Useful USCIS Links for Naturalization and Citizenship

Citizenship Through Naturalization

A Guide to Naturalization

Naturalization Eligibility and Preparation Flyer ( PDF)

The USCIS Naturalization Interview and Test (Video)

New Naturalization Test (Video)

Becoming a U.S. Citizen: An Overview of the Naturalization Process (Video)

Study Materials for the Naturalization Test

USCIS-approved Civil Surgeons and Physicians in Hawaii:

• 96720 - Hilo, HI
  • Dr. Daniel H Belcher
    73 Puuhonu Place, Hilo, HI 96720
    (808) 934-2012
• 96732 - Kahului, HI
  • Dr. Robert A Bird
    53 Puunene Avenue, Kahului, HI 96732
    (808) 877-6611
• 96740 - Kailua-Kona, HI
  • Dr. Kevin Kunz
    76-6225 Kuakini Highway, Suite B104, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
    (808) 327-4848
• 96762 - Laie, HI
  • Dr. Marc Shlachter
    55-510 Kamehameha Highway, Laie, HI 96762
    (808) 293-8558
• 96766 - Lihue, HI
  • Dr. Arnulfo B Diaz, Kauai Medical Clinic
    3-3420B Kuhio Highway, Lihue, HI 96766
    (808) 245-1500
  • Dr. Dennis J Haack, Kauai Medical Clinic
    3-3420B Kuhio Highway, Lihue, HI 96766
    (808) 245-1500
  • Dr. Eric KS Yee, Kauai Medical Clinic
    3-3420B Kuhio Highway, Lihue, HI 96766
    (808) 245-1500
  • Dr. Thomas B Williamson, Kauai Medical Clinic
    3-3420B Kuhio Highway, Lihue, HI 96766
    (808) 245-1500
• 96786 - Wahiawa, HI
  • Dr. Gildo S Soriano, Dr. Gildo S. Soriano, Inc.
    916 Kilani Avenue, Wahiawa, HI 96786
    (808) 621-5042
• 96797 - Waipahu, HI
  • Dr. Benedicto R Galindo, Westgate Medical Clinic
    94-366 Pupupani Street, Suite 118, Waipahu, HI 96797
    (808) 676-0865
• 96813 - Honolulu, HI
  • Dr. Michael M Kusaka, Straub Beretania
    839 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
    (808) 522-4320
• 96814 - Honolulu, HI
  • Dr. Birendra S Huja
    1040 South King Street, Suite 312, King McKinley Building, Honolulu, HI 96814
    (808) 593-0520
  • Dr. Keiichi Kobayashi, St. Luke's Clinic
    1441 Kapiolani Boulevard, Suite 2000, Honolulu, HI 96814
    (808) 945-3719
  • Dr. Raymond Kang, Omnicare Medical Clinic
    1481 South King Street, Suite 422, Honolulu, HI 96814
    (808) 955-7117
  • Dr. Su Juen Chris Yeh
    2222 Kalakaua Avenue, Room 603, Honolulu, HI 96814
    (808) 951-8883
• 96815 - Honolulu, HI
  • Dr. Haitham Dalgamouni, Kuhio Walk-in Medical Clinic
    2310 Kuhio Avenue, Suite 223, Honolulu, HI 96815
    (808) 924-6688
  • Dr. Su Juen Chris Yeh
    2222 Kalakaua Avenue, Room 603, Honolulu, HI 96815
    (808) 921-0330
• 96817 - Honolulu, HI
  • Dr. Gerald H Watanabe, Kuakini Medical Plaza
    321 North Kuakinin Street, Suite 802, Honolulu, HI 96817
    (808) 529-8801
• 96819 - Honolulu, HI
  • Dr. William Fruean
    2225 North School Street, Suite 203, Honolulu, HI 96819
    (808) 845-9754
• 96821 - Honolulu, HI
  • Dr. James Lumeng
    Aina Haina Professional Building, 850 West Hind Drive, Suite 114, Honolulu, HI 96821
    (808) 377-5485
• 96826 - Honolulu, HI
  • Dr. Lawrence K T Tam, A.Y. Wong Building
    1507 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96826
    (808) 947-5555
  • Dr. Mingsang Lin, Kapiolani Medical Center
    1319 Punahou Street, Suite 515, Honolulu, HI 96826
    (808) 955-3777

Q/A: What's is the difference between being "Arrested", "Charged", "Sentenced", or "Placed in Alternative Sentencing" ???

