JohnE

The other good point is you keep your Mexican citizenship as you will have dual citizenship.  We travel to Mexico City numerous times a year.  Wife leaves the US with her US passport, enters Mexico with her Mexican passport, leaves with her Mexican passport, enters the US with her US passport.  Since she is a US citizen she can stay outside the US for as long as she wants.  Also being a US citizen you cannot be denied entry into the US.  
 
  Not to mention being a US citizen you never have to deal with USCIS ever again!   
 
God bless
 

My two cents:
 
My wife filed N400 (online) February 2018 and at that time we had not filed our 2017 tax return (deadline to file is April 15, 2018).  We of course had submitted all previous IRS tax transcript copies when we filed N400.  Her interview was February 2019 and she took the IRS tax transcript of our 2017 tax return to the interview (plus plenty of other paperwork).  The USCIS agent asked for the return and happily my wife had the return and supplied it.  
 
  Think about anything that might have changed or needs updating since you filed.  During this very long journey our motto has been "It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it".
 
God bless and best wishes
 
  

I wanted to chime in on the airline.  Quick story years ago when my wife had a combo card for a short period of time and was flying from Atlanta to Mexico City.  Went to check in at the Atlanta airport and airline check in agent had no idea what a combo card is and was about to deny my wife from checking in and getting boarding pass.  I had to school the agent on a combo card and convinced her to call a manager and after 25 minutes the agent apologized and checked in my wife.  
 
The problem is airline employees don't understand things like a combo card or a 551 stamp and also potentially an extension letter.  In our case I asked for the phone number to the airline station agent at the Mexico City airport and called him to confirm they know about a combo card as I did not want to take a chance and the airline deny my wife from checking in to fly back to Atlanta.  
 
Just my two cents
 
God bless
 

My two cents:
 
My wife filed N400 (online) February 2018 and at that time we had not filed our 2017 tax return (deadline to file is April 15, 2018).  We of course had submitted all previous IRS tax transcript copies when we filed N400.  Her interview was February 2019 and she took the IRS tax transcript of our 2017 tax return to the interview (plus plenty of other paperwork).  The USCIS agent asked for the return and happily my wife had the return and supplied it.  
 
  Think about anything that might have changed or needs updating since you filed.  During this very long journey our motto has been "It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it".
 
God bless and best wishes
 
  

Very happy news.  Soon the 90 day clock will start!
 
God bless
 
 

On a side note the size of your refund does not matter.  Wearing my accountant hat I would rather you claim what you are legally entitled to with tax withholding (Federal W4 form) and sock that money into a 401k, saving account, money market fund, etc.  The US federal government loves you as they received an interest free loan all year from you!
 
Also look into something like turbo tax or one of the other online tax filing services.  Will save you some money vs going to H&R Block.  
 
Just my two cents!
 
 

My wife is from Mexico City but has been in the US (yes legally) for over 20 years.  We sometimes get a "look" from other people but brush it off.  I guess the shocking time was in church a year ago.  A person came up to my wife and asked if she was legal!  Oh well we prayed for that lady.  
 
  On a side note is we travel to Mexico City at least twice a year to see family.  Understand that my Spanish is very bad plus I am from Georgia.  I am speaking (broken) Spanish with a southern accent so nobody in Mexico City understands me!  Yes I stick out like a sore thumb but have always been welcome with open arms and never had any issues in Mexico.  We normally travel around on the metro (train/subway) with the other 22 million people that live and work in Mexico City and again zero issues.  
 
What the world needs now is love sweet love.  
 
God bless
 

My wife is from Mexico City but has been in the US (yes legally) for over 20 years.  We sometimes get a "look" from other people but brush it off.  I guess the shocking time was in church a year ago.  A person came up to my wife and asked if she was legal!  Oh well we prayed for that lady.  
 
  On a side note is we travel to Mexico City at least twice a year to see family.  Understand that my Spanish is very bad plus I am from Georgia.  I am speaking (broken) Spanish with a southern accent so nobody in Mexico City understands me!  Yes I stick out like a sore thumb but have always been welcome with open arms and never had any issues in Mexico.  We normally travel around on the metro (train/subway) with the other 22 million people that live and work in Mexico City and again zero issues.  
 
What the world needs now is love sweet love.  
 
