Green Card renewal
Discussion
I am frankly stunned right now. Requested a renewal on my Green card last week and have it in my hands today. The application took less than 5 minutes and no need for anything else. No biometrics, no trip to Ottawa. My experience of USCIS was everything takes months and when you think you are at the finish line you have only really made it to the start.
I had considered becoming a citizen just to avoid this process. Not any more.
I had considered becoming a citizen just to avoid this process. Not any more.
That’s why I posted. I could not believe how quick and easy it was. I was expecting photocopies and scans of everything before attending 3 biometric sessions and then waiting months for a response. My green card was delivered yesterday after staring last week.
If I had known how easy it was going to be it would have eased something that has been bugging me for years.
If I had known how easy it was going to be it would have eased something that has been bugging me for years.
Coming up on my the expiration of my original green card (2023) I decided it was time for citizenship. Especially as I was the only non citizen in our little family unit, and don’t fancy potentially having to surrender SS benefits now I’m time served eligible should I no longer be in the country after 65. Who knows, right?
I applied for my citizenship September 1, had the interview Nov 4th, then the Oath ceremony where you actually become a citizen Dec 16th. 3-1/2 months end to end. Unheard of! Normally 15-18 months. Just waiting on my passport now…
I applied for my citizenship September 1, had the interview Nov 4th, then the Oath ceremony where you actually become a citizen Dec 16th. 3-1/2 months end to end. Unheard of! Normally 15-18 months. Just waiting on my passport now…
dvs_dave said:
Coming up on my the expiration of my original green card (2023) I decided it was time for citizenship. Especially as I was the only non citizen in our little family unit, and don’t fancy potentially having to surrender SS benefits now I’m time served eligible should I no longer be in the country after 65. Who knows, right?
I applied for my citizenship September 1, had the interview Nov 4th, then the Oath ceremony where you actually become a citizen Dec 16th. 3-1/2 months end to end. Unheard of! Normally 15-18 months. Just waiting on my passport now…
I applied for my passport on Nov 12th, got the passport card in early December, and the booklet just before Christmas. I think the change of management has helped a bit!I applied for my citizenship September 1, had the interview Nov 4th, then the Oath ceremony where you actually become a citizen Dec 16th. 3-1/2 months end to end. Unheard of! Normally 15-18 months. Just waiting on my passport now…
dvs_dave said:
Coming up on my the expiration of my original green card (2023) I decided it was time for citizenship. Especially as I was the only non citizen in our little family unit, and don’t fancy potentially having to surrender SS benefits now I’m time served eligible should I no longer be in the country after 65. Who knows, right?
I applied for my citizenship September 1, had the interview Nov 4th, then the Oath ceremony where you actually become a citizen Dec 16th. 3-1/2 months end to end. Unheard of! Normally 15-18 months. Just waiting on my passport now…
What was the application process and interview like if you don't mind me asking? I've been eligible to apply for citizenship for a couple of years now and am thinking I should probably get on and do it. I applied for my citizenship September 1, had the interview Nov 4th, then the Oath ceremony where you actually become a citizen Dec 16th. 3-1/2 months end to end. Unheard of! Normally 15-18 months. Just waiting on my passport now…
BertieWooster said:
What was the application process and interview like if you don't mind me asking? I've been eligible to apply for citizenship for a couple of years now and am thinking I should probably get on and do it.
Not sure if my own experience is typical, but I''ve no reason to believe it isn't (other than the interview itself).I had been in the US (on a succession of different employment-based visas) for 10 years when my permanent resident alien status was finalized in 2011. I applied for naturalization in 2016 through INS service center, Dallas TX.
Biometrics was organized in less than 6 weeks from mailing the paperwork.
The interview step came-up really fast too, I had my interview at the USCIS office in Orlando FL. The interview process itself was a little surreal, in the the officer was originally Chinese and I could hardly understand a word she was uttering to me, her accent was so strong.
So we had a bizarre situation where I was attempting, as an Englishman, to demonstrate my competence in spoken English to a Chinese woman, who seemed to struggle with the absolute basics.
My dog could have passed the civics test - however I read somewhere that more than 50% of US citizens would fail it, if tested.
We then had a long wait - about 11 months, before a letter arrived in the mail, asking me to attend the naturalization ceremony that same week!
There were at least 150 other folks at the ceremony - it was distinctly un-ceremonial. Most of the inductees were Cuban or Colombian. They had a very hokey show of hands for the various nationalities and when the various South American countries were called out, a huge eruption of cheers and whoops ensued. This made me wonder, if they loved their latin mother-nations so much, what the f
k were they doing here?Everybody has their own reasons for naturalizing or not, What I would note is that if you have a possibility to generate income outside of the US in your future, this may not be a smart move as USC's must pay tax on worldwide income - which would be very punishing for some.
BertieWooster said:
What was the application process and interview like if you don't mind me asking? I've been eligible to apply for citizenship for a couple of years now and am thinking I should probably get on and do it.
Very simple. Fill in the N400 form and pay the fee all online. Then wait for the various correspondence from USCIS, culminating in the interview (blew through it in about 15 mins, and make sure you’re current with your taxes!), and then the oath ceremony. Was 12 weeks end to end for me, despite them telling at the point of application to expect 15-18 months.“Hardest” (but not at all) parts; listing all the dates and destinations I’d been out of the country the past 5 years, and studying for the civics test for which the USCIS: Civics Test app was very good for.
