elishav

My mom and grandma came with us to Nimals citizenship oath. THough it was poorly run, the act iteslf was amazing. (I had never realized before then that his IO was so cute ) Even my hard hearted husband got an emotional jolt out of the call-outs for different countries and everyone cheering. There were six Sri Lankans our of the 876 total!!!! He was disappoointed the gubinator wasn't there. I havea childhood photo of him in Sri Lanka standing next to an arnold poster so that would have meant a lot. Oh well. My husband and I were up since four. he worked until 2:30AM the night before so it was all he could to do stay awake . But we pulled ourselves together enough to go to BJ's Brewery and enjoy a citizenship lunch. I am so proud of him and I am so happy he's mine. Hes worth even with the extra gray hairs on my head and years stolen off my life from dealing with the USCIS all these years.

And think it does something like this........"And they lived happily forever after............" Until someone reminds them about the job market

and if u live the curiosity u will be better, and this is non of ur business. just take care of urself and leave people alone.

First of all, YOU asked explicitly on a public forum for advise in your case. Therefore, you solicited my and other people's advise. If you now state this is non of my business and I should leave people alone, you obviously have an intellectual problem that manifests itself in the apparent lack of comprehension.

My response to your question was right on the money and given in order to help you.

You asked if you should have a lawyer present and I responded: No. No, because you are not even allowed to have a lawyer with you at the interview, and if you need somebody to hold your hand before you get into the room, you certainly find a more affordable companion than an immigration lawyer.

Secondly, also in an attempt to give you valuable advise, you should work on your English skills. If a 75 year-old woman from China, Japan, or Vietnam has problems with English, Immigration Officers tend to be more forgiving than when a relatively young Arab man sits in the hot chair. Learning the language of the country you want to become a citizen of is about as important as it gets and helps you in so many ways you are most likely unable to comprehend right now.

Finally, many people have deep emotional wounds since the Muslim terror attacks of September 11, and many have lost loved ones in those attacks, among them Immigration Officers.

Like at any interview, be it for a job or when applying for citizenship of a country, it is the first impression that often has a greater impact than anything else. If you wear a button telling the Immigration Officer that you want the deaths of the American Imperialist pigs who threaten the Islamic way of life, you are setting yourself up for possible failure as much as it gets. Whether you say that directly, or wear a button that implies such motion doesn't matter; as aforementioned, what matters is what is perceived by the observer or, in your case, they Immigration Officer across the table from you. That has little to do with freedom of religion, but everything to do with common sense and sensibility to the incredible suffering the American people had to endure.

I have no duck in this hunt, and I should care less if you become a US citizen, but after your uncalled for response to my helping hand, I once again am confirmed in my personal beliefs.

Someone call the Waaammmmbulance.

Hello-

I sent my N-400 application along with documents. My question is, what will happen if I get an interview before my Green card anniversary? Since I sent my application 85 days before the official date. And also Dallas has been working in applications in about 2 months, as they have same day oath.

Should I just try to schedule my biometrics, or the interview to slow down the process. or just let run its course?

Any thoughts

Who would have ever thought slowing down the USCIS would be the problem?

In response to this growing issue, they simply delay your oath until you have reached your anniversary.

Can only wonder what brain decides the location of field offices, with had biometrics in Milwaukee, near downtown loaded with no parking signs. Did pass by the field office in Chicago, another no parking area with these crooks that charge 17 bucks an hour to park. Wife has a friend that lives less than an hour from St. Louis but in Illinois so has to go to the Chicago office. Very expensive trip for her, has to stay overnight in one of those way overpriced Chicago downtown hotels. In a way, we are fortunate for our interviews in being assigned to the St. Paul office, not even in St. Paul, but in Bloomington, right off the interstate with a huge parking lot. But for some reason, they have consistently sent us to downtown Milwaukee for biometrics. We didn't even ask why, just did it to get it over with.

Had to deal with the Colombia, Venezuelan, and Japanese consulates, all located in downtown Chicago, and even very small rented offices. Wondered why they couldn't move these out to O'Hare, even would get free guards for security. For us we can actually drive quicker to O'Hare than between that 30 miles between O'Hare and downtown Chicago where the average speed is about 1 mph.