These terms are used by USICS when addressing whether a petitioner has a criminal history. Is important to understand the difference.

Arrested -- This means that you were taken in to custody by the police. Once you are taken in to custody, it will be decided if you will be charged with a crime. Someone who is arrested is not necessary charged with a crime.

Charged -- Once you are in the custody of the police, the prosecutor's office (aka state attorney, district attorney) will decide whether to charge you. If you are charged, you will be given a charging document (sometimes also called complaint or information). This charging document will state exactly what crimes (charges) you are facing.

Sentenced -- Being sentenced means that the "punishment" you got when you admitted (pled) you are "guilty" or when the judge/jury decided you were "guilty". If you were placed in jail/prison, probation, community service, or mandatory classes, you were sentenced.

Alternative Sentencing -- Sometimes called "differed sentencing". A court may require you to satisfy certain conditions (such as community service, classes, etc) in exchange for a dismissal.

www.pimpros.com

Submitting Evidence/Documents

When submitting a petition or application, it is often necessary to submit evidence/documents in support of your petition or application. Commonly needed documents include birth certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, death certificates, criminal history records, bank statements, tax returns, etc.

Failure to provide the necessary evidence/documents can result in significant delay of your petition/application, and can ultimately lead to its denial. If you failed to provide the necessary evidence/documents, upon your initial filing, generally, you will “Request for Evidence” (or RFE) will be sent to you. The RFE will often not allow you a whole lot of time to gather the necessary evidence/documents. If you do not provide the necessary evidence/documents pursuant to the RFE, your petition or application will almost certainly be denied. To make sure that your petition or application is approved timely, it is important that you submit the right evidence/documents when you initially file your petition or application.

The types of evidence/documents that you need to submit depends on the type of petition or application you are filing (for example, if you are filing for a fiance’/j visa, and you and/or fiancé has been previously married, you will need to submit divorce decrees to prove that you and your fiancé are both currently single). Before filing out the petition or application, be sure to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS on the petition or application. The instructions will tell you the types of documents that you need to submit. If you do not have the instructions for a particular form, go to link .

If you are unable to obtain the evidence/document required by the USCIS, the instructions sometimes allow for “secondary evidence”. What is allowed for secondary evidence depends on the particular petition or application, and should be stated in the instructions. If you are still unable to get secondary evidence, you should provide a brief explanation as to why you can not obtain the necessary documents. This explanation is best done through a letter.

When submitting documents, it is always a good idea to submit certified copies (ie documents containing original official governmental seals, stamps, signatures, etc.) If you are submitting an original document, one for which you would like back, a form G-588 “Request for Return of Original Documents” should also be submitted.

If you are submitting evidence/documents which are in a language other than English, make sure that you have them translated. The translated documents should be accompanied by a certification from the translator that the translation is accurate.

Finally, make sure you make a copy of everything you submit for yourself.

Keeping Good Records

If you are filing immigration petitions/applications without an attorney, there is one crucial mistake that most people make. That is that they don't keep a copy of the application they send in. This includes a copy of all the supporting documents that you send in.

The USCIS (or any other governing body) is a huge bureaucracy, and often lose or misplace petitions/applications/documents that are sent to them. Sometimes, they will claim that you did not send them a particular document and subsequently delay or deny your application. This delay can be create a great deal of hardship to the petitioner. Trying to get a copy of your application/petition/documents back from USCIS can often be frustrating and sometimes impossible. For example, if USCIS asks for additional information, they will only give you 30 days to respond. The likelihood that you can request and receive a copy of your original application within the 30 days, and allow you time to craft an appropriate response, is slim. While an extension of time is possible, it is not guaranteed.

