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Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2003 15:19:24 -0400
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Hi Jan,
I am permanent resident for six years and I have applied for naturalization on
January 9. I was fingerprinted on February 20. Since then I am waiting for an
appointment for the interview and learning US history (useful link including
downloadable study guides for civics exam and self-test practice questions:
http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/services/natz/require.htm). They say it
takes about a year until you will be invited for the interview/test. The oath
of allegiance can often be taken the same day.
Apart from personal reasons (my extended family has a history of immigration to
the US), my main reasons are
1) There are many jobs in the scientific field that are closed to non-US
citizens, e.g., NASA, other government agencies.
2) I have not decided yet, whether I want to stay in the USA for the rest of my
life. Most likely I would like to go back in a few years. However, this
usually means giving up your green card status, unless you can arrange with
your Swiss employer to return to the USA every year for the minimum time
required to keep the green card status (is it 180 days per year?). It would
be very difficult to re-apply for another green card (i.e., get it approved)
once you have turned your back on the USA. I would like to be free in the
future to choose my place of residence and work either in Switzerland or in
the USA.
3) Green card holders are a typical case of "taxation without representation",
which - strictly speaking - violates the US constitution. Like in
Switzerland, I want to have a say in what they are doing with my taxpayer
money and who is going to spend it.
4) I hope to get the chance to vote against Mr. Bush in two years...
I checked with our consulate a few months ago and they confirmed that it is
virtually impossible to loose Swiss citizenship, no matter what you will or
will not say in the oath of allegiance. Switzerland allows dual citizenship.
The US tolerates it, but they do not promote it, as this may cause problems
with consulary protection and applicable laws. See also
http://travel.state.gov/dualnationality.html.
Depending on your age you might have to consider whether you want to bear arms
on behalf of the United States and take the risk of being drafted to the US
army to fight wars in Iraq or for other dubious causes (unlikely). If you are
younger than 26, you might be asked to register for the selective service (see,
e.g., http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/misc/register/registra.htm).
There are possibilities of pledging a modified oath. This is what I am going to
try, although this will probably not make things easier.
Let me know, if you have other questions. A häppi erscht Ougschte to you too.
Best regards,
Peter
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Received on Mon Jul 28 2003 - 14:28:16 PDT
