IMMIGRATION comparisons

There seems to be so much discussion about IMMIGRATION REFORM. I'm perfectly content with our laws as they stand....they just need to be enforced.

And what part of our laws are they talking about 'REFORMING'? They seem perfectly reasonable to me.

But, just to be fair, I'll give you some information I dug up and let you decide for yourself if our laws are "fair" or not. All of this information was researched by me and obtained using a variety of sources. However, if you are wishing to obtain more information or citizenship, please go directly to the country in which you desire to obtain citizenship.





UNITED STATES immigration laws allow the government to control population and make sure people have met requirements. We are learning what lack of population control leads to....chaos. When people come here legally and comply with our laws, they appreciate the true value of U.S. citizenship. It is an honor to be a legal citizen of this country. If anyone does not appreciate it, they should find another country in my list and make themselves at home somewhere else.

So, here are the Eligibility Requirements for citizenship in the U.S., taken directly from the official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.

To be eligible for naturalization under section 316(a) of the INA, an applicant must:

*Be 18 or older
*Be a permanent resident (green card holder) for at least 5 years immediately preceding the date of filing the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization
Have lived within the state, or USCIS district with jurisdiction over the applicant’s place of residence, for at least 3 months prior to the date of filing the application
*Have continuous residence in the United States as a permanent resident for at least 5 years immediately preceding the date of the filing the application
*Be physically present in the United States for at least 30 months out of the 5 years immediately preceding the date of filing the application
*Reside continuously within the United States from the date of application for naturalization up to the time of naturalization
*Be able to read, write, and speak English and have knowledge and an understanding of U.S. history and government (civics).
*Be a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States during all relevant periods under the law

Citizenship requirements in U.K., Australia, Canada, and Ireland are very similar to U.S. All require applicants "desire" to live in country, reasonable assimilation, and loyalty to the country.

FRANCE naturalization will only be successful for those who are judged to have integrated into French society (i.e. by virtue of language skills and understanding of rights and responsibilities of a French citizen, to be demonstrated during an interview at the local prefecture), and who show loyalty to French institutions.

GERMAN citizenship can only be applied for after a number of years; and you generally have to fulfill most or all of the following conditions:

*a valid Aufenthaltserlaubnis or Aufenthaltsberechtigung residency permit
*legally resident in Germany for at least 8 years
*a livelihood-guarantee of you and your dependants without recourse to social welfare or unemployment benefits (excpetions are made for people under 23 years)
*adequate knowledge of the German language
*an oath on the German consitutionein
*you have to give up your former citizenship

German citizenship is determined by inheritance from parents and not by place of birth. Children with a German mother or father are automatically citizens at birth. But not all children born in Germany are automaically German; in face, there are 100,000 non-German children born every year. If both parents are foreigners, then the child only gets German citizenship automatically from birth if one or more of the parents ahs been legally living in Germany for a period of 8 years and has a valid Aufenthaltsberechtigung or has had an unbefristete Aufenthaltserlaubnis for a period of three years. These children get German citizenship, as well as that of their parents. Then, they will choose which citizenship they wish to keep at age 18.

In general, birth within the terriotry of IRAN does not automatically confer citizenship. Citizenship may be acquired upon fulfillment of the following conditions: Person must be at least 18 years of age, have resided in Iran for 5 years, not be a miliatry service escapee, and not have been convicted of a major crime in any country. The wives and minor children of naturalized Iranian citizens are also considered citizens.

****Note**** Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd, and Josh Fattal have been detained in Iran since July 31, 2009 when they accidentally crossed an unmarked border during a hiking trip in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan. They were in a peaceful region of Iraq that is increasingly popular with Western tourists. They are in prison and allowed limited contact with friends, family, and counsel desparately trying to get them released. These are three young persons that were simply hiking & enjoying nature. Just a note so you can see what kind of immigration enforcement Iran uses.

As of November 20, 2007, all foreigners, including foreign residents, get fingerprinted and photographed upon entering JAPAN as a measure aimed at preventing terrorism. People refusing to cooperate are not granted entry into the country.

