ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question ,Urgent!
Ok, then some much for a DMV records check.

Then can you work backwards starting from your current address?

You have a lease agreement or you own the place, there must be some kind of paper trail associated with the current address. Once you know the date you moved into your current home, that should give you an idea as to when you moved from the previous residence. At least you will have an idea as to the month, once you know the month, you can look at a calendar and zero in closer to the days.

If the utilities at your current home are in your name, call customer service and they can tell you the date the service was order and activated. Again, you can work backwards with regards to the previous address.

1. Can you check your college records and get address that way?

2. Do you have a library card?

3. Check for old emails you might have sent or received related to moving.

4. Do you have a checking/saving account? Call the banks customer service and inquire as to the day you opened the account.

5. Surely you completed change of address forms with the post office.

6. Old tax returns - contact the IRS and get all of copies of your old returns.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-11 13:56:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question ,Urgent!

[haha Mario was posting while I was...]

Run a credit check on yourself! It will show up any address ever associated with you (and then some usually! I have had to remove addresses, some were even just typos but they showed up on my record). For me, my mother's address showed up because I opened a library card in her town. My husband's credit check even showed up the address where I lived when I first filed USCIS paperwork for sponsoring him, even though I moved before he was allowed to come back to the U.S. and he never lived there. ... so it will show EVERYTHING, all in one place. The three big credit bureaus are obligated to provide at least one free report each year. You don't need to sign up to see your credit SCORE; they will charge you for that. Just your credit report, and do all three of the bureaus, as they usually include slightly different information. AnnualCreditReport.com

Definitely write out the address in English... if someone from the U.S. was going to mail you a package there, how would they write it? I know for Bulgarian, there are phoenetic Latin letter equivalents for the Cyrillic letters so I hope there is some equivalent for spelling out Chinese sounds.

Good luck to you!


Running credit reports are a great idea and good source of past addresses. I think the OP did a credit report already.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-11 13:17:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question ,Urgent!

thanks letherneck, that was really helpful. Do you know how I can find out my past permanent addresses? I tried contacting bank of america, which is my bank, and they do not have my addresses documented fully. I do not know how I can contact my past landlords. Thanks so much for your help.


One thing you can do is go to your state motor vehicle department (DMV in California) and get a print out of your driving record. Your driving record will contain the original address and any address changes you filed with them.

You can also go to sites like spokeo.com, pipl.com, zabasearch.com or other sites that aggregates data from many online and offline sources. Do a search on yourself and you will be amazed at the amount of info that available about you.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-11 12:48:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question ,Urgent!
You bet!


It's obvious those trips to China were short in nature and vacations for you. The question is asking about where you've lived during the last 5 years. So technically you did not live there.They're more concerned about were you've lived.

Edited by Leatherneck, 11 February 2012 - 11:46 AM.

LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-11 11:44:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question ,Urgent!

Hi, leatherneck, thanks for the answer, can you tell me if I should put down Chinese characters for my Chinese home address, or should I put down English for my Chinese home address. Thanks again.



You bet!

I would write that in English.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-11 11:33:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question ,Urgent!

Hi, I have been a lawful permanent resident for 13 years and I'm applying for U.S. citizenship.

Question A: I have a question regarding to the past 5 year addresses question:

I have lived in more than 10 different places in the past 5 years because I was a college student and rented cheap sublets/shared rooms and moved often, and right now, I can't recall 90% of the exact street addresses where I lived and when I lived there, or how many places I have moved to. People have suggested me the following but their intended solutions do not work, they suggested :

1. Putting cities, and states, and time of your residency. Not working because I can't recall the time or how many time I have moved.
2. Putting down permanent addresses. Could work, but I dont know the exact time of move-in and move-out on each of the three permanent addresses in my past five years. How do I search for the time of residency? I used freecredit report, and I found out my past three permanent addresses in the last five years, but the report doesn't tell me when I moved in and moved out. Can someone help? thanks.

If those were rentals, can you contact the landlord/owner and ask for copies of lease/rental agreements? Those agreements would have the exact dates as to start/end. Then you can work your way back from the oldest address to the current address.

furthermore, I have lived in China for my college summer vacations, do I put down my Chinese home address in Chinese or in English (matching the pronunciation in Chinese), or can I just ignore my Chinese home address. Thanks!

Well, based on the way the question is posed on the N-400, I would not ignore it. I would add a separate sheet and declare that info.

Question B, I have stayed on average about three months each year in China for visiting, I have never been outside of the U.S. for more than 4 months during each year. Does that qualify me for continuing residency?

