Fees deter many from citizenship

[rmp yellow]

Source: The Boston Globe

Nearly 300,000 legal immigrants in Massachusetts are eligible to become US citizens, but only a small percentage each year are reaching that goal, raising concerns that huge swaths of people are being priced out of the American dream.

Fees to apply for citizenship have soared in the past two decades from $60 a person to $675, making them among the highest in the Western world, researchers say. At the same time, assistance for navigating the often confusing system is dwindling because of state budget cuts.

Citizenship is considered the ultimate pathway to integration in society, requiring that immigrants learn English and US history and defend the Constitution. It grants them the right to vote, apply for federal jobs, and bring their families to the United States.

In Massachusetts, nearly 29,000 immigrants became US citizens last year, about 10 percent of those eligible. This federal budget year, which ends Wednesday, only 16,099 immigrants have applied for citizenship so far in the state.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/09/28/fees_deterring_many_immigrants_from_applying_for_us_citizenship?mode=PF

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I'm a legal resident who would like to become a citizen. The exam is very easy; just basic history and civics, and my english is very good. But I'm iffy about paying $50 to see a dermatologist, let alone paying $675 to become naturalized. I'll pass for now.

And guess who gets hurt? Democrats. I would never vote for a Republican and neither would most immigrants. They should lower the fee.

[WriteDown]

1. 675$ seems like a woefully small fee to become a citizen...

Maybe the solution is to cease allowing "legal residents."

[Matariki]

6. +1

[Xipe Totec]

7. It's another Poll tax n/t

[WriteDown]

10. I would be satisfied with the German requirements

German citizenship can only be applied for after a number of years. To become a German citizen, you generally have to be resident in Germany for 8 years and fulfil certain conditions.

In most cases, you have to fullfill most or all of the following conditions:

•a valid Aufenthaltserlaubnis or Aufenthaltsberechtigung residency permit
•legally resident in Germany for at least 8 years
•a livelihood-guarantee of you and your dependants without recourse to social welfare or unemployment benefits (exceptions are made for people under of 23 years)
•adequate knowledge of the German language
•on oath on the German constitutionein
•you have to give up your former citizenship (although there are exceptions to this)


Of course, I'd rather US citizens speak English. :)

[Posteritatis]

8. Or have fees similar to the rest of the world, but I guess closing the borders is more satisfying nt

[Mariana]

9. I don't understand what you mean.

Do you think there should be no legal immigration whatsoever?

[WriteDown]

11. See post #7. nt

[Mariana]

13. To become a German citizen...

you generally have to be resident in Germany for 8 years..."

Please explain how anyone can do this if "legal residency" is done away with as you propose.



Edited after I reread your post. :)

[WriteDown]

15. I said I'd settle for those requirements in lieu of any fees.

:)

[truebrit71]

14. Yeah that'll do it...

:eyes:

[Gormy Cuss]

17. Woefully small to a professional making a decent income. n/t

[Zorra]

25. It's reasonable that people seeking citizenship should at very least cover the costs

of processing their citizenship. At the same time, it seems unreasonable for taxpayers to have to pay for people to become citizens, especially considering our ever increasing debt.

I agree, $675 is a bargain. It may be that this amount only covers a portion of what it costs to process an applicant, but I could not find any actual figures.

[supernova]

2. What are the fees for?

I don't understand what they are applied to. Is there somewhere online that has an itemized breakdown of that $675. For one person, that's iffy, for a family that is almost prohibitive.

[Sal Minella]

3. Actually, the process costs a lot more than that.

I have a friend who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, and she said the process is prohibitively expensive -- fees for this and charges for that all along the way. She went through the process slowly because coming up with the requisite fees again and again was problematic.

[Mariana]

12. When my husband was going through the citizenship process

the rules and requirements (and associated fees) changed several times before he was done. Each time, he had to go back and resubmit forms and documents (and associated fees) all over again.

[Trillo]

4. Fees deter citizens from lots of things as well.

A friend wanted to sell something from her website, Tarot Readings, the kind that are done by a human, not machine. Looking into it, a local business "permit" for that particular service cost $200, and it even applies to "unincorporated" areas, which she lives in. That's before a dime is charged to any prospective client. She decided there wasn't any guarantee, indeed even a likelihood, of having at least 10 sales in a year (estimating a $20 charge each), so, no go.

