From: stephen@sprunk.org   
      
   On 23-Jun-14 16:43, Adam H. Kerman wrote:   
   > Stephen Sprunk  wrote:   
   >> On 23-Jun-14 15:45, Adam H. Kerman wrote:   
   >>> Stephen Sprunk  wrote:   
   >>>> We currently don't have any special process for non-citizen   
   >>>> nationals to become citizens; they have to go through the same   
   >>>> process to become citizens as LPRs do, i.e. they are _treated_   
   >>>> as immigrants.   
   >>>   
   >>> I don't know why you find it necessary to screw with words, when   
   >>> using actual words will do.   
   >>   
   >> I _am_ using actual words; it's not my fault you don't understand   
   >> the subtleties of the topics being discussed and relevant terms.   
   >   
   > It's not subtle to state that Samoans who are not subject to   
   > immigration law are treated as immigrants. It's flat-out wrong.   
      
   Yet that is exactly how the INS treats them.  The process is exactly the   
   same: they have prove they're here legally (with a US passport!), they   
   have to prove they know English, prove their knowledge of US civics and   
   history, renounce their previous (US!) nationality, wait in line for   
   ethnic quotas, etc.  They even have to fill out all the same forms as   
   immigrants.   
      
   I agree that process is stupid for someone who is already a US national   
   rather than an immigrant, but that's how it is today.   
      
   OTOH, it calls into question why we have a different status for LPRs in   
   the first place; just make them US nationals and then apply a more   
   sensible process to _all_ of them.   
      
   >>> I wonder what immigrants do when their home country passports   
   >>> expire, especially if their home country no longer has friendly   
   >>> relations with the United States since they immigrated, say Iran,   
   >>> for instance. All passports of those who immigrated before the   
   >>> Shah fell must have expired by now.   
   >>   
   >> They get Re-Entry Permits, Advance Parole, or Refugee Travel   
   >> Documents depending on their exact status.  All require proving   
   >> that they're here legally _before_ they leave, and in practice can   
   >> take months or even years to get.  Or they can just naturalize and   
   >> get a US passport.   
   >   
   > Well, that helps with re-entry into the United States, but not with   
   > travel elsewhere.   
      
   Other countries may have similar programs for people without valid   
   passports, and it probably helps if they have official documentation   
   from their country of legal residence even if it's not a passport.  If   
   you have a specific country in mind, check out their web site or call   
   their embassy/consulate for details.   
      
   OTOH, if they choose to naturalize and get a US passport, that makes   
   things more straightforward.  And that is relatively easy once they're   
   already legal residents of the US, mostly just filling out paperwork,   
   paying lawyers and waiting several years.  _Getting here legally_ is   
   usually the difficult part of naturalization.   
      
   S   
      
   --   
   Stephen Sprunk         "God does not play dice."  --Albert Einstein   
   CCIE #3723         "God is an inveterate gambler, and He throws the   
   K5SSS        dice at every possible opportunity." --Stephen Hawking   
      
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