Posted Mon, 12/27/2010 - 15:23 by alan
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a revised Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions, on December 22, 2010. This form is for individuals who seek exceptions from the English and civics requirements for Naturalization. This form is usually filed along with the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS will continue to accept the prior version for the next 90 days (until March 21, 2011).
As discussed elsewhere on this website, the law generally requires naturalization applicants to demonstrate proficiency of U.S. civics and the English language. Individuals with certain disabilities or impairments may request exceptions from either or both of these statutory requirements. This form, N-648, allows medical professionals to provide information that is necessary for USCIS to understand the medical professional’s diagnosis and its relationship to the naturalization requirements.
Generally, to qualify for the exception, a medical professional must certify that the applicant has the claimed disability or impairment that renders him or her unable to comply with the applicable requirements. There needs to be a nexus between the disability and not being able to comply with the federal requirements for Naturalization.
If you have questions on Form N-648, Medical Certification For Disability Exception, or would like to speak with a United States Immigration attorney, please call our office at 313-963-2505 .
