Tag Archives: apply for citizenship

US Citizenship Express – Is It Worth It?

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Ever heard of MAVNI? No! Let me tell you what it is all about. In November 2008, a memorandum was signed by the U.S Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, giving authority to all army secretaries, The Air force, the Army and the Navy to implement a new non-citizen recruitment pilot program for the United States Armed Forces. This program is to allow non citizens of the US already in the United States legally to join the military and apply immediately for, and get US citizenship within 6 months. The program is called the, “Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest” MAVNI for short.

The idea was initiated in 2002 after the invasion of Iraq and the military was having a bit of a problem recruiting new cadets. So to incentivize the process they applied this unique opportunity to recruit non us citizens. The program is a one year pilot study expected to end by December 2009. Then depending on the outcome of the study it could be discontinued or rolled out. For the United States Army it is expected to provide about 14,000 recruits every year.

Requirements for applying for the MAVNI program include:-

– Applicant must be legally present in the US
– Applicant must be able to provide legal documents such as passport, employment authorization document etc proving legal presence in the United States
– Must be able to speak one of 35 languages
– Students on visas can also apply

The army will assist the new recruit in his or her application, and if any family members are involved, such as spouses and children, the military will provide the necessary guidance also wave the application fee of $625.

How To Become A US Citizen

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If you are planning to apply to become a US citizen, you need a guide for naturalization that will help you every step of the way throughout the complicated application and then testing process.

In October 2008, the US government altered the naturalization test to include specific sections testing the applicant’s knowledge of American culture as well as written English. This portion of the test is generally regarded as the most difficult for immigrants to pass successfully, so you should spend a little more time preparing for this section.

Be sure you understand the residency requirements completely before applying for US citizenship. Since 9/11, errors and omissions on the application that were once overlooked are now being turned down or even worse – flagged as suspicious.

In general, to even have a chance of becoming a naturalized US citizen, you will need to have been a legal permanent resident for at least five years prior to filling out the application. The application process is more simple and it is easier to be accepted if you are married to a US citizen, and usually only requires three years of being a permanent resident before completing an application.

To successfully become a US citizen, you will need to prove good moral character, fulfill all residency requirements, prove that you have the ability to read, write, and speak moderate-level English, and pass a naturalization test that includes sections on history, US government, and English reading comprehension.

This entire process can take up to three years waiting in line for your application to be reviewed and finally accepted, before you can move on to take the naturalization tests and the other steps you will need to complete.


Guest Author

Stephanie Rose