Us Citizenship - Beneficial For Wife?

[siamamerican]

Wife has resided in the US for 5 yrs. Her current status is a "Permanent Resident". We will be permanently moving to Thailand in the next year. If she becomes a US citizen, will she still be able to purchase land in Thailand? Are there any other issues I should be aware of?

One of the positives of becoming a US citizen is that there would be no restrictions on social security benefits. We both wouldn't receive benefits for about another 30 years.

Thanks for help.

[sbk]

She does keep her Thai citizenship (tell her to be sure and keep her passport renewed--it makes it easier that way should she return to LOS), there are no restrictions on her owning land as long as she maintains her Thai citizenship.

I see no negatives, myself. But I am sure there are plenty of other posters out there whose spouses have obtained citizenship that would be more informed about any possible complications.

[corkscrew]

Wife has resided in the US for 5 yrs. Her current status is a "Permanent Resident". We will be permanently moving to Thailand in the next year. If she becomes a US citizen, will she still be able to purchase land in Thailand? Are there any other issues I should be aware of?

One of the positives of becoming a US citizen is that there would be no restrictions on social security benefits. We both wouldn't receive benefits for about another 30 years.

Thanks for help.

If she does not become a US citizen and if you should predecease her she will not be entitled to the spousal exemption under current US Estate & Gift Tax regulations. Whether this will be a large impact depends upon the size of your assets.

[a2396]

My understanding is that a person cannot collect USA social security unless they are a US citizen, presuming it will be available in 30 years. If she pays nothing into it, she will get a portion of yours, if you preceed her in death.

[corkscrew]

Wife has resided in the US for 5 yrs. Her current status is a "Permanent Resident". We will be permanently moving to Thailand in the next year. If she becomes a US citizen, will she still be able to purchase land in Thailand? Are there any other issues I should be aware of?

One of the positives of becoming a US citizen is that there would be no restrictions on social security benefits. We both wouldn't receive benefits for about another 30 years.

Thanks for help.

Since she has been a permanent resident for five years she can now apply for US citizenship assuming that she, for the past three years, has been living in the US for at least 50% plus one day....in other words, more than half the time.

Another plus for citizenship is that there are a lot more places where she can travel without first getting a visa.

[Scott]

The more options one has the better. Thailand seems to be touchy on the issue of dual citizenship, so she might want to make sure she travels to Thailand using her Thai passport, which as previously mentioned, she should keep current.

[siamamerican]

Thanks for the info. Nice to hear she can still own land and retain her Thai citizenship. I estimate my benefits will be roughly $1200 in todays dollars. Spouses that didn't contribute to SS, receive roughly 50% percent of the working spouse's benefit. Our benefit would be close to $1800. Good point a poster made about the death benefit. She would receive it if we lived in the US when I died, but it would be nearly impossible for her to receive benefit as a non-citizen living abroad. SS won't be a necessity, but it would be a nice extra.

[sbk]

Wife has resided in the US for 5 yrs. Her current status is a "Permanent Resident". We will be permanently moving to Thailand in the next year. If she becomes a US citizen, will she still be able to purchase land in Thailand? Are there any other issues I should be aware of?

One of the positives of becoming a US citizen is that there would be no restrictions on social security benefits. We both wouldn't receive benefits for about another 30 years.

Thanks for help.

Since she has been a permanent resident for five years she can now apply for US citizenship assuming that she, for the past three years, has been living in the US for at least 50% plus one day....in other words, more than half the time.

Another plus for citizenship is that there are a lot more places where she can travel without first getting a visa.

Good points corkscrew, also something to bear in mind is that if she keeps her permanent residency, instead of getting citizenship, she must then either return to the country every year or get a permit for extended leave (which allows 2 years) or she will lose her residency. So, best to apply for citizenship (and get it) before making the move to Thailand.

[siamamerican]

Wife has resided in the US for 5 yrs. Her current status is a "Permanent Resident". We will be permanently moving to Thailand in the next year. If she becomes a US citizen, will she still be able to purchase land in Thailand? Are there any other issues I should be aware of?

One of the positives of becoming a US citizen is that there would be no restrictions on social security benefits. We both wouldn't receive benefits for about another 30 years.

Thanks for help.

Since she has been a permanent resident for five years she can now apply for US citizenship assuming that she, for the past three years, has been living in the US for at least 50% plus one day....in other words, more than half the time.

