8 U.S.C. § 1429
Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, no person shall be naturalized unless he has been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence in accordance with all applicable provisions of this chapter. The burden of proof shall be upon such person to show that he entered the United States lawfully, and the time, place, and manner of such entry into the United States, but in presenting such proof he shall be entitled to the production of his immigrant visa, if any, or of other entry document, if any, and of any other documents and records, not considered by the Attorney General to be confidential, pertaining to such entry, in the custody of the Service. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 405(b),1 and except as provided in sections 1439 and 1440 of this title no person shall be naturalized against whom there is outstanding a final finding of deportability pursuant to a warrant of arrest issued under the provisions of this chapter or any other Act; and no application for naturalization shall be considered by the Attorney General if there is pending against the applicant a removal proceeding pursuant to a warrant of arrest issued under the provisions of this chapter or any other Act: Provided, That the findings of the Attorney General in terminating removal proceedings or in canceling the removal of an alien pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, shall not be deemed binding in any way upon the Attorney General with respect to the question of whether such person has established his eligibility for naturalization as required by this subchapter.
1 See References in Text note below.
8 U.S.C. § 1429
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThis chapter, referred to in text, was in the original, "this Act", meaning act June 27, 1952, ch. 477, 66 Stat. 163, known as the Immigration and Nationality Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1101 of this title and Tables.Section 405(b), referred to in text, is section 405(b) of act June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title IV, 66 Stat. 280, which is set out as a Savings Clause note under section 1101 of this title.
AMENDMENTS1996- Pub. L. 104-208 substituted "removal" for "deportation" wherever appearing and "canceling" for "suspending". 1990- Pub. L. 101-649, §407(d)(3), in last sentence substituted "considered by the Attorney General" for "finally heard by a naturalization court" and "upon the Attorney General" for "upon the naturalization court". Pub. L. 101-649, §407(c)(4), substituted "application" for "petition" and "applicant" for "petitioner".1968- Pub. L. 90-633 substituted reference to exception provided in sections 1439 and 1440 of this title for reference to exception provided in sections 1438 and 1439 of this title.
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1996 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 104-208 effective, with certain transitional provisions, on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after Sept. 30, 1996, see section 309 of Pub. L. 104-208 set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.
ABOLITION OF IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE AND TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS For abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service, transfer of functions, and treatment of related references, see note set out under section 1551 of this title.
- Attorney General
- The term "Attorney General" means the Attorney General of the United States.
- Service
- The term "Service" means the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the Department of Justice.
- alien
- The term "alien" means any person not a citizen or national of the United States.
- immigrant visa
- The term "immigrant visa" means an immigrant visa required by this chapter and properly issued by a consular officer at his office outside of the United States to an eligible immigrant under the provisions of this chapter.
- naturalization
- The term "naturalization" means the conferring of nationality of a state upon a person after birth, by any means whatsoever.
- permanent
- The term "permanent" means a relationship of continuing or lasting nature, as distinguished from temporary, but a relationship may be permanent even though it is one that may be dissolved eventually at the instance either of the United States or of the individual, in accordance with law.
- person
- The term "person" means an individual or an organization.
- residence
- The term "residence" means the place of general abode; the place of general abode of a person means his principal, actual dwelling place in fact, without regard to intent.
- admitted
- The terms "admission" and "admitted" mean, with respect to an alien, the lawful entry of the alien into the United States after inspection and authorization by an immigration officer.