Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the publication of a rule formalizing its longstanding policy to expedite and streamline the citizenship process for men and women bravely serving in the United States military.
The rule amends DHS regulations to conform to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2004, reducing the time requirements for naturalization through military service from three years to one year for applicants who served during peacetime, and extending benefits to members of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve of the U.S. Armed Forces. Service members who have served honorably in an active-duty status or in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve for any time since September 11, 2001, can file immediately for citizenship.
The rule also eliminates the requirement that members of the military file biographic information forms (Form G-325B) with their naturalization applications — removing administrative redundancy and increasing efficiency.
Information for this article was obtained from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Web site at www.uscis.gov.
