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citizenship for members of the u.s. military, military green card

American Citizenship Application for Military Members
One of the benefits of serving in the United States armed forces is expedited naturalization procedures. Generally, before applying for citizenship
you must have been a permanent resident of the United States (i.e., possess a „green card‟) for a number of years. The Immigration and
Naturalization Act states that service members who have served honorably for at least one year, or have served on active duty during a specified
period of hostilities may apply for expedited naturalization. On 3 July 2002, President Bush signed an active duty during a specified period of
hostilities may apply for expedited naturalization. On 3 July 2002, President Bush signed an executive order making the “war against terrorists of
global reach” a specified period of hostilities for the purposes of expedited naturalization. If you have served following 11 September 2001, you
may be eligible. The steps for becoming a naturalized citizen under the expedited procedures are as follows:

1. Assemble the application packet. In order to become a naturalized citizen, the service member must submit a number of documents to the
USCIS (see inset for checklist). The forms can be downloaded from the USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov; the forms are also available at the
Legal Assistance Office. Because application fees change regularly, verify the fees on the USCIS website before submitting your application. As
of 1 Oct 2004, there is no fee for service members.

2. Verify your service data at your personnel office. Your personnel office will verify your service data and complete the back of Form N-
426. Army personnel in Area II should contact their individual Brigade or Battalion  administrative section; Air Force personnel in Area II should
contact Osan AB at 784-1845 or 784-6279; and Navy Personnel in Area II should contact PSD at 723-4647.

3. Send background check and consent forms to the U.S. Army Central Personnel Security Clearance Facility (CCF).
The personnel office will send Form G-325B and the release forms from the SF 86 to CCF. CCF (https://ccf.inscom.army.mil) will perform a
background check and return the results and a completed G-325B to the personnel office.

4. All servicemembers filing for expedited naturalization must send application packets to the following address:

US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Nebraska Service Center
P.O. Box 87426
Lincoln, NE 68501-7426

Failure to send all documents, or sending your packet to the wrong address, will significantly delay the processing of your application. Also, if
your address changes after you have sent in the application, immediately send in Form AR-11, Change of Address Form, to the USCIS.

5. Wait for USCIS to schedule your interview. The USCIS will confirm receipt of your citizenship application and inform you that your interview
date will be within the next year. If you have a preferred location for your interview, make it known in the cover letter to your naturalization packet.
In most cases, you will be scheduled for an interview within six months. Approximately six weeks before your interview, the USCIS will send you an
interview notice with the date, time and location of the interview. You may check the status of your application by going to the USCIS website and
entering your case number as prompted.

6. The interview. Arrive on time! If you are a no-show, the USCIS will administratively close your case. If you do not reopen your case within one
year, your application will be denied. Bring any documents requested by the USCIS in the interview notification. If you do not bring the necessary
documents, your application may be delayed or rejected. The USCIS will review your documents, inquire about the information contained in your
application, if any, and administer the English and civics tests. The English test will measure your ability to read, write, and speak English. The
civics test will test your knowledge and understanding of the U.S. government and U.S. history and will
consist of a verbal or written set of multiple-choice questions. For sample exams and study guides please visit the USCIS website. Remember to
write down the name of the USCIS officer who conducted your interview for future reference.

APPLYING FOR CITIZENSHIP: A GUIDE FOR SERVICE MEMBERS
7. The USCIS decision. After your interview, your application will be approved, continued, or denied. If your application is approved, you may
take the Oath of Allegiance the same day, or request to take the oath on another day. If your application is continued, usually for failing the
English or civics test, you may be required to appear for another interview in 60-90 days or to provide additional documents. If the USCIS denies
your application, you will receive written notice explaining the reasons why. You may request a hearing to appeal the USCIS decision to deny
your application by filing Form N-336, Request for Hearing Proceedings under Section 336 of the INA.

8. Take the Oath. After the USCIS approves your application, you must attend a ceremony to take the Oath of Allegiance. If you take the oath at
some later date after your interview, you will receive Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony. If you cannot attend the ceremony on
your scheduled date, return form N-445, with a letter explaining why you cannot attend and request a new date. Also, if you your religious beliefs
prevent you from using the words, “so help me God,” you may request an alternate oath. Be prepared to provide documentation from your
religious organization explaining its beliefs and stating that you are a member in good standing. If more than a day has passed between your
interview and the ceremony, carefully complete the questions on the back of Form N-445, and bring it to the ceremony. Also, bring your
Permanent Resident Card (a.k.a, green card) to the ceremony, because you must forfeit it in order to take the oath and receive your certificate
of naturalization.

9. Receive the Certificate of Naturalization. Congratulations! You are now a U.S. Citizen. After you have taken the oath, you will receive a
Certificate of Naturalization, which is your proof of citizenship. You should obtain a passport soon after the naturalization ceremony, because it is
easier to carry around than the Naturalization certificate. If you lose your Certificate of Naturalization, it could take up to one year to obtain a
replacement.

10. Military Spouses. If you are the spouse of a service member who is deployed or will be deployed in the next year, you may also be eligible
for expedited naturalization. INA Interpretation 319.2: “Naturalization based upon citizenship of spouse employed abroad” explains in detail the
requirements for eligibility.

Conclusion: remember, naturalization is a slow process. But, if you complete the paperwork properly, you could be taking the Oath of
Citizenship within a year. If you have any questions regarding naturalization procedures, visit your Client Legal Services office or the USCIS
website. FORMS and OTHER DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR NATURALIZATION:
N-400 Application for Naturalization and supporting documents
G-325B Biographical Information for Military Members (required if you have ever been in the US Armed Forces)
N-426 Request for Certificate of Military or Naval Service
Standard Form 86 (SF 86) Authorization for Release of Information
FD 258 Fingerprint Card – obtained at the Provost Marshal‟s Office on Camp Kim, 724-7211
Color Photos (2) 2 x 2 Standard Passport-Style Photos–obtained at TSAK, Camp Coiner, 724-3296
Filing Fee Free (as of October 1, 2004)
Memorandum Short note stating which installation the application is being mailed from, and when and where the service member would like to be
interviewed

Notes: READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. YOU MUST ACCURATELY AND COMPLETELY FILL OUT THE FORMS THAT ARE
APPLICABLE TO YOU. Incomplete or inaccurate forms will cause delay in processing your packet. Despite what the forms say, it is acceptable to
send copies of the documents to the USCIS, even without the certification form. Be prepared to provide originals at your interview with the USCIS.
DO NOT SEND ORIGINAL GREEN CARD CERTIFICATES, OR CASH.