Well, the OP had a troublefree interview, hope the oath ceremony is the same way, fortunately our senator got us Wisconsinites out of that St. Paul oath ceremony where they like to get around 2,000 applicants before they have one, and right smack in downtown Minneapolis that is also one big fat no parking zone. Oh for the offices that have the same day oath ceremony. For us, a very long trip and two days pay, most of our fellow Wisconsinites stayed in a motel. My wife had to work until 2:00 AM, got dressed and we got in the car and I drove while she slept, half hour later was back on the road again, just mostly to watch a video of GWB and lip sync the oath she already read aloud and signed at her interview.

Really no consideration for the applicants. We did get mercy from Milwaukee, daughter's biometrics was scheduled three days later than my wife's, did bring her along, and they did take her prints, that was nice saving us yet another 450 mile trip. I drop them off, but wish they would let my wife and daughter carry their cell phones so I can them where I am. When you really need those damned things, can't use them.

Nik, you totally crack me up.

Why do things need to devolve into questioning the personal choices of the OP? If they ask for your personal opinion, then by all means. But unless the question they are posing is illegal or obviously unethical or immoral, why yack about it?

Here are the statistics of those who renounced their US Citizenship and moved to Canada according to a survey conducted by the Academy of Canadian Studies.

The year 2000 was 5,828. The year 2005 was 9,262. The year 2006 was 10,942.

The same studies reveal a decrease in Canadians moving to the USA.

REFERENCE:

http://www.oilempire.us/canada.html

[/quote/]

I was rather disappointed when I took the citizenship test on the Canadian Immigration Website and found it's rather difficult to move to Canada, or as Homer Simpson calls it, "America Junior". I assumed they would be more welcoming than the US. However, I think the rules are more stringent in light of the current economic climate.

INA 212 a 1 E: Any alien who is a former citizen of the United States who officially renounces United States citizenship and who is determined by the Attorney General to have renounced United States citizenship for the purpose of avoiding taxation by the United States is excludable

So it's not just the visa waiver program, but if they determined you renounced citizenship for tax purposes you'd be inadmissible no matter how you tried to enter. I don't know exactly how they determine whether your citizenship renunciation was for tax purposes, nor do I know what enforcement means they use.

I would like to take a stab at this though I am not speaking from experience.

I could be mistaken, but I read that particular passage to mean someone who renounces their citizenship in order to avoid tax debt.

The official website for renunciation actually makes mention of the use of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) after reununciation. I put in the quote below. So should you decide to cut and run from the United States, there is no official barrier against your entering the US under the VWP.

This is in section D under Dual Nationality/Statelessness "Even if they were not stateless, they would still be required to obtain a visa to travel to the United States, or show that they are eligible for admission pursuant to the terms of the Visa Waiver Pilot Program (VWPP). If found ineligible for a visa or the VWPP to come to the U.S., a renunciant, under certain circumstances, could be barred from entering the United States"

http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_776.html

Interestingly enough, your renunciation also does not have an effect on your military service obligations. Does that mean that the selective service can enlist you into the US armed forces even though you are no longer a citizen? Oh, the wording on these things.

I am sorry I am such a dork. I screwed up the formatting again. BUT we did get our oath date and I am SOOOOOOOOOO Happy. MY husband will complete his bachelors degree and get his citizenship in the same week. Boy is he going to be stressed.

On a side note, this also means I will not mess with the list anymore.

UserName.............Sent........NOA.....Biometrics..Int Letter..Interview....Oath......Office

Alyssa84............07/02/09...07/06/09...07/29/09....08/13/09...09/18/09...09/28/09...Saint Paul, MN

abyss ..............07/21/09...07/30/09...08/17/09....08/24/09...10/27/09...11/04/09...Seattle, WA

big al .............07/21/09...07/28/09...08/19/09....09/17/09...10/27/09...11/18/09...Sacramento CA

Leviathan23.........07/22/09...07/31/09...08/17/09....09/02/09...11/09/09...12/16/09...Milwaukee, WI

Mooonika............07/23/09...07/28/09...08/29/09....09/06/09.. 11/10/09...12/09/09...Honolulu, HI

Philipsen...........07/24/09...07/28/09...08/19/09....[/font]09/05/09...10/21/09...--/--/--...Phoenix, AZ

Ohiobuck............07/31/09...08/03/09...08/26/09....09/03/09...10/15/09...--/--/--...Columbus, Ohio

ilto................08/04/09...08/17/09...09/01/09....09/12/09...10/29/09...--/--/--...Salt Lake City, UT

walls1010...........08/05/09...08/17/09...09/01/09....09/12/09...10/19/09...11/18/09...San Bernardino, CA