God bless
 

Our Journey started on April Fools Day 2009, when we communicated for the first time. I went to the Philippines to meet her in person on July 4th of 2009 and had a wonderful time, returning three weeks later to the US.  We had taken tons of pictures and kept in constant contact while I started the K-1 Visa process.  Visa Journey was at my side through every step of the way, and the paperwork to her arrival in the US was only 5 months, do the day they received the paperwork.  She arrived on January 27th, 2010 to very cold weather (I forgot her coat on the table when I left for the airport) but the car was warm and we were excited.  A few days later we got a few inches of snow, but Baltimore (SS Office) got 36 inches and was closed for a week.
In 2 days she met her first filipina at Sams Club (we are still friends) and the circle has grown huge.  We processed our paperwork according to the schedules we were married on March 14th 2010.  She applied for her temporary green card (and received no problem) and then her permanent one two years later. 
 
In November 2011, we were blessed with a BEAUTIFUL son, who bears my name (the second) and he is doing wonderfully.  She got a part time job and later a full time job and I retired and watch our son.  In 2018 she applied for US Citizenship and was granted a few days after Thanksgiving.
 
JR (our son) and the family are going to visit her family this July in the Philippines for the first time since she came here, and we are excited to go.
 
I can not THANK VISA JOURNEY for all the information that is presented online to help you process your paperwork, to get it right the first time, and to make the process easy if you follow the information given.  Visa Journey saved me hundreds of dollars in legal fees with their shared experiences and information, I am positive that if anyone reads carefully and completely, they can process the paperwork without any problems.
 
Jesett is completely accepted in my family, she is loved by all our friends, is valued in our church, and a cornerstone of our family life.  Sometime things do not work out for everyone, (we have seen this with people we have met), but I got a GREAT LADY for my wife, and our SON has a Fantastic Mom, We are Very Blessed.    Again, THANK YOU to Visa Journey, you made our Visa Journey a pleasure.
 

Good morning,
 
  The airline can always be a wild card as the employees are not always schooled with different visas.  Quick story many years ago when my wife had her combo card.  She was flying from Atlanta to Mexico City and the check in ticket agent was ready to refuse to check her in.  I had to school the agent and requested a supervisor.  Finally someone understood the combo card and we checked in after 30 minutes of going round and round.  At that point I asked for the station manager's name and phone number at the Mexico City airport for the airline.  I talked to him before we left Atlanta to confirm he understands the combo card and there would be no problem when we flew from Mexico City back to Atlanta.  
 
  When my wife received her K1 (mind you that was many years ago) she had a one way ticket from Mexico City to Atlanta and had zero issues.  Again the wild card is the airline and which airline employees happens to be checking you in.  My two cents is to contact the airline in the city you are flying from in Mexico and get a manager's name and phone number.  Make sure they understand the K1 and they will be available for assistance if needed on the day/time you are checking in and flying from Mexico.
 
God bless
John
 

Yes, that’s exactly what the DOS quote I provided before confirms.
 
Most but not all other countries have similar requirements for their citizens entering and exiting. So a dual national traveling home usually must use US passport to leave US, national passport to enter and leave home country, US passport to re-enter US.

We cannot believe it but the passport was delivered yesterday!  Department of State received the package from the post office on Thursday 2/21/19 and we received my wife's passport one week later on Thursday 2/28/19.  Yes we paid extra for expedited processing and shipping and it was worth it!  One week processing was unreal.  
 
 Now waiting for the naturalization certificate to be returned.  Last step in this journey is to head over to the social security office and update the social security card.  Can almost mark this journey done!
 
All the glory goes to God as it was His plan and without Him none of this would have happened.  
 
 

Just my two cents.  Wife had oath ceremony a few weeks ago.  After ceremony we headed over to the Georgia drivers license office and changed her "conditional" license to a regular citizen license.  That was the Friday before President's Day.  Monday the post office was closed due to to the holiday.  Tuesday we headed to to the post office close to our home that allowed walk in passport drop offs.  Used the state department passport form filler and printed the form (mind you it had to be in black ink).  Went to the post office and found about 6 people already in line.  Waited our turn and about 20 minutes later we we back on the road.  Yes we paid for expedited processing and shipping.  Wife was concerned about giving up the original naturalization certificate but that is the rules.  One week later the passport showed up in our mail box via overnight shipping on 2/28/19.  Today is 3/4/19 and we are expecting the naturalization certificate to hopefully show up today or tomorrow and yes they send that back in a separate shipment back to you.  Here is the kick in the pants at this point once we receive the certificate back it will be locked away and we really will never need it again.   
 
