Jamie_L

It's interesting to think about what these policies mean.

Essentially: there are limited circumstances that allow one to gain citizenship in the U.S. simply because you want to.

However, these circumstances do not apply as strictly if you also want to marry a U.S. citizen (provided your definition of "want to marry" meets the INS criteria).

But why should the person who wishes to marry a U.S. citizen be given more consideration than the one who doesn't? If both wish to become U.S. citizens, why does the one who also wishes to marry a U.S. citizen get more lenient treatment?

What is it that the U.S. government values about marrying a U.S. citizen that makes it willing to waive the criteria it applies to otherse seeking citizenship?

Just a curious thought.

Jamie

Pyrrho

I don't think it is a question of them thinking that you are more worthy of citizenship, but instead is an issue of the hardship that would be imposed on people who wish to be married if they were not allowed to live in the same country as each other. You can look at it this way: The "more consideration", as you put it, is a kind of right granted to the one who is a citizen, not so much to the one who is not. In other words, the citizen has the right to live with his or her spouse.

Loren Pechtel

The policy is not about those wishing to become US citizens. The policy is for those who *ARE* US citizens and happen to fall in love with someone who is not.