To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to recognize the service of veterans of the armed forces by providing a more navigable and accommodating pathway for veterans honorably discharged from the United States military to naturalize and seek citizenship, and for other purposes.
Judiciary Committee, Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee
Introduced
In Committee
On Floor
Passed Chamber
Enacted
Veterans' Pathway to Citizenship Act of 2017 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that a current or former member of the Armed Forces who would be eligible for naturalization but is not because of failure to complete a specified period of residence or physical presence within the United States or failure to maintain lawful permanent resident status shall be deemed to be a lawful permanent resident and to have fulfilled any residency and physical presence requirements solely for naturalization purposes. With respect to any such individual seeking naturalization: (1) a prior removal may be not taken into account for purposes of any immigration benefit or in determining deportability or inadmissibility, and (2) an offense for which a pardon was received may not be taken into account for naturalization purposes unless the offense was the same offense that caused the individual's separation from the Armed Forces in any manner other than honorable. A military recruiter or officer overseeing an enlistment shall inform every recruit of, and the Department of Homeland Security shall provide every separating member of the Armed Forces with notice of, naturalization options and available naturalization assistance services. In the case of a current or former member of the Armed Forces who would be eligible for naturalization but is not because of failure to timely file an application for naturalization, a subsequently filed naturalization application shall be reviewed as if it were timely filed. This provision is repealed one year after the date of enactment of the bill.
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Timeline
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
Immigration
Citizenship and naturalizationCriminal procedure and sentencingGovernment information and archivesImmigration status and proceduresMilitary personnel and dependentsVeterans' organizations and recognition
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to recognize the service of veterans of the armed forces by providing a more navigable and accommodating pathway for veterans honorably discharged from the United States military to naturalize and seek citizenship, and for other purposes.
USA115th CongressHR-3563| House
| Updated: 9/6/2017
Veterans' Pathway to Citizenship Act of 2017 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that a current or former member of the Armed Forces who would be eligible for naturalization but is not because of failure to complete a specified period of residence or physical presence within the United States or failure to maintain lawful permanent resident status shall be deemed to be a lawful permanent resident and to have fulfilled any residency and physical presence requirements solely for naturalization purposes. With respect to any such individual seeking naturalization: (1) a prior removal may be not taken into account for purposes of any immigration benefit or in determining deportability or inadmissibility, and (2) an offense for which a pardon was received may not be taken into account for naturalization purposes unless the offense was the same offense that caused the individual's separation from the Armed Forces in any manner other than honorable. A military recruiter or officer overseeing an enlistment shall inform every recruit of, and the Department of Homeland Security shall provide every separating member of the Armed Forces with notice of, naturalization options and available naturalization assistance services. In the case of a current or former member of the Armed Forces who would be eligible for naturalization but is not because of failure to timely file an application for naturalization, a subsequently filed naturalization application shall be reviewed as if it were timely filed. This provision is repealed one year after the date of enactment of the bill.
Judiciary Committee, Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee
Immigration
Introduced
In Committee
On Floor
Passed Chamber
Enacted
Citizenship and naturalizationCriminal procedure and sentencingGovernment information and archivesImmigration status and proceduresMilitary personnel and dependentsVeterans' organizations and recognition