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Immigration,
Naturalization, and Visitor's Visas
Frequently
Asked Questions
- How do I become
a U.S. citizen?
- I lost
my Naturalization Certificate, how do I obtain a replacement
certificate?
- How do I bring
a relative to live in the United States?
- How can I check
the status of my family's immigrant visa petition?
- How can
I schedule an appointment with an immigration officer?
- How do I report
a change of address and what should I include?
- I want to invite
someone to visit me in the United States, what do I need
to do?
- How can Congressman
Shays assist me with obtaining a visitor visa?
- How do I request
assistance from Congressman Shays?
How do I become
a U.S. citizen?
If you are not a U.S. citizen by birth or
did not acquire U.S. citizenship automatically after birth,
you may still be eligible to become a citizen through the
normal naturalization process.
You may visit the UCIS
website to download forms or you may call the
forms line at 1(800) 870-3676 to request Form N-400,
N-600,
or N-643.
I lost my Naturalization
Certificate, how do I obtain a replacement certificate?
The Form N-565 is used to apply for a replacement
certificate of citizenship or naturalization. It is filed
in person or by mail with the local USCIS office (for Connecticut
residents, the Hartford District Office). Please
see Form N-565 for further instructions.
How do I bring
a relative to live in the United States?
If you are a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent
resident and at least 21 years old, you may be eligible to
petition to bring immediate family members to live and work
permanently in the United States. Because eligibility depends
on your status and your relationship to the family member
for whom you would like to petition, please
consult the USCIS FAQs on petitioning for family members for
more information.
How can I check
the status of my family's immigrant visa petition?
To check the status of your family immigrant visa petition,
you will need the application receipt number. Please visit
the
USCIS status check website and type in the receipt
number. You may also wish to consult the Visa
Bulletin to check processing dates for immigrant visa
petitions. By checking your priority date against the current
processing dates in the Visa
Bulletin, you will be able to estimate when a
visa number will be available for your case.
How can
I schedule an appointment with an immigration officer?
The InfoPass
Online Appointment Scheduler is a free service
that eliminates waiting in line for immigration information.
How do I report
a change of address and what should I include?
To change the address on file with USCIS, you need to file
form AR-11.
When filling out the AR-11,
complete the information requested on the form, including
present address, last address (most recent only), alien or
registration number, country of citizenship, date of birth,
and your signature. You do not need to include temporary addresses
as long as you maintain your present address as your permanent
residence and continue to receive mail there. When sending
a change of address, you do not need to include numerous last
addresses; only the most recent last address is needed. Be
sure to also indicate in the appropriate block on the AR-11
your current employment and school, where applicable.
I want to invite
someone to visit me in the United States, what do I need to
do?
The first step in the process of obtaining a visitor
visa is for a United States citizen to invite
their family member or friend in writing. This can be a simple
invitation. The invited individual then needs to obtain an
appointment to apply for a visitor visa at the American Embassy
in their country.
Under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act,
the presumption is that every visitor visa applicant is an
intending immigrant. Therefore, during their appointment at
the American Embassy, the individual must overcome this presumption
by demonstrating strong social and economic ties to their
country that would compel them to return. They can do this
by presenting documents such as proof of home ownership, letters
from employers, birth certificates of young children, marriage
certificates and bank statements. This type of information
is very helpful in demonstrating that they do not intend to
remain in the United States.
How can Congressman
Shays assist me with obtaining a visitor visa?
Congressman Shays' office can forward the letter of invitation
and any supporting documents to an embassy and ask that the
applicant receive full consideration under the Immigration
and Nationality Act. Also, a congressional office can obtain
a written response from a consular officer regarding appointment
information and reasons for a denial. Please mail or fax my
Bridgeport
or Stamford office with your request for assistance and
be sure to include who you are inviting, what country they
are from, which embassy they will be visiting for their interview,
and a copy of the invitation you extended to them. Please
also include the date of the appointment if it has already
been scheduled.
How do I request
assistance from Congressman Shays?
If you still have questions or need further assistance with
an immigration or naturalization issue, Congressman Shays'
district office staff will be happy to assist you. Because
federal privacy laws prohibit any inquiries on your behalf
without your written permission, please fill out an online
immigration privacy release form or you can stop by one
of our local
offices.
If a topic is not listed here, or you cannot find the information
you are looking for, please feel free to contact
my office.
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