Statutory period for good moral character

ANG aplikante para sa naturalization ay kailangang magpakita na sa loob ng statutory period na 5 taon bago ang filing (3 taon kung ang green card ay nakuha dahil sa kasal sa US citizen at ang aplikante ay kasal pa rin sa U.S. citizen), siya ay may good moral character (GMC). Kasama sa statutory period ang panahon mula sa naturalization interview hanggang sa pag-oath of allegiance. Sa lahat ng kaso, ang aplikante ay kailangang magpakita na siya ay may GMC at nagpapatuloy ang kanyang GMC hanggang sa kanyang naturalization.

Kahit sinasabi ng batas na ang GMC ay naaangkop sa statutory period na 5 taon, hindi limitado ang pagsusuri ng USCIS ng pag-uugali at mga aksyon ng aplikante sa panahong ito na 5 taon. Ang mga aksyon at pag-uugali ng aplikante bago ang 5 taon ng naturalization application ay maaaring may epekto sa desisyon ng USCIS adjudicator kung may GMC ang aplikante. Ang mga sumusunod ay maaari ring masasasabing may kaugnayan sa determinasyon ng GMC ng aplikante: (1) kanyang family ties at background; (2) kung mayroon siyang kasaysayan ng krimen; (3) edukasyon; (4) kasaysayan ng pagtatrabaho; (5) pagbayad ng buwis at iba pang obligasyong pinansyal; (6) pakikilahok sa pamayanan; at (7) tagal ng panahon na siya ay nakatira sa US.

Ang aplikante ay maaaring hindi makapagpakita ng GMC kung siya ay umamin ng paggawa ng mga pagkakasala kahit siya ay hindi naaresto o hindi nahatulan na may pagkakasala o paglabag sa batas. Kasama dito ang mga pagkakasala na may kinalaman sa moral turpitude o sa controlled substance. Ayon din sa batas, maaaring magkaroon ng determinasyon na walang GMC ayon sa discretionary grounds. Halimbawa, kung ang aplikante para sa naturalization ay nakagawa ng mga paglabag sa batas o nahatulan ng paglabag sa batas at ito ay may epekto sa kanyang good moral character, ang USCIS Examining Officer ay maaaring humingi sa aplikante na siya ay magpakita ng extenuating circumstances o mitigating factors para sa kanyang paglabag sa batas. Ang extenuating circumstance ay kailangang bago o kasabay ng paglabag sa batas. Ang pag-uugali pagkatapos ng paglabag sa batas ay hindi maaaring isaalang-alang bilang extenuating circumstance.

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An applicant filing for naturalization must show that during the statutory period of five years prior to filing (three years if green card was based on marriage to a US citizen and applicant is still married to U.S. citizen), he was a person of good moral character (GMC).

This period includes the time between the examination and interview and the oath of allegiance. In all cases, the applicant must show that he continues to be a person of GMC until the time of his naturalization.

Although the law specifies that the GMC applies to the statutory period, USCIS is not limited to reviewing the applicant’s conduct during this 5-year period. Conduct prior to this period may impact the USCIS adjudicator’s decision on whether the applicant meets the GMC requirement. The following factors may be considered relevant in assessing the applicant’s GMC: (1) family ties and background; (2) absence or presence of criminal history; (3) education; (4) employment history; (5) payment of taxes and other financial obligations; (6) community involvement; and (7) length of time in the US.

An applicant may be unable to establish GMC if he admits committing certain offenses even if he has not been formally charged, indicted, arrested, or convicted. This applies to offenses involving moral turpitude or offenses relating to a controlled substance. The regulations also provide for a finding of lack of good moral character based on discretionary grounds. For example, if a naturalization applicant has committed unlawful acts that adversely reflect on his good moral character or was convicted for such unlawful acts, the USCIS Examining Officer may ask the applicant to establish extenuating circumstances, or mitigating factors for such actions. The USCIS Officer must not only consider the nature and magnitude of the unlawful act but also the circumstances surrounding the conduct. An extenuating circumstance or the mitigating factor must precede or be contemporaneous to the commission of the unlawful act during the statutory period of five years. Conduct subsequent to the commission of the unlawful act cannot be considered as an extenuating circumstance.

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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is the principal of SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C. She has been a member of the State Bar of California for over 15 years and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for over 20 years. Atty. Samson received her Legal Management degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School. She was a Professor for over 10 years, teaching Obligations and Contracts, Labor Laws and Social Legislation and Taxation Law. Atty Samson is the author of The Law on Obligations and Contracts (2016), Working with Labor Laws-Revised Edition (2014) and Working with Labor Laws (2005).

SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C., 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010; Phone: (213) 274-4561; Email: [email protected].