Grashoppr

Heh I had to look at my SIN card - I did have that changed, apparently. My first marriage was 26 years ago. I've been here in GA for 15 now.

I guess I'll sit tight on it, at least until the Canadian passport needs to be renewed. At least for the Canadian stuff. Not so many hoops to jump through on the American side.... I think.

Jenn

What about later on - say, when collecting CPP after retirement etc., do you foresee any issues with that?

Thanks for the fast reply!

Did you change it in the U.S.? I got my U.S. passport shortly after my citizenship in early 2013. So it's good til March 2023. The Canadian one is good til 2024. Had I known I was going to get married, I'd have at least gone for the 5 year renewal on the Canadian one but it's such a chore to get properly formatted pictures here, I went for the 10 year so I wouldn't have to fool with it for a while.

Passport Canada's website says that any name change needs a new application (and fee). Ugh - I'm not flushing all that money down the drain.

Not sure if it will cost here in the U.S. yet I haven't checked. I'm starting to wonder if it's worth the bother - it's only a name. Kind of makes me wish I'd never changed it from my maiden name, in the first place :-/

Jenn

Hi folks,

Canadian-born, now U.S. Citizen (since January 2013.) I maintain a Canadian passport as well as a U.S. one.

I'm getting re-married and intend to change my surname to my husband's. How do I go about doing that back in Canada? Has anyone here done that?

Or is it too much of a pain? Or is it a worse pain to leave my name as-is as far as Canada goes?

This is a second marriage for me - I've been divorced for 10 years (first marriage was in Canada, long before we came to the States), but kept my first husband's surname after our divorce.

I've googled around a bit but haven't found anything specific to my circumstance. Any insight would be appreciated.

Once we're married I'll jump through the hoops here in Georgia to make the changes. Right off the bat I can see it being problematic if I do NOT change the name in Canada, as if/when I visit I'd have 2 passports with 2 different names, so one wouldn't match my plane ticket. That isn't going to fly (literally).

Will I have to pay for my passport all over again? I just recently renewed for 10 years (!)

I'm already thinking it may be less of a pain to just leave my name as it is - but I filled in the marriage license application stating I'll be changing my name.

Jenn

Thanks. Yes I was thinking that a letter of explanation might be helpful. I'll send copies of birth certificate and I'm not sure if I have his old passport or not. His other parent applied for his passport renewal, and I'm not sure if the expired one was returned or not (I always request my expired passport be returned).

I have all of the original immigration paperwork in a box in my attic. Wondering if I should pull that too.

Should he send the form in, or would doing an Infopass to submit the application in person even be doable? We're near ATL and the service center isn't too far away - it's something he could do on his day off if that would be productive. Since he'd have to send the application to Phoenix (I think) then it might not be practical to do that. Just trying to prevent problems before they happen. We haven't sent it in - working on it this weekend to send this coming week.

Other than the lower fee (which I'm disappointed we missed out on...) is there any significance to missing that milestone?

Thanks for the info. I'm hoping it's no big deal to correct it.

Grashoppr

Here's another question. Now that I'm reading up on stuff, should we have renewed his card when he turned 14? The existing card is/was valid for 10 years, there was nothing on there regarding renewing when he was 14. Hopefully this won't be a problem.

My other child is renewing too - she is older (they both got their cards at the same time) - she turned 14 while here too. Hope they don't encounter problems.

Grashoppr

With apologies if I'm in the wrong sub-forum, moderators, please feel free to move this to the proper one.

My 19-year old son is about to renew his Green Card (I became a citizen last year, he prefers to just renew the GC this time around).

He's 6 months from expiration, he can fill in and print the I90 and send it off with payment.

Here's the problem. His existing Green Card has a mistake on the date of birth. It was some years before we noticed it (he was a little kid), so we never changed it. Makes his birthday seem 3 days earlier than it actually is. We actually didn't find the mistake until we got him a SSN and the person there pointed it out.

I went back to the original paperwork and it was the immigration attorney's mistake. Until now it hasn't been an issue, except his drivers' license has the wrong date too because they went by the GC (something that should be fairly easy to correct once the GC is renewed/fixed).