Brief trips and temporary travel abroad are usually not a problem. You have no issues here with maintaining your residency.

Question C, as to question B, therefore, I shouldn't be scared to write 450 days outside of the U.S. in the past five years, right? Thanks

You have to declare that info on the N-400, besides, they already know how many days you have been outside of the U.S.

Thanks so much guys!


Edited by Leatherneck, 11 February 2012 - 11:11 AM.

LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-11 11:06:00
US Citizenship General Discussionout of the country last 7 months ago.
OP if you can show that during your absence, your immediate family remained in the U.S. (and they did), you retained full access to your home and you did not work while abroad, this may establish that you did not disrupt your residency.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-13 02:53:00
US Citizenship General Discussionout of the country last 7 months ago.
Here is the USCIS web page with the information you need regarding naturalization.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-13 01:56:00
US Citizenship General Discussionout of the country last 7 months ago.
Read this then you will not be confused anymore and it will no longer be hearsay.

If a LPR is out of the country for more than 12 months without obtaining a re-entry permit that can be considered

Abandoning Permanent Resident Status.



Your stay outside of the U.S. is ok.



LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-13 01:44:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion D on N 400

Do you want to have your name spelled differently? Do you want to change your name so it sounds more like an American name? Do you want to get a middle name? Do you want to get different name instead of the name you were given when you were born?


:thumbs:
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-12 23:20:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionWhen can my husband apply for his citizenship
He does not have to have had the 10 year GC for 3 years before before applying.

Edited by Leatherneck, 17 February 2012 - 12:45 AM.

LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-17 00:45:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionWhen can my husband apply for his citizenship
"Have continuous residence in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for at least 3 years immediately preceding the date of filing the application."

Yes he can.

Edited by Leatherneck, 17 February 2012 - 12:40 AM.

LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-17 00:32:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 Application

Application you are the only one to sign. Looks like you are sending all the paperwork. Stop worrying. If they need some thing they will ask you. As long as you submit all the information truthfully on the application it is ok with them. They get upset only if you dont tell truth on the application. Relax and let things happen.


:thumbs:
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-20 05:35:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionAm I eligible for neutralization yet?

Hi Everyone ,
I have been told thatg VAWA based Green card holders are eligible for neutralization after 3 years only of becoming a lawfull permenant resident,
my brief story is:
-> Got married to a US citizen june 2008.
-> Recieved a 2 years conditional Green Card in july 2009.
-> divorced on october 2011.
-> Got permenant 10 years green card "VAWA Based" on january 2012.

So Now can i apply for Citizenship this cmming april since it will be 3 years since i became a US lawfull permenant resident green card? Or desn it only count from the VAWA based one. and will it be a problem if i apply in april anyway??
Any help appreciated.


According to this you can naturalize in three years.


I. BACKGROUND

The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (VTVPA) amended section 319(a) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) to allow certain survivors of domestic violence to naturalize after residing in the U.S. for three years as a lawful permanent resident. 1 Under prior law, the ability to naturalize after just three years of permanent residency in the U.S. – as opposed to the general requirement of five years – was limited to spouses of U.S. citizens. The VTVPA expanded this provision to include spouses, former spouses and children of U.S. citizens who have been battered or subjected to extreme mental cruelty by their U.S. citizen spouse or parent.

On October 15, 2002, USCIS released a policy memorandum that inexplicably limited eligibility to naturalize under the amended law to individuals who gained permanent residency based on an approved I-360 self-petition or cancellation of removal under the Violence Against Women Act. See Instructions Regarding the Expanded Meaning of Section 319(a), INS Policy Memo #89, HQISD 70/33. This policy excludes individuals who gain permanent residency through the approval of a form I-751 with a waiver of the joint filing requirement due to battery or subjection to extreme mental cruelty. See INA § 216©(4)© and 8 CFR § 216.5 (e)(3). Under the amended statute, these individuals are also eligible for three-year naturalization and should not be denied this benefit by incorrect USCIS policy.

II. JUSTIFICATION

The amendment to INA § 319(a) clearly extends three-year naturalization eligibility to all otherwise eligible survivors of domestic violence who obtained lawful permanent residency as the spouse or child of a U.S. citizen who subjected them to battery or extreme mental cruelty.2
1 VTVPA, Sec. 1503(e), title V, Pub. L. No. 106-386, Act of Oct. 28, 2000, 114 Stat. 1464.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-21 07:26:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionToday was the interview 26 Federal Plaza NY
Congratulations!
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-24 00:27:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionInterview in 11 days... never filed an AR-11
Post your N-400 questions here in this forum to get an answer from those who are dealing with N-400 petitions.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-26 18:43:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionAm i in Trouble?

