ANG green card holder ay maaaring mag-file ng N400 Application for Naturalization kung ang kanyang green card ay may 5 taon na bago ang filing (3 taon kung ang green card ay nakuha dahil sa kasal sa US citizen at sila ay nagsasama pa din). Ang aplikante para sa naturalization ay kailangang magpakita na sa statutory period na 5 taon bago ang filing, siya ay may good moral character (GMC). Kung ang aplikante ay kusang hindi nagbigay ng suporta sa kanyang mga anak sa loob ng statutory period, maaaring masabi na siya ay walang GMC. Kailangang magpakita ang aplikante ng extenuating circumstances para sa hindi pagtupad ng obligasyon na magbigay ng child support. Kasama sa obligasyon ng child support ang mga child support order sa ibang bansa o sa labas ng US.
Kahit walang court order para sa child support, ayon sa mga korte, ang mga magulang ay may legal at moral na obligasyon para magbigay ng child support sa kanilang mga anak. Ayon din sa mga korte, ang hindi pagbigay ng suporta ay nagpapakita na ang aplikante ay walang GMC.
Kung ang aplikante para sa naturalization ay may arrears o pagkukulang sa pagbigay ng child support, o ang kanyang binigay na child support ay hindi naaayon sa court- ordered child support, kailangan niya ipakita kung magkano ang kanyang arrears, kung gaano siya katagal na hindi nagbayad ng child support, at ang dahilan sa hindi pagbayad ng child support. Ang mga sumusunod ay maaaring maging konsiderasyon sa hindi pagbayad ng child support: (1) ang aplikante ay walang trabaho at walang pinansyal na abilidad para sa pagbayad ng child support; (2) mga dahilan kung bakit walang trabaho ang aplikante; (3) ebidensya ng good-faith effort para magbigay ng child support; (4) kung inakala ng aplikante na wala na siyang obligasyon na magbigay ng child support dahil tapos na ang obligasyong ito; at (5) kung ang arrears ay dahil sa miscalculation ng court-ordered support at arrears.
Kung ang aplikante ay makakapagpakita ng extenuating circumstances sa hindi pagbayad ng child support, maaari pa ring magkaroon ng determinasyon ang USCIS na siya ay may GMC.
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A green card holder can apply for naturalization if he has held permanent resident status for at least 5 years prior to the filing (3 years if green card was based on marriage to a US citizen and applicant is still married to US citizen). An applicant filing for naturalization must show that during the statutory period of 5 years prior to filing he was a person of good moral character (GMC). If the applicant has willfully failed or refused to support his dependents during the statutory period, he cannot establish GMC unless he shows extenuating circumstances. Child support obligations may also include child support obligations and child support orders abroad.
Even if there is no court-ordered child support for the applicant for naturalization, the Courts have held that parents have a legal and moral obligation to provide support for their dependents, and a willful failure to provide such support shows that the naturalization applicant lacks GMC.
If the applicant for naturalization has not fully-paid child support pursuant to a court order and has arrears, the applicant must show how long there was non-payment, the current arrears due, and the circumstances for the non-payment and arrears. The following circumstances may be considered by USCIS in determining GMC despite the child support arrears: (1) applicant’s unemployment and financial inability to pay child support; (2) cause of the unemployment and financial inability to support dependents; (3) evidence of good-faith effort to reasonably provide child support; (4) whether the nonpayment was due to an honest but mistaken belief that the duty to support minor child had terminated; and (5) whether the nonpayment was due to miscalculation of court-ordered support and arrears.
If the applicant for naturalization is able to show extenuating circumstances, a failure to support dependents will not adversely affect GMC determination.
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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is a Partner at LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM. Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson are both licensed to practice law in California and in the Philippines. Both Attorneys were also professors. LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM aims to provide excellent and efficient legal representation to clients, and support clients in achieving their goals and dreams. As professors, Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson wish to educate the younger generation, as it is through education and continuous study that one can achieve success and serve others.
Please visit our office: LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM
3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Call or text us: (213) 381.5710
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