Mistakes to avoid in applying for US citizenship

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h1 class="singlePageTitle" style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal !important; margin: 0px 0px 8px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mistakes to avoid in applying for US citizenship</span></span></h1> <h4 style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </h4> <div class="thefloaterz" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1769px;"> <span style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By</a> <a href="http://globalnation.inquirer.net/byline/anthony-advincula" rel="tag" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anthony Advincula</a></span></span><span style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></span><span style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></strong></span><span style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="border: 0px; 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vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">• Even honest mistakes in application can lead to US citizenship denial</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div id="InRead" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">• Applications for US citizenship have surged in the last 12 years; so have denial rates</strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">• Filipinos have the highest rate of naturalization among Asian countries</strong></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_109748" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 5px 10px 10px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 310px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_109748" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 5px 10px 10px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 310px;"> <a class="fancybox" href="http://globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2014/08/Servanos.jpg" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /><br /><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-109748" height="205" pagespeed_high_res_src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/h/globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2014/08/300x205xServanos-300x205.jpg.pagespeed.ic.SDCLi-AY1c.jpg" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/h/globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2014/08/300x205xServanos-300x205.jpg.pagespeed.ic.SDCLi-AY1c.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 4px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Servanos" width="300" /></a></div> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_109748" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 5px 10px 10px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 310px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_109748" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 5px 10px 10px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 310px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">New York — Dr. Pedro Servano and his wife, Salvacion, have lived in the United States as legal permanent residents for over 30 years. Their four children are Americans, having been born in this country. The </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sevandos, legal immigrants facing deportation after being denied US citizenship. AP PHOTO</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But when the Filipino couple applied for US citizenship in 1991, their application was not only denied, but they were also put in removal proceedings.  It has now been over two decades since they started battling a deportation order and to remain in the country.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Like the Servanos, there are many long-term immigrants who believed they were in good moral standing for naturalization. However, because of past mistakes or through the application period, they were rejected from completing the final step of their U.S. immigration process.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to immigration lawyers and advocates for U.S. citizenship, these legal immigrants may have run afoul of complicated immigration laws without even knowing it.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Others may have had a criminal conviction or provided untruthful information in their application, which are all grounds for naturalization denial, getting their green card revoked or an order of deportation.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Secretly” married</strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For the Servanos, the federal government charged them with misrepresenting their marital status when they first came to the United States.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the early 1980s, according to several reports, their mothers moved separately to this country as legal permanent residents. They filed successfully the petition for Pedro and Salvacion to get their green cards under the category of unmarried children.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As they settled in their new country, Pedro completed his medical residency in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. He and Salvacion, a registered nurse, got married in New Jersey in 1987. Without any problems, they renewed their green cards every 10 years.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But when they submitted their application for naturalization on their own, the immigration officers reportedly discovered that the Servanos were secretly married in the Philippines, before the green cards were issued to them in 1985.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Accused of lying to get their green cards, the couple received an order of deportation.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No guess-timating</strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Anything you say that isn’t absolutely correct, even if you are just guess-timating your answers, will be considered a lie,” said Paul Zorlan, an immigration lawyer based in Dallas, Texas. “Lying is perjury and you can find yourself being deported.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Applicants who withhold their real names, try to guess the birthday of their parents or the exact date of their departure and arrival of their past travels abroad, or not being precise about their medical condition, Zorlan added, may be considered “committing fraud” and the immigration office could reject their applications.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A study conducted by Migration Policy Institute, an independent research organization, shows that as applications for naturalization have surged in the last 12 years, denial rates have also been consistently higher at any time.