God bless
 

Good evening everyone,
 
  My wife's oath ceremony was this past Friday (2/15/19) at the Atlanta USCIS office which is really located in Tucker.  We live in Marietta, Ga which is just north of Atlanta.  Her oath ceremony was scheduled at 8:00 am and without traffic would take us about 45 minutes to drive to the office.  Since we would have to be in the thick of rush hour traffic we decided to stay at the DoubleTree hotel which is just across from the USCIS office.  I was not about to take any type of chance of being late for the ceremony!  We got up Friday morning, took a shower, ate breakfast and went across the street to the USCIS office.  Got there at 7:10 and went to the 2nd floor which is where the ceremony is done.  At 8:00 they started the process of getting the future citizens to sit in the front of the room and the family move to the chairs in the back of the room.  They went to each future US citizen and checked them in.  There were 150 people taking the oath that morning and we were told they had another ceremony scheduled for 12:00 that afternoon!  What a proud day that was and yes some tears were shed.  
 
We were told to wait at least 10 days before going to the social security office to change her social security status.  We did head over to the Georgia driver's license office and changed the status of her drivers license.  That took all of 15 minutes. Our next stop will be this Tuesday (post office is closed on Monday for President's Day) to drop off her passport application.  Some post offices require you make an appointment but the one on Gresham Road in Marietta allows walk in passport application drop off from Monday to Friday 8:30 to 3:00.  Yes were are going to pay the extra fee for expedited processing and for express shipping.  Do not really like sending the original Certification of Naturalization with her passport form but that is a requirement.  Yes we already have a number of copies but worked so hard to get the certificate hate to see it leave our hands!  Once we receive the original naturalization certificate back from the department of state we will head over to the social security office. 
 
Looking back we could not have completed this journey (without one RFE) without the help from the great people of Visa Journey.   Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  
 
May God richly bless each and every one of you
 
John and Elizabeth

My wife had her interview a few weeks ago and her oath ceremony last Friday.  She dressed as if she was going to an interview.  I do not know of any dress code but my suggestion is to look your best.  
 
  At the oath ceremony she wore her best and I was in a suit.  There were 150 people taking the oath plus tons of family/friends (Atlanta USCIS center).  I saw everything from traditional dress from the future new citizen's home country (which I thought was awesome) to people with ball caps (in my option was not acceptable).  Taking the oath is a huge deal and the new citizens there were following the steps of millions of people before us.  
 
Best of luck in the interview tomorrow.
 
God bless
 

Good evening everyone,
 
  My wife's oath ceremony was this past Friday (2/15/19) at the Atlanta USCIS office which is really located in Tucker.  We live in Marietta, Ga which is just north of Atlanta.  Her oath ceremony was scheduled at 8:00 am and without traffic would take us about 45 minutes to drive to the office.  Since we would have to be in the thick of rush hour traffic we decided to stay at the DoubleTree hotel which is just across from the USCIS office.  I was not about to take any type of chance of being late for the ceremony!  We got up Friday morning, took a shower, ate breakfast and went across the street to the USCIS office.  Got there at 7:10 and went to the 2nd floor which is where the ceremony is done.  At 8:00 they started the process of getting the future citizens to sit in the front of the room and the family move to the chairs in the back of the room.  They went to each future US citizen and checked them in.  There were 150 people taking the oath that morning and we were told they had another ceremony scheduled for 12:00 that afternoon!  What a proud day that was and yes some tears were shed.  
 
We were told to wait at least 10 days before going to the social security office to change her social security status.  We did head over to the Georgia driver's license office and changed the status of her drivers license.  That took all of 15 minutes. Our next stop will be this Tuesday (post office is closed on Monday for President's Day) to drop off her passport application.  Some post offices require you make an appointment but the one on Gresham Road in Marietta allows walk in passport application drop off from Monday to Friday 8:30 to 3:00.  Yes were are going to pay the extra fee for expedited processing and for express shipping.  Do not really like sending the original Certification of Naturalization with her passport form but that is a requirement.  Yes we already have a number of copies but worked so hard to get the certificate hate to see it leave our hands!  Once we receive the original naturalization certificate back from the department of state we will head over to the social security office. 
 