When USCIS sends the petitioner a request for [additional] documents, the petitioner is often confused about what has been previously submitted, or if the USCIS asks for a document that has already been submitted, the petitioner has to go through to the effort/time/expenses of "re-obtaining" the documents, since no copy was kept. Further, often the USCIS will question a petitioner's answers to a petition/application. Without a copy of the petition/application submitted, most petitioners have forgotten their answers. Further, having a copy of the petition/application will also help an attorney understand your case and provide a record for an appeal, if your petition/application is later denied.

Important things to have a copy of:
1. your application/petition
2. any supporting documents sent in with your application/petition
3. copies of certified mail return receipts (you should always use certified mail or some other traceable method, so that you have proof of WHEN your petition/application was sent in, in case the USCIS questions your petition/application for timeliness).
4. all letters/corespondences between you and USCIS.

James C. Tai
jtai@hortai.com

Transition to U.S. Immigration Law in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Starting in November 28, 2009, pursuant to the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 , U.S. Department of Homeland Security will assume full control of U.S. immigration matters in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Some Key Effects (for full details, see Department of Homeland Security Page Link)

• Includes the CNMI in the definition of “United States” under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
• Provides for the Department of Homeland Security, through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), to immediately resume its role as a protection consultant with regard to asylee and refugee protection, followed by full federal assumption of responsibility for these functions on the transition program effective date. The INA section on asylum, however, continues to be inapplicable to the CNMI during the transition period.
• Amends the Guam Visa Waiver Program statute to create a Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program and extends the authorized period of stay from 15 days to 45 days, as of the beginning of the transition period.
• Creates a nonimmigrant transitional worker immigration status during the transition period.
• Continues lawful presence and employment authorization (if applicable) for aliens lawfully admitted by the CNMI as of the transition program effective date. Such lawful presence and employment authorization will remain valid until the end of the CNMI authorization or at the end of two years – whichever is first.
• Provides for treaty investor nonimmigrant status for aliens with certain CNMI authorized long-term investor status.
• Exempts the CNMI and Guam from the statutory caps on the number of H nonimmigrant temporary workers during the transition period.
• Limits the removal of aliens lawfully present in the CNMI as of the start of the transition period on the basis of presence without admission or parole during the initial two years of the transition period or until that lawful status expires, whichever occurs first.
• Eliminates the provision in the Covenant specifying that immigration-related fees are paid to the CNMI government, given that the Federal Government is to assume immigration responsibilities in the CNMI.
• Specifies that prior residence in the CNMI will count as residence in the United States for a permanent resident alien who may otherwise have been considered to have abandoned residence in the United States by residing in the CNMI.
• Authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to establish operations in the CNMI prior to the beginning of the transition period.
• Requires the Departments of Homeland Security, Labor, and Justice to recruit and hire personnel from among qualified local applicants, to the maximum extent practicable.

New Naturalization Test

USCIS has announced a new naturalization test. Link. The page also contains valuable information, including study materials.

Candor and Thoroughness in the Immigration Process

The most important thing to remember when filing an immigration petition or application is candor and thoroughness. Failure to do so may result in delay or the ultimate denial of your application. It is crucial that you disclose ALL of the information, that USCIS is asking for. Besides simple disclosure, it is also important to explain as thoroughly as possible. For example, if they USCIS asks about your criminal history, it is critical that you disclose EVERY arrest or incident, no matter what the outcome of the incident was. If your case was dismissed, sealed, expunged, etc., be sure to include that in your explaination. It is also advisable that you attach applicable documents to your application, which provides proof to the statements you are making.

A major critieria in the immigration process is the USCIS's "perception" of the truthfulness of the applicant. Whether this preception is true or not, it is what they will be basing thier decision on. If you provide them any reason to believe that you are less than truthful in your application, they can deny it solely based on on that. Although most ommissions of information are not intentional, having to explain those mistakes later can be quite burdensome.

It is imperative that an applicant thoroughly reviews his/her application before submission. Once it is submitted, can retractions or oral modifications (at interviews) can be construed as not be truthful.

James C. Tai
jtai@hortai.com
www.hortai.com

USCIS Reminds Applicants for Adjustment of Status, Asylum, Legalization, and TPS Beneficiaries to Obtain Advance Parole Before Traveling Abroad

Read Full Article from USCIS