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The highest year was in 2000, when 399,670 applicants were denied or one-third of the applicants. Eight years later, the report added, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) rejected more than 121,000 naturalization petitions, representing 10.4 percent of the 1,167,822 naturalization applications presented.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Reasons for denials, according to MPI, may include: applicant could not prove five years of permanent residence in the United States; was determined to have lack of allegiance to the United States; have bad moral character (which includes criminal convictions); or failed the English language or American civics test.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Finding pro bono legal help</strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Facing barriers such as limited English-language skills and ignorance of highly technical immigration laws, immigrants can avail of free citizenship workshops in different cities across the country. These workshops, sponsored by <a href="http://newamericanscampaign.org/" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">New Americans Campaign</a>, are being held each month.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“This campaign has already spent $85 million in services for eligible immigrants,” Luis Arango-Petrocchi, project manager for the citizenship program at Catholic Charities of Dallas (CCD), said in a briefing with ethnic media. “We’re here to help complete your N-400 [new] application [form], and have immigration attorneys and accredited representatives to review your applications.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The biggest benefit of the workshop, according to advocates, is that it helps examine the applicants’ eligibility for naturalization and address early detection of red flags, if any, in their applications.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“At the citizenship workshops, we help them practice the test and interview questions and refer them to ESL [English as Second Language] classes,” added Dan Adriansen, CCD’s immigration case manager. “We also inform our clients where to find court documents, if they need to show them, and see if they are eligible for the [$680] application fee waiver.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Benefited from workshop</strong></div> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_109749" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 5px 0px 10px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 310px;"> <a class="fancybox" href="http://globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2014/08/photo-90.jpg" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-109749" height="225" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/h/globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2014/08/300x225xphoto-90-300x225.jpg.pagespeed.ic.QsRyopou5y.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 4px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="photo-90" width="300" /></span></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A nonprofit briefing in Dallas, Texas, on mistakes to avoid in applying for US citizenship. PHOTO BY ANTHONY ADVINCULA</span></div> </div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mario Vargas, a 23-year-old political science student at University of Texas, was one of those who benefited from these citizenship workshops. When he applied for an internship with a federal government agency, he realized that his green card was not enough.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I was told that they will accept me if I became a U.S. citizen. During the [naturalization] interview, I asked the interviewer if they could speed up the process,” he added. “And I was told that they will do the pledge that day so I could get the internship.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Through the help of Proyecto Inmigrante, one of the immigrant groups based in Dallas and Forth Worth, Texas, that is part of the citizenship campaign, Vargas became a naturalized US citizen last year.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Between 2010 and 2014, there has been an increase in the number of legal permanent residents eligible for naturalization, and yet we are not tapping into that,” said Claudio Ortega-Hogue, Texas director of civic engagement for NALEO Educational Fund.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Philippines and naturalization rate</strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Nationally, in 2012, an estimated 13.3 million immigrants were granted legal permanent resident status in the country — and nearly 8.8 million were eligible for naturalization. Yet, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Immigration Statistics, only 757,434 were naturalized.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Of all immigrants from different ethic groups who naturalized in 2012, about 5.9 percent came from the Philippines— the highest among Asian countries, followed by India, 5.7 percent; China, 4.2 percent; Vietnam, 3.1 percent; and Korea, 2 percent. Mexican immigrants had the leading number of naturalization at 13.5 percent.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Some of the obstacles that people get deterred from applying for naturalization include lack of English skills and civic knowledge, criminal and immigration history, and the $680 fees for each applicant.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To be eligible for naturalization, the applicant must be a legal permanent resident and at least 18 years old; have lived in the United States continuously for five year or three years if married to a U.S. citizen.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The applicant must also be able to speak, read and understand basic English; pass a background check; show knowledge of U.S. government and history; and swear allegiance to the United States.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Acquiring citizenship gives immigrants not only the right to vote and to work for the federal government, but also protects them from deportation, allows them to travel and live abroad indefinitely without losing their status in the United States and petition their children and immediate family members, advocates say.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“A petition from a citizen has a faster approval than the one filed by a legal permanent resident or a green card holder,” added Adriansen.