Green card and citizen info?

[eridani]

DH and I were invited by our Sikh neighbors to enjoy some tandoori chicken and accompaniments on July 4. One of the older men is running into some family trouble. He is 69, a citizen, and has been recently pushed out of the work force against his will. He speaks enough English to pass the citizenship test. He and his wife have been here 10 years. He has worked long enough that his disabled wife would be eligible for SSI if she were a citizen. Sikh women usually don't interact with people outside of their community much, and therefore usually don't know enough English to go for citizenship. Anyone have any idea of resources that might be available to help her?

Both of their green cards will expire at the end of the year, and they can't find out if there is any way around the $400 application fee.

Any hints as to the best places to search for info online would be greatly appreciated.

[DesertFlower]

1. i have no idea but i hope someone else does. it's

a sad situation.

[MikeW]

2. there isnt ... they need to come up with the cash

[SoCalDem]

3. Reaching out to people within the Sikh community

might find them some suggestions, and possibly legal/financial help. Oftentimes people within their own culture are more "connected" to what they can do/need to do.

[leveymg]

4. He should apply for Natz now. Here's the instructions on the Fee Waiver.

I haven't done a Natz case in a while, but there are waivers for the fees, and older people don't have to show the same level of language proficiency. The local Sikh community should have an immigration law resource.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=6fbad59ae8a8e010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD
USCIS - Fee Waiver Guidance
http://www.uscis.gov/feewaiver - CachedSimilar
Nov 22, 2010 – Fee Waiver Guidance. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is ... This page contains an introduction to the USCIS fee waiver policies ... I-821, I-881, N-300, N-336, N-400, N-470, N-565, N-600, N-600K; and ...
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[MADem]

5. "He is 69, a citizen"==???

If he's a citizen, why would he have a green card?

[MikeW]

6. ya caught that too .. a citizen doesn't need a green card

I smell a fishy story

[eridani]

7. The green card is for his non-citizen wife n/t

[MADem]

11. No, no, no, no, NO....you said "Both of their green cards will expire at the end of the year"

If both of them are worried about green cards expiring (and as another poster noted, they don't "expire"--they can be rescinded, and you are required to do paperwork with regard to them on occasion, but they don't expire), then both of them are NOT citizens. Are they on visas?

US citizens do not have, nor do they need, green cards. Even if you're married to a non-citizen, that has no bearing on your own citizenship. Your spouse would have a green card, and you'd have naturalization papers.

Something is NOT RIGHT with this account. I agree with those who say head for advice from their own community.

[pampango]

8. Are you talking about Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?

Social Security benefits are earned based on work and earning enough credits (quarters of coverage) and are paid whether you are rich, poor or in the middle. SSI is not tied to any work history, but is intended for low-income aged or disabled people. It's not funded by the Social Security (general tax revenues) but is administered by SSA.

If the wife is over 65 (it might be 66 or 66 1/2 now, I'm not sure), whether she's disabled or not doesn't matter. You get the same benefit at age 65 (or whatever the retirement age is now) whether you are disabled or healthy as a horse.

I worked at Social Security until the mid-90's. Back then you didn't need to be a citizen to receive either benefit, but if you were an immigrant, you had to be here legally.

It sounds like they are low-income. And it sounds like he has worked enough to get Social Security. If she is old enough she can receive a spouse's benefit once her husband starts to receive Social Security, but she has to be here legally. She can't receive Social Security on his work record though, until he starts receiving.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

9. There is an exemption for the English language

based on age and/or disability. Check out the N-400 (form required to file for Naturalization) at www.uscis.gov.

Many local communities and places of worship sponsor citizenship classes (usually for free). Additionally, while the green card itself has an expiration date, once you are granted lawful permanent residence nothing (except for serious criminal offenses) can take it away.

You can file for naturalization even if you have an expired green card, and as long as you meet the 5-year residence test (www.uscis.gov) or 3-year test if you naturalize based on marriage to US citizen.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Green Cards do not expire

they are issued once... they have, or rather she has, a different for of visa...

She needs to reach for the community and also the best advise, would be an immigration lawyer.

[Innoma]

12. Sure They Do...

Looking at one now with a 10 year expiration date.

Some older issued 'green cards' have no expiration date, but most issued within the last 10-20 years (?) do indeed.

[Jim Warren]

13. Yes they do

Permanent resident cards needs updating every ten years.