[Digit2009]

As a US resident, a permanent one mind you, but not a citizen, I'm not allowed to vote. But they certainly want me to pay my taxes on time!
I think after so many years in this country, I should be allowed to vote

[axl]

If you want a say in our democratic process, become a citizen. You are utilizing things taxes pay for (roads, police, emergency, infrastructure, etc) so it is only right that you pay taxes as a permanent resident.

[Louise]

I guess my first question is "If you have been here for so many years, why haven't you become a citizen?" I'm honestly curious as to what your reason is, not being snarky.

[FrenchFrytheEqHorse]

My husband is a permanent resident as well (he is German and has a green card). He is not yet eligible to apply for US citizenship (hasn't been a green card holder long enough), but he is still undecided as to whether he will when the time comes. There are a lot of things to consider when you do this.

First, the US respects dual citizenship laws based on the citizenship laws of the other country. Germany only honors dual citizenship in cases of extreme hardship, so for my husband to become a US citizen, he would first need to renounce his German citizenship. Extreme hardship is considered to be something like renouncing your citizenship would put you in danger, or if your country doesn't allow you to renounce your citizenship.

Further, when we have children, we'd like our kids to be able to use their German "half" to their advantage if they want to in the future. Germany was a fantastic place for my husband to grow up, and he had fantastic opportunities there as a child and young adult. While he considers voting in the US a very important duty, he still feels like his ties to his home country are strong, and is unsure that denying his future kids the right to such opportunity in Germany are an equal trade.

You'd be surprised at how many people think my husband's green card came in the mail automatically when we got married, and how many people think he's automatically a dual citizen of the US and Germany just because he's married to a US citizen.

[Bluey]

I am not touching this one with a ten foot pole.

[Where'sMyWhite]

FFtEH, how long after you got married did it take to get the green card? Facing something similar myself.

[red mares]

You're not a citizen and can't vote. So?

[Auburn]

I guess that my question is, if you are a "US resident, who pays their taxes on time (thank you for doing that! )", then why have you not become a citizen? Voting is a right for the citizens of this country. Become a citizen and let your voice be heard.

[Gnalli]

It is the difference between owning a house and renting. You can't change a house you rent-structurally, but if you own it, have at it.

French Fry, I understand your dh's point of view. Citizenship is not something to lightly cast away or take up.

[SuckerForHorses]

If you want a say in our democratic process, become a citizen. You are utilizing things taxes pay for (roads, police, emergency, infrastructure, etc) so it is only right that you pay taxes as a permanent resident.

This. Don't complain about having to pay taxes as a non-citizen when you're benefitting from those services and structures that your taxes help pay for.

[Bluey]

It is the difference between owning a house and renting. You can't change a house you rent-structurally, but if you own it, have at it.

French Fry, I understand your dh's point of view. Citizenship is not something to lightly cast away or take up.

Right.
Took me ten years to decide, before I became a citizen.
Now I can vote.

[FrenchFrytheEqHorse]

FFtEH, how long after you got married did it take to get the green card? Facing something similar myself.

Totally depends on how quickly you want to get the green card and how badly you need it. You also need to be sure that you will qualify as a sponsor for your spouse (sponsors are required to prove that they earn 1.5x the poverty level annually for ___ years). If you don't qualify as a sponsor, an immediate family member can sign as a sponsor and provide tax information to prove their eligibility. Once you file, your spouse cannot travel outside of the US until the application is process unless they file for permission (expensive).

My husband had a visa through his employer, so it wasn't critical that we processed his green card application immediately. We were kind of lazy about it. But you can do it immediately after you get married. Application submission to green card receipt took about 9 months in my husband's case, if I recall correctly. We went in for one interview, which was a little weird. We had to bring our wedding album, photos of our relationship, our house keys (which they compared), and were asked questions about how we arrived at the interview that day.

The entire process was not cheap- it cost us a little more than $2000 and will cost another couple hundred when he files for his "permanent" card this year (the first card you get is "temporary").

Depending on the country your spouse is filing from, you may want to seek the counsel of an immigration attorney. We consulted with one, but she said we shouldn't need her services. I will say, the paperwork is DAUNTING, and if you need any kind of assistance figuring out what the jargon actually MEANS, the USCIS will be absolutely no help whatsoever. They will simply re-read their exact verbage to you word for word.

[ChocoMare]

Then in the words of that great Southern Philosopher, Larry the Cable Guy: Git-R-Dun! Study, take that test and be sworn in.

[HiddenAcres]

Options:
1. Go Home
2. Become a Citizen
3. Quit whining

[danceronice]

Digit: Go through the long, expensive process of citizenship if you want to vote. If I moved to another country, I would have to pay taxes there, pay taxes to the US, and I would not be allowed to vote. (In some I wouldn't be allowed to even try becoming a citizen if I couldn't prove ancestry, either.) The US is pretty generous about who they allow to become a citizen.

[Janet]

If you want a say in our democratic process, become a citizen. You are utilizing things taxes pay for (roads, police, emergency, infrastructure, etc) so it is only right that you pay taxes as a permanent resident.

Permanent residents pay all the taxes that US citizens do, and sometimes MORE.

[danceronice]

Permanent residents pay all the taxes that US citizens do, and sometimes MORE.

So what? If I moved to the UK (for example) I'd have to pay taxes there, and I'd have to pay taxes HERE.

[Janet]

... If I moved to another country, I would have to pay taxes there, pay taxes to the US, and I would not be allowed to vote.

That is just plain NOT TRUE.

If you were a resident in the United Kingdom, you COULD vote in UK elections, whether you were a citizen or not.

And British citizens/subjects, who are not recently resident inthe UK, can NOT vote in UK elections.

[MILOUTE55]

If you want a say in our democratic process, become a citizen.

Like you just have to decide to become a US citizen...

I lived and worked (hard) in the US 7 years and never even got a chance to start a greencard process, let alone a citizenship. I didn't study long enough, my greencard process was going to take 8 years (not to mention that it costs 12K nowadays if you use a lawyer which you have to do because paperwork is just impossible to fill in by yourself and you get very little chance of being approved if you do)

But I did see people win the greencard lottery, move to Los Angeles only to spend the little money they had trying to make it as actors and go back home as they ran out of money after 6 months... That pissed me off so much, but I continue to play the lottery of course, hoping that my turn will come and that this country will let me come back and pay my taxes as I've always done. Now I'm playing from France as I haven't found a way to return to the US yet. Ironically, my 2 year old son is American as he was born in CA. Everybody tells me "it should be easy to get your greencard then"; oh sure, he can help me get my greencard.... when he turns 18! Talk about stupid immigration laws...

I too wish I could vote, but it won't happen anytime soon... to compensate, I did get involved in the campaign a lot. I hope you did too Digit!

[Janet]

So what? If I moved to the UK (for example) I'd have to pay taxes there, and I'd have to pay taxes HERE.

Not really. As a US citizen (or resident) you get a US deduction for your UK taxes which usually results in paying no US taxes.