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">RELATED STORIES</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; 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border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Ads by Google</span></a></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Follow Us</span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><div class="cct-sharerdown" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="sharerbox" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 55px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <div class="thenum" style="border: 0px; height: 35px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: left; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <span class="st_facebook_hcount" displaytext="Facebook" st_processed="yes" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stButton" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 3px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stArrow" style="background-image: none !important; border: none !important; display: inline-block; height: 14px; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stButton_gradient stHBubble" style="background-image: none !important; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border: none !important; display: inline-block; filter: none; height: 16px; margin: 0px 3px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: -1;"><span class="stBubble_hcount" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; display: inline-block !important; height: 25px !important; margin: 5px 0px 0px !important; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 50px;">19.8K</span></span></span></span></span></span></div> <div class="theimage" style="border: 0px; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; height: 16px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <span class="st_facebook_custom" st_processed="yes" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/globalnation.inquirer.net/paperless.inquirer.net/wp-content/themes/paperless/inq2014/sharer2014/resources/sharerdown/xfacebook.jpg.pagespeed.ic.xr_j9YkVyE.jpg" style="background-image: none !important; border: none !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; vertical-align: baseline;" /></span></div> </div> <div class="sharerbox" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 55px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <div class="thenum" style="border: 0px; height: 35px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: left; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <span class="st_twitter_hcount" displaytext="Tweet" st_processed="yes" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stButton" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 3px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stArrow" style="background-image: none !important; border: none !important; display: inline-block; height: 14px; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stButton_gradient stHBubble" style="background-image: none !important; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border: none !important; display: inline-block; filter: none; height: 16px; margin: 0px 3px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: -1;"><span class="stBubble_hcount" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; display: inline-block !important; height: 25px !important; margin: 5px 0px 0px !important; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 50px;">26</span></span></span></span></span></span></div> <div class="theimage" style="border: 0px; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; height: 16px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <span class="st_twitter_custom" st_processed="yes" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/globalnation.inquirer.net/paperless.inquirer.net/wp-content/themes/paperless/inq2014/sharer2014/resources/sharerdown/xtwitter.jpg.pagespeed.ic.RaxlGotmn9.jpg" style="background-image: none !important; border: none !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; vertical-align: baseline;" /></span></div> </div> <div class="sharerbox" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 55px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <div class="thenum" style="border: 0px; height: 35px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <span class="st_googleplus_hcount" displaytext="Google +" st_processed="yes" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stButton" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 3px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stArrow" style="background-image: none !important; border: none !important; display: inline-block; height: 14px; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stButton_gradient stHBubble" style="background-image: none !important; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border: none !important; display: block !important; height: 16px; margin: 0px 3px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: -1;"><span class="stBubble_hcount" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; display: inline-block !important; height: 25px !important; margin: 5px 0px 0px !important; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 50px;">11</span></span></span></span></span></span></div> <div class="theimage" style="border: 0px; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; height: 16px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <span class="st_googleplus_custom" st_processed="yes" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/globalnation.inquirer.net/paperless.inquirer.net/wp-content/themes/paperless/inq2014/sharer2014/resources/sharerdown/xgplus.jpg.pagespeed.ic.b7FzClA-lA.jpg" style="background-image: none !important; border: none !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; vertical-align: baseline;" /></span></div> </div> <div class="sharerbox" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 55px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <div class="thenum" style="border: 0px; height: 35px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: left; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <span class="st_sharethis_hcount" displaytext="ShareThis" st_processed="yes" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stButton" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 3px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stArrow" style="background-image: none !important; border: none !important; display: inline-block; height: 14px; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="stButton_gradient stHBubble" style="background-image: none !important; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border: none !important; display: inline-block; height: 16px; margin: 0px 3px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: -1;"><span class="stBubble_hcount" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; display: inline-block !important; height: 25px !important; margin: 5px 0px 0px !important; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 50px;">20K</span></span></span></span></span></span></div> <div class="theimage" style="border: 0px; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; height: 16px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline; width: 65px;"> <span class="st_sharethis_custom" st_processed="yes" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/globalnation.inquirer.net/paperless.inquirer.net/wp-content/themes/paperless/inq2014/sharer2014/resources/sharerdown/xsharethis.jpg.pagespeed.ic.DVyYohltvk.jpg" style="background-image: none !important; border: none !