NOLA_Dave

Well, the long saga is over. One day after our 3rd anniversary, my
wife got her 10 year GC. Not bad, considering the 2 month delay with
her biometric appointment. She got approved just a few weeks after
she finally got back into the US after taking care of her mom
(undergoing chemo).

She is not interested in citizenship (plus, since we plan on living in
both countries over the course of our lives, it's good to have a solid
foot in each door, as it were), so this is the end of the line for us.
Hopefully, our interactions with USCIS will be limited to once every 10
years. That is, unless for some reason we end up staying out of the
country for more than 2 years at a time, in which case I'm sure I'll be
right back here asking how to reestalblish here LPR status :P

My wife and I would like to thank everyone here for your support and
advice. We could do it without a lawyer, but we couldn't have done it
without you all. :thumbsup:

NOLA_Dave

> Well, the long saga is over. One day after our 3rd anniversary, my
> wife got her 10 year GC. Not bad, considering the 2 month delay with
> her biometric appointment. She got approved just a few weeks after
> she finally got back into the US after taking care of her mom
> (undergoing chemo).
>
> She is not interested in citizenship (plus, since we plan on living in
> both countries over the course of our lives, it's good to have a solid
> foot in each door, as it were), so this is the end of the line for us.
> Hopefully, our interactions with USCIS will be limited to once every
> 10 years. That is, unless for some reason we end up staying out of
> the country for more than 2 years at a time, in which case I'm sure
> I'll be right back here asking how to reestalblish here LPR status :P
>
> My wife and I would like to thank everyone here for your support and
> advice. We could do it without a lawyer, but we couldn't have done it
> without you all. :thumbsup:

PS: We were processed through the Texas service center, for those
interested. Papers were accepted by USCIS on 12/7/06, biometrics
appointment set for 1/18/07. My wife was out of the country, so we
wrote a letter to reschedule for May. She came back early, and we
walked in to the Charlotte ASC on 4/4/07. Online notice said
application was approved on 4/23/07, and the 10 year GC arrived
5/2/07. I assume it would have come much sooner if the biometrics
had been done in January :P

Noorah101

> Well, the long saga is over. One day after our 3rd anniversary, my
> wife got her 10 year GC. Not bad, considering the 2 month delay with
> her biometric appointment. She got approved just a few weeks after
> she finally got back into the US after taking care of her mom
> (undergoing chemo).
>
> She is not interested in citizenship (plus, since we plan on living in
> both countries over the course of our lives, it's good to have a solid
> foot in each door, as it were), so this is the end of the line for us.
> Hopefully, our interactions with USCIS will be limited to once every
> 10 years. That is, unless for some reason we end up staying out of
> the country for more than 2 years at a time, in which case I'm sure
> I'll be right back here asking how to reestalblish here LPR status :P
>
> My wife and I would like to thank everyone here for your support and
> advice. We could do it without a lawyer, but we couldn't have done it
> without you all. :thumbsup:

Congratulations! Just one thought....

If you plan on living in both countries in the future, this is an
excellent reason why she SHOULD become a USC. That alleviates any doubt
whatsoever whether she will or won't abandon residency by mistake down
the road. I don't think there is any way to "live" in both countries
when neither of you are citizens of the other's country....because
you'll always be visiting, not living in one or the other. I hope she
reconsiders at some point, so you don't have to think of how to avoid
abandoning her PR status.

Best Wishes,
Rene

Mma2002

> Congratulations! Just one thought....
>
> If you plan on living in both countries in the future, this is an
> excellent reason why she SHOULD become a USC. That alleviates any
> doubt whatsoever whether she will or won't abandon residency by
> mistake down the road. I don't think there is any way to "live" in
> both countries when neither of you are citizens of the other's
> country....because you'll always be visiting, not living in one or the
> other. I hope she reconsiders at some point, so you don't have to
> think of how to avoid abandoning her PR status.
>
> Best Wishes,
> Rene

Great advice Rene!

Mahir's old boss is a US Citizen and a citizen of Italy and they find it
soooo convenient and easy every time they go to and from Italy and the
US because they all use their Italian passports to get into Italy and
their US passports to get into the US.

