Citizenship

Martin--
I love on St Thomas and my husband is also a permanent resident. Whenever we have had to file papers with USCIS, they are not filed in the US Virgin Islands, but are mailed to the Vermont Service Center. Therefore, unless your naturalization papers are only to be filed locally, you can expect a significant wait as the Vermont center is seriously backlogged.
Where did you hear it only takes 4-6 months? Maybe that source can provide more info. concerning the exact process so we can determine if it is true?

Onika,

I managed to find a phone number for the St. Crois USCIS office. Someone there told me that it would atke 4 - 6 months from filing Naturalization forms on St.Croix to becoming a citizen. I had heard that the Vermont office was the receiving center for USVI.

Onika,

We have assumed that Naturalization is processed locally as opposed to Permanent Residence which is filed locally, but processed through one of the four USCI Servicing Centers.
Do you have any more info?

Sorry Martin, my husband does not intend to become a naturalized citizen, so I can't provide any information concerning details.
What I can say though is that bureaucratic processes generally take longer on-island than in the States. Therefore, based on this knowledge, I would find it hard to believe that the complex process of naturalization is faster here.
That said, we would always love to have you down here while you wait out approval of your application!
Also, if you are lucky, maybe you can develop a relationship with a local in the office who might assist in prioritizing your application? One of the benefits of island living, where the rules are always being bent, is that maybe one day you can get someone to bend the rules for you. 🙂

Hi Onika, I'm Lois, Martin's partner. The reason St Croix will be faster than Honolulu (now the most densely populated city in America)is the pressure of numbers
and "Hawaii Time" work pace.

lois wrote:

> Hi Onika, I'm Lois, Martin's partner. The reason St Croix
> will be faster than Honolulu (now the most densely populated
> city in America)is the pressure of numbers
> and "Hawaii Time" work pace.

You expect USVI "Island Time" work pace to be faster than "Hawaii Time" work pace ??? The cameras & computers at USVI DMV have been broken down for months so no one can get a driver's license or renewal, as well as auto inspections/registrations disrupted because of various computer problems.

PH

Lois,
You are correct that our VI population is less than Hawaii's, and therefore might make a difference. But I have to agree with PH's implication that Island Time might defeat any benefit gained from filing in a smaller community.

Onika wrote:

> Lois,
> You are correct that our VI population is less than Hawaii's,
> and therefore might make a difference. But I have to agree
> with PH's implication that Island Time might defeat any benefit
> gained from filing in a smaller community.

Onik'a - Did you & Petrus buy Scott's place?

PH

To PH MV is local govt surely a federal body like INS is funded to federal standards?

Good Luck

Post Edited (03-17-04 21:13)

thx Onika and PH. Anybody on St Croix recently been through citizenship procedure?
Hate to go through the expense of moving only to find we might as well have stayed in Hawaii.