Giss................08/08/09...08/17/09...09/08/09....09/18/09...11/12/09...12/03/09...Los Angeles,CA

hussamk.............08/12/09...08/18/09...09/09/09....10/08/09...11/20/09...--/--/--...Sacramento, CA

Leah................08/17/09...08/21/09...09/24/09....11/05/09...12/10/09...--/--/--...Detroit, MI

fine&jadwin.........08/17/09...08/25/09...09/11/09....10/09/09...11/17/09...11/18/09...Sacramento, CA

elishav.............08/20/09...08/28/09...09/22/09....10/05/09...11/23/09...12/16/09...Sacramento, CA

pmkroger............08/20/09...08/25/09...09/18/09....10/07/09...11/02/09...12/03/09...San Bernardino, CA

lansbury............08/21/09...08/28/09...09/22/09....10/13/09...12/01/09...12/02/09...Portland, OR

runaway73...........08/24/09...09/03/09...09/30/09....10/09/09...11/12/09...12/11/09...San Jose, CA

Uday................08/26/09...--/--/--...--/--/--....--/--/--...10/26/09...11/04/09...Saint Paul, MN

USCIS Lockbox Texas

UserName.............Sent........NOA.....Biometrics..Int Letter..Interview....Oath......Office

Fasi99..............07/06/09...07/10/09...08/04/09....08/17/09...09/30/09...--/--/--...Detroit, MI

ahastop.............07/06/09...07/09/09...08/01/09....10/28/09...11/30/09...--/--/--...Garden City, NY

java100us...........07/08/09...08/12/09...09/04/09....09/22/09...10/20/09...10/20/09...Baltimore, MD

Tsup2...............07/10/09...07/17/09...07/30/09....10/01/09...11/02/09...11/02/09...Denver, CO

Anya-D..............07/14/09...07/22/09...08/10/09....08/18/09...09/28/09...10/16/09...Raleigh, NC

MisterWorry.........07/15/09...07/22/09...08/11/09....08/20/09...09/28/09...10/29/09...Dallas, TX

Collie..............07/15/09...07/22/09...08/11/09....09/--/09...09/28/09...10/22/09...Dallas, TX

PrinceandPrincess...07/17/09...07/24/09...08/15/09....08/24/09...09/29/09...09/29/09...Dallas, TX

CanAmCharlotte......07/17/09...07/22/09...08/11/09....08/19/09...10/05/09...--/--/--...Charlotte, NC

Satyam..............07/17/09...07/23/09...08/12/09....09/04/09...10/13/09...10/15/09...New Orleans, LA

*Robert*............07/20/09...07/23/09...08/14/09....09/03/09...10/07/09...10/30/09...Orlando, FL

SSharma.............07/20/09...08/04/09...08/20/09....09/04/09...10/13/09...10/29/09...Dallas, TX

zombie2006..........07/21/09...07/30/09...08/13/09....--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...Charlotte, NC

amana1..............07/22/09...09/27/09...08/18/09....09/05/09...10/14/09...--/--/--...Dover, DE

vtguy...............07/22/09...07/31/09...08/18/09....08/31/09...10/06/09...10/26/09...St Albans, VT

display name........07/22/09...08/03/09...--/--/--....--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...Puerto Rico

Italian_in_NYC......07/27/09...08/01/09...08/20/09....09/22/09...11/10/09...11/13/09...New York, NY

Redneck-NOVA........07/28/09...07/29/09...08/21/09....09/14/09...10/15/09...12/10/09...Fairfax, VA

Koo.................07/28/09...08/01/09...08/18/09....10/01/09...11/12/09...--/--/--...Atlanta, GA

hrushka.............08/05/09...08/11/09...09/02/09....10/01/09...11/16/09...11/16/09...Atlanta, GA

Vj..................08/06/09...08/10/09...09/03/09....--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...Raleigh, NC

Bj..................08/06/09...08/11/09...09/09/09....--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...Raleigh, NC

Jesti...............08/10/09...08/13/09...09/04/09....09/21/09...11/06/09...--/--/--...San Antonio, TX

dasarp..............08/14/09...08/17/09...08/27/09....09/10/09...10/20/09...--/--/--...Dallas, Texas

Chris W.............08/17/09...--/--/--...--/--/--....--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...Portland,OR

Rebelheart..........08/20/09...08/24/09...10/09/09....11/03/09...12/07/09...--/--/--...Atlanta, GA

TheGMan.............08/20/09...08/25/09...09/17/09....10/03/09...11/10/09...01/11/10...Saint Albans, VT

