ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers
Excellent stuff another 6/6

can some kind person put my december 2 oath on the sheet next time they post as my screen doesnt work well..

thanks
alan
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-17 23:27:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

got my passport in the mail finally! :D it's got my naturalization certificate in it too

good luck to all the others who will have their interviews! ^_^



Brill ! That is different to what the others say - they say the certificate comes separately at a different time...

ok NOW you can relax

Roll on December 2 !
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-16 13:06:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

Come on, Alan... you have to agree... it is a bit foul... ask the french... :devil:

There are many parts of my anatomy that are foul - I suppose my footsteps are, but no more so than a Utah truck driver's underpants - so I think we were unfairly singled out and the first White House needed us to burn it down and this one is much better.

Actually all that stuff used to make me cringe but I have researched the UK ceremony on youtube and looked at the UK National anthem's verses and it is equally treacley and violent respectively. I wish they would sing about health care and education for all instead of kill all the foreigners - but that form of patriotism will take a few hundred more years I estimate.

Its time the Brits and the Americans re-wrote their national anthems so they were more Patriotic and about 'togetherness' and less violent.

Exhibit A

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


Exhibit B

O lord God arise,
Scatter our enemies,
And make them fall!
Confound their knavish tricks,
Confuse their politics,
On you our hopes we fix,
God save the Queen!

Exhibit C


Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace


yeah lets go for C
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-13 11:51:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers
yippee got oath letter

December 2 at 4pm !

30 miles away at a performing arts center - may have to sing about washing the foul blood of the English off the land of America etc (star spangled banner)

How embarrassing..4 pm is good coz her indoors can just take a half day off to watch as I foreswear cheshire cheese and haddock and pork pies with hp sauce and all the desire I had to die for Prince Charles.

Please add my date... ta !

phew , phew and double phew ! No more letters from USCIS. No more waiting by the mailbox. After 6 years of it I am going to miss it - NOT !!!
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-12 17:52:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

hahaha i actually had 4 of those really BIG hershey's lol and i had one huge chocolate in my bag in the USCIS lol yup no more USCIS for me lol


Me and the cats will be sat in the window looking for the mailman tomorrow..

I have a tiny UK government service pension which is not taxable until I become a USC (probably the ONLY exception to reporting world wide income) - so I save about $1 a day tax for every day it is delayed. So hah to the US government and bring on the kit-kats!
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-09 23:41:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

Hello guys! i just wanted to let you guys know that I just got approved with my citizenship this morning ^_^ and then i got my oath later in the afternoon at 2 pm.. it was lovely!
they were supposed to do a special veterans day special naturalization for tomorrow but i asked if i could do it today instead and they talked to the supervisor and she came out, talk to me and handed my my oath appointment for 2 pm ^_^ Goodbye uscis! lol


Excellent - phew ! No more USCIS. No more waiting by the mailbox ! Congratulations - now have some chocolate !
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-09 17:22:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

Not all offices do oath ceremonies, and even those that do may not have the capacity for them on the same day. In our case, we can have the oath in Nashville instead of trekking back 3 + hours to Memphis for it. I assume oaths can be taken in Memphis but I'm not sure if it'd be at their rather small office or a courthouse somewhere.

Anywhere that doesn't make us sing soppy songs would be good... especially that 'god save the queen' tune rip off song. 'My country tizerv thee'
Try this Uk ceremony - the Mayor says ' congwatturlations ' I would be rolling in the isles ! We have out schmlazed the US and that's saying something
The camera is fixed on the blonde bird for some reason

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-09 14:55:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

Finally, interview scheduled

my dates:
Application received in Texas: Aug 6, 2010
FP Completed: Sept 9, 2010
Yellow letter to bring driver license to interview received: Oct 24, 2010
Online touch: case has been transferred to a local office: Nov 2, 2010 (field office, Newark, NJ)
received letter in the mail on Nov 8 for interview schedule on Dec 9


Feels good doesn't it ! I am sat at the window with the cats and waiting for the mail man...

It's called the USCIS position and is harder to hold than the lotus position..

