Legalization Through “Registry”

 

Current immigration law contains a provision called “registry” that allows certain non-citizens who are long-term residents of the United States, but who are either undocumented or present in the country under some sort of temporary immigration status, to “register” for Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status. In order to qualify, individuals must have entered the country on or before a specified date (known as the “registry date”) and must demonstrate good moral character and continuous residence since their entry. After its creation in 1929, Congress advanced the registry date four times, most recently in 1986, when the date was set at January 1, 1972—meaning that only non-citizens who entered the United States by that date are eligible to apply for LPR status through registry. This date is now so far in the past that few individuals are eligible. However, Congress has the power to advance the registry date again at any time, which would potentially allow millions of non-citizens to become LPRs and, ultimately, U.S. citizens.

History of the Registry Provision

The original registry provision created in 1929 applied to any non-citizen who met the following conditions: entered the country prior to June 3, 1921; had continuously resided in the country since entering; demonstrated “good moral character”; was not subject to deportation under U.S. immigration laws; and for whom a record of lawful admission was not available. The registry provision was amended in 1940 and the registry date advanced to July 1, 1924. However, a more substantive revision took place in 1958. 

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I am a permanent resident, How do I apply for U.S. citizenship?

 

U.S. citizenship provides many rights, but also involves many responsibilities. Thus, the decision to become a U.S. citizen through naturalization is important. In most cases, a person who wants to naturalize must first be a permanent resident. By becoming a U.S. citizen, you gain many rights that permanent residents or others do not have, including the right to vote. To be eligible for naturalization, you must first meet certain requirements set by U.S. law.

What are the basic requirements to apply for naturalization?

The process of applying for U.S. citizenship is known as naturalization. In order to be eligible for naturalization, you must first meet certain requirements required by U.S. immigration law.

Generally, to be eligible for naturalization you must:

• Be age 18 or older; and
• Be a permanent resident for a certain amount of time (usually 5 years or 3 years, depending on how you obtained status); and
• Be a person of good moral character; and
• Have a basic knowledge of U.S. government (this, too, can be excepted due to permanent physical or mental impairment); and
• Have a period of continuous residence and physical presence in the United States; and
• Be able to read, write, and speak basic English. There are exceptions to this rule for someone who at the time of filing:
  • Is 55 years old and has been a permanent resident for at least 15 years; or
  • Is 50 years old and has been a permanent resident for at least 20 years; or
  • Has a permanent physical or mental impairment that makes the individual unable to fulfill these requirements.



When can I apply for naturalization?



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