Us Citizenship Denied Over Linkedin Request

.

According to the attorney, a person who applied for US citizenship was denied naturalization on the grounds of lack of good moral character.

The reason cited by USCIS was surprising: the applicant had sent LinkedIn connection requests to USCIS staff so that they could “have access to who you are as a person.”

USCIS reportedly said such conduct was inconsistent with appropriate professional boundaries between applicants and agency personnel.

The agency also said it reflected a disregard for official channels of communication.

The notice further stated that the conduct raised concerns about potentially threatening, coercive or improperly influential behaviour toward USCIS staff.

“DHS personnel do face threats and intimidation, and your lack of judgment in this regard reflects adversely on your good moral character,” the USCIS notice reportedly said.

The attorney did not disclose the identity, nationality or other details of the applicant. However, he expressed surprise that USCIS had used a LinkedIn request as a reason to deny naturalization.

He noted that there was no allegation of actual contact or communication beyond the request to connect on LinkedIn.

The officials who allegedly received the requests were the USCIS San Jose Field Office Director and the USCIS San Francisco District Director.

Naturalization is the legal process through which a non-US citizen voluntarily becomes a US citizen after meeting requirements set by Congress.

Green Card holders generally become eligible to apply after living in the US for five years. For marriage-based Green Card holders, the period is usually three years.

The process begins with filing Form N-400, the Application for Naturalization. After that, applicants attend a biometrics appointment, where they provide fingerprints, photographs and a signature.

The fingerprints are sent to the FBI for a criminal background check, while USCIS reviews other factors such as moral character, community involvement, travel history and eligibility.

Applicants are then called for an in-person interview.

In this particular case, the applicant reportedly told the interviewer that they had sent LinkedIn requests to two USCIS officers so the officers could view the full LinkedIn profile.

USCIS appears to have treated the LinkedIn request as a boundary issue involving agency staff.

The agency also referred to threats faced by DHS personnel while raising concerns about the applicant’s judgment.

It is not yet clear whether there were other grounds for denial in the case or whether the LinkedIn request alone formed the basis of the decision.

However, the case has now raised a new question among immigration applicants: can even a social media connection request to USCIS staff be viewed as improper influence?

Ketan Agarwal’s father, Vishal Agarwal, on Friday claimed that his son’s fiancee and murder accused Siya Goyal and her family were already aware that he…

A fresh twist has emerged in the murder case of Ketan Agarwal, with investigators now probing whether his fiancée Siya Goyal was forced by her…

The Trump administration is planning an artificial intelligence-driven overhaul of US visa processing and legal immigration services, including a new mobile application aimed at speeding…