Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

Hello all,


I am eligible to apply for citizenship at the end of October based on 5 years of LPR, and will be getting married in November. As I see it I can either
A) send my application as Single or
B) wait a month and apply as Married (sending along the marriage certificate).


If I do A), at what point do I update USCIS? At the time of the interview? Would that delay things (I suspect they may want to run a background check on my wife)?


Thanks

Re: Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

Applying while you are single or married makes no difference in your case as you are naturalizing under the 5 year rule and not the 3 year rule based on a 3 year marriage to a USC.

You can mentioned your marriage at the interview and no, they will not do a background check on your wife.

Re: Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

Just make sure whatever you answer is accurate on the day you sign and send the forms.

Re: Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

Is your fiancée a US citizen, permanent resident, living in the US on a working visa, living in the US on a non-working visa, or resident overseas?

Re: Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

Not wife quite yet - but she is a US citizen and has never lived outside the US

Re: Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

OK, so it makes no difference when you file then, before or after you marry isn't going to impact your fiancée/wife.

Re: Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

I guess what I'm trying to ask is if it will make any difference for me and making sure the application goes as smoothly as possible.


Thanks for all the replies, sounds like applying as Single should not be an issue.

Re: Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

No difference either way.

Re: Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

As I mentioned, and others have supported, your marriage has no bearing on your application for naturalization. You have your 5 years of PR status and are good to go :thumbsup:

Re: Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

Hello, I wanted to update this old thread since I have had my interview. I applied as Single. My application was on the Officer's computer, so when the officer asked if I was Single I said no, I was married. I was asked if I had a marriage certificate with me, which I did, and the office updated the information on the computer screen [this took several minutes, apparently the system needs the address retyped]. I was not asked for any other document, although I also had my wife's birth certificate. Since I applied base don the 5 year rule, the officer really did not care. Thanks to all that contributed in this thread, it was exactly as Rete said.

Re: Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

Congrats J!

Re: Applying for citizenship as Single and then getting married
 

Thanks C! The good news for you is it does look like the ATL field office has moved entirely to ELIS and the processing times are not as bad as listed in the USCIS website