Please help with my plan as a non-citizen

Yukon

5-Year Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
15
Hello everyone,
I am currently a freshman in high school. I hope to attend USNA and then possibly go on to BUD/S. Problem is, I have a greencard but not a citizenship, which I will normally get when I am 26 years old. I know the Navy offers quick citizenship if you join, after 6 months. So my questions is: Can I join the navy, get a citizenship, then attend USNA?

I've asked around 6 recruiters and they've all given me different answers. Thanks so much for the help, whoever answers, I greatly appreciate it. Also, I've googled it extensively, with many different and confusing answers.
 
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Recruiters are not helpful when it comes to service academy questions. You should call the USNA Admissions office to get the best information.
 
Thanks

Thanks man, I'll give them a call tomorrow. Anyone else know about this?
 
Hello everyone,
I am currently a freshman in high school. I hope to attend USNA and then possibly go on to BUD/S. Problem is, I have a greencard but not a citizenship, which I will normally get when I am 26 years old. I know the Navy offers quick citizenship if you join, after 6 months. So my questions is: Can I join the navy, get a citizenship, then attend USNA?

I've asked around 6 recruiters and they've all given me different answers. Thanks so much for the help, whoever answers, I greatly appreciate it. Also, I've googled it extensively, with many different and confusing answers.
hey man, I am currently under naturalization process.

From what I know, you are eligible to apply for naturalization at least after 5 years of receiving a green card?. I do not have the correct numbers on hand right now, so it's your job to look it up on USCIS.gov.

I hope you had your green card for at least 5 years, well at least 7-8 months before R-day or I-day, because naturalization takes on average, 5 months nationwide.

If you are 18 by 6 months before I-day or R-day at the latest, you must apply for naturalization n-400 form on your own, unless you are under 18 by that time, then you must rely on it through your parents' naturalization.

If you get accepted when you are a senior and all and have applied for naturalization, your congress person who nominated you can help speed up the naturalization process very fast, so Ive heard from some sources. Obviously, USCIS will listen to an influential person in the federal government.

Service Academies do not care about citizenship as long as you bring your certificate of naturalization with you to the academy on the day of the I-day or R-day, etc. Make sure when you apply to academies, let them know that you are applying for naturalization.

(if you are eligible for naturalization by the time you are a senior)

Good luck! do some research on naturalization on USCIS. I know naturalization process on top of trying to get accepted to our nation's prestigious military school can sound super confusing, but you are still a freshman and you still got some time to think about your future. You can do it! Don't give up!
 
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hey man, I am currently under naturalization process.

From what I know, you are eligible to apply for naturalization at least after 5 years of receiving a green card?. I do not have the correct numbers on hand right now, so it's your job to look it up on USCIS.gov.

I hope you had your green card for at least 5 years, well at least 7-8 months before R-day or I-day, because naturalization takes on average, 5 months nationwide.

If you are 18 by 6 months before I-day or R-day at the latest, you must apply for naturalization n-400 form on your own, unless you are under 18 by that time, then you must rely on it through your parents' naturalization.

If you get accepted when you are a senior and all and have applied for naturalization, your congress person who nominated you can help speed up the naturalization process very fast, so Ive heard from some sources. Obviously, USCIS will listen to an influential person in the federal government.

Service Academies do not care about citizenship as long as you bring your certificate of naturalization with you to the academy on the day of the I-day or R-day, etc. Make sure when you apply to academies, let them know that you are applying for naturalization.

(if you are eligible for naturalization by the time you are a senior)

Good luck! do some research on naturalization on USCIS. I know naturalization process on top of trying to get accepted to our nation's prestigious military school can sound super confusing, but you are still a freshman and you still got some time to think about your future. You can do it! Don't give up!