Looking back we could not have completed this journey (without one RFE) without the help from the great people of Visa Journey.   Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  
 
May God richly bless each and every one of you
 
John and Elizabeth

Good evening everyone,
 
  My wife's oath ceremony was this past Friday (2/15/19) at the Atlanta USCIS office which is really located in Tucker.  We live in Marietta, Ga which is just north of Atlanta.  Her oath ceremony was scheduled at 8:00 am and without traffic would take us about 45 minutes to drive to the office.  Since we would have to be in the thick of rush hour traffic we decided to stay at the DoubleTree hotel which is just across from the USCIS office.  I was not about to take any type of chance of being late for the ceremony!  We got up Friday morning, took a shower, ate breakfast and went across the street to the USCIS office.  Got there at 7:10 and went to the 2nd floor which is where the ceremony is done.  At 8:00 they started the process of getting the future citizens to sit in the front of the room and the family move to the chairs in the back of the room.  They went to each future US citizen and checked them in.  There were 150 people taking the oath that morning and we were told they had another ceremony scheduled for 12:00 that afternoon!  What a proud day that was and yes some tears were shed.  
 
We were told to wait at least 10 days before going to the social security office to change her social security status.  We did head over to the Georgia driver's license office and changed the status of her drivers license.  That took all of 15 minutes. Our next stop will be this Tuesday (post office is closed on Monday for President's Day) to drop off her passport application.  Some post offices require you make an appointment but the one on Gresham Road in Marietta allows walk in passport application drop off from Monday to Friday 8:30 to 3:00.  Yes were are going to pay the extra fee for expedited processing and for express shipping.  Do not really like sending the original Certification of Naturalization with her passport form but that is a requirement.  Yes we already have a number of copies but worked so hard to get the certificate hate to see it leave our hands!  Once we receive the original naturalization certificate back from the department of state we will head over to the social security office. 
 
Looking back we could not have completed this journey (without one RFE) without the help from the great people of Visa Journey.   Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  
 
May God richly bless each and every one of you
 
John and Elizabeth

From one former jarhead to another I will say Semper  Fidelis to you brother.  Even though I was in the Marine Corps back in the 70s I clearly remember hurry up and wait plus field days on Thursday nights!
 
Congrats to your wife.  We live in Marietta which is just north of Atlanta.  My wife had her citizenship interview two weeks ago and will have her oath ceremony tomorrow morning.  I was very proud the day I graduated from Parris Island but the feelings I have of my wife becoming a US citizen after this long visa journey have taken being proud to a different level.  
 
May God bless you and your wife.
 
John and Elizabeth
 

My wife's interview was two weeks ago.  We received an email two days later telling us there was a change to her status and to log into her online account for important information.  We were shocked to see a notice that her oath ceremony was scheduled in just over a week!  Tomorrow (2/15/19) is the date of her oath ceremony.  We are in Atlanta.  I cannot believe after all the waiting we have endured starting with the K1 visa, now how fast this  happened.  
 
All the glory goes to God as it was His plan.  
 
   

From one former jarhead to another I will say Semper  Fidelis to you brother.  Even though I was in the Marine Corps back in the 70s I clearly remember hurry up and wait plus field days on Thursday nights!
 
Congrats to your wife.  We live in Marietta which is just north of Atlanta.  My wife had her citizenship interview two weeks ago and will have her oath ceremony tomorrow morning.  I was very proud the day I graduated from Parris Island but the feelings I have of my wife becoming a US citizen after this long visa journey have taken being proud to a different level.  
 
May God bless you and your wife.
 
John and Elizabeth
 

My wife's interview was two weeks ago.  We received an email two days later telling us there was a change to her status and to log into her online account for important information.  We were shocked to see a notice that her oath ceremony was scheduled in just over a week!  Tomorrow (2/15/19) is the date of her oath ceremony.  We are in Atlanta.  I cannot believe after all the waiting we have endured starting with the K1 visa, now how fast this  happened.  
 
All the glory goes to God as it was His plan.  
 
