The Blog Post will hopefully provide better guidance out there that may be nearly a decade old.
The 319e Naturalization Option is available for:
Location, Location, Location! Naturalization under 319(e) can be done overseas. There are instances where applying overseas is more convenient.
When doing a simple google search, a number of results appear with instructions from Government Websites. The instructions are a little dated, and that can be very important.
To start, it is important to know that USCIS has been performing N-400 Naturalization Filings electronically since 2019. Paper filings are inherently slower and becoming more and more outdated with a USCIS system/agency that is becoming more technology-based.
An E-filing for the N-400 can be done online. Although there isn’t a 319(e) filing option in the N-400, you can either select:
Both of the above selections should lead to the same office, USCIS Washington DC Field Office. If you state “other,” a USCIS Officer should direct it to Washington DC, and the filing should automatically be processed for an international Interview and Oath Ceremony. If you select 319(b), the Washington Field Office may think you would like to have a “quick” N-400 filing and sends an informal email providing availabilities. During the informal emailing with Military-focused Immigration Officers, you can select the 319(e) international option.
Before Budget Cuts and COVID, the International Interviews and Ceremonies occurred in numerous International USCIS Field Offices. During COVID, International Interviews and Ceremonies occurred in Frankfurt Germany and Naples Italy. Currently, the Interviews may be done in Germany and Italy. It may be by video call with a USCIS Officer, and the Certificate can be picked-up at the local Consulate. The USCIS Services regarding the 319(E) Naturalization are not updated online and may be slightly different when this post is reviewed.
Calling USCIS’s Military Helpline at 877-247-4645 is a great resource and a good way to get more information on the 319(e) naturalization option.
Yes, the two major differences are Location and Timing.
Many of our clients have elected to pursue the 319b Naturalization since travel to the US was possible and the timing just worked. For reference, the 319b can be filed at any USCIS Field Office, but the quickest office we have experienced is the Washington Field Office. The 319b is generally much quicker since it has more availability than 319e, and applicants can travel to DC, attend the Naturalization interview and ceremony, and then attend a “same-day US Passport Appointment” in DC or another same-day passport location. The end result is usually a quick detour to become a US Citizen and receive a US Passport, then a small trip to visit friends or family, and then a return abroad.
The following documents would be required to be uploaded in the N-400 filing:
If the children are under 18 years of age at the time of the parent’s Naturalization, they may automatically become a US Citizen. A US Passport can be applied for. If within the US, the N-600 Filing with USCIS would provide a permanent, never to expire, US Citizenship Certificate.
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