CFR Part 319

CFR Part 319
in effect

8 C.F.R. § 319.1 Persons living in marital union with United States citizen spouse.

(a) Eligibility. To be eligible for naturalization under section 319(a) of the Act, the spouse of a United States citizen must establish that he or she: (1) Has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States; (2) Has resided continuously within the United States, as defined under § 316.5 of this chapter, for a period of at least three years after having been lawfully admitted for permanent residence; (3) Has been living in marital union with the citizen spouse for the three years preceding the date of examination on the application, and the spouse has been a United States citizen for the duration of that three year period; (4) Has been physically present in the United States for periods totaling at least 18 months; (5) Has resided, as defined in § 316.5 of this chapter, for at least 3 months immediately preceding the filing of the application, or immediately preceding the examination on the application if the application was filed early pursuant to section 334(a) of the Act and the three month period falls within the required period of residence under section 316(a) or 319(a) of the Act, in the State or Service district having jurisdiction over the alien's actual place of residence; (6) Has resided continuously within the United States from the date of application for naturalization until the time of admission to citizenship; (7) For all relevant periods under this paragraph, has been and continues to be a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and favorably disposed toward the good order and happiness of the United States; and (8) Has complied with all other requirements for naturalization as provided in part 316 of this chapter, except for those contained in § 316.2 (a)(3) through (a)(5) of this chapter. (b) Marital union—(1) General. An applicant lives in marital union with a citizen spouse if the applicant actually resides with his or her current spouse. The burden is on the applicant to establish, in each individual case, that a particular marital union satisfies the requirements of this part. (2) Loss of Marital Union—(i) Divorce, death or expatriation. A person is ineligible for naturalization as the spouse of a United States citizen under section 319(a) of the Act if, before or after the filing of the application, the marital union ceases to exist due to death or divorce, or the citizen spouse has expatriated. Eligibility is not restored to an applicant whose relationship to the citizen spouse terminates before the applicant's admission to citizenship, even though the applicant subsequently marries another United States citizen. (ii) Separation—(A) Legal separation. Any legal separation will break the continuity of the marital union required for purposes of this part. (B) Informal separation. Any informal separation that suggests the possibility of marital disunity will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine whether it is sufficient enough to signify the dissolution of the marital union. (C) Involuntary separation. In the event that the applicant and spouse live apart because of circumstances beyond their control, such as military service in the Armed Forces of the United States or essential business or occupational demands, rather than because of voluntary legal or informal separation, the resulting separation, even if prolonged, will not preclude naturalization under this part. (c) Physical presence in the United States. In the event that the alien spouse has never been in the United States, eligibility under this section is not established even though the alien spouse resided abroad in marital union with the citizen spouse during the three year period.

8 C.F.R. § 319.2 Person whose United States citizen spouse is employed abroad.

(a) Eligibility. To be eligible for naturalization under section 319(b) of the Act, the alien spouse of a United States citizen must: (1) Establish that his or her citizen spouse satisfies the requirements under section 319(b)(1) of the Act, including that he or she is regularly stationed abroad. For purposes of this section, a citizen spouse is regularly stationed abroad if he or she proceeds abroad, for a period of not less than one year, pursuant to an employment contract or orders, and assumes the duties of employment; (2) At the time of examination on the application for naturalization, be present in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence; (3) At the time of naturalization, be present in the United States; (4) Declare in good faith, upon naturalization before the Service, an intention: (i) To reside abroad with the citizen spouse; and (ii) To take up residence within the United States immediately upon the termination of the citizen spouse's employment abroad; (5) Be a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and favorably disposed toward the good order and happiness of the United States; and (6) Comply with all other requirements for naturalization as provided in part 316 of this chapter, except for those contained in § 316.2(a)(3) through (a)(6) of this chapter. (b) Alien spouse's requirement to depart abroad immediately after naturalization. An alien spouse seeking naturalization under section 319(b) of the Act must: (1) Establish that he or she will depart to join the citizen spouse within 30 to 45 days after the date of naturalization; (2) Notify the Service immediately of any delay or cancellation of the citizen spouse's assignment abroad; and (3) Notify the Service immediately if he or she is unable to reside with the citizen spouse because the citizen spouse is employed abroad in an area of hostilities where dependents may not reside. (c) Loss of marital union due to death, divorce, or expatriation of the citizen spouse. A person is ineligible for naturalization as the spouse of a United States citizen under section 319(b) of the Act if, before or after the filing of the application, the marital union ceases to exist due to death or divorce, or the citizen spouse has expatriated. Eligibility is not restored to an applicant whose relationship to the citizen spouse terminates before the applicant's admission into citizenship, even though the applicant subsequently marries another United States citizen.

8 C.F.R. § 319.3 Surviving spouses of United States citizens who died during a period of honorable service in an active duty status in the Armed Forces of the United States.