The interview is a total cake walk so dont let it get you tense...
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-09 14:08:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

Ok finally some movement on my case. I called customer service on November 1st and they started a service request to see what's going on. Yesterday I got an email and txt saying my case has been transferred to my local office and an interview will be scheduled. I was really starting to worry that my case had been 'lost' on someone's desk. Hopefully my interview letter will arrive in the next week or so.

Wow brill - well done you. You made it move !!!
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-09 13:28:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers
Slight Sunday morning deviation.
I reckon we all live in our little bubbles geographically and socially. To an individual, there is no such thing as the USA or the UK - there are only micro worlds within them. A small town in Alabama is as different from Beverly Hills as Darwen is from Surrey. I think that is what Margaret Thatcher was trying to say when she said 'There is no such thing as society'
Within these '3rd world hell-holes', I bet there are beautiful houses and people living comfortable lives with every facility. However, there are people who come on VJ and fall to the floor in ecstasy and pray to every imaginable god for their delivery into the USA. They are ones who make Americans feel good because flattery is seldom unwelcome - but the US should keep it's comparators focused on the first world otherwise the only 'world series' they will win is one that is inward looking and where competition is internal to the U.S. bubble. Investments in Botox and preachers and white teeth are not the way forward.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-07 11:58:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers
If anyone deported me to the hellhole I crawled out of - (Darwen, Lancashire for 10 months), I would rent a car and drive over the Pennines to North Yorkshire - the garden of Eden but without talking snakes and unauthorised rib extractions.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-06 16:05:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

dear all,

I was wondering if you have / will take a lawyer with you to the interview. Is this a standard (safe) procedure. All my papers are legal and straightforward.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Thank u


If they ask how many senators, the lawyer has to clear his throat 100 times. If they ask how many Reps, it's 435 times and they might get suspicious.

Only Al Capone and Blagojavich takes their lawyer with them. Lawyer present is like a pre-nup - red flag.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-06 14:21:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

I'm been told that our local area has oath ceremonies about every 2 weeks.


Same here - but they give 2 weeks notice plus time to receive the letter. If the GC anniversary date has passed, then they could indicate a date at the interview. Without the date being passed, they just stick the file in pending. Mine is in that drawer. Hope she doesn't forget it or leave it under her knitting or romantic novels or something.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-29 12:33:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

Yeah, Derek got a yellow letter a few weeks ago telling him to bring a state/government issued ID, to the interview. Well, no duh. :bonk:

But still waiting on the interview letter.

Do they do same day ceremonies at your place ? If so, you could finish before me...
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-29 12:22:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

And that doesn't stop you from becoming a US citizen, b/c it worth the price?


Chuckle: apparently ANY price is worth paying to hold the passport of the finest country that has ever existed in the history of the world !

Actually, that kind of talk is the only drawback I can see at the moment. The devaluing of foreigners in general and all other nations is revolting. It's only a few quid in extra tax but I know people in exactly the same tax position who are paying many thousands in extra tax for the privilege.

Thank goodness I have been here long enough to know that there is a huge percentage of the population who are ethical and kind and don't need to demean other nations in order to be secure in their own.

It's as bad as going to a party and declaring that my wife is more attractive than any other woman in the room.

Yeah I am cool with it all but I wsan't at one time
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-28 21:09:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers
Seems to differ by office. I just got the interview letter. Some people get the yellow letter when it's a specific document that the USCIS needs. Some people forget to send a copy of their green card or whatever and they get a yellow letter to remind em. At least that is what people surmise. USCIS are not too touchy at this stage.
I took a ton of stuff but all they want is 2 photos and a passport and the green card and a driver's license or state id card. Didnt look at my marriage certs or divorce or SS card etc etc etc but best to take em.
They refused to give me a ceremony date until my GC anniversary (not even one after the anniversary) and then they will send a date with 2 weeks notice.
I have the ONLY item of world wide income that is not taxable in the US and it's a small pension for foreign govt SERVICE. I am saving tax the longer the process is delayed as I will have to pay US tax when I am a citizen. I am taxed in the UK at zero rate as its smaller than my personal allowance. So USC will cost me every year til I die once I get the certificate.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-28 19:46:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

Irrespective of our differences over font issues here, Alan I wish you good luck on your interview tomorrow.


