I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1806

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to change the requirements 

for naturalization to citizenship through service in the Armed Forces 

of the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 11, 2003

Mr. PUTNAM introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to change 

the requirements for naturalization to citizenship through 

service in the Armed Forces of the United States.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. PRIORITY CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS 

4 FOR NATURALIZATION THROUGH SERVICE IN 

5 THE ARMED FORCES. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi7 sion of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall en8 sure that applications for naturalization through service 

9 in the Armed Forces of the United States under sections 
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1 328, 329, and 329A shall be expedited to the greatest ex2 tent possible and shall be given priority consideration over 

3 all other applications for naturalization by the Bureau of 

4 Citizenship and Immigration Services. 

5 (b) VERIFICATION OF MILITARY RECORDS.—The 

6 Secretary of Defense shall ensure that verifications of mili7 tary records required for the consideration of application 

8 for naturalization through service in the Armed Forces of 

9 the United States under sections 328, 329, and 329A of 

10 the Immigration and Nationality Act are provided as expe11 ditiously as possible. 

12 SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR NATURALIZATION TO CITIZEN13 SHIP THROUGH SERVICE IN THE ARMED 

14 FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES. 

15 (a) PERIOD OF REQUIRED SERVICE REDUCED TO 1 

16 YEAR.—Section 328(a) of the Immigration and Nation17 ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1439(a)) is amended by striking 

18 ‘‘three’’ and inserting ‘‘one’’. 

19 (b) PROHIBITION ON IMPOSITION OF FEES RELAT20 ING TO NATURALIZATION.—Section 328(b) of the Immi21 gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1439(b)) is amend22 ed—

23 (1) by striking the period at the end of para24 graph (3) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

25 (2) by adding after paragraph (3) the following: 
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1 ‘‘(4) notwithstanding any other provision of 

2 law, no fee shall be charged or collected from the ap3 plicant for filing an application under subsection (a) 

4 or issuing a certificate of naturalization upon admis5 sion to citizenship, and no clerk of any State court 

6 shall charge or collect any fee for such services un7 less the laws of the State require such charge to be 

8 made, in which case nothing more than the portion 

9 of the fee required to be paid to the State shall be 

10 charged or collected.’’. 

11 (c) CONDUCT OF NATURALIZATION PROCEEDINGS

12 OVERSEAS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF

13 THE UNITED STATES.—Notwithstanding any other provi14 sion of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Sec15 retary of State, and the Secretary of Defense, shall ensure 

16 that any applications, interviews, filings, oaths, cere17 monies, or other proceedings under title III of the Immi18 gration and Nationality Act relating to naturalization of 

19 members of the Armed Forces are available through 

20 United States embassies and consulates and, as prac21 ticable, United States military installations overseas.

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