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; vertical-align: baseline;" /></span></div> </div> <div style="border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><br /></span><div id="rs_holder_horizontal" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 642px;"> <span style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px;"><div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Other Stories:</strong></div> </span><div class="rs_wrapper" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 2px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="South Korean tourists enjoy horse-back riding in Baguio City’s Wright Park on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2012. South Korea remained the Philippines’ largest source of tourists in 2013 while the number of tourists coming from China went down by 70 percent, immigration authorities said. PHOTO BY RICK ALBERTO" class="attachment-150x127 wp-post-image" height="113" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/h/globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2012/12/150x113xkoreans-in-baguio-150x113.jpg.pagespeed.ic.HiLDs0Qnfm.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: 127px !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 150px !important;" title="koreans in baguio" width="150" /></span><div class="rs_description" style="border: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0.8; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline; width: 150px;"> <div class="description_content" style="border: 0px; height: 32px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px !important; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://globalnation.inquirer.net/110047/ph-is-2nd-top-destination-of-criminal-suspects-fleeing-south-korea" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">‘PH is 2nd top destination of criminal suspects fleeing South Korea’</span></a></div> </div> </div> <div class="rs_wrapper" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 2px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="ICRC president Peter Maurer" class="attachment-150x127 wp-post-image" height="113" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/h/globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2014/08/150x113xICRC-president-150x113.jpg.pagespeed.ic.EpYnYEt1Al.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: 127px !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 150px !important;" title="ICRC president Peter Maurer" width="150" /></span><div class="rs_description" style="border: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0.8; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline; width: 150px;"> <div class="description_content" style="border: 0px; height: 32px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px !important; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://globalnation.inquirer.net/110045/yolanda-victims-need-continuous-help-icrc-head" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">‘Yolanda’ victims need continuous help – ICRC head</span></a></div> </div> </div> <div class="rs_wrapper" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 2px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="Thailand map" class="attachment-150x127 wp-post-image" height="113" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/h/globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2014/08/150x113xThailand-map-150x113.jpg.pagespeed.ic.6p_GH74Vip.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: 127px !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 150px !important;" title="Thailand map" width="150" /></span><div class="rs_description" style="border: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0.8; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline; width: 150px;"> <div class="description_content" style="border: 0px; height: 32px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px !important; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://globalnation.inquirer.net/110040/filipino-swedish-arrested-in-credit-card-atm-fraud-in-thailand" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">Filipino, Swedish arrested in credit card, ATM fraud in Thailand</span></a></div> </div> </div> <div class="rs_wrapper" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 2px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="SCREENGRAB from www.visionofhumanity.org" class="attachment-150x127 wp-post-image" height="113" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/h/globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2014/08/150x113xglobval-peace-index-150x113.jpg.pagespeed.ic.4O0fKYPPZT.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: 127px !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 150px !important;" title="globval peace index" width="150" /></span><div class="rs_description" style="border: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0.8; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline; width: 150px;"> <div class="description_content" style="border: 0px; height: 32px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px !important; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://globalnation.inquirer.net/110036/peaceful-progress-still-elusive-in-ph-study" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">Peaceful progress still elusive in PH – study</span></a></div> </div> </div> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br class="clear" style="border: none; clear: both; height: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><div class=" trc_related_container trc_spotlight_widget" id="taboola-div" style="border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="trc_rbox_container" style="border: 0px; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="trc_rbox ab_grid-4x2_3x2 trc-content-sponsored trc-auto-size" id="trc_wrapper_12176" style="border: 0px none rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 522px; 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Mistakes to avoid in applying for US citizenship

Mistakes to avoid in applying for US citizenship By   Anthony Advincula   • Even honest mistakes in application can lead to US ci...

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