see if we get an interview letter? or would it help to speed the process up to schedule an Info Pass appointment to turn in the documents?
  14. For the purposes of making sure people get all the documentation they need in China before leaving, is there any Chinese documentation needed for the N-400? I suppose you need: "White book" (notarized copy of "red book" marriage license), just as used for the green card process - is that right, actually? Anything else? Anything needed for anything else besides the literal N-400 would also be worth thinking about. (I've read the document checklist, but just unsure about exact requirements.)
  15. Once again, government inefficiency and bureaucracy rears its ugly head.... My wife did biometrics with CBP for Global Entry on 3/17. We had an appointment scheduled at the USCIS for biometrics for a UK Visa the next day, 3/18. We asked if those biometrics on the 17th could be used for the 18th. Answer no, of course, that's a different department (aren't they both part of DHS?). Wasn't the point of the post 9/11 consolidation to be able to SHARE security information? Surely all the biometrics on file from the green card process, several entries to the U.S., and this should be enough to provide fingerprint data, but no... So, 3/18 biometrics were done for UK visa (in Houston). That was easy, you could schedule it online as you apply for the visa online. You can choose any location in the country and date/time available. She applied for the N400 shortly after this (after she was challenged by the CBP officer suspiciously as to why she hasn't applied for citizenship, in a tone implying she is still active in the CCP or something...) We were waiting for the appointment notice hoping to get it by 4/13 when we would be out of town again until 4/23. It never came yet. We arrived home on the evening of 4/23 to get the appointment notice telling her to appear on 4/23 at 11am!! The notice was dated 4/3, it was postage metered on 4/10! It took 7 days to print and mail? Of course we called USCIS to inquire as to what to do and got the expected only answer: mail in to reschedule. No option to schedule online, no option to speak to a person to schedule a day that works for us. I travel constantly for work and she comes with me. We will be out of the country in the latter half of May into early June. I sent in the notice with a request to re-schedule on some days in early May that works for us. However, I see that the likely turn around time is not going to allow those options so we are likely to get a reschedule during our next trip. We may also get that notice in the mail when we are gone and miss it again. If the case has not already been considered abandoned, will likely be cancelled on a second missed appointment, you think? So here's the plan: I have heard that walk-ins are possible but have seen mixed results reported: 1) allowed right in, 20 mins, done 2) turned away at the door 3) allowed in but waiting several hours standby unsuccessfully as each hour block could not be processed in the hour available. I am scheduling an InfoPass appointment for the last business day we are at home, first thing in the morning. If we get the appointment letter before then and it gives us a date that does not work, will send in again requesting for reschedule for sometime in late June when we are home. If we do not get the appointment letter, will go to InfoPass appointment and request to know what date we have been scheduled (if the letter is being processed or in the mail). Ask if we can do it right there and then, or ask to reschedule for a day that works.... if they will do it for us. I am trying to figure out what days are better to attempt a walk in (Seattle). Seeing mixed results reports online, Mondays are bad and Wednesdays may be good (no scheduled appointments some say?), however I think we can only get there on a Friday anyway. With an InfoPass appointment at least we can get in the door. From those few reporting using this path they have all been successful in getting biometrics done then. I debated going straight for a walk in after missing the appointment but only day we can get there is a Monday and I see a couple unsuccessful reports for that day of the week. (If we could only schedule online, like the UK visa process allows, there would be no issue... or be able to book with a person) Any other advice? Lee
  16. Hi all, I have a couple of tricky questions. First a little background. Wife and her son came to US in 2008. He just barely made it, got permanent residence with condition in May 20009 just before he turned 21 in September. Then, they both removed conditions on schedule, no problems. He enrolled in College here, graduated in May 2014. Problems: Each year, he went back to China for about one month during Christmas break. He also went back during Summer at least one of those years. We did some calculating, and he still did seem to qualify for continuous permanent resident and continuous physical presence at the time of his graduation, but he went back to China for an internship around July 31, 2014. The internship led to a permanent full time job for a Chinese Investment Bank. We did have the foresight to apply for a 2 year re-entry permit on his green card and it was approved. Now, however, he and his mother are talking about him applying for naturalization. And, they even want him to do it in Hong Kong. As I read the guidelines, he does not qualify for citizenship now because he broke the continuous physical presence rule (30 months immediately preceding application) so he will have to start over when he returns and stay here continuously (more or less) for another 5 years. Finally, even if he did qualify, I have not found anything about applying for naturalization in Hong Kong. My wife is not a citizen either. Am I understanding all of this correctly?