Thank you so much. I will go ahead and do it tomorrow.


Welcome! Just relax, no need to stress over this small issue.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-26 23:16:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionAm i in Trouble?

They already recieved my N-400 application and it was our joint account personal check. They already cleared or encashed the check. What should i do now? Should i go ahead and pay the balance of $63.00.
Sorry i just starteing to worry since i got the letter yesterday. Thanks


Nothing to worry are freak out over, just pay the $63.00 you owe with a check of some sorts. Then make sure you keep a record of that, should it be needed at the time of the N-400 interview.

Edited by Leatherneck, 26 February 2012 - 10:46 PM.

LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-26 22:46:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionAm i in Trouble?

Hello fellow Vj members,

Have a great Sunday y'all. Okay i had submitted my N-400 application last week and i already received a text messge and an email from USCIS that they had received my application.

Now am freaking out coz in the form there was i think a question that asked if u owed any or some kind of tax that are overdue from the state or some kind of that thing.

Yesterday i received a letter in the mail telling me that i dont have any state tax refund cox they took out the tax i owed ( in the amount of $163 and still owe them $63). I did not know about owing them since we thought they already took this out of our income tax last year.

Now am freaking out coz it turned out we still owe $63.00 that i just learned yesterday. Am i gonna be in trouble for this?

Am really so worried if it will affect my N-400 application.

Please help. thanks so much.



Don't stress over this, just pay it and have a record of doing so. A $63.00 recently arrived tax bill will not mean "trouble" for you, now a $63,000 tax bill -- time to stress.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-26 18:16:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionTime Spent Outside the US - Unknown? How to get answers...
If all else fails, then attach a statement explaining that you have no records of your travels, can not recall the dates of travel, you made vigorous attempts to locate such records and list those efforts in your statement. Not much else you can do.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-27 14:29:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionUs Passport for Kids

I just read about passport card and it should be above 16 to get one. My kids are only 15 and 10.


Minors under age 16 = $40.00.


http://travel.state....ppt_pptCard.pdf
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-27 23:15:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionUs Passport for Kids

Really? what is that passport card? That's the first time i heard about it? IS it still some kind of legal proof of citizenship ?

I will do that for sure if it's only $30 .

Thanks for the suggestions.


Yes, you have to be a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain the passport card.

Edited by Leatherneck, 27 February 2012 - 11:10 PM.

LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-27 23:09:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionUs Passport for Kids

1, It means they took your money. They put it in a box to be looked at later when someone gets to your papers.

2, If you want to travel internationally after you become a US citizen yes you have to have a US passport to travel internationally.

3, its your choice

4, okay so pay your bills?

5, being able to travel if there is an emergency - proof of your US citizenship that is easier to carry /show than a naturalization certificate - cheaper to replace if you lose it than a naturalization certificate.

6, again its your choice.




:thumbs:
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-26 23:03:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionFiling in N-400

Do I need to put my step childrens birth certificates in the packet, I have our sons in.


No, not necessary to include the birth certificates with the application.

Click here for the instructions for the N-400.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-01 15:56:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionFiling in N-400
Yes you list your stepsons and stepdaughters. If you don't know the whereabouts/address for said step children -- "Unknown" would be appropriate.

This will help you with completing the N-400.

Edited by Leatherneck, 01 March 2012 - 02:30 PM.

LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-01 14:27:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionPostpone Citizenship???

What is the benifit to getting a ACR? I found ACR-I on the Philippines webpage but I am not sure if it is the same or what it would do for me. Can anyone tell me more?


That would be like your GC in the Philippines.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-01 04:38:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionPostpone Citizenship???

Thanks for all the help. to everyone who made a comment.


You bet!

Good luck.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-28 23:59:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionPostpone Citizenship???

Does anyone know if we can use the AP we got before we got the green card or do we need to get a new one now that we have a green card?


It appears you guys need to due a little reading and inform yourselves about "Maintaining Permanent Residence."

Read this and this.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-02-28 14:28:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionConfusion about Part 11 on N-400

Fellow VJers,
My spouse is applying for her N-400 for US citizenship. We are confused by Part 11 on form N-400. In the form N-400, Part 11 has section for "Your Signature". However, when we checked the Instructions for Form N-400, it states that "You should sign your full name without abbreviating it or using initials".