Does anyone foresee a problem when he goes to renew? He has a valid Canadian passport, and a Canadian birth certificate. I think for the original immigration process we had a long-form birth certificate. I cannot seem to find his at the moment (although I have my other child's - not sure where his went :-/ )

Do we point out the existing error, or just file the application to renew and go from there?

Thanks for any insight. This group was awesome when I went through my citizenship journey 18 months ago Hoping for a bit of advice now.

Cheers,
Grashoppr

Driver's license - register to vote (and possibly get summoned for jury duty!)

I'll do the SS office eventually. There's one in Blue Ridge I think... quieter but I'm not sure if I can go there, I have a feeling the servicing office depends on where one lives. Marietta is closer and I've had to go there before - and unless you're first in the door, it's an all-day thing.

Heh me neither Got my passport, but have not been to the DMV (license renews in October - I'll put it off til then LOL) nor have I been to the Social Security office yet... just dragging my feet on that.

I guess this will be our first 4th of July as American Citizens! Happy Independence Day, everyone!

Grashoppr

Congratulations! Hope your husband is OK

Long journey for you, for sure, glad it's over!

Morrow? What the heck?! I believe that's way south of ATL. Why on Earth there?!

Well at least you're on the home stretch... welcome back!

Finally applied for my Passport today. Tried to call the post office to make an appointment - got a busy signal on many attempts. I had to go into town, so I went by the post office. The soonest they could take me was March 18th! (And I live in a small town). I booked the appointment - disappointed, as I'd got my pictures taken and had everything ready to go.

Then it occurred to me that I'd read that there were other places locally ... like the courthouse, so I googled the courthouse on my phone, called, and yes, I could just walk in and submit my application. The clerk advised me that they don't take pictures there which was fine because I'd already had mine made.

So I popped into the courthouse and was in and out in about 20 minutes.

Previously I'd seen threads for passport filers - is there one here for February? I didn't see it on the first few pages.

Congratulations

I've been quiet around here since my oath. Glad you've all made it through to the other side!

Haven't applied for my passport yet - soon (have to squeeze the budget a bit).

That stinks.

I got lucky... I brought copies of my marriage certificate and divorce decree. I was married 10+ years to a Canadian when we moved here. Divorced in 2005 (I was here since 2000 and unconditional GC since 2003). USCIS had a copy of my marriage certificate from when we came here, but in the interview, asked for a copy of the divorce decree. Not even the yellow letter asked for that.

I had it, she copied it, end of story.

Not exactly chuffed that my Certificate of Naturalization has DIVORCED plastered on it... but oh well

Wow, William - when did you apply?

One thing I forgot to mention... but it warmed my heart. When I had my interview, there was an older lady from India there too. She had her interview before me, and when she came out, she was so happy I thought she was going to burst (or dance!) I remember smiling at her. To see someone in her later years of life make such a big life-change - I don't know, it was just "a moment".

I saw her at the Oath Ceremony too. I didn't see her after I was seated - she was somewhere behind me and I lost track of her, but somehow I felt kind of privileged to be a remote part of her big day.

Funny the little things that matter. She doesn't know who I am from anybody, but it was fun to be "a fly on the wall" for her big day too.

It's been a long, but good day. I had to come to work after my Oath Ceremony so I didn't have time to elaborate. I'm still at work but there's an invisible ice storm so people are staying home

Ceremony was really nice. 154 people from 53 countries. We got there in just under an hour (versus 90 minutes the other day!) so we were way too early, so we went and got a bite at a nearby restaurant. Checked in through security at about 7:30 AM for 8:00 ceremony. Well, the ceremony started at 9, the hour between is for agents to check people in, go over the questions on the back of the oath letter and such. Then row by row we went from the waiting area into the ceremony room. We each checked in at the desk there, and they showed us our certificates to make sure they were correct. Then we were given a numbered card and sat in the seat corresponding to the number. That allows them to put the certificates in order to be handed out at the end.

The gentleman officiating at the ceremony was really nice. He was "macgyvering" a microphone and cracked a joke about the department not having any money. He also assured us that we'd be citizens soon, and we'd be "outta here" before the weather event.