Bilson4real.........08/21/09...08/26/09...10/01/09....11/05/09...12/07/09...--/--/--...Raleigh, NC

Raleigh2009.........08/26/09...09/03/09...09/22/09....11/06/09...12/07/09...--/--/--...Raleigh, NC

nayalamb............08/24/09...08/27/09...09/25/09....10/21/09...12/08/09...--/--/--...Philadelphia,PA

michaillah07........08/25/09...08/27/09...09/21/09....10/08/09...11/18/09...--/--/--...Jacksonville, FL

legolas.............08/28/09...09/03/09...09/24/09....10/08/09...11/17/09...12/11/09...Baltimore, MD

Mom2LilNoah.........08/28/09...09/02/09...10/06/09....11/02/09...12/08/09...--/--/--...Atlanta, GA

4keerthi............02/18/09...02/23/09...10/21/09....11/02/09...12/01/09...12/01/09...Atlanta,GA

Instructions for adding/updating yourself (or assisting others) to this list:

1. Please make sure you are using Rich Text Editor as your message setting.

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6. Red Font="I'm A United States Citizen"!

i have question, who must register for Selective Service ? i was reading about it and it says all the people from 18 to 26 years old must register:

Under current law, all male U.S. citizens are required to register with Selective Service within 30 days of their 18th birthday. In addition, foreign males between the ages of 18 and 26 living in the United States must register. This includes permanent residents (holders of Green Cards)

do i have to register i'm 29 years old now and i entered the US when i was 26 years old , and i'm permanent residents now.

Thanks.

No, you are free and clear! The law applies to you if you were 26(or younger) when you became a permanent resident, not when you entered the country.

Thanks for your answer, i do get my Green Card when i was 26 years old, that was in 2007 and i born in 1980 do i have to register? that confusing me, thanks

The law applies if you became a permanent resident before your 26th birthday so you are good. On your permanent residency application, you sign a waiver providing your information to selective service for registration. While, I don't know if they automatically register you or not, another person on visa journey as well as my husband found that they were registered even though they didn't know it. Either way, you are fine, but here is the website if you want to check. https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfVerification.aspx

Hello.

If my spouse doesnt have Naturalization certificate, or Certificate of Citizenship, Can we Send a copy of my spouse's passport? and it will work like Naturalization certificate, or like Certificate of Citizenship ?

Thank you

A Passport will work. Check out the link below. And when you get a chance, read the citizenship guide. It answers a lot of questions like this one. As my late uncle used to say, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/attachments.pdf

i have question, who must register for Selective Service ? i was reading about it and it says all the people from 18 to 26 years old must register:

Under current law, all male U.S. citizens are required to register with Selective Service within 30 days of their 18th birthday. In addition, foreign males between the ages of 18 and 26 living in the United States must register. This includes permanent residents (holders of Green Cards)

do i have to register i'm 29 years old now and i entered the US when i was 26 years old , and i'm permanent residents now.

Thanks.

No, you are free and clear! The law applies to you if you were 26(or younger) when you became a permanent resident, not when you entered the country.

Quick question: In between your interview and your oath, did your status change to reflect that you were recieving your oath letter? Did it say "Oath" or "Decision"? Or did it not change at all and you recieved your oath date anyways?

I am now a citizen and my online status says 'initial review'. It does not even show biometrics...

That's both encouraging and depressing(to me)

My husband did not register for the selective service and he was 25 whene he became an LPR. Will there be a problem when/if he applies for citizenship? I don't understand this....

Check here if he is registered, if he is not, then it will be a problem as they will require proof when you file for citizenshiphttps://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfVerification.aspx

It says MATCHED RECORD and that he was registered in Feb of 2008 so that's good to know for if/when he applies for citizenship.

Thanks for the link and the replies

Great New!!!!!

Thanks guys. Yeah it looks like USCIS doesn't have their act together on their new online case status. No place for biometrics letter sent in the site.

I guess they expect us to figure out the RFE posted is the biometric appointment letter.

They keep you guessing right down to the oath ceremony.

The immigration process has been the WORST and "best" thing I've ever done in my life.

The process and dealing with the government the WORST. The results the best!

As WC Fields said: Tain't no free lunch!!!!

There are lots of people that were confused by those RFE's. So glad we have sites like this where we can figure this stuff out on our own. I Have a professor that studied the INS(as it was know then) as her doctoral thesis, so I have heard lots of horror stories. You think its bad now, you should hear about the wasteland it was in the 1980's. Its where they sent aging bureacrats to die.