Matt Harper said:
Everybody has their own reasons for naturalizing or not, What I would note is that if you have a possibility to generate income outside of the US in your future, this may not be a smart move as USC's must pay tax on worldwide income - which would be very punishing for some.
This is true, but most major countries have a dual-taxation agreement with the USA. For us, this means that we've been reporting all UK income to the IRS, and noting that since UK tax rates are higher than US, we don't owe anything extra to the US Treasury. Where it becomes a problem is if you have significant income in places like the Gulf with lower tax rates than the US so you have to pay the difference to the IRS.Matt Harper said:
Everybody has their own reasons for naturalizing or not, What I would note is that if you have a possibility to generate income outside of the US in your future, this may not be a smart move as USC's must pay tax on worldwide income - which would be very punishing for some.
I did all my tax free earning when I worked for NATO before we moved here. All income is US based now - apart from a UK pension which I doubt I'll be getting for quite a while. 
dvs_dave said:
Very simple. Fill in the N400 form and pay the fee all online. Then wait for the various correspondence from USCIS, culminating in the interview (blew through it in about 15 mins, and make sure you’re current with your taxes!), and then the oath ceremony. Was 12 weeks end to end for me, despite them telling at the point of application to expect 15-18 months.
“Hardest” (but not at all) parts; listing all the dates and destinations I’d been out of the country the past 5 years, and studying for the civics test for which the USCIS: Civics Test app was very good for.
Thanks for that - I downloaded the civics test app so will get studying. I might as well get the process started as I'm guessing it won't get any cheaper. I'm surprised it only took you 12 weeks - I know it takes some people ages. “Hardest” (but not at all) parts; listing all the dates and destinations I’d been out of the country the past 5 years, and studying for the civics test for which the USCIS: Civics Test app was very good for.
NNH said:
Matt Harper said:
Everybody has their own reasons for naturalizing or not, What I would note is that if you have a possibility to generate income outside of the US in your future, this may not be a smart move as USC's must pay tax on worldwide income - which would be very punishing for some.
This is true, but most major countries have a dual-taxation agreement with the USA. For us, this means that we've been reporting all UK income to the IRS, and noting that since UK tax rates are higher than US, we don't owe anything extra to the US Treasury. Where it becomes a problem is if you have significant income in places like the Gulf with lower tax rates than the US so you have to pay the difference to the IRS.I thought the difference between a GC holder and a US citizen was that if you choose to leave the US, you have to pay taxes in the US even though you are not resident here (dual-taxation treaty etc aside).
If my tax advisor and I have this wrong, I’d very much like to know!
GC Holder and Citizens are regarded equally by the IRS, but not by the SSA. As a citizen you can claim SS wherever you are in the world. As a GC holder, you can only claim whilst present in the US.
See here for more on U.S. International Social Security Agreements.. Which countries have agreements, what the taxation agreements are, etc. Important thing is that US recognizes and credits UK Social Security contributions (National Insurance) and vice versa.
See here for more on U.S. International Social Security Agreements.. Which countries have agreements, what the taxation agreements are, etc. Important thing is that US recognizes and credits UK Social Security contributions (National Insurance) and vice versa.
The Moose said:
I also thought that if the IRS deemed you to be a US person (which you’re almost certainly going to meet as a GC holder due to the substantial presence test), you were taxed on your worldwide income anyway?
I thought the difference between a GC holder and a US citizen was that if you choose to leave the US, you have to pay taxes in the US even though you are not resident here (dual-taxation treaty etc aside).
If my tax advisor and I have this wrong, I’d very much like to know!
As dvs_dave said below, citizens and GC holders are treated equally by the IRS, but it's a lot easier to drop your Green Card if you suddenly get a $1m job offer in Dubai! I thought the difference between a GC holder and a US citizen was that if you choose to leave the US, you have to pay taxes in the US even though you are not resident here (dual-taxation treaty etc aside).
If my tax advisor and I have this wrong, I’d very much like to know!
dvs_dave said:
NNH said:
As dvs_dave said below, citizens and GC holders are treated equally by the IRS, but it's a lot easier to drop your Green Card if you suddenly get a $1m job offer in Dubai!
That’s true, but no one is getting $1m expat job offers in Dubai. The market doesn’t exist. NNH said:
The Moose said:
I also thought that if the IRS deemed you to be a US person (which you’re almost certainly going to meet as a GC holder due to the substantial presence test), you were taxed on your worldwide income anyway?
I thought the difference between a GC holder and a US citizen was that if you choose to leave the US, you have to pay taxes in the US even though you are not resident here (dual-taxation treaty etc aside).
If my tax advisor and I have this wrong, I’d very much like to know!
As dvs_dave said below, citizens and GC holders are treated equally by the IRS, but it's a lot easier to drop your Green Card if you suddenly get a $1m job offer in Dubai! I thought the difference between a GC holder and a US citizen was that if you choose to leave the US, you have to pay taxes in the US even though you are not resident here (dual-taxation treaty etc aside).
If my tax advisor and I have this wrong, I’d very much like to know!
The Moose said:
That’s rather astonishing…we’re planning on citizenship when we get to 5 years for similar reasons.
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