Family members not being sworn in are asked to wait on the 3rd floor, the ceremony room is on the second. Family/friends are brought in just before the ceremony starts, and they sit at the back of the room, but can move freely around the room to take pictures, which was nice.

We were shown a video set to music, showing quotations from naturalized citizens, photos etc. Then we stood for the National Anthem. The MC then announced how many people there were and how many countries, and as he called out each country, anyone from that country was asked to stand, and we applauded for every one.

Then we took out our oath cards from the packet provided (there's an envelope of stuff and a small American flag on each chair as we were seated), we repeated the oath with the MC, and we're sworn in. I was choked up. Most of the people around me were pretty unemotional but there was a lady in the row before me and a couple of seats over, and she glanced my way at some point - she was all verklempt too... so we smiled at one another and sniffled LOL!

Afterward, we recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and saw a video from President Obama, and the ceremony concluded with Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" (If you didn't cry before that...!) Then we each went up to receive our certificate, and if people wanted to stay and take more pictures, they could do that too.

It was a very nice, very appropriate and very emotional ceremony.

Hard to believe my journey is over now! Well... there's still the DMV, passport, Social Security office etc.... but the difficult stuff is all done now.

I am an American! Woohoo!

I am a United States Citizen!!!

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N-400: June 2012 Applicants

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USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox

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UserName............|Sent.....|ChkCashd.|NOA......|Fprints..|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|FieldOffice.....|EB....|

====================|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|================|======|

Mayfilerpali........|05/29/12.|06/06/12.|06/04/12.|07/17/12.|09/28/12.|12/06/12.|12/28/12.|New York, NY....|07/09.|US Citizen!!

LillyB..............|05/30/12.|06/06/12.|06/04/12.|06/25/12.|09/11/12.|10/12/12.|10/24/12.|Hartford, CT....|US Citizen!!

Adrian01............|05/31/12.|06/07/12.|06/04/12.|07/09/12.|08/06/12.|09/06/12.|11/26/12.|Dallas, TX......|US Citizen!!

Toa.................|05/31/12.|06/06/12.|06/06/12.|06/22/12.|07/30/12.|09/04/12.|09/17/12.|Buffalo, NY.....|US Citizen!!

Hihello ............|06/01/12.|06/07/12.|06/05/12.|07/17/12.|10/13/12.|11/15/12.|11/21/12.|New York, NY....|06/29.|US Citizen!!

Honey_me............|06/01/12.|06/08/12.|06/07/12.|06/28/12.|07/05/12.|08/23/12.|09/25/12.|San Antonio, TX.|US Citizen!!

Ddartt1.............|06/04/12.|06/16/12.|06/11/12.|07/17/12.|08/08/12.|09/17/12.|09/17/12.|Newark, NJ......|US Citizen!!

Gracell.............|06/06/12.|06/12/12.|06/08/12.|07/17/12.|10/19/12.|11/28/12.|12/07/12.|Orlando, FL.....|US Citizen!!

Kerran..............|06/06/12.|06/11/12.|06/09/12.|07/06/12.|09/10/12.|10/15/12.|12/20/12.|Dallas, TX......|US Citizen!!

Beantownbabe........|06/09/12.|--/--/--.|06/14/12.|07/27/12.|08/10/12.|09/14/12.|09/20/12.|Boston, MA......|07/12.|US Citizen!!!

Naksah..............|06/11/12.|06/19/12.|06/14/12.|07/27/12.|08/18/12.|09/20/12.|10/10/12.|Boston, MA......|US Citizen

AlHayatZween........|06/11/12.|06/16/12.|06/14/12.|07/11/12.|08/02/12.|09/05/12.|09/13/12.|New Orleans, LA.|US Citizen!!

Akel................|06/12/12.|06/18/12.|06/18/12.|08/01/12.|08/10/12.|09/13/12.|09/13/12.|Mount Laurel,NJ.|US Citizen!!

Gtprincess..........|06/12/12.|06/20/12.|06/18/12.|07/23/12.|11/02/12.|12/13/12.|12/13/12.|Atlanta, GA.....|US Citizen!!