[thereismore]

5. I don't understand what the fee is for. nt

[pitohui]

16. if citizenship isn't worth $675 to you, t hen you're not serious about citizenship

sorry, these days most people pay more than that for a fucking DOG

it seems a small enough fee that it would only screen out the least sincere and the most indigent, two categories that we WANT screened -- i don't want somebody who values american citizenship "less than a trip to the dermatologist" as a fellow citizen, and i don't want somebody who can't self support as a fellow citizen

i would be willing to pay $50,000 for citizenship into any EU country that would have me...but AFAIK i can't get it for any price because of age, health, etc.


the other poster points out the requirements for germany but neglects to point out that my chance -- most american's chance -- of getting legal work in germany for 8 years is close to zero so in fact i cannot, will not ever be able to gain citizenship there no matter how badly i might want it or how many german ancestors i might have

paying a $675 fee is pretty small beer compared to being asked to do the utterly impossible.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

18. To be honest, except for voting, there is no benefit of US citizenship for me

Italy and the US have agreements whereby I can receive social security benefits and pensions if I were to live in Italy, so I'm not worried about that.

I have no family to sponsor and no interest in getting a federal job. Apart from the fees, which are high, you also need to basically take a whole day off to go get your biometrics done (fingerprint and digital photo). If you live in the sticks, that's a 2 or 3 hour drive (2 1/2 hours for me). Then, you also need to take a whole day off from work for the interview/exam and, since it's likely you won't get your naturalization oath the same day, another day off for the oath. For people who have a limited time off or who don't get any time off at all, that is a problem.

Then, if you want to retain your original citizenship, some goverments such as Italy require that you show up in person to your consulate (that would be Philadelphia for me) within 90 days of naturalization to formally request that your citizenship be retained.

[WriteDown]

19. So basically, you just want to leech off the US's resources....

:shrug:

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

22. NO, I don't leech off anything

I work here, I pay all taxes, I do everything a U.S. citizen does, except for a few things, such as voting or seeking a federal job. I know English, I have been a legal permanent resident for some time, I was married to a US citizen, I am 'living in sin' with another US citizen.

I happen to be the daughter of an Italian engineer whose employer's U.S. subsidiary created a lot of jobs in Podunk, North Carolina, which he helped get off the ground. I think my family has more than contributed to the U.S. Indeed, my father is a dual U.S./Italian citizen (his job requires a top secret clearance), but my mother, my sister (who is married to an American and has two dual citizen kids) and I are not (we are green card holders).

[WriteDown]

23. Seems like you should either become a US citizen...

or allow a US citizen to have your job. Or maybe the US could start going by an ius sanguinis policy based on Native American heritage. That would be awesome!

Edited for grammar and to add thought.

[depakid]

24. My bet is that- considering the nature of some Americans and their reputation abroad

Citizenship isn't all that attractive anymore. In any case, it would be better not to travel on a US passport these days.

[WriteDown]

26. You would be wrong...

I travel on a US passport all the time and have zero problems. I'll be doing it again near Christmas so I'll give you an update then.

[chatnoir]

20. No surprise many cannot afford this

How many on low-wage jobs could afford to send off nearly $700 when, like many ppl in this economy, they are barely keeping their heads above water?

Out of the several couples we know who are legal residents eligible to apply for citizenship, so far only 1 individual has and that is b/c their HHI is nearly 150K a year.

Mr cn is eligible as well but for now $675 is more than we can spare to send off right now.

[WriteDown]

21. They likely would not qualify under the livelihood guarantee

in German ciizenship.

-a livelihood-guarantee of you and your dependants without recourse to social welfare or unemployment benefits (exceptions are made for people under of 23 years)

[xc8mip]

27. Racket

before citizenship green card is needed , current fees about 2500$ , check yourself .These are ridiculous fees for paperwork .What next ? a 10 000 $ driving license and 100 000 $ civil court fees?

[Vidar]

28. More federal greed & stupidity.