Another plus for citizenship is that there are a lot more places where she can travel without first getting a visa.

Good points corkscrew, also something to bear in mind is that if she keeps her permanent residency, instead of getting citizenship, she must then either return to the country every year or get a permit for extended leave (which allows 2 years) or she will lose her residency. So, best to apply for citizenship (and get it) before making the move to Thailand.

I know, we've prograstinated long enough. Need to call Homeland Security and inquire about the time it takes.

[corkscrew]

Wife has resided in the US for 5 yrs. Her current status is a "Permanent Resident". We will be permanently moving to Thailand in the next year. If she becomes a US citizen, will she still be able to purchase land in Thailand? Are there any other issues I should be aware of?

One of the positives of becoming a US citizen is that there would be no restrictions on social security benefits. We both wouldn't receive benefits for about another 30 years.

Thanks for help.

Since she has been a permanent resident for five years she can now apply for US citizenship assuming that she, for the past three years, has been living in the US for at least 50% plus one day....in other words, more than half the time.

Another plus for citizenship is that there are a lot more places where she can travel without first getting a visa.

Good points corkscrew, also something to bear in mind is that if she keeps her permanent residency, instead of getting citizenship, she must then either return to the country every year or get a permit for extended leave (which allows 2 years) or she will lose her residency. So, best to apply for citizenship (and get it) before making the move to Thailand.

That is very true about applying and GETTING it before she moves to Thailand. US law says that during that period between the application and the swearing in ceremony she must have resided in the US for more than 50% of the time.

[Ski_Goong]

Another benefit is that as a U.S citizen you can't be "deported" from the U.S. Had a friend who was a permanent resident and was busted for a serious drug offense. Suffice to say, he was deported back to Thailand and now has no chance of getting his U.S citizenship.

I think being able to travel to most countries without a 1st acquiring a visa is a great benefit of being a U.S citizen.

SKi and Goong

[chicowoodduck]

Another benefit is that as a U.S citizen you can't be "deported" from the U.S. Had a friend who was a permanent resident and was busted for a serious drug offense. Suffice to say, he was deported back to Thailand and now has no chance of getting his U.S citizenship.

I think being able to travel to most countries without a 1st acquiring a visa is a great benefit of being a U.S citizen.

SKi and Goong

The travel aspect without too many restrictions is a HUGE advantage and one that should always be strived for....

[farang prince]

My understanding is that a person cannot collect USA social security unless they are a US citizen, presuming it will be available in 30 years. If she pays nothing into it, she will get a portion of yours, if you preceed her in death.

Resident aliens can receive US Social Security provided they were employed in the US and paid into the Social Security fund.

[craigt3365]

We are working on my wife's citizenship now. Applied in early July. Things are really, really, really backed up right now. Could take a year or longer to everything completed. A real mess.

Anyway, I am pursuing it to help with travel. We do a lot of travel and it was just too difficult with her Thai passport. She will keep her Thai citizenship, and her passport in her original Thai name. Thailand does not allow this, but most do it anyway.

She can not leave the USA for more than 6 months at a time if I am not mistaken. We almost got caught with that one. There is quite a lot of paperwork to be done, but not too bad. I am doing everything myself.

Here is a great website that I refer to on a regular basis:

http://immigrationportal.com/

Good luck!

Craig

[samran]

Anyway, I am pursuing it to help with travel. We do a lot of travel and it was just too difficult with her Thai passport. She will keep her Thai citizenship, and her passport in her original Thai name. Thailand does not allow this, but most do it anyway.

Good luck!

Craig

Thailand does not have a problem with dual citizenship, it hasn't been that way for almost two decades, but the rumors still persist.

[KhunG]

If your wife has lived in the US for at least 5 years, she will be eligble to survivor's receive social security even if you live overseas. http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10137.html#additional

As she is married to a US citizen, she has been eligible to apply for citizenship since she reached the 3rd anniversary of getting her first green card. It takes 1.5-2 years to complete the process. As mentioned, the real benefits of citizenship are ease of travel and never having to deal with USCIS again. The only downside is that US citizens are taxed by the US where ever they live.

If you move out of the US, you are supposed to surrender your green card. I've heard its relatively easy for a former resident married to a US citizen to get a 10 year visa to visit the US, though.

