[MicroBalrog]

And does having friends in the USA help?

And yes, this is RKBA-related, as evidently, getting into the USA is my only way of getting to exercise that right...

[tiberius]

I don't know, I was born with it:D

[Destructo6]

And does having friends in the USA help?
I believe it does as they can sponsor you. Not remotely sure how that works.

Coming from Israel, I'd think getting into the US would be rather easy. I know I went to school with a few kids that were Israeli/US citizens. Well, judging by the frequency they went back and forth anyway.

[geekWithA.45]

Um, in general, you need to get some sort of resident visa, apply for citizenship, live here for 4 (??) years, pass a test, and then you can get sworn in.

Check some of the .gov websites, like http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/index.htm

Basically, the INS implements the process known as naturalization.

[MicroBalrog]

Um, in general, you need to get some sort of resident visa, apply for citizenship, live here for 4 (??) years, pass a test, and then you can get sworn in.


I've read them, but they're such a jumble that my brain somehow fails to comprehend them.

[geekWithA.45]

I've read them, but they're such a jumble that my brain somehow fails to comprehend them.

Think of it as job security for the legal specialty known as "Immigration Lawyers".

After all, that _is_ the purpose of government, to keep lawyers in biz. :barf:

[blackdragon]

Citizenship is your second step -- the green card is what you need first.

I'm personally from Canada, and non of the easy routes are available for Canadians -- you might be able to get into the green card lottery.

For sponsoring, only family counts, not freinds. Employment-based greencards used to be easier, when the economy was healthier...

You will need to talk to a lawyer familiar with immigration from Isreal; there may be special rules for your country.

IF you pick the right state to live in, the green card, or even H1B will give you full access to RKBA...so if you make it this far, choose carefully...

Keith

[KMKeller]

Sneak in through Mexico, wait a couple of years and you'll become naturalized automatically through an act of congress...

[Alan Smithiee]

Blog, the best way is to buy your way in (like Sir Anthony Hopkins did. want to see a INS agent lie, ask them about dual citizenship)

for me, 10 years ago I met a wonderfull women visiting Canada from the US, one thing led to another, after INS spent months changing the rules and lieing to us at every turn. it took a US Senator to get INS to do it's job. (and me into the country, thank you Sen. Craig)

marrying a US citizen does NOT guarentee you citizenship or even access to the country, you can still be refused entry (happend to us). IF you are allowed resident status, all being married to a US Citizen means is that you can apply for naturalization in 3 years instead of 5.

let me put it this way. I've been told by IRS agents that THEY think INS is out of control. this was pre 9/11 mind you.

funny, no one used to believe me when I told my INS tales of terror pre 9/11. now they do

(I thought the refusing an American Citizen access to the US Consulate was the most agregious part of our adventure myself)

(and Idaho is RKBA friendly to Legal Aliens, they will even issue CCW, some states won't or require special permits to posses, there ARE federal laws affecting FFL purchases by legal aliens)

[Tom B]

Just fly to Mexico City...then head north.....then swim across the river! VOILA! :D

[ahenry]

There are four ways an individual can acquire United States Citizenship.
1)Jus Soli (Law of Place)
2)Jus Sanguinis (Law of Blood)
3)Legislative acts
4)Naturalization

I assume none of the first three apply to you (although you might be surprised by number 2). The naturalization process can be incredibly complicated and convoluted. My suggestion would be to contact the INS officially and discuss it with them. Don’t go off of information you get/got off of “some” message board. I’d be willing to bet that only a couple of the five thousand plus members of this board could authoritatively tell you what you need to do in order to acquire citizenship. Of course not everybody has a complicated naturalization process. You might or might not, not knowing any specifics about you I couldn't say.

[Standing Wolf]

The usual method is just to show up here, get a driver's license, and start voting and collecting food stamps and welfare checks and free medical care.

[Biff]

Some enter the country legally, get green card, join the armed forces, and their required length of residency for citizenship is reduced. I do not know if this applies to all or just certain nationalities.

[DontShootMe]

You'll be granted a drivers license, free medical care, etc...

[Alan Smithiee]

in all honesty, the way to deal with INS with the least hassle is get an immigration lawyer and let them do it for you. we went though the INS hassle, my Brother in Law went through it with his wife (they had an even more bizzare time).

example, at one point INS sent me a 14 page form to fill out. this was from the INS HQ in Nebraska, I filled out said form the day I got it, took to the Consulate the next day, after waiting for 3 hours, was allowed to approach the counter, the staffer there took one look at the forms, tore them in half and threw them in the trash saying "we don't use these anymore"

that was one of many "decisions" we had to deal with.

just get the lawyer.

(and it is a WHOLE lot nicer being legal than always looking over your shoulder.)

[hops]

You can try the student visa route, by attending a U.S. University. Then upon graduation, get hired by a U.S. firm. Then immediately start the green card process. After receiving the green card, wait 5 years and apply for U.S. citizehship. Works for lots of 3rd world students that come to the U.S. to study on F-1 visas. Should work for a person form a 1st world place too.

[carp killer]

Just get on a plane, fly here and tell the immigration you are a tourist off to see Disneyland. Then just stay. Work for cash, apply for welfare, drivers licence, free medical care. Wait a couple of years for another amnisty and apply. Millions of illegal aliens do it every day. It's no big deal.