We are confused: Should she sign her signature (i.e. the signature that we use for bank checks, credit car receipts, etc.) OR Should she hand-write her full legal name?

please help us out. What did you folks do for Part 11?

thanks,
CS


That would be the one the form is asking for -- her signature, not her printed name. As in J.A. Williams would not be correct, it would be as such John Anthony Williams -- not printed, but signed.

Edited by Leatherneck, 04 March 2012 - 12:58 AM.

LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-04 00:57:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question PART 8-F

THANKS LEATHERNECK AND MARI&RYAN FOR THIS REPLY.
NOW I CAN BE SURE TO HAVE A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING.

HOPE YOU WOULD ANSWER TOO MY SEPARATE QUESTION.


The real thanks goes to Mari&Ryan. Do you have another question?
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-14 20:44:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question PART 8-F

May I ask a question here? A friend is filling in N400 and she has a similar question. She was married about 20 years ago in her home county, and she has hot heard from her ex since the time of her divorce. She has no idea about where her ex is now, but she is sure he is not in the US. So what she should put in part 8-F?


If her ex husband was not a citizen or a LPR of the US, then "Other" and explain is the answer.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-14 19:10:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question PART 8-F

Leatherneck,
My ex is already a US Citizen now.
I'm still confused what to put here.
Thanks for any help.Would like to make
this paper works right.


I have correct my earlier replies, as was pointed out, "Other" and explain would be the answer.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-14 19:04:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question PART 8-F

Honestly, I interpret the instructions of that part as you did. Okay. the instructions says:

F. If you were married before, give information about your former spouse or spouses. In question F.2, check the box showing the immigration status your spouse had during your marriage. If the spouse was not a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident at that time, check "Other" and explain.

I might be wrong but it's the way as i see it.

So, according that instructions and what you said. You should check the box "Other" and where it says explain you should write Filipino citizen. Because it was his status during the time you both were married. Perhaps others may give you a different approach to it.


Thanks for pointing that out to me.
I read again carefully the OP's post and read the instructions. You are not wrong -- you're right. It clearly states;

In question F.2, check the box showing the immigration status your spouse had during your marriage. "During your marriage" is the key wording. Considering he was a Filipino citizen, "other" with the explanation is proper.

Edited by Leatherneck, 14 March 2012 - 06:59 PM.

LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-14 18:59:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question PART 8-F
The correct answer would be -- U.S. Citizen at the time of your completing the application.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-14 17:36:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 question PART 8-F
There is no distinction in the question as to your prior spouse's immigration status when you were married vs after you divorced. What is his current status?
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-14 01:00:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionFinally US citizen
Mega Congratulations!
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-14 15:19:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionAm I Classed As A Naturalized Citizen?

Are you sure that form distinguishes between natural-born and naturalized U.S. citizens? I've never heard of such a thing and I am having a hard time believing this.

Usually, the distinction is made between U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, a.k.a. Green Card holders. If someone in California wants a gun permit, they have to state whether they are a U.S. citizen or a LPR and the latter ones need to provide a copy of their Green Card with their application.

I second what has been said before. If you mark anything that remotely suggests that you are a U.S. citizen on a form regarding firearms, then this will go into the ATF federal database and at the naturalization stage it will come up during the extensive FBI background check and database search and that's the moment when you committed immigration suicide. "False claim of [US] citizenship is the worst non-violent crime a foreigner in the U.S. can commit. It's a deportable offense with a lifetime bar attached and no waiver available. It's easy to make a mistake here out of carelessness, one that can change your life forever, which is why I am so interested in the distinction you mentioned.

Any chance you can scan that form or provide a link to it?


Here

Edited by Leatherneck, 14 March 2012 - 10:48 PM.

LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-14 22:45:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionAm I Classed As A Naturalized Citizen?

Can an LPR own a gun or firearm? I thought only Citizens can own them.


Under current federal law -- a LPR can purchase and own firearms. Illegal aliens are prohibited from firearm ownership.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-14 17:27:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionAm I Classed As A Naturalized Citizen?
You will be a naturalized citizen after you go through the entire process of an approved N-400, citizenship ceremony and or oath taking.
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-14 13:15:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionInterview Locations in Michigan?
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and enter your zip code. I hope this helps.

https://egov.uscis.g....office_type=LO
LeatherneckMalePhilippines2012-03-23 11:56:00