Fraternity-Testvériség, 1962 (40. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1962-11-01 / 11. szám

6

FRATEPNITY

IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION

AS ONE WHO WAS FORCED TO JOIN THE COMMUNIST PARTY ABROAD, CAN I BE NATURALIZED?

Question: I came to the United States five years ago from an Iron Curtain country where I had been forced to join the Communist Party. I told the American Consul all about it and he gave me a visa. I am now ready for naturalization, but I find there are many questions about Communism on the naturalization form. I would like to know whether I will have difficulty with my naturalization.

Answer: When you applied for your visa and told the Consul your history, you must have convinced him that you were an involuntary member of the Communist Party. Under the immigration law, therefore, you were not excludable as a Communist. If, since your arrival in the United States, you have been a person of good moral character and

have supported sincerely the form of government which exists in the

United States, it is unlikely that you will have any difficulties in connection with your naturalization, although it is possible that you will

be asked the same questions again which you had to answer at the time of the visa issuance.

MUST I BRING TO MY NATURALIZATION HEARING TWO WITNESSES FROM EACH PLACE I LIVED?

Question: I am ready to apply for naturalizatoin but during the five years I have lived in the United States I have moved several times. Will it be necessary for me to bring to my naturalization hearing two witnesses from each place at which I have resided?

Answer: The answer to this question depends on the circumstances. If your different moves were geographically close enough so that some of your friends have seen you regularly during the entire five-year period, it is sufficient if you bring two friends who can testify to the entire five-year period, even though they may live in a different town. If, however, you have moved some distance so that your original friends have not been in contact with your or seen you since you left, you will have to produce more than one set of witnesses, namely, two who can testify for the earlier period and two who can testify about the period of your present residence. If your residence is so remote that you cannot expect your witnesses to come to a hearing, your residence and good conduct during your earlier residence may be proved by depositions, that is, by sworn written statements. If this is necessary, you will receive questionnaires and instructions from the Immigration and Naturalization Service on how this matter should be handled. This whole question of witnesses is more fully discussed in “How to Become a Citizen of the United States”, published by the American Council for Nationalities Service. Copies may be obtained for $1.00 by writing to A. C. N. S., 20 West 40th Street, New York 18, N. Y.