*Foreigners, who wish to work in Japan, need to get a work visa from a Japanese embassy or consulate outside of Japan in order to enter the country on a status of residence permitting work.
*If you change jobs while you are in Japan and your new job falls into a different professional field (e.g. from education to engineering), you will need to change your status of residence.
*You MUST carry your visa with you AT ALL TIMES
*All foreigners, who stay in Japan for more than 90 days, need to apply for an alien registration card within the first 90 days of their stay. Applications are to be made at the local municipal office (e.g. city hall). The alien registration card is an important document required for opening a bank acount, obtaining a cell phone, and similar activities. Foreign residents are required to carry their alien registration card with them at all times
*Reside in Japan for at least 5 consecutive years (less if married to a Japanese National), have shown good conduct, have never plotted agains the Japanese government, have sufficient assets or ability to make an independent living and are willing to renounce any other citizenship held
*You must hand write in Japanese a letter stating why you desire citizenship

Now I'd like to address MEXICO requirements for citizenship or naturalization. Their constitution addresses all issues of citizenship and states that
• Immigrants and foreign visitors are banned from public political discourse. Article 33 “Foreigners may not in any way participate in the political affairs of the country.” Article 9 states, “only citizens of the Republic may do so to take part in the political affairs of the country.” Foreign-born, naturalized Mexican citizens may not become federal lawmakers (Article 55), cabinet secretaries (Article 91) or supreme court justices (Article 95).

• Immigrants and foreigners are denied certain basic property rights.
Article 27 states, “Only Mexicans by birth or naturalization and Mexican companies have the right to acquire ownership of lands, waters, and their appurtenances, or to obtain concessions for the exploitation of mines or of waters. The State may grant the same right to foreigners, provided they agree before the Ministry of Foreign Relations to consider themselves as nationals in respect to such property, and bind themselves not to invoke the protection of their governments in matters relating thereto; under penalty, in case of noncompliance with this agreement, of forfeiture of the property acquired to the Nation.Under no circumstances may foreigners acquire direct ownership of lands or waters within a zone of one hundred kilometers along the frontiers and of fifty kilometers along the shores of the country.”


• Immigrants are denied equal employment rights.
Article 32: “Mexicans shall have priority over foreigners under equality of circumstances for all classes of concessions and for all employment, positions, or commissions of the Government in which the status of citizenship is not indispensable. In time of peace no foreigner can serve in the Army nor in the police or public security forces.”

• Immigrants and naturalized citizens will never be treated as real Mexican citizens.
Article 32 bans foreigners, immigrants, and even naturalized citizens of Mexico from serving as military officers, Mexican-flagged ship and airline crew, and chiefs of seaports and airports: “In order to belong to the National Navy or the Air Force, and to discharge any office or commission, it is required to be a Mexican by birth. This same status is indispensable for captains, pilots, masters, engineers, mechanics, and in general, for all personnel of the crew of any vessel or airship protected by the Mexican merchant flag or insignia. It is also necessary to be Mexican by birth to discharge the position of captain of the port and all services of practique and airport commandant, as well as all functions of customs agent in the Republic.”
The president of Mexico, like the president of the United States, constitutionally must be a citizen by birth, but Article 82 of the Mexican constitution mandates that the president’s parents also be Mexican-born citizens, thus according secondary status to Mexican-born citizens born of immigrants

• Immigrants and naturalized citizens may never become members of the clergy.
Article 130 says, “To practice the ministry of any denomination in the United Mexican States it is necessary to be a Mexican by birth.”

• Private citizens may make citizens arrests of lawbreakers (i.e., illegal immigrants) and hand them to the authorities.
Article 16 states, “in cases of flagrante delicto, any person may arrest the offender and his accomplices, turning them over without delay to the nearest authorities.” Therefore, the Mexican constitution appears to grant Mexican citizens the right to arrest illegal aliens and hand them over to police for prosecution.

• Immigrants may be expelled from Mexico for any reason and without due process.
According to Article 33, “the Federal Executive shall have the exclusive power to compel any foreigner whose remaining he may deem inexpedient to abandon the national territory immediately and without the necessity of previous legal action.”