Not Over Yet? Nope!

[JoannaV 173]

This Tuesday (13 days after my oath ceremony) I went into the SSA office to update my citizenship status.

Today I received my voter registration card in the mail. I had applied online a day or two after the oath ceremony. There was no requirement to prove citizenship, but the application was linked to the DMV (in order to electronically sign the application) and the SSN was a unique identifier. I was worried, given there was no citizenship proof asked for, that they would be checking citizenship with the SSA. (Worried because mine wasn't updated at that point!) But no, I guess they don't check that.

[Going through 5,668]

I'm happy this thread was started---lots of good info here on things I'm going to have to start getting in order soon.

[Going through 5,668]

On 8/17/2017 at 4:27 PM, JoannaV said:

This Tuesday (13 days after my oath ceremony) I went into the SSA office to update my citizenship status

Question---do you receive a new SS card, or they just update the info in their system?

My card still says something like "valid with DHS authorization" (never knew I had to change that after ROC in 2005, either).

[Taki 8]

13 hours ago, Going through said:

Question---do you receive a new SS card, or they just update the info in their system?

My card still says something like "valid with DHS authorization" (never knew I had to change that after ROC in 2005, either).

I didn't change my name, or had a condition on my card but they sent me a new one anyway.  The person who did the paperwork at SSA said it will look identical but they would send a new one anyway.  So I think you will get a new one, too.

Edited August 21, 2017 by Taki

[Going through 5,668]

5 hours ago, CookieCat said:

I updated SSA just this last Friday and I was given the option if I wanted a new card. The lady said I didn't need a new one since the last one I got after I became a permanent resident didn't have the "Valid for Work only with DHS authorization" on it anymore and she reminded me that I have a lifetime limit of 10 replacement requests. I just decided not to request another one as the last one I got 3 years ago was still in good condition. So you might be given an option like me, or they might just mail you without asking.

Congrats on your naturalization!

[JoannaV 173]

On 21/08/2017 at 3:29 AM, Going through said:

Question---do you receive a new SS card, or they just update the info in their system?

My card still says something like "valid with DHS authorization" (never knew I had to change that after ROC in 2005, either).

I automatically received a new one, which is identical to my old one except for the issued date.

@CookieCat, pretty sure cards received due to a change in information aren't supposed to count to your lifetime total!

[Zach&Lara 25]

On 8/23/2017 at 6:53 PM, JoannaV said:

I automatically received a new one, which is identical to my old one except for the issued date.

@CookieCat, pretty sure cards received due to a change in information aren't supposed to count to your lifetime total!

I didn't receive a new card. He just asked to see my SS card because he thought it still had the DHS words on them. I told him it didn't-I had them removed once I received my green card. Although I didn't receive a new card (he just updated my status in the system), this encounter was counted towards my lifetime total, but oh well....

[jane78 12]

Great thread. Here's my status on these items:

 

1. Voter Registration: At the Los Angeles ceremony I attended, the USCIS staff members were handing out voter registration cards during the wait time while we were waiting for the judge to come in and the ceremony to start. You could fill out the form before the oath was sworn, then after the oath was sworn you signed the card and submitted it at a table on the way out of the venue after you'd picked up your naturalization certificate. Some people around me did it then and there like me, and some just held onto it and said they would do it another time. There were also booths from the Democratic Party, Republican Party and nonprofits who do voter registration outside the venue after the ceremony. About a week ago I received in the mail a postcard from the County Clerk confirming my registration and stating that I can vote in elections held after August 2nd, 2017.

 

2. Passport. It took me a while to get this done. On August 3rd I called the nearest location where I could apply for a passport to make an appointment and the soonest available appointment was not until August 23rd! So I just submitted my passport application last week. I'm tracking it on this thread: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/621270-2017-us-passport-card-application-tracker/.

 

I do suggest that anyone who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, even if you don't plan to travel any time soon, get a passport as an extra document proving your citizenship. I know it's a bit paranoid but if this guy had a U.S. passport and/or passport card, maybe he wouldn't have spent 3 years in ICE detention.

 

I also would have to say that if you live in a state that has a law like Arizona's SB 1070 or Texas's SB 4, which gives local law enforcement the right to inquire about your immigration status, it might be worth it to have a passport or passport card.  Likewise if you live in the "100-mile border zone."

 

I also agree with the comment above -- it's much easier, faster and cheaper to get a replacement passport than a replacement certificate of naturalization if it ever gets lost, stolen or destroyed. If you can't imagine how any of those things could happen, just take a look at the footage from Houston right now. Replacement certificate of naturalization = $555, time to receive replacement = average 6 months. Replacement passport = $110, time to receive replacement = average 4-6 weeks. In my opinion every naturalized citizen should get a U.S. passport as soon as they are eligible, especially if they have relatives abroad that they might ever want or need to visit for any reason -- better to have it than be scrambling to get one in an emergency. If it was an emergency you could try to get an expedited U.S. passport before you leave the U.S. under the "life and death emergencies" category. I think that would be a better choice than taking your chances and exiting the U.S. using your foreign passport and applying for a U.S. passport while abroad. But why risk waiting for an emergency? Best to just get it as soon as your are able.

