Jitboparai

Could you inform me How much dom i have to wait before i could apply for N400
after getting I 515 stamped on my passport. ?
I know that GC is for 10yrs only then renewable.What I don't know is ----
How long before I could file my papers for Naturalisation--N400 USC??

Andy Platt

Based on marriage to a US citizen you are eligible for naturalization three
years after being granted permanent residence (in your case the date the
I-551 was stamped on by the sounds of it). You are allowed to apply 90 days
before the three year point though. The exact requirements can be found
here:

http://www.bcis.gov/graphics/services/natz/English.pdf

but they can be summarized for most cases based on marriage to a USC as:

a) You have been a permanent resident for three years and haven't taken
trips abroad for longer than 6 months
b) You are married to and living with a US citizen
c) You have been married to and living with that US citizen for three years
d) Your spouse has been a permanent resident for three years
e) You have physically been in the US for at least 18 months of that 3 year
period and have been resident in the local district for 3 months.

Andy.

--
I'm not really here - it's just your warped imagination.

"JITBOPARAI" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Could you inform me How much dom i have to wait before i could apply for
N400
    > after getting I 515 stamped on my passport. ?
    > I know that GC is for 10yrs only then renewable.What I don't know
is ----
    > How long before I could file my papers for Naturalisation--N400 USC??

Rete

The 10 year green card is NOT renewable. Instead of having one green card for your entire life, your green card now shows an expiration date so that the new card will have a more current photograph and your records can be updated.

As for the I-515 -- I believe you mean the I-551 stamp, you are eligible to file for naturalization (N-400) 90 days before the third anniversary of getting the stamp if your Residency is based on marriage to a US Citizen and you are still married and in status and met all the other requirements.

If your I-551 stamp is based on residency due to reasons other than marriage to a US citizen, you can file 90 days before the fifth anniversary of the I-551 stamp. Again, you must met all the criteria listed on the N-400.

Rete

Andy Platt

"Rete" <member@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Originally posted by Jitboparai
    > > Could you inform me How much dom i have to wait before i could apply
    > > for N400
    > > after getting I 515 stamped on my passport. ?
    > > I know that GC is for 10yrs only then renewable.What I don't
    > > know is ----

    > The 10 year green card is NOT renewable. Instead of having one green
    > card for your entire life, your green card now shows an expiration date
    > so that the new card will have a more current photograph and your
    > records can be updated.

I don't understand what you are getting at. Admittedly Jitboparai's English
isn't 100% clear but didn't he/she say exactly that - it's for 10 years and
then you have to renew (technically replace) it?

    > If your I-551 stamp is based on residency due to reasons other than
    > marriage to a US citizen, you can file 90 days before the fifth
    > anniversary of the I-551 stamp. Again, you must met all the criteria
    > listed on the N-400.

It doesn't matter what how you got the GC, just that you fufill the
requirements since getting it. For instance, if you had been granted
permanent residency based on an employment petition and then got married to
a US citizen a month later, you would be eligible for naturalization at
three years and one month.

Andy.

--
I'm not really here - it's just your warped imagination.

    > As for the I-515 -- I believe you mean the I-551 stamp, you are eligible
    > to file for naturalization (N-400) 90 days before the third anniversary
    > of getting the stamp if your Residency is based on marriage to a US
    > Citizen and you are still married and in status and met all the other
    > requirements.
    > Rete
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Rete

Sorry to confuse you. It is me that is confused by the poster's use of the word renew. Many people think that they lose their PR Status when the card expires and as such will have to reapply for residency status. I was attempting to rectify that misconception if that were the case.

[QUOTE}    > If your I-551 stamp is based on residency due to reasons other than
    > marriage to a US citizen, you can file 90 days before the fifth
    > anniversary of the I-551 stamp. Again, you must met all the criteria
    > listed on the N-400.

It doesn't matter what how you got the GC, just that you fufill the
requirements since getting it. For instance, if you had been granted
permanent residency based on an employment petition and then got married to
a US citizen a month later, you would be eligible for naturalization at
three years and one month.[/QUOTE]

Again, it appears there is confusion. I was outlining different time frames for eligibility to apply for naturalization. There are two and the OP did not state how he got his PR status nor if his spouse is a USC.

As for your reply that is only as long as the marriage is a full three years in length at the time of application. You cannot file 90 days prior to the third wedding anniversary.

Rete

Andy.

--
I'm not really here - it's just your warped imagination.

    > As for the I-515 -- I believe you mean the I-551 stamp, you are eligible
    > to file for naturalization (N-400) 90 days before the third anniversary
    > of getting the stamp if your Residency is based on marriage to a US
    > Citizen and you are still married and in status and met all the other
    > requirements.
    > Rete
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com [/QUOTE]