On the I-485, there is a place in the application where you sign a waiver to allow the USCIS to transmit your info for the purposes of registering for the Selective Service.

They make it sound like they are doing it for you. My husband was 27 when we applied so he was not required to register and did not. However, I just checked his social on the website above and there he was with a registration number and everything. Hmmmmmmmmmmm

My husband did not register for the selective service and he was 25 whene he became an LPR. Will there be a problem when/if he applies for citizenship? I don't understand this....

Check here if he is registered, if he is not, then it will be a problem as they will require proof when you file for citizenshiphttps://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfVerification.aspx

Your instincts are correct. The RFE is for your biometrics!

Well, all over the place really. He has applied for jobs in Astoria, Lincoln City, Salem and Portland, but competition is tough. Hopefully with his citizenship, there will be a few more options(Army Corp of Engineers or Forest Service). The constant warmth and sunshine into November is beginning to wear on us

Quick question: In between your interview and your oath, did your status change to reflect that you were recieving your oath letter? Did it say "Oath" or "Decision"? Or did it not change at all and you recieved your oath date anyways?

Thank you for sharing your story and congrats! Slurpees are a great way to start off a new chapter in your life.

By the way, I love your motto. I too, seek to annoy the world(our poor romantic partners). My husband and I are planning a move up there to Oregon after he graduates and gets his degree. Maybe we should start an annoying support group.

I know you have your worries, but I would trust the feds on that one. I for one, I have never heard a horror story of a lost certificate. One question though, Why does the DMV need to know your change in status? We didn't tell them when he became a permanent resident. Does the Dmv have the power to deport us over unpaid parking tickets?

Yikes, I didn't realize this kind of question was going to be asked for my future husband. He's from the UK and like a majority of his country, thinks gun control is extremely important and that Americans are too gun-happy.

I'm inclined to agree, especially with a Constitution that has amendments for a reason...

Now, I come from a strong military family and my dad is a colonel, so I very much support our troops, especially as they put their lives in danger for our country. It's more about Congress that I wouldn't agree with who have the power to involve the U.S. in wars, but I guess there's no stopping them except for voting them out.

*sigh*

Gun control in the UK is only an issue if you want to own one legally, illegally not a problem.

I prefer the US system. Gives you a chance.

Please stop jacking threads. This is not about gun control. Your off-topic snide comments to people are all over this board. There are plenty of places on the internet for what you are looking for. People have politely asked you to stop, so please stop.

Actually, she mentioned gun control first. As NickD pointed out, the Oath statement about bearing arms has absolutely nothing to do with the 2nd Amendment. But when you start talking about morals of bearing arms, these 2 subjects mix and I was partially guilty in taking this thread somewhat offtopic by making comments about Right to bear arms. However, it was Justine+David who mentioned gun control first, so don't scream at Boiler just because you disagree with his statement and agree with hers. We see enough of this tactic in congress and media, it's really not cool

I wasn't making any kind of statement regarding his opinions, only that they be given context to immigration issues. She was voicing concern about the oath and giving it context to her future husband in Britain, he was making a comment about gun control laws.

Boiler made another comment on a forum about someone discussing the demise of their international marriage with "Just sounds like another latin marriage". Talk about kicking someone while they are down. It's ####### like that I take an issue with. Visajourney is one of a kind site about marriage immigration issues and I hope it stays that way.

That's a twisted statement. I always thought that honoring any oath is a proper thing to do if you took this oath volounterely and in good faith. The real problem is that the country decayed to the point when no one takes any oaths seriously and even elected officials all the way to the oval office do not honor the oath of office. What happened to "defend and protect the Constitution...against all enemies - foregn and domestic"!?!?!?

I am sorry you don't agree. By your statement the country was decaying before the ink was dry on the Declaration of Independance. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights..." The enslavement of African-Americans, the decimation of entire Native American populations etc. took place under a government that declared itself using these words.

Horrible horrible things have been done in the name of issuing unconditional allegiance. Classical organizational theory has sent millions of people efficiently to slaughter and all they were doing was upholding "oaths" to their government and superiors. NO THANK YOU!

By the way, don't assume you know my political stance on anything. Frankly, I could care less about gun control. Have guns, don't have guns. It's all gravy. Just don't force me to use them against the person you pre-ordained the enemy.

Hi everyone.