Well when it comes to word processing I am not the font of all knowledge.

I have stopped studying as it is possible to be over trained and get a saturated brain

- evidence sarah palin's press interview

I shall report back in the main citizenship forum with a detailed account. That assumes they don't tazer, handcuff, and deport me. If that happens, there may be a delay of 2 weeks.

I am getting rid of my flippancy tonight as they don't like that stuff. Adding 'allegedly' to my answer concerning the reasons for the revolution would not be helpful
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-24 20:40:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

This will be especially true when it comes to the oath ceremony. I've been looking over the timelines for past months and some people were offered the oath the same day as their interview and others waited over 4 months before they took their oath. The oath ceremony is where I suspect we'll see the most divergence for all of us.



Absolutely. I have suspected from the moment I took the lead in the August filers, that the ceremony would be the stumbling block and in the words of Bob Dylan - " He who is first will later be last"

It's a bummer that there is no way to know the ceremony schedule because I bet it is fairly regular for any given local office. However, I know that Yakima saves em up and has em on the 4th July etc at various counties around Central Washington.

One thing that has emerged is the number of people who come out of their interview with a really fuzzy idea about whether they are approved or even if they passed the tests. I have decided to sit there and ask questions about the ceremony schedule etc and badger them for the results form and so on. They will have to throw me out of there because I will be pumping them for info. I know that people are usually so relieved to have got past their questions that they just want to leave and celebrate, but given how hard it is to contact the USCIS Local Offices without an info pass, I am going to try and think of every possible question before I leave. That needs a cool, head and fast thinking because what is said at the end of the interview varies a lot - so I will need to psych myself DOWN not UP and keep a methodical attitude. I want to walk out with as few unknowns as possible.

Information is the currency of power as it used to say on my desk calender
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-21 09:59:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

That's about what we experienced. It's not a perfect science because it really depends how backed up the local office is (or how backed up they AREN'T, as the case may be).


Huge variations - but If I was a month later at any stage than the next slowest person in our database above, I would be giving them a call. 90% chance the reception robot will say wait 6 months first; but sometimes we get a sensible one.

I can't study any more for my Monday interview - I am bored sick of it. Nice of them to slot it in before the elections on November 2 so I don't have to remember new Senator names etc.
By the way, I have been watching UK ceremonies on line and reading their new regulations.
The ceremonies are even more tongue down throat and the hurdles to get citizenship are much tougher from next year.
A year's community service first ? jeez picking up dog muck in the park ? Gimme the USCIS despite all their faults
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-20 13:51:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers
MauiBec you are right to be worried - you need to call em and ask. Everyone else's timelines show the situation. You are too overdue.

Edited by Alan the Red, 19 October 2010 - 07:03 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-19 19:02:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

Alan, I don't want to cut this discussion short, but I gotta go now to take care of my day job. In any case, I don't think I can say anything beyond what I said already. Perhaps someone else may want to comment on their experience with changing the zoom status of the browser window?


ok thanks. My zoom works fine but it doesnt reformat the header line to expand it so all the column headers are shown on one line.

My set up is standard XP3 with IE 7 and I installed all the software and operating systems myself using defaults

Mty graphics cards are all standard default settings too

I look fwd to any suggestions but I suspect the authors are using advanced (not IE7) browsers
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-12 12:53:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

As I said, for me it works the same way on both IE7 and Firefox, and it works exactly as I described it on all machines I have access to. In particular, as I explained, on my netbook the lines also wrap around to make the lists unreadable, but Ctrl-minus does the trick to change the browser-window font size and correspondingly reformats the lines without unwanted wrapping. If your system does not behave like this, you have a non-standard setup. (Is it possible that some key combinations are captured by the graphics driver software? At least that's the first place I would start looking.)