[pointofview]

Most influential economists, scientists, geologists etc. state that we are post peak oil: my point is - in 30 years time 99% of the population will be fighting for gargage - most likley a lot sooner - so dont even consider social benefits etc. Live now!!

[KhunG]

Most influential economists, scientists, geologists etc. state that we are post peak oil: my point is - in 30 years time 99% of the population will be fighting for gargage - most likley a lot sooner - so dont even consider social benefits etc. Live now!!

I'm old enough to remember in the 60s and 70s all the influential economists, scientists, geologists etc predicting the coming ice age, the earth torn apart by the Jupiter effect, mass starvation world wide due to over population, the exhaustion of fossil fuels, etc all this to happen before the 90s.

"Chicken-Little-ism" is an industry, its how these folks drum up their cash. According to them, the world as we know it is always on the brink of extinction. Thanks to the ingenuity of the human race, it never quite gets there.

[jetjock]

I can see no negatives but a great many positives for your wife getting her US citizenship. In fact, it is hard to believe that anyone would not jump at the chance of any type of dual ciitizenship that would let them travel without the restrictions imposed with a Thai passport. As an example of restrictions, my Thai wife who has a green card travels between LAX and BKK on my airline passes. She has to connect to BKK through NRT, but because airline passes are space available and not positive space, each time she goes, she is required to go through the hassle of getting a Japanese visa in LA just so she can transit through NRT because of the unlikely event that she is unable to get on her connecting flight. She has been here in the US for two years so we have only one year left and she can get her US citizenship. My wife will definitely get her US citizenship on the very first day she is eligible and I can assure you that it will be one of the happiest days in our lives. A US passport makes a huge difference over a Thai passport for anyone that wants to travel the world.

[taxout]

If you and your wife are planning to permanently move to Thailand, then obtaining citizenship may be the only way to retain your wife's right to live in the US.

An immigrant who abandons residence in the US will lose green card status. Of course there are, as always, some complicated rules that apply, so that's just a statement of the basic principle.

[pointofview]

Most influential economists, scientists, geologists etc. state that we are post peak oil: my point is - in 30 years time 99% of the population will be fighting for gargage - most likley a lot sooner - so dont even consider social benefits etc. Live now!!

I'm old enough to remember in the 60s and 70s all the influential economists, scientists, geologists etc predicting the coming ice age, the earth torn apart by the Jupiter effect, mass starvation world wide due to over population, the exhaustion of fossil fuels, etc all this to happen before the 90s.

"Chicken-Little-ism" is an industry, its how these folks drum up their cash. According to them, the world as we know it is always on the brink of extinction. Thanks to the ingenuity of the human race, it never quite gets there.

Good point - however, peak oil is very inconveniently real! (off subject - i know)

[Spee]

She can not leave the USA for more than 6 months at a time if I am not mistaken. We almost got caught with that one.

This is a very important point. If that out of country time expires on a green card, it may be difficult if not impossible to get back in. A good friend had a very close call with his wife. Even though they were almost at the deadline, but not too it, they got all kinds of grief going through immigration.

[Padkapow Guy]

She will have the best of both worlds.

My wife got her citizenship last December. The test is not easy, most americans can not even pass it on ther first try.

I would say you should have her get it , definatly before you move.

best of luck

PKG

[skipvice]

My wife got her citizenship two years ago, and the test was not that hard. there is a 100 question and all the andswers in the guide book http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/M-476.pdf

It only took 7 months from the time we sent in N-400 Application for Naturalization to the time she was sworn in. But she has lived in the US for over 20 years.

If your wife can read and write basic English she will not have to much of a problem. Just study the multable choice questions provided in the back of the guide.

[Dakhar]

Wife has resided in the US for 5 yrs. Her current status is a "Permanent Resident". We will be permanently moving to Thailand in the next year. If she becomes a US citizen, will she still be able to purchase land in Thailand? Are there any other issues I should be aware of?

One of the positives of becoming a US citizen is that there would be no restrictions on social security benefits. We both wouldn't receive benefits for about another 30 years.

Thanks for help.

If she does not become a US citizen and if you should predecease her she will not be entitled to the spousal exemption under current US Estate & Gift Tax regulations. Whether this will be a large impact depends upon the size of your assets.