I couldn't seem to find the answer to this in the forums.

I'm applying for citizenship based on marriage. They say to "send copies of the following docs, unless we ask for an original". Now does this mean a simple photocopy? or does it have to be certified. (

Like my wife's US birth cert, our marriage cert, her divorce papers from her previous marriage and blah.

It's also kind of annoying since I have to provide the same docs for my green card, green card renewal and etc... Don't they have this on file??! hehe. just letting off some steam.

thanks,

Dom

You don't have to send certified copies. You will have to bring the originals to the interview so if they doubt their validity they can have a look-see then. Congradulations!

Just sayin', it ain't very easy to get in, and with three kids, even when we had the draft, they would want no part of you, would have to give you free medical and dental care to your kids even if you met all the other requirements. You would be too expensive for the government.

My granddad had 5 very small children and tried his best stay out of the army when everyone else was signing up voluntarily..

They conscripted him anyway and he was killed within a few months when he and his friends were ordered to walk towards a heavy water cooled machine gun. His body was never found.

They pass all sorts of laws in time of war and those bear little resemblance to peacetime laws.

These people who advocate arms to attack their own (the US government) are fantasists. They spend half their time praising the US military, and the other half polishing their guns and saying they will kill their own servicemen if the government becomes too socialist and tyrannical.

I am 62 years old and in shape. I have a brand new AR-15 assault rifle and National expert marksman qualifications starting in 1967. Luckily I am considered incapable of causing any harm to an enemy so that's ok. However, paper targets should be very afraid.

The poster who talks about Chavez should realise that it wouldn't be him on the end of your bayonet, it would more likely be a scared 17 year old begging for his/her life and your comrades encouraging you to give 'battlefield justice'. War is not a noble thing - it's organised murder no matter how it's portrayed.

The politics and the theory is one thing, the reality is something else. When you are under 26 you don't think like this and that's why the government wants you and not me.

Would you die for the Vietnam war ? 50 thousand Americans dead and half a million crippled in mind and/or body. As soon as it ended we were all friends and US manufacturers were setting up sweat shops there to make shirts. So what was all that about ? What were the terrible consequences of losing ? What happened when we lost ?

All in all I would try my best to avoid killing people in that sort of war. But soldiers can't pick their wars - they have to obey the orders of a Bush brother or Sarah or even - Glenn Beck ?

Exactly the way I felt and feel today, kids fighting kids, it's a downright disgrace, while the leaders that started these wars sit in warm comfortable surroundings have tea parties. Would be a far different story if the leaders led the rest of us in battle, and none of this high tech stuff, wars are won by the foot soldier.

My husband took issue with the citizenship oath for the exact reasons you state. As Muhammed Ali stated when he refused to be drafted and went to jail instead. "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong...."(one of my personal favorite quotes of all time). My husband will be a proud American and takes no issue with the idea of defending our country; it's trusting American officials and politicians not to lead us into unnecessary conflict that is the problem.

My husband lived in the middle of a brutal civil war for the first twenty years of his life and had to leave his home in order to avoid being drafted into the rebel army at the age of 12. He is certainly schooled on the realities of war, which most Americans are fortunately NOT and don't realize your are not shooting at bad guys, you are just shooting at people that had guns forced in their hands by people holding guns to their heads.

Did your husband become a USC, and if so, did he answer no to the bearing arms question?

I have never known this country to ask a 40 year old women with three kids to bear arms for this country. The way we bear arms or at least have, you are enlisted in one of the five branches of our military and receive plenty of training, wear a uniform and all that other stuff like learning the rules of engagement. We couldn't just shoot anybody and if you did, got into big trouble. So why are they even asking this question of a 40 year old women, or even an 80 year old woman that is half blind?

Seems like in a way, they are giving you a choice, question is what happens if you answer no. I don't have the answer to that. One question they do not ask, are you willing to pay taxes? There you have no choice. Or why do they ask what have you been doing for the last five years, since you are applying with marriage and only been here three.

He hasn't taken the oath yet or been scheduled. He is not going to make an issue of it because the citizenship applicaton and the oath itself is very flawed. No sense is making an issue about taking up arms unless you are willling to challenge the whole thing. If the country decays to the point that honoring the oath would become an issue, well... we all won't likely be concerned with semantics at that point.

However, given the automated response of most issues by the USCIS authorities, they would likely deny your citizenship if they noticed among the hundreds of people taking the oath that you said no to that question, and then make you schedule an alternative oath without the baring arms part.