Baikal..............|06/12/12.|06/18/12.|06/17/12.|08/07/12.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Atlanta, GA.....|

Sweets85............|06/13/12.|06/21/12.|06/20/12.|07/10/12.|08/20/12.|10/01/12.|10/18/12.|San Antonio, TX.|US Citizen!!

Anarick.............|06/15/12.|--/--/--.|06/20/12.|07/19/12.|--/--/--.|10/24/12.|12/14/12.|Baltimore, MD...|US Citizen!!

Coloso..............|06/19/12.|--/--/--.|06/25/12.|07/11/12.|10/18/12.|11/20/12.|12/06/12.|Buffalo, NY.....|US Citizen!!

hii2012.............|06/28/12.|07/05/12.|07/03/12.|07/31/12.|--/--/--.|11/13/12.|--/--/--.|Philadelphia,PA.|

Grashoppr...........|06/29/12.|07/06/12.|07/10/12.|08/08/12.|12/17/12.|01/15/13.|01/25/13.|Atlanta, GA.....|US Citizen!!

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USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox

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UserName............|Sent.....|ChkCashd.|NOA......|Fprints..|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|FieldOffice.....|EB....|

====================|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|================|======|

Believer............|05/31/12.|06/06/12.|06/07/12.|07/12/12.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Denver, CO......|

Sombercat...........|06/01/12.|06/07/12.|06/05/12.|06/28/12.|08/04/12.|09/06/12.|10/19/12.|Indianapolis,IN.|US Citizen!!

khlim2..............|06/01/12.|06/04/12.|06/08/12.|06/27/12.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Cincinnati, OH..|

Ban.................|06/01/12.|06/07/12.|06/06/12.|06/25/12.|08/23/12.|09/25/12.|10/24/12.|Los Angeles, CA.|US Citizen!!

Ahpeste.............|06/01/12.|06/08/12.|06/07/12.|07/06/12.|--/--/--.|10/17/12.|10/17/12.|................|US Citizen!!

C.A.................|06/09/12.|--/--/--.|06/12/12.|07/05/12.|08/17/12.|09/18/12.|10/23/12.|................|US Citizen!!

Larisa_Reno.........|06/11/12.|--/--/--.|06/13/12.|07/02/12.|07/12/12.|08/15/12.|10/26/12.|Reno, NV........|US Citizen!!

llarrotta...........|06/13/12.|06/19/12.|06/22/12.|07/19/12.|08/24/12.|09/25/12.|11/14/12.|Detroit, MI.....|US Citizen!!

Shefellfromheaven...|06/15/12.|06/20/12.|06/19/12.|07/20/12.|07/19/12.|08/20/12.|09/21/12.|Indianapolis,IN.|US Citizen!!

pampam..............|06/16/12.|06/21/12.|06/26/12.|07/12/12.|10/01/12.|11/05/12.|--/--/--.|Los Angeles, CA.|

Peterbrasco.........|06/16/12.|--/--/--.|06/23/12.|07/25/12.|09/04/12.|10/03/12.|11/13/12.|Phoenix, AZ.....|US Citizen!!

lynamon.............|06/18/12.|06/22/12.|06/21/12.|07/12/12.|07/20/12.|08/21/12.|09/21/12.|Cleveland, OH...|US Citizen!!

MayLiana72..........|06/18/12.|06/25/12.|06/21/12.|07/09/12.|09/21/12.|11/01/12.|12/14/12.|Detroit,MI......|US Citizen!!

the2ofus............|06/19/12.|06/25/12.|06/20/12.|07/09/12.|09/04/12.|10/03/12.|11/17/12.|Milwaukee, WI...|US Citizen!!

GregS...............|06/20/12.|06/26/12.|06/25/12.|07/18/12.|09/19/12.|10/24/12.|10/30/12.|Chicago, IL.....|US Citizen!!

deepdish33..........|06/21/12.|06/29/12.|07/02/12.|07/23/12.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Kansas City, MO.|

Kiwiana.............|06/22/12.|06/28/12.|06/26/12.|07/19/12.|08/03/12.|09/19/12.|10/24/12.|Santa Ana, CA...|US Citizen!!