(a) Eligibility. To be eligible for naturalization under section 319(d) of the Act, the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a United States citizen must: (1) Establish that his or her citizen spouse, child, or parent died during a period of honorable service in an active duty status in the Armed Forces of the United States and, in the case of a surviving spouse, establish that he or she was living in marital union with the citizen spouse, in accordance with 8 CFR 319.1(b), at the time of the citizen spouse's death; (2) At the time of examination on the application for naturalization, reside in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence; (3) Be a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and favorably disposed toward the good order and happiness of the United States; and (4) Comply with all other requirements for naturalization as provided in 8 CFR 316, except for those contained in 8 CFR 316.2(a)(3) through (6). (b) Remarriage of the surviving spouse. The surviving spouse of a United States citizen described under paragraph (a)(1) of this section remains eligible for naturalization under section 319(d) of the Act, even if the surviving spouse remarries.

8 C.F.R. § 319.4 Persons continuously employed for 5 years by United States organizations engaged in disseminating information.

To be eligible for naturalization under section 319(c) of the Act, an applicant must: (a) Establish that he or she is employed as required under section 319(c)(1) of the Act; (b) Reside in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence; (c) Establish that he or she has been employed as required under paragraph (a) of this section continuously for a period of not less than five years after a lawful admission for permanent residence; (d) File his or her application for naturalization while employed as required under paragraph (a) of this section, or within six months following the termination of such employment; (e) Be present in the United States at the time of naturalization; (f) Declare in good faith, upon naturalization before the Service, an intention to take up residence within the United States immediately upon his or her termination of employment; (g) Be a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and favorably disposed toward the good order and happiness of the United States; and (h) Comply with all other requirements for naturalization as provided in part 316 of this chapter, except for those contained in § 316.2(a)(3) through (a)(6) of this chapter.

8 C.F.R. § 319.5 Public international organizations in which the U.S. participates by treaty or statute.

Organizations designated by the President as international organizations pursuant to the International Organizations Immunities Act are considered as public international organizations in which the United States participates by treaty or statute within the meaning of section 319(b) or the Act. For a list of such organizations see § 316.20(b) of this chapter. In addition, the following have been determined to be public international organizations within the purview of section 319(b) of the Act: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The United Nations and all agencies and organizations which are a part thereof.

8 C.F.R. § 319.6 United States nonprofit organizations engaged abroad in disseminating information which significantly promotes U.S. interests.

The following have been determined to be U.S. incorporated nonprofit organizations principally engaged in conducting abroad through communications media the dissemination of information which significantly promotes U.S. interests abroad within the purview of section 319(c) of the Act: Free Europe, Inc.; formerly Free Europe Committee, Inc.; National Committee for a Free Europe (including Radio Free Europe)). Radio Liberty Committee, Inc. (formerly American Committee for Liberation, Inc.; American Committee for Liberation of the Peoples of Russia, Inc.; American Committee for Liberation from Bolshevism, Inc.).

8 C.F.R. § 319.11 Filing of application.

(a) General. An applicant under this part must submit an application for naturalization in accordance with the form instructions with the fee required by 8 CFR 106.2. An alien spouse applying for naturalization under section 319(b) of the Act who is described in 8 CFR 319.2 must also submit a statement of intent containing the following information about the citizen spouse's employment and future intent: (1) The name of the employer and: (i) The nature of the employer's business; or (ii) The ministerial, religious, or missionary activity in which the employer is engaged; (2) Whether the employing entity is owned in whole or in part by United States interests; (3) Whether the employing entity is engaged in whole or in part in the development of the foreign trade and commerce of the United States; (4) The nature of the activity in which the citizen spouse is engaged; (5) The anticipated period of employment abroad; (6) Whether the alien spouse intends to reside abroad with the citizen spouse; and, (7) Whether the alien spouse intends to take up residence within the United States immediately upon the termination of such employment abroad of the citizen spouse. (b) Applications by military spouses—(1) General. The alien spouses of United States military personnel being assigned abroad must satisfy the basic requirements of section 319(b) of the Act and of paragraph (a) of this section. (2) Government expense. In the event that transportation expenses abroad for the alien spouse are to be paid by military authorities, a properly executed Certificate of Overseas Assignment to Support Application to File Petition for Naturalization, DD Form 1278 will be submitted in lieu of the statement of intent required by paragraph (a) of this section. Any DD Form 1278 issued more than 90 days in advance of departure is unacceptable for purposes of this section. (3) Private expense. In the event that the alien spouse is not authorized to travel abroad at military expense, the alien spouse must submit in lieu of the statement of intent required by paragraph (a) of this section: (i) A copy of the citizen spouse's military travel orders, (ii) A letter from the citizen spouse's commanding officer indicating that the military has no objection to the applicant traveling to and residing in the vicinity of the citizen spouse's new duty station; and (iii) Evidence of transportation arrangements to the new duty station.

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