Anyway, have you looked at the latest October lists? They chose a space-saving format which makes the fixed-width lines shorter. Does this work for you? If so, someone may perhaps want to reformat your list in a similar manner.


browser window font size - is that the same as text size ? as in 'page - text size ? I dont have 'font size' in IE7


I have 4 desktop computers and a laptop all running IE7 and XP 3 and they all behave the same - the graphics cards are all different
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-12 12:22:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers
ok here is screen shot with the zoom set to 75% (see bottom right)

You can also see the txt size set to medium (top right)

You can see it makes no difference to the two lines

Only the resolution does that

Edited by Alan the Red, 12 October 2010 - 12:12 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-12 12:11:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

You are zooming in (i.e., you make the problem worse). Have you tried zooming out, with Ctrl-minus, or manually set it to a smaller font size (say, 80% or so)?


minus makes the screen smaller (down to 50%) but the image parameters are not affected. A smaller text size (smallest) similarly makes no difference to how many lines are shown

Perhaps you guys are using a non standard browser such as firefox

What screen resolutions are you using ? Have you tried mine to see the effect ?

I am sure its all about screen resolution
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-12 12:02:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers
this is a screen shot of what i see with the size increased to 125%. I have to slide the bar to the right to see the whole page which is much bigger - but the image remains the same
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-12 11:54:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

Well, Alan, I don't know what browser you have, but it does work for both IE and Firefox. (Unless, of course, you have some non-standard setup which hijacks the Ctrl-+/- keys for its own purposes.) In a standard setup, the lines get reformatted to accommodate the new font size. I do that all the time when I use my netbook which also has a smallish screen.



control + and - makes the screen bigger or smaller but it does not change whether we see 1 line or 2 lines.

I use IE 7 set to medium font and 100%. Changing this size or zoom does not change the number of lines being shown.

Try it and you will see. It's like seeing a photo bigger or smaller - the image remains the same.

I think ie 7 set to 100% and medium font is the standard for the majority of users; but as I say, changing these settings makes no difference - it is ALL about the screen resolution.

You 2 guys who are happy with what you see , try changing your resolution to 1024x768 and you will see what I am seeing and control + or control - makes zero difference
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-12 11:39:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 August 2010 Filers

Guys,

Are you aware that one can easily temporarily change the font size of web pages by pressing Control-minus (smaller) or Control-plus (larger)? (And one can manually set arbitrary percentages in between the standard increments accessed by these Ctrl keys.) --- This might render this font war moot.

(PS: And, even at the danger of adding fuel to the fire, fixed-width fonts ARE the standard for lists like this.)


Doing control+ and control - does not change how many lines can be seen, only the size of the image.

Please try these solutions first before recommending them

There is no fire or font war - it's just a question of finding out what layout suits the MAJORITY of users. I don't believe the present one does. I believe it was set without consultation and only to suit the originator's own set up.

Edited by Alan the Red, 12 October 2010 - 11:28 AM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-10-12 11:25:00
US Citizenship General Discussionfiling my US citizenship but my middle initial from my green card is incorrect

Hi,

I'll be filing my US citizenship now but I am wondering if I can automatically change my incorrect middle initial from my permanent resident card. I wanted to file my citizenship right away. What should I do now?? Does anybody experienced this? My incorrect middle initial was my second name's initial. Please I need answers..


Do an info pass appointment and take all your documents and ID's

Sort it before the N-400 application

Edited by saywhat, 07 September 2010 - 01:23 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-07 13:23:00
US Citizenship General Discussiontimeline question

Thanks for your reply.... I will have to wait, I guess
Let's see if I hear from them in the following months. Ugh!

I would give it 4 weeks and get after em...
infopass at the same office...
try misinformation line and ask for an immigration officer
if no joy after 6 weeks then senator can do no harm..

I would not let it fester for lots of months

Pushing can't harm and might do some good

Edited by saywhat, 08 September 2010 - 08:06 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-08 20:05:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionPlease answer. What to answer in interview?
Here is the USCIS self test:

except where indicated by 'name one or two ' etc, all questions can be answered with one from the list offered

Where it offers a list of answers to each question, you dont have to memorise them all - one will do.

http://www.uscis.gov...000b92ca60aRCRD

Edited by saywhat, 09 September 2010 - 03:40 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-09 15:39:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionPlease answer. What to answer in interview?

