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     NAVADMIN @ AL NAVADMIN(UC)

INFO CNO CNO


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R 031613Z NOV 04 PSN 484440J24
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
ZEN/NAVADMIN @ AL NAVADMIN(UC)
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UNCLAS
SUBJ: US CITIZENSHIP FOR NAVY MEMBERS
PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
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TO NAVADMIN
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NAVADMIN 251/04
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/-/NOV//
SUBJ/US CITIZENSHIP FOR NAVY MEMBERS//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  RECENT CHANGES TO THE IMMIGRATION AND
NATURALIZATION ACT PROVIDE THAT A SERVICE MEMBER SEEKING TO BECOME A
U.S. CITIZEN WHO HAS SERVED HONORABLY DURING PERIODS OF HOSTILITIES
IS NOW ELIGIBLE FOR EXPEDITED CITIZENSHIP PROCESSING.  THIS CHANGE
IS IMPLEMENTED TO REWARD AND SUPPORT OUR NON-CITIZEN SAILORS AND
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WILL RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS OF TIME AND MONEY TO SAILORS AND
COMMANDS.
2.  ANY SERVICE MEMBER WHO HAS SERVED HONORABLY FOR AN AGGREGATE
PERIOD OF 1 YEAR MAY APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP WHILE IN AN ACTIVE DUTY
STATUS OR WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF TERMINATION OF SERVICE UNDER
HONORABLE CONDITIONS.  LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS IS REQUIRED,
BUT MAY BE LESS THAN 3 YEARS.  ALL OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR
NATURALIZATION APPLY. ADDITIONALLY, NON U.S. CITIZENS HONORABLY
SERVING IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES ON OR AFTER 11 SEPTEMBER
2001 ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A WAIVER OF THE ENTIRE WAITING PERIOD AND ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR EXPEDITED CITIZENSHIP.  EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 2004, THE
FILING FEE FOR SERVICE MEMBERS (CURRENTLY $390 FOR THOSE STATIONED
IN THE UNITED STATES) HAS BEEN WAIVED.  THE INTERVIEW AND OATH
CEREMONIES CAN ALSO BE CONDUCTED OVERSEAS.
3.  TO ENSURE THE MAXIMUN NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE SERVICE MEMBERS RECEIVE
ASSISTANCE SUBMITTING THEIR APPLICATIONS, COMMANDING OFFICERS SHALL
ENSURE THAT A COMMAND REPRESENTATIVE WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR
PROVIDING HANDS-ON ASSISTANCE TO THESE MEMBERS IS APPOINTED.  THE
COMMAND REPRESENTATIVE SHALL ENSURE ALL FOREIGN BORN SERVICE MEMBERS
IN HIS OR HER COMMAND ARE BRIEFED ON THE APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR
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CITIZENSHIP.  THE PROPER SUBMISSION OF THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK IS
ESSENTIAL IF PROCESSING TIMES ARE TO BE FUTRHER REDUCED.  COMMANDING
OFFICERS WILL ENSURE THAT COMMAND REPRESENTATIVES ARE FAMILIAR WITH
THE U.S. NAVY GUIDE TO NATURALIZATION APPLICATIONS BASED UPON
QUALIFYING MILITARY SERVICE AVAILABLE AT WWW.NKO.NAVY.MIL/.
CLICK ON LIBRARY, JAG, LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR SAILORS, THEN
IMMIGRATION.
4.  PUBLICATIONS, RESOURCES, AND TRAINING ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE
IMMIGRATION SPECIALIST IN THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL.
A LIST OF COMMAND REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE MAINTAINED BY THIS SAME
OFFICE AND THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL SERVE AS THE LIAISON BETWEEN THE
SERVICE MEMBER AND THE IMMIGRATION SPECIALIST, MR. MICHAEL COLE.
MR. COLE CAN BE CONTACTED AT MICHAEL.S.COLE1@NAVY.MIL.
5.  RELEASED BY VADM G. L. HOEWING, N1.//
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