 

3. Social Security Card. At the Los Angeles ceremony they told us to wait 30 days before we went to the social security office to update our status. I decided for me the passport was a higher priority than the social security card. I've also heard stories on VisaJourney of Social Security Administration employees being confused by certificates of naturalization as proof of citizenship (though I doubt that would be a problem in the LA area) so my plan is to wait until I get my passport and then go to the Social Security Administration with my passport as proof of citizenship. I do plan to ask for a replacement social security card, as I still have my original social security card from when I first entered the U.S. on an F-1 visa that says "valid for work only with INS authorization." I never changed it after getting my conditional or 10-year green cards. 

 

4. DMV. There is no requirement to update your citizenship status with the DMV in the state of California.

Edited August 27, 2017 by jane78

[begood 8]

On 8/25/2017 at 5:49 AM, Zach&Lara said:

I didn't receive a new card. He just asked to see my SS card because he thought it still had the DHS words on them. I told him it didn't-I had them removed once I received my green card. Although I didn't receive a new card (he just updated my status in the system), this encounter was counted towards my lifetime total, but oh well....

i see in your timeline that you received your naturalization cenrtificate 2 weeks after your oath ? how? is not the day of  oath is the same day when USCIS  they give everybody the certificate ?

[Zach&Lara 25]

4 minutes ago, begood said:

i see in your timeline that you received your naturalization cenrtificate 2 weeks after your oath ? how? is not the day of  oath is the same day when USCIS  they give everybody the certificate ?

I received my Naturalization Certificate the day of my oath ceremony. The timeline is in reference to when I received my Naturalization Certificate back after applying for my passport; its usually sent separately from the passport. I got the passport first, then received the Naturalization Certificate a couple days later. 

 

I can see how that would be confusing.

[rose.rose 1]

On 8/17/2017 at 1:27 PM, JoannaV said:

This Tuesday (13 days after my oath ceremony) I went into the SSA office to update my citizenship status.

Today I received my voter registration card in the mail. I had applied online a day or two after the oath ceremony. There was no requirement to prove citizenship, but the application was linked to the DMV (in order to electronically sign the application) and the SSN was a unique identifier. I was worried, given there was no citizenship proof asked for, that they would be checking citizenship with the SSA. (Worried because mine wasn't updated at that point!) But no, I guess they don't check that.

Hi,  Happy for you, how did you register to vote online? i live i n California,  

[tarver56 11]

Thank you OP for this really informative post. Even though I just started applied - I am glad I found out about this sooner, rather than later.

 

[Dallas39 21]

This thread has some great info! I have my oath Tomorrow so I will need all this.  Thank you all.

[inqztve 42]

Yes, I agree I thought the oath was the end of Immigration related paperwork but now I have more to do:

1) Certified True copy: Done; Had to drive to Norfolk after an infopass appointment. 

2) Updating Social Security Paperwork: Done: Walked into an office (very close to where I live) after 6 days of Oath ceremony. Everything went well except for a brief power outage!!!

3) DMV: Waiting a couple of days for the SS paperwork is updated in the system

4) Passport: Ready for filing. The earliest appointment I could get at any post office within 20 miles is on April 30th. Filing with Certified True Copy. If that doesn't work will bite the bullet and send the original.

5) Voter Registration: Waiting on DMV paperwork to go through 1st.

6) Other: India doesn't allow dual citizenship. I have denounce Indian citizenship and apply for the OCI card but I can do that only after receiving the US passport as the application process needs that. Then I have to apply for wife's OCI card. 

 

It's going to be while!!!!  However, the difference is, I can do all that at my leisure. 

[Dallas39 21]

On 4/25/2018 at 1:49 PM, inqztve said:

Yes, I agree I thought the oath was the end of Immigration related paperwork but now I have more to do:

1) Certified True copy: Done; Had to drive to Norfolk after an infopass appointment. 

2) Updating Social Security Paperwork: Done: Walked into an office (very close to where I live) after 6 days of Oath ceremony. Everything went well except for a brief power outage!!!

3) DMV: Waiting a couple of days for the SS paperwork is updated in the system

4) Passport: Ready for filing. The earliest appointment I could get at any post office within 20 miles is on April 30th. Filing with Certified True Copy. If that doesn't work will bite the bullet and send the original.

5) Voter Registration: Waiting on DMV paperwork to go through 1st.

6) Other: India doesn't allow dual citizenship. I have denounce Indian citizenship and apply for the OCI card but I can do that only after receiving the US passport as the application process needs that. Then I have to apply for wife's OCI card. 

 

It's going to be while!!!!  However, the difference is, I can do all that at my leisure. 

Is there a voter card you get right after you update your DMV information? I am doing my 'post naturalization' stuff one at a time too. I am waiting for the passport to be mailed to me then I will take a morning off work to got to the Social Security Office (I am assuming i have to fill out a replacement form for that?)  After I get my SS card in the mail then I will take another morning off for DMV! One at a time! lol