   

Good morning (love_my_wife) and everyone else,
 
  Thanks for your reply.  I am sorry but you are wrong about not needing a visa to enter Mexico...or at least when you fly into Mexico City.  I have flown into Mexico City no less than 25 times and am speaking from first hand experience.  As I said in my original post the cost of the visa is built into your plane ticket price.  You are issued the visa at passport control.  My visa is normally good for 180 days (six months) and it clearly states the amount of days you are allowed to stay in Mexico.  You have to surrender the visa when you check in with the airline at the Mexico City airport.  
 
  The reason for my question is I have heard about people with dual passports from other countries.  They have made statements of leaving the US with the US passport but arriving in their original home country with that country's passport.  They leave that country with that country's passport country's  and enter the US with their US passport.  I assume maybe those countries do not require a visa.  But what I do no understand is how they can leave their country with that country's passport and NO US visa (aka green card).  
 
  I fully understand the benefits of having dual citizenship and dual passports but trying to understand when and how you are using those passports.  
 
Thanks for any additional information anyone might have.
 
God bless
 

Good morning everyone,
 
  My wife had her interview at the Atlanta office yesterday (2/5/19).  We came prepared with information that showed we are a real married couple and still together.  That included copies of bills in both of our names, copy of car and truck title in both our names, 2017 tax transcript (we had not filed 2017 at the time we submitted the online N400 in February 2018), and statement from our church that showed our weekly tithe.  We also had original copies of paperwork we submitted with the online N400.  
 
  Interview was at 8:25.  We live in Marietta which is just north of Atlanta.  With no traffic (which Atlanta always has traffic no matter what time of day or night it might be) the drive to the service center is about 45 minutes.  The service center is actually in Tucker just off I-285 and Lavista.   We decided instead of fighting traffic on Tuesday morning and with just one traffic backup might make us late we stayed at the DoubleTree hotel Monday night which is just across the street from the USCIS office.  That made it super easy.  We got up that morning, took a shower, ate a light breakfast, and simply walked across the street and was there in a few minutes.   
 
  Check in was easy and was directed to the third floor.  Waited for her number to be called which was around 9:00am.  I introduced myself as the husband so the agent knew I was with my wife and politely asked if I could sit in on the interview, knowing that would not be allowed.  The agent said no and I thanked him.  Gave my wife a kiss and she went in the office with the agent.  The interview took about 25 minutes.  My wife came back out and with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes and informed me the agent recommended her application as approved.  He told her a letter should be coming in a week to 10 days with information about the oath ceremony.      
 
  The interview started with the reading and writing.  She was only asked six questions as she got each one correct. Once you correctly answer six questions they do not ask any more.  The agent asked her some personal questions.  One was does she have anything that shows we are still a couple.  She pulled out her briefcase and the papers she had in numerous folders.  She started with the letter from our church.  The agent reviewed the letter that was of course in both of our names that showed weekly tithes for 2018.  Mind you we had submitted the letter from the previous years with our N400.  As the agent was looking at the letter she was already pulling out copies of titles and bills and the agent looked at her and said he does not need anything else.  He informed her the application is being submitted with his approval.  He said it was an honor to have a person like her becoming a US citizen.  
 
  All thanks and all the glory goes to God.  
 
 

Good morning everyone,
 
  My wife's citizenship interview is in two weeks an of course we are super excited.  We were looking for something to watch last night and saw a short documentary on Netflix called Out of Many, One.  Although "In God We Trust" is the official motto of  the United States, E Pluribus Unum has long been acknowledged as a de facto national motto.  E Pluribus Unum is Latin and is Out of many, one.  The film is only 34 minutes and at least in my opinion should be watched by anyone going through the citizenship process.  I will admit my wife and I both had tears at the end of the film.  Very powerful and touching film.  This is just my two cents but wanted to share this with all.  
 
May God bless each and every one of you.
 
Elizabeth and John
 

Good morning everyone,
 
  My wife's citizenship interview is in two weeks an of course we are super excited.  We were looking for something to watch last night and saw a short documentary on Netflix called Out of Many, One.  Although "In God We Trust" is the official motto of  the United States, E Pluribus Unum has long been acknowledged as a de facto national motto.  E Pluribus Unum is Latin and is Out of many, one.  The film is only 34 minutes and at least in my opinion should be watched by anyone going through the citizenship process.  I will admit my wife and I both had tears at the end of the film.  Very powerful and touching film.  This is just my two cents but wanted to share this with all.  
 
May God bless each and every one of you.
 
Elizabeth and John