If you compare this question:

61. Why did the colonists fight the British?


  • because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
  • because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
  • because they didn’t have self-government
With this question:

58. What is one reason colonists came to America?

  • freedom
  • political liberty
  • religious freedom
  • economic opportunity
  • practice their religion
  • escape persecution
Question 61 does not specify only one, two, or three of the following answers you have to know, so you have to know all the answers.



Nick I think you might be wrong on this:

Where the USCIS lists several answers, I think EACH if these is an acceptable answer - so we don't have to know them all.


New Test Questions and Answers

Some questions have more than one correct answer. In those cases, all acceptable answers are shown. All answers are shown exactly as worded by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

http://usgovinfo.abo...linstst_new.htm

I will try and find more links...



New Naturalization Test Questions
Beginning on Oct. 1, 2008, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will replace the set of questions currently used as part of the citizenship test with the questions listed here. All applicants who file for naturalization on or after October 1, 2008 will be required to take the new test. For those applicants who file prior to October 1, 2008 but are not interviewed until after October , 2008 (but before October 1, 2009), there will be an option of taking the new test or the current one.
New Test Questions and Answers
Some questions have more than one correct answer. In those cases, all acceptable answers are shown. All answers are shown exactly as worded by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
* If you are 65 years old or older and have been a legal permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions that have been marked with an asterisk.
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
A. Principles of American Democracy
1. What is the supreme law of the land?
A: The Constitution
2. What does the Constitution do?
A: sets up the government
A: defines the government
A: protects basic rights of Americans
3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
A: We the People
4. What is an amendment?



http://jp.promo.web....slate-to-arabic

Edited by saywhat, 09 September 2010 - 03:25 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-09 15:21:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionLeaving the US due to work
Bit more .. it seems to hang on whether the continuity has been broken - so a 7 month absence may not break continuity if the USCIS accepts a rebuttal..
Being allowed back in does not mean that the 7 months is accepted as not breaking continuous residency without an accepted excuse
That's how I read it.



http://www.hooyou.co...quirements.html



A prolonged absence from the U.S. will break the continuity of the alien's residence in the U.S. for naturalization purposes, although it may not affect the alien's ability to return to the U.S. as a permanent resident. An absence from the U.S. of less than six months does not break the alien's continuity of residence in the U.S. for naturalization purposes. However, an alien's absence from the U.S. of six months or more breaks an alien's continuity of residence. If the break is from six months to one year, the break can be excused if a reasonable explanation can be given for the alien's absence (e.g. overseas employment). If the break is over a year, an alien's continuity of residence can be preserved, and the break can be excused, if steps are taken prior to the expiration of a year abroad to preserve the residence and certain qualifications are met. (Please click here for information regarding qualifications and steps an alien has to take to be eligible for waiver of continuous residence requirement based on extended absences)

An alien applying for naturalization must physically reside in the U.S. for one half the period of continuous residence required within the period required for continuous residence. For aliens who are married to a U.S. citizen, the alien must have been physically present in the United States accumulatively for eighteen months within three years prior to the date of filing the application. For aliens not married to a U.S. citizen, the alien must have been physically present in the United States accumulatively for thirty months within five years prior to the date of filing the naturalization application. This requirement is cumulative but not continuous. An alien can leave and come back to the United States within the three or five years as much as he wants as long as he does not break continuity of residence, and as long as his total time spent in the United States adds up to eighteen or thirty months.

Residence is required for three months immediately preceding the filing of the naturalization application in the state in which the petition is filed. This requirement is met simultaneously with the continuous residency requirement. Continuous residence in the U.S. is also required from the date of filing until actual admission to citizenship.

Edited by saywhat, 09 September 2010 - 06:24 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-09 18:23:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionLeaving the US due to work

At the 6 month mark, your residence clock stops. It starts ticking again exactly where it stopped when you come back. Thus, you lose 1 month.

Not only do you not need a Reentry Permit, it is completely useless for your purposes (and expensive too!). A Reentry Permit is needed by absences from 1 year to 2 years. Everything under 1 year is just a waste of money.

And while we're at it: once you are absent from the US for 1 year, the residency clock, which stopped when you were absent for 6 months, all of the sudden jumps back to zero, meaning the moment you come back, it's like your first day or residency.