Thank you so much. Problem is, sorry for not clarifying, I signed up for greencard like 12 years ago, we just got a letter saying we would get it in 2-3 years... So I made this thread assuming that it wouldn't matter if I had it now or in 3 years, sorry. I will be eligible for USNA citizenship policy from my Navy citizenship, but the real problem is whether or not my command will let me go from enlisted to Academy... Thanks again for the help, it's making my life :p
 
you should get a better answer when you call the office, but applying as a non-US citizen is by exception. Usually requires you already in the processs of getting the citizenship or something close to it. For USNA admissions FAG

Q:How do I know if I'm eligible to apply to the Naval Academy?►

A: You must be:
at least 17 years of age and must not have passed your 23rd birthday on July 1st of the year of admission; unmarried, not pregnant and have no incurred obligations of parenthood; a United States citizen (except for the limited quotas of international midshipmen specifically authorized by Congress); and of good moral character.

Can't speak for the Navy, but I believe as long as you are a good sailor, they will support your applying the Naval Academy. If you get selected, they can't stop you.

According to USCIS,

http://www.uscis.gov/military/citiz...l-family-members/citizenship-military-members

One year of service is required for the citizenship. So you will have to watch the timeline, as to if you join the Navy, have to wait a year to apply for your US citizenship, the paperwork will take several months, possibly you can start your Naval Academy application concurrently. All before you turn age 23.
 
Thanks

Thanks for the help. I called the admissions office, they transferred me to a fleet director or something. He didn't pick up.. Called like 4 times and it keeps saying he is unavailable. Also, if I do get into academy, when I get out, I still need to fufill my enlistment contract, correct?
 
Members of Congress

Your congressional representative in the US House of Representatives or your two US Senators in the US Senate may be able to help expedite the process of your becoming a citizen.
You can google "find your representative" or "find your senator" for contact info.
If you explain that you are interested in attending a service academy and serving the country as an officer, they may well be able to make things happen more quickly.
Our family knows a young man who immigrated as a child who was able to become a citizen more quickly and then apply for a service academy through the intervention of a member of congress. We think he talked to his representative.
Every member of congress has local offices and an office in Washington. You might want to start with the local office because you could go by there in person and have a meeting with an actual person who could give you face-to-face advice.
If your goal is to become an officer, I would explore this option before enlisting to obtain citizenship.
 
Thank you very very much. I'll get started on writing a good letter :p. Do you think I should talk to him now ( I'm only turning 15 in 2 days ), or after I take my SATs, etc? Thanks
 
Currently enlisted I can shed a little light about the transition process. Almost all commands love it when you’re improving yourself, that includes college, collateral duties, volunteering etc. So when you make the decision to apply for an officer program they will gladly help you. But if you’re a dirt bag don’t expect them to give you a shining recommendation.

In order to apply for the Naval Academy while enlisted you HAVE to get a written recommendation from your CO in order to apply for a SecNav nomination. You also have to get two recommendations from your immediate chain of command. So if you’re a terrible sailor your chain of command will inform your CO and you won’t be getting that endorsement letter and the Naval Academy won’t even review your package without it.

I don’t want to discourage you at all, this is all very far in the future and the fact that you have a goal so young is good.
 
Thanks man. Does my enlistment time stop while in the academy, or when I graduate will I still have some years left? Thanks. The citizenship that Navy provides will work for USNA no problem, correct? Sorry for asking so many questions, it's just really important to me aha
 
I honestly have no idea about the citizenship qualifications, I just know that you can get it if you enlist. So to go to the Naval Academy you have to have a minimum of two years left on your enlistment contract. I have like 10 months left in the Navy so I have to re-enlist for two years if I get accepted. If I fail out of the Naval Academy, I have to finish my enlistment.
 
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Thanks bro. I've also talked to the appointment office and they said if I am in the process of employing, a congress member can make me a citizen
 
The citizenship that Navy provides will work for USNA no problem, correct?

It certainly works. One of my roommates was born in South America and moved to the US when she was nine. She enlisted in the Navy after graduating from high school, and became a citizen right after boot camp I believe. We're now both plebes here at USNA, though she's a couple years older than I am.
 
Update

Hi, sorry for bumping this thread up so much.
I contacted my local representative, and told him about my situation. He said that it is not in his power to speed up my citizenship. Should I contact a senator, or will he or she probably not be able to do anything either? Thanks.
 
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