A pilot program authorized by the Defense Department gives legal aliens with skills considered to be vital to national interest--doctors, nurses, and certain language experts--the opportunity to expedite the naturalization process by serving in the U.S. military.
Normally, permanent residents who enlist in the U.S. military must be lawful permanent residents (hold a green card) before they can enlist. However, through the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program, asylees, refugees, and those in certain nonimmigrant visa categories can obtain citizenship without first becoming a permanent resident.
While the program is new, the policy is not. Section 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (sometimes referred to as the "wartime naturalization" provision) states that a qualifying Service Member can become a citizen without first being a permanent resident. The MAVNI program taking advantage of this provision to enhance military readiness.
The first nonimmigrant to sign a contract under the MAVNI program has recently naturalized. He obtain his citizenship just two months after enlisting in the U.S. Army Reserves. From the USCIS press release:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today naturalized the first nonimmigrant to enlist in the military under the Defense Department’s Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) pilot recruiting program.
Dr. Brown* was the first nonimmigrant to sign a contract under the MAVNI program. He enlisted in the Army in April, and in June, he applied to become a naturalized citizen. One month later, he passed his naturalization test and recited the Oath of Allegiance becoming a citizen of the United States.
“This ceremony happened in record time because our military liaison team maintained close coordination with the Army and tracked Dr. Brown’s naturalization packet from the time he applied with our Nebraska Service Center until today,” said Debra Rogers, acting Deputy Associate Director of USCIS’ Domestic Operations Directorate and head of USCIS’ Military Liaison team. “The MAVNI program is vital to the national interest, and as such we are very focused on its success.”
As a medical professional, Dr. Brown was commissioned as a Captain in the Army Medical Corps on July 3, and will serve in the Army for the next six years.
The one-year MAVNI pilot program will allow up to 1,000 non-citizens, who do not have permanent resident status but have been here legally for at least two years, to join the Army if they have the needed medical or foreign language and cultural expertise.
While citizenship is not guaranteed, nonimmigrants who apply under the MAVNI pilot program must undergo the same background checks, security screening and meet all of the general qualifications to become citizens of the United States, as do all other members of the U.S. armed forces who apply for citizenship.
* The name "Brown" is a pseudonym used at the request of the army.
Interested in finding out more about the MAVNI program? Read the DoD fact sheet, or fill out a form on the U.S. Army GoArmy.com recruiting website to request more information.
Photo: Getty Images
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