  17. HEY..another question. We are talking of the requirements for US citizenship for my wife. We read on the USCIS site where it says: •Be physically present in the United States for at least 18 months out of the 3 years immediately preceding the date of filing the application This last time she was out of the US for 189 days. Was so because of her daughter's visa interview in Guangzhou otherwise she would've been back before the 180 days. Does she need to start over now to have 3 years without her being out for more than 180 days or is the 180 day deal not...a deal breaker. By what it says in the above it's just 18 months out of the 3 years. She easily has this. But read all kinds of things about her having to give up Chinese citizenship. I told her this and she said, "WOW China is bad!" I laughed and just said that it is just different than America. Are ther any exceptions to having to give up Chinese citizenship if you're an American citizen? THANKS! Rosie and Marc
  18. My wife Li is ready to get her citizenship. We will be traveling working trade shows, so can we get the interview changed to a closer location when the time comes for the interview?
  19. I saw this one in the news the other day, this guy entered the USA Legally from Cuba with parents when he was age 9 or so and has always assumed he was conferred citizenship from the special circumstance of refugee status from Cuba. He has held several government jobs, and served in the military, even voted in elections going back to the Carter years, Only now when wanting to go on a Cruse after retiring he runs into this issue when trying to get a US Passport for travel. I guess no one told him or his family needed to apply for green-cards (Adjust Status I-485), and 5 years after getting the cards file N-400 to naturalize. I am amazed that the military, and various government jobs he held did not catch his non resident status. I believe he could have even applied for citizenship based on military service, but then again that may still need to have a green-card while in the military. USCIS shows Lawful Permanent Resident Status as a requirement for Military Naturalization. http://www.uscis.gov/news/fact-sheets/naturalization-through-military-service-fact-sheet Now he is in hot water for voting when not a citizen, this is one of the reasons why many states are trying to require ID and/or prof of citizenship to vote. I wonder how many more non-citizens have been voting in elections without even knowing that they are in fact not citizens? http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/13/us/after-forming-deep-roots-in-us-man-discovers-he-isnt-a-citizen.html?hp
  20. Before I tell my wife this I want some extra minds in the process. Because if I am wrong I will hear about it for a LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG time. Yuan asked about becoming a citizen the other day. Due to her being out of the country with me her continuous time in country is shot. For her N-400 I was reading that she can apply after 3 years if married to a US citizen and having a physical presence in the states for 18 months. We will return to the states April 16th her ROC can be filed late OCT next year. With the processig times running what they are now. Can it be possible that she can try for citizenship almost at the same time that her 10 year GC arrives in the mail? This is the site that I saw the information at for filing the N-400 http://www.immihelp.com/citizenship/naturalization-eligibility.html
  21. Part 1,sec.C.......Maiden/Chinese name before we got married (which was more than 5 years ago) ? Part 8,sec.F......does this concern China and here or only here? Parts/sections that don't pertain to her/us,do we need to write in "N/A" in the box(es) as we did in previous applications (AOS,etc.)? Finally (maybe),in writing the application,do we need to write in all capital letters or is that only if you type in?
  22. Hello everyone, I have been silent for a long time, but I have stopped in from time to time to check up on everyone. My wife Yizhen has decided to file for citizenship, she went to CASL in chinatown Chicago. They helped her to fill out the N-400. My wife thought it would be easier, but she was wrong. They made a big mistake on the very first page, they checked the wrong box for eligibility. They checked box 1, instead of box 2, and we got a rejection notice. Also, they sent copies of our last 3 years of tax forms with w-2's. I have 2 questions, 1. do I just replace the first page, with the correct box checked, or do I send the corrected page on top with a letter of explanation? 2. I have a copy of the tax transcripts, should I use those instead of the copies of my e-filings? and if so do I need to note that somewhere? Thanks for your help, Mike & Yizhen
  23. Surprised my green card only good for 4 more years. Time flys!!! Should I start the application process, especially after last May "illegally working in america" issue?
  24. I presume we will get a receipt and find the cancelled check in 3-4 weeks. Then the request for yet another obligatory bio-metrics appointment. We sent in the copy of the 10 year green card, 2 passport photos and the filing fee check with the form N-400. How much more documentation will we need to provide to the government? Hopefully, they won't ask for yet another set of the copies of the stuff that we already sent them in the K-1 and 10 year green card process. Any idea of when (e.g. approximately how many months?) it will be before my wife can test to become a citizen? I'm assuming she is smarter than me and can pass the test. I looked over a few of the examination questions and some of them looked pretty tough. For example, I didn't know we had 435 congressmen. Regards, True Blue
  25. James just received his "new" Interview date which is December 26. (See my last topic: "Failure to Appear" ) http://candleforlove...tion-interview/ He'll be home in Knoxville for Christmas Break during that date. Should I dare try to reschedule after having a "Failure to Appear" on his record? thanks, hank
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