US Citizenship Benefits for US Military Personnel and Service Men

Recognizing the sacrifices made by the Non-US citizen members working for the US army, the USCIS helps the service men to apply for US Citizenship through special provisions.

Non US citizen members of the US armed forces and their dependents are hence eligible for American Citizenship. There are special provisions in the Immigration and Nationality act through which a service man is eligible to apply for Citizenship.

 

Service in the US Armed Forces includes people working in the

-Army

-Navy

-Air Force

-Marine Corps

-Coast Guard

-Reserve of the National Guard

-Reserve of the Ready Reserve

 

USCIS has streamlined a process, which helps the people in active duty as well as the people who have been recently discharged. The non-US citizens working for the US armed forces are required to possess certain qualifications such as knowledge of the English language and the US laws along with being a person with good moral character. 

 

WHO CAN  APPLY

People who are serving the US armed forces and people who had served in a period of conflict are eligible to apply. Service men who were admitted into the US as lawful permanent residents and people who are present physically in the US, at the time of enlistment can also apply. 

People who are currently working for the U.S. Armed Forces and men who have been discharged from service are eligible to apply if they

-had served the US Armed forces for one or more years

-are lawful permanent residents

-file their application for Citizenship while in service or six months prior to being discharged from their services

-are attached to the rules of the US Constitution

 

BENEFITS

-The service men are not required to submit any filing fee for Citizenship

-The Naturalization process can be taken overseas at a US embassy or consulate abroad

-Spouses of the service men are eligible to apply for expedited Naturalization

-Children of the service men are eligible for Naturalization

-Posthumous Citizenship benefits are awarded to the surviving family members of military men who die while in service

-Eligible service men of the U.S. Armed Forces are also exempt from other naturalization necessities such as continuous residence and physical presence in the US

-Survivor benefits are provided to the family members of the service men who were deceased when in service.

 

FORMS TO BE SUBMITTED

You must file form N-400, Application for Naturalization along with N-426, Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service. Form N-426 must be certified by the military before submitting to the USCIS. 

If a person has obtained citizenship through his military service and is separate from the military for a reason other than honorable conditions, before the completion of five years of service, then his Citizenship may be revoked.