Bob would you expand on that 7 month absence ? As I read it, a trip of more than 6 months in the qualifying period (3 years or 5 years), means that one is not qualified to file the n-400 (rebuttable). Are you referring only to notching up the qualifying period and not the 6 months+ disqualifier ? ie even if a seven month absence only knocks out 1 month from accruing the qualifying period, the person is still over 6 months on the absence and therefore not qualified to file if the 6 months+ is inside the qualifying period and they can't rebutt the 7 month trip?
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-09 18:11:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionLeaving the US due to work

Let's say that I leave for 3 months and I come back for a month, then I leave again for another 4 months. My permanent address will be in the US all this time.

You know what, I don't need to apply for a re-entry permit, I thought so but as per USCIS.gov:

"A re-entry permit allows a permanent resident or conditional resident to apply for admission to the U.S. upon returning from abroad during the permit's validity, without having to obtain a returning resident visa from a U.S. Embassy or consulate. Permanent or conditional residents should apply for a re-entry permit if they will be outside the United States for one year or more."

I will not be in the US for 9 months tops.



If you keep your absences under 6 months for any ONE absence, you are ok for both the GC and naturalization (no reentry permit or returning resident permit required) - however - if your total absence is more than 50% of the qualifying period, (3 years or 5 years) you will fail due to that.

returning reident is from outside the US after 12 months
Reentry is obtained before you leave

You dont need either if you keep absences under 6 months

Edited by saywhat, 09 September 2010 - 03:13 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-09 15:11:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionLeaving the US due to work
An absence of more than 6 months is a rebuttable break in residency. In other words you can argue that it didn't break it. If your argument does not stick, you lose your $675 and have to start again some years later


In the case of absences from the United States of six months or less, there is no break in the continuity of residence for naturalization purposes. An absence of more than six months but less than one year raises a rebuttable presumption that the continuity of residence has been broken for naturalization purposes. An absence of one year conclusively breaks the continuity of residence.

http://www.americanlaw.com/citnat.html

ps note that 'for naturalization puposes ' is different to GC continuity

Edited by saywhat, 09 September 2010 - 03:01 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-09 14:59:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionLeaving the US due to work

Hello!

I have a quick questions, There is a possibility that I will have to leave the US for 7 months, and will apply for a re-entry permit of course. Do you know if that time outside the states will extend the waiting time to apply for citizenship, or the time frame is not affected whether you stay or not in the US for a long period of time?

Thank you! :thumbs:


you have to have no absence greater than 6 months AND be out of the US for no more than 50% of the time in the qualifying period.... ( 3 years or 5 years)

Further reading..
http://www.breakthro...us-citizenship/

Edited by saywhat, 09 September 2010 - 02:52 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-09 14:48:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionForm 1722

I actually went to my local IRS office and spoke to the head tax adviser and their regional director and was told both times that it was an outdated (and totally phased out) form from many years ago. A stamped, official-looking letter from the IRS containing the tax payer's information showing taxes owed, penalty accrued payment plans etc I was told at another office and over the phone. The same information is included in the account transcript. To better replace 1722, I was given the account transcript, and to better represent my tax returns, I was given the tax return transcript. You can use 4506-T to request a tax return and/or account transcript, and a record of account and verification of non-filing (if applicable).

But I still had to be stubborn and went on to ask for an official looking paper (some IO's are as outdated as these forms, just my thinking then--got a hip IO) , I had his minions print me the "account transcript" data from the computer with their logo and even the computer terminal and database at the bottom. Can't think of anything else to make it official as the director would not give me an official letter, or agree to sign something to my benefit. Posted Image

Interview came, IO specifically looked at my tax return transcripts and account transcript and dutifully remarked "Oh, I see you just got them recently from IRS... good, good, you come very prepared."

So yes, in my case, the transcripts were sufficient and current enough to his liking. It all depends upon the IO's discretion I digress.


Heck you are a worrier too ! Neither of us can out worry my mrs. She says if I dont rotate the wheels on my toyota service then it will invalidate the 5 year engine warranty !