[Waitone]

Get to North Carolina some how. But before you do go get one of them there Mexican ID cards. It'll cost $20.00. Of course you'll have to claim to be a Mexican citizen. Get the card and head for NC. When you get there go to any DMV and apply for a NC driver's license. In case you don't have any convincing ID you can request to sign an affidavit (?sp) that you are who you claim to be.

Voila, you now have a NC driver's license. Take said license to any state you wish and establish legal residence. Live your life and wait for general amnesty to ride by.

I can appreciate your desire to do it by the numbers, but really now. We're talking immigration. The area of the executive branch of government where it is out of control.

[Sheslinger]

http://www.bcis.gov/graphics/index.htm

Sheslinger

[RON in PA]

Please excuse all the BS and sarcasm on this thread. I don't know the answer to your question, but I suggest the first step might be to contact the US embassy or consulate.

[CZ-75]

I'm not sure if I agree w/ contacting a US embassy or consulate as your sole source of info. They may or may not know what they're talking about and, depending on their sympathies, may try to discourage you by telling you only the hard way to do it.

School is the way to go for you, since you just graduated HS. Come for a degree here, get a job and live your life while getting an immigration lawyer to jump through the hoops. Beware of immigration lawyers paid for by employers, as I've seen several folks experience "delays" that those who paid their own way didn't (= serfdom, since changing jobs is hard b/c of employer sponsorship rules).

[CZ-75]

Oh, and considering Oleg, lendringser, and several other members here were foreign born, THR would seem a great place to get reliable layman's info borne of experience w/ the system here.

[rock jock]

Sneak in through Mexico, wait a couple of years and you'll become naturalized automatically through an act of congress...
Exactly. Why waste all that time trying to do it legally?

[Alan Smithiee]

"quote" Please excuse all the BS and sarcasm on this thread. I don't know the answer to your question, but I suggest the first step might be to contact the US embassy or consulate. "/quote"

over the course of 3 months INS gave us such information as

"you have to file a Fiance patician" (darn, really can't spell today)

"are you planning to come to the United States to Practice Poligamy" (????)

I don't have a complaint with the medical inspection, but it seemed pretty prefunctory), and some Doctor was making a fortune.

"you don't file a Fiance Patician, you get married in Canada and then you will have your Green card within 48 hours" (that resulted in me being refused entry to the US, it was also untrue)

"fill out this 14 page form" (already related that story)

"your not allowed to enter the consulate with a Camera, and we have no place to store one for you, you have to Leave" (ok, that was the Consulate Security and not INS, but the Consulate didn't know they were turning American Citizens away at the door)

"your married to a US Citizen, your doing the paperwork to be legal resident alien, therefor you may not enter the country" (almost runined my honeymoon after we did what we were told by INS)

"yes, we gave you a waivor 3 months ago for those records, but it's the last minute and now we want them today" (this happened several times)

"as a legal resident alien neither you nor your Native Born 5th generation wife are allowed to own firearms" (ok, that was AFTER I got into the country legaly)

it also depends on WHICH office you call. I contacted 3 different INS offices and got 3 differnt answers to the same question. a local INS staffer actualy appoligized to me when she realized which office I had come through from Canada.

just after Christmass we wanted to go visit friends and family in Canada, I spent 3 days trying to find out if I needed a passport to get back to this side of the line, the answer....

"Yes, you need a Passport even if you have a green card except if you have a green card because then you don't need a passport"

two contradictory regulations in effect at the same time.

(funny thing, we spent less time being checked out at the border either way that anyone else in the line.)


Get the Lawyer.

[CZ-75]

Petition is the word you want, NB.

[raz-0]

Micro, you might find this some pertinent reading.

http://www.nolo.com/lawcenter/index.cfm/catID/86F12C86-8753-405E-8A437DA6EE610EDA

If I recall correctly you are college aged. A student visa would likely be the easiest means of getting here, but I'm not sure if it is the best method for obtaining a green card.

The site above appears to spell out most of the steps in fairly plain language. There's a lot of information there.

[MicroBalrog]

Thanks people. Thank you very much.

[Alan Smithiee]

Thats the puppy! thank you CZ!

(gun related at the bottom)

and this fresh off the presses.. I just got off the phone with INS, or BCIS as they are know known, Bureau of Citizenship and Immigrations Services

the US will NOT recognize Dual Citizenship. Meaning they will only recognize you as a American Citizen, but never as a citizen of another country no mater how many legal passports you have, but does NOT require you to surrender any other citizenships. thats is "up to the other country"

BUT

the Oath you take at your "swearing in" as a citizen is as follows .

The oath of allegiance is:

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

In some cases, INS allows the oath to be taken without the clauses:

". . .that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by law. . ."

http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/services/natz/oath.htm

so which is it? do you "absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen" or can you keep your citiizenship in another country??

Gun Related? Anti Gun Activist Peter "you can't sing Angry American on my show" Jennings is now An American Citizen.. and still a Canadian Citizen too.

[Erik]

I recommend begining with the nearest American Embassy.

[Combat-wombat]

Becoming a US Citizen is great, but if what you want is guns, move to Norway. Kobun will tell you all about that. Seriously, he has a Sig SG 552 Commando.