Mahir's going to revoke his Turkish citizenship when he becomes a US
citizen but that's just because of the required military service he
hasn't done and won't be doing. That way he can go visit his family
without getting taken for military service!!!!

Congratulations to the OP for the 10 year greencard!

Allison

Ian-Mstm

> Great advice Rene!
>
> Mahir's old boss is a US Citizen and a citizen of Italy and they find
> it soooo convenient and easy every time they go to and from Italy and
> the US because they all use their Italian passports to get into Italy
> and their US passports to get into the US.
>
> Mahir's going to revoke his Turkish citizenship when he becomes a US
> citizen but that's just because of the required military service he
> hasn't done and won't be doing. That way he can go visit his family
> without getting taken for military service!!!!
>
> Congratulations to the OP for the 10 year greencard!
>
> Allison

I don't mean to pull this thread in a different direction, but Mahir may
or may not be able to revoke his citizenship until he's fulfilled his
military requirement. Some countries are really funny that way... they
want their citizens to fulfill those sorts of obligations before
releasing them from the responsibility. Even if he successfully revokes
his citizenship, there's no guarantee that he won't be taken for service
if he enters the country. Sorry... but you'll want to check this out
thoroughly prior to taking any definitive actions.

Ian

Ian-Mstm

> Well, the long saga is over. One day after our 3rd anniversary, my
> wife got her 10 year GC. Not bad, considering the 2 month delay with
> her biometric appointment. She got approved just a few weeks after
> she finally got back into the US after taking care of her mom
> (undergoing chemo).
>
> She is not interested in citizenship (plus, since we plan on living in
> both countries over the course of our lives, it's good to have a solid
> foot in each door, as it were), so this is the end of the line for us.
> Hopefully, our interactions with USCIS will be limited to once every
> 10 years. That is, unless for some reason we end up staying out of
> the country for more than 2 years at a time, in which case I'm sure
> I'll be right back here asking how to reestalblish here LPR status :P
>
> My wife and I would like to thank everyone here for your support and
> advice. We could do it without a lawyer, but we couldn't have done it
> without you all. :thumbsup:

Congratulations to you both! Wonderful news. Good luck to you.

Ian

Rete

> Congratulations! Just one thought....
>
> If you plan on living in both countries in the future, this is an
> excellent reason why she SHOULD become a USC. That alleviates any
> doubt whatsoever whether she will or won't abandon residency by
> mistake down the road. I don't think there is any way to "live" in
> both countries when neither of you are citizens of the other's
> country....because you'll always be visiting, not living in one or the
> other. I hope she reconsiders at some point, so you don't have to
> think of how to avoid abandoning her PR status.
>
> Best Wishes,
> Rene

Since I don't recall the country his spouse comes from, obtaining
citizenship in the US might not be a possibility without her losing her
own country's citizenship, i.e. Japan.

Mma2002

> Since I don't recall the country his spouse comes from, obtaining
> citizenship in the US might not be a possibility without her losing
> her own country's citizenship, i.e. Japan.

Turkey.

However, going back to the post about him possibly being taken even if
he revokes it - US citizenship would protect him from that - Turkey
wouldn't be able to do anything once he hands in his passport and is
covered as a US citiizen.

Noorah101

> Since I don't recall the country his spouse comes from, obtaining
> citizenship in the US might not be a possibility without her losing
> her own country's citizenship, i.e. Japan.

Good point, Rete. I hadn't thought of that.

Rene

Mma2002

> Good point, Rete. I hadn't thought of that.
>
> Rene

Just looked at the US Ankara embassy website
(http://ankara.usembassy.gov/dual_nationality.html) and it states you
can have dual citizenship in Turkey and US. However it also says that
if you are dual that the US has limited protection ability when it comes
to Turkish citizens' obligations.

THEN I found information on http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-
115695636.html (section 34) that they often won't let a Turkish
citizen forfeit his citizenship if they haven't completed their
military service.

ARGH! This is so bad - I can't let Mahir go to military service
over there in Turkey. It's too dangerous and he'd be leaving his
job and family (which we are trying to add to) and run the risk of
losing his job!

Allison