As I ordered two transcripts+account details this week, I think I will give him one unopened just as it comes from the IRS and tell him its unopened. I actually included one with my n400 application so we will have 3 originals between us !

I wish they would clean up their act over this 1722 business but I guess we are all too scared to make an issue of it in the interview and just want to get out of there.

Why doesn't their supervisor read this forum ?

As long as I don't get an IO who doesn't speak much English and is a there because of positive discrimination, it should be ok. Anyone who has called the misinfo line knows what I am talking about. jeez. It is entirely possible I will get one that insists on seeing a piece of paper with form 1722 on it.

Actually, I might write to the USCIS after I get my passport and tell em it's out of date and confusing
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-22 19:17:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionForm 1722

Hi Alan the Red, i am waiting for my interview letter too. May i ask what are the things they ask you to bring with your for the interview? Good luck with your interview.

Hi there

there is quite a list
originals and a photo copy (again !) for:
usual stuff like GC
driver's license
and all passports you have had since GC started

marriage certificate
divorces for you and spouse
spouse birth certificate and passport (it's ambiguous so both)
tax transcripts (it says form 1722 but people seem to think that means transcripts) - of both your tax account (what you owed) and the tax return - normal transcripts have both...

THEN

they want proof of marital union - everyone is different - mine is:

so house purchase
property tax joint
utility bills joint
car ownership joint
car insurance etc joint
town utilities
me as covered under spouse's work insurance for medical/dental and proof spouse still works there

WE don't have joint bank accounts so no arguments in theory - though I doesn't work that way when I bung my adult kids a few k's which reduces the will

But I have had to dig it all out again and do lots of copying and I ordered the transcripts (free) twice so i don't have to copy em when they arrive


anyway it's all done so that's that !

Edited by Alan the Red, 21 September 2010 - 08:54 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-21 20:53:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionForm 1722

Was there anything closer for biometrics? I was sent to ASC somewhere in NW Indiana (EST) when I had ASC over by Midway. Of course, went to the one closer to me when I wanted and not when they scheduled me and showed them my mil. dependant card - taken in for bio without issues.


I didn't want to go earlier as I was off on holiday and I had visions of em dropping an early interview on me.

I suppose I could have tried it a few days earlier at the local one but I just don't like chopping and changing with these guys as I know they will cancel ok but re-instate ? Too risky so I went with the flow

My interview is 11 days before my 3 year date so I wont be eligible for the ceremony immediately and will have to wait until they do their ceremonies every blue moon

Just doing all the original evidence and they ask for photo copies of everything so my scanner is glowing !

I reckon that's it finished now and I will just wait for the tax transcripts again ! Actually I called the IRS twice so i will have 2 sets of calcs and the account and will not have to copy em

Now what kind of wood was George Washington's teeth made out of ? Sick of this game now - lemme out of this process !
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-21 14:21:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionForm 1722

1722 is actually 4506T.

If you already provided tax transcripts say so at the interview.

Same thing happened at my interview when they asked for my husband's brith certificate and while I did have the original with me, I pointed out to the IO that it was all provided at the initial submission - she looked a bit closer and found it! Same with tax returns, even though I did bring the new 2009 transcript as it wasn't available when I sent in my application - only sent them full copy of tax return.


Gets a bit tedious when we provided a lot of the stuff at GC stage.
I think the 1722 is often called for by universities etc to prove someone had NOT done a tax return - ie they had no taxable income

In that case, the universities ask for a stamped 1722 - perhaps such a beast did exist at one time....they even ask for the request form.

Like other posters, my concern is that the Interviewing Officer doesn't know that a tax extract of the return (and account) is what is required. It's a bit sticksy where I am going so I hope I don't get a rural newbie.

Some of the posts in history insist that the 1722 IS still current and is different to a tax extract. They insist that the 1722 is the form that comes out from the IRS and not the request form.

I wish the USCIS would get more professional about their forms and systems generally - all this about RFE when it's the fingerprints appointment etc - I mean, it's just very amateurish when we are paying $675 for the process.

It almost seems to be deliberately confusing. They sent me on a 400 mile round trip for fingerprints and then 100 miles for the interview ? Crackers.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-09-21 09:22:00