I believe that is after 1 million dollars. So in other words she can recieve up to 1 million without tax, after that taxes are levied. Now to avoid some of that becoming an issue, spread your assets around the globe. There are some tax benifits of you spouse revokeing her green card etc.

But you really have to be earning A LOT of money, or her inheriting a lot of money before those benifits can be felt.

My wife revoked her green card.... just because she could care a' less about living in the US. Flushed about 3K down the toilet when she did that!

Ahhh marriage.

[siamamerican]

My wife got her citizenship two years ago, and the test was not that hard. there is a 100 question and all the andswers in the guide book http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/M-476.pdf

It only took 7 months from the time we sent in N-400 Application for Naturalization to the time she was sworn in. But she has lived in the US for over 20 years.

If your wife can read and write basic English she will not have to much of a problem. Just study the multable choice questions provided in the back of the guide.

Called homeland security yesterday and was told the process takes 6-12 months. Nice to get confirmation that the estimate is accurate. Not worried about the test. She proficiently speaks and writes in English. The process has been tedious ( 5 years ), but she is nearing the end. Now the only issue is that she prefers America and I prefer Thailand. I'll cross that bridge next year.

[siamamerican]

Wife has resided in the US for 5 yrs. Her current status is a "Permanent Resident". We will be permanently moving to Thailand in the next year. If she becomes a US citizen, will she still be able to purchase land in Thailand? Are there any other issues I should be aware of?

One of the positives of becoming a US citizen is that there would be no restrictions on social security benefits. We both wouldn't receive benefits for about another 30 years.

Thanks for help.

If she does not become a US citizen and if you should predecease her she will not be entitled to the spousal exemption under current US Estate & Gift Tax regulations. Whether this will be a large impact depends upon the size of your assets.

I believe that is after 1 million dollars. So in other words she can recieve up to 1 million without tax, after that taxes are levied. Now to avoid some of that becoming an issue, spread your assets around the globe. There are some tax benifits of you spouse revokeing her green card etc.

But you really have to be earning A LOT of money, or her inheriting a lot of money before those benifits can be felt.

My wife revoked her green card.... just because she could care a' less about living in the US. Flushed about 3K down the toilet when she did that!

Ahhh marriage.

Not too woried about the spousal exemption. When we married, I was practically broke. Over the last 5 years I managed to save about $400k and plan to move to Thailand with $550. Hence no taxes would be levied.

[craigt3365]

That test is hard. It has nothing to do with being proficient in English. My Mother failed and my father, who was in the air force and mastered in government, almost failed! Tough questions and it is suppose to change to a different format in the near future.

Also, the process is taking a lot longer now. They up'ed the fees a lot July 31st, so there was a huge flood of applications. The USCIS web site is now saying 16-18 months. Here is a quote from their website:

USCIS has received a significant increase in the number of applications filed. In July and August, nearly 2.5 million applications and petitions of all types were received. This compares to 1.2 million applications and petitions received in the same time period last year. This fiscal year, we received 1.4 million applications for naturalization; nearly double the volume we received the year before. The agency is working to improve processes and focus increased resources, including hiring approximately 1,500 new employees, to address this workload.

As a result, average processing times for certain application types may grow longer. In particular, naturalization applications filed after June 1, 2007 may take approximately 16-18 months to process.

[skipvice]

That test is hard. It has nothing to do with being proficient in English. My Mother failed and my father, who was in the air force and mastered in government, almost failed! Tough questions and it is suppose to change to a different format in the near future.

Also, the process is taking a lot longer now. They up'ed the fees a lot July 31st, so there was a huge flood of applications. The USCIS web site is now saying 16-18 months. Here is a quote from their website:

USCIS has received a significant increase in the number of applications filed. In July and August, nearly 2.5 million applications and petitions of all types were received. This compares to 1.2 million applications and petitions received in the same time period last year. This fiscal year, we received 1.4 million applications for naturalization; nearly double the volume we received the year before. The agency is working to improve processes and focus increased resources, including hiring approximately 1,500 new employees, to address this workload.

As a result, average processing times for certain application types may grow longer. In particular, naturalization applications filed after June 1, 2007 may take approximately 16-18 months to process.

If she studies the Questions in the Guide book she will have no problems, My wife did and she passed.

[craigt3365]

agreed...my wife knows all them perfectly now...just waiting for her interview letter. But, the test is changing and we won't know for sure what version they will be using. So, she has to study for both of the formats!