Charramal...........|06/23/12.|06/28/12.|06/27/12.|08/10/12.|09/19/12.|10/26/12.|11/08/12.|Bakersfield, CA.|US Citizen!!

Shashar.............|06/23/12.|06/28/12.|06/27/12.|07/31/12.|08/17/12.|09/21/12.|11/09/12.|Phoenix, AZ.....|US Citizen!!

no_where_man........|06/25/12.|06/29/12.|06/26/12.|07/23/12.|08/24/12.|09/25/12.|10/05/12.|Cincinnati, OH..|US Citizen!!

omprabhu............|06/25/12.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|08/03/12.|07/30/12.|09/19/12.|10/24/12,|Santa Ana, CA...|US Citizen!!

BertineC............|06/27/12.|07/05/12.|07/06/12.|08/08/12.|08/15/12.|09/17/12.|09/25/12.|St Paul, MN.....|US Citizen!!

honeybear1..........|06/28/12.|07/06/12.|07/05/12.|08/09/12.|08/08/12.|09/12/12.|09/18/12.|San Jose, CA....|US Citizen!!

AaronLV.............|06/28/12.|07/03/12.|07/02/12.|07/24/12.|09/13/12.|10/22/12.|--/--/--.|Las Vegas, NV...|

On-Queue............|06/28/12.|--/--/--.|06/29/12.|07/30/12.|10/01/12.|11/09/12.|12/14/12.|Simi Valley, CA.|US Citizen!!

Rosie420............|06/25/12.|--/--/--.|06/28/12.|07/30/12.|08/02/12.|09/18/12.|10/12/12.|Kansas City, MO.|US Citizen!!

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USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing Under 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA)

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UserName............|Sent.....|ChkCashd.|NOA......|Fgrprnts.|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|FieldOffice.....|EB....|

====================|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|================|======|

StormnRolly.........|05/31/12.|06/11/12.|06/11/12.|05/29/12.|12/01/12.|01/04/13.|--/--/--.|London, UK......|

AJackson1975........|06/26/12.|--/--/--.|07/02/12.|07/30/12.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Charleston, SC..|

Hope you're right Goodness knows the weather forecasters aren't!

Nope, not a practical option for us. Have pets to tend to, we work til 8 PM... Even my employee who might have been able to help us out, is out of town right now.

The forecast keeps changing, looks like the yuck might hold off til a bit later, and they are saying it might not be much rain, and *if* it freezes...

Last time they called for a few flakes of snow, inciting panicked purchasing of bread and milk, nothing happened. Hoping for much ado about nothing again!

YAY!!!!! See, I told you you'd be fine (I know... everybody told me that too and I was a wreck!) Your questions sound familiar - I think I was asked some of those. I totally went blank after the interview was done, despite my desperately wanting to remember which ones I was asked. I remember the first one because I thought I got it wrong (I didn't get it wrong)... but that rattled me so the rest just flew out of my head as soon as I'd answered them correctly.

Probably can't update til you get an oath date since there's nothing "new" to add.

Bummer you couldn't get a speedy oath, but at least that will work as far as passport and all that other fun stuff - that can wait til you return instead of frantically trying to get it done before you leave.

I'm worried about the weather tomorrow. Maybe freezing rain overnight or early tomorrow morning, and my oath is at 8 AM. Watching the news now, and they are calling for the freezing rain right about the time we'll be heading out. My better half is coming with me.

It took me over an hour and a half to get there for the interview, that was later in the morning (and in horrific rain, but it was just normal rain, not freezing rain). Something about weather and my going to USCIS...sheesh!

You're in the home stretch! Now you can take your trip and *relax*... the tricky part is over!!! So happy for you!

Good luck today, MamaSue! We're all waiting to hear the good news!

Good luck tomorrow, MamaSue! I'm sure you'll do just fine. I totally get the nervousness - I breezed through but I could only remember 3 of the questions I was asked, after the fact.

We work ourselves into a tizzy for nothing.

I have my oath on Friday I'm more worried now about getting there for 8 AM in Atlanta traffic!

I remembered one more of the questions (it's all a blur)... one was, "What did the Declaration of Independence do?"

That's 3... I can't remember the other 3... but at least I remembered to answer them correctly!