mikkopel

Yes, but if their story now is that they have already sent it, good luck getting them to pay the bill

Right, that's exactly what they said. They even sent me a letter saying they returned the certificate with the passport. (Even though I had called them at some point afterward receiving the passport, and they told me on the phone they still had it.)

The passport office lost my Certificate of Naturalization. They sent me my passports, but when I didn't get the certificate back, at first I called and they said "Oh yeah, we still have it. We'll mail it to you right away." Then a few weeks later "No, we don't have it, it was mailed to you with the passport."

So it's lost.

Should get a new one? Replacement costs a lot of money, and I have my passport (book and card) as proof of citizenship. And a copy of the certificate. Do I really need a new certificate?

Yeah I guess I could get it replace. But it does cost a lot of money. The letter from State Department seemed to suggest that they *might* reimburse me. Does anyone have any experience if they actually will?

The question is also, am I going to need it, since I already have a passport to prove my citizenship?

So, I got naturalized four months ago... What's happened since?

First of all the passport office lost my Certificate of Naturalization. First they said "Oh look we never returned it, sorry" then they changed it to "We looked for it but can't find it. So we must have returned it with the passport." At least I got the passport before they lost it, so I have that to fall back on.

Then on a related note, my grad school wants me to sign up for SSS. But I'm 36. I moved into the US when I was 27. They don't seem to understand the situation.

Awesome. At least I haven't received a jury duty summons yet.

Onneksi olkoon vielä uudestaan!

You can tell it was Los Angeles, since the parking was easy. Mine wasn't even in New York City, yet the parking was a nightmare!

This is a decision you want to make; most people I saw yesterday in Los Angeles were somewhat dressed up and the atmosphere was excited and happy. All the guests for the applicants were there to cheer and make sure that the applicant's day was special. Some people were dressed in jeans but most were in dressier clothes and it's just what you feel makes for a truly special day, because that's what it is. People usually dress up for special occasions and I think it's appropriate to so so. Your wife is becoming a citizen of United States so make it special for both of you! A little effort makes for big rewards and shows that you care.

Onneksi olkoon!

I hardly ever wear a suit, or slacks. But I felt this was certainly something to be celebrated, so I dressed up. Good thing I did. I ended up on the local news channel, just as I was swearing my oath.

Congratulations!!!! I'll be done next week... onnittelut uusimmalle Amerikkalaiselle!

Kiitos kiitos! And good luck!

Done and done!

N-400: December 2013 Applicants
============================

USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox
=======================================
VJName............|Eligible|Sent....|NOA.....|ChkCashd|Biometr.|In Line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
DebbyNSeyi........|11/27/13|11/29/13|12/03/13|12/06/13|12/31/13|01/27/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Hicksville, NY
gringasuramerican.|11/30/13|11/30/13|12/03/13|12/05/13|01/02|14|01/31/14|03/10/14|04/08/14|--/--/--|Miami, FL
jcarlo............|12/16/13|12/03/13|12/12/13|12/12/13|01/09/14|01/13/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|New York, NY
nachos............|12/04/13|12/05/13|12/12/13|12/13/13|01/07/14|02/04/14|02/14/14|03/18/14|04/11/14|Pittsburgh, PA
Bookworm99........|--/--/--|12/05/13|--/--/--|12/06/13|01/07/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Newark, NJ
raza123...........|02/27/07|12/05/13|12/11/13|12/09/13|01/03/14|01/07/14|03/10/14|04/17/14|--/--/--|Houston, TX
Theempara.........|--/--/--|12/06/13|--/--/--|12/13/13|01/06/14|02/10/14|--/--/--|03/17/14|04/08/14|W. Palm Beach, FL
romnick...........|10/26/13|12/06/13|12/09/13|12/11/13|01/07/14|01/07/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Atlanta, GA
Goldfee111........|12/03/13|12/09/13|12/13/13|12/18/13|01/03/14|02/04/14|03/13/14 04/11/14|--/--/--|Dallas, TX
LostinNY07........|10/07/13|12/13/13|12/16/13|12/19/13|12/31/13|01/10/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|New York, NY
mimigrant.........|12/13/13|12/13/13|12/19/13|12/20/13|03/07/14|03/11/14|03/12/14|04/17/14|--/--/--|New York, NY
Paulette7.........|12/19/13|12/19/13|12/30/13|12/25/13|01/08/14|02/19/14|03/31/14|05/06/14|--/--/--|Houston, TX
Paulette7hubbie...|12/19/13|12/19/13|12/30/13|12/25/13|01/15/14|02/19/14|03/31/14|05/06/14|--/--/--|Houston, TX

bostonian.........|08/05/13|12/23/13|01/03/14|01/02/14|01/22/14|01/24/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Boston, MA
CbpTLS............|12/30/09|12/23/13|12/24/13|12/28/13|01/16/14|01/20/14|03/11/14|04/15/14|--/--/--|Dallas, TX
Trochero..........|01/24/01|12/24/13|01/02/14|12/31/13|01/13/14|01/24/14|02/24/14|03/24/14|--/--/--|Orlando, FL
CbpTLSwife........|12/30/09|12/26/13|12/30/13|01/06/14|01/30/14|02/03/14|03/12/14|04/17/14|--/--/--|Dallas, TX
DM2008............|12/03/13|12/28/13|01/06/14|01/06/14|01/24/14|02/03/14|03/12/14|04/18/14|--/--/--|Dallas, TX
mikkopel..........|11/04/06|12/11/13|12/16/13|12/20/13|01/20/14|01/23/14|01/31/14|03/04/14|04/04/14|New York, NY
Obormot...........|11/28/13|12/02/13|12/06/13|12/10/13|12/30/13|01/27/14|03/10/14|04/15/14|--/--/--|Houston,TX

===============================
USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox
===============================
VJName............|Eligible|Sent....|NOA.....|ChkCashd|Biometr.|In Line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
David.............|--/--/--|12/02/13|12/09/13|12/06/13|12/27/13|12/31/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Denver, CO
Mary..............|--/--/--|12/02/13|12/10/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|12/30/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Chicago, IL
kdj5k.............|09/01/13|12/06/13|12/12/13|--/--/--|12/31/13|01/03/14|02/03/14|03/10/14|04/08/14|Phoenix, AZ
Nadiia and Eric...|--/--/--|12/06/13|12/12/13|12/16/13|01/07/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|03/24/14|04/11/14|Kansas City, MO
ShadowYU..........|10/17/13|12/28/13|01/03/14|01/06/14|01/30/14|02/03/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Seattle, WA
exsocal...........|07/30/13|12/07/13|12/17/13|12/15/13|01/09/14|01/13/14|02/20/14|03/26/14|--/--/--|Chicago, IL

==========================================================================
USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing under 319b, 328 or 329 of the INA)
==========================================================================
VJName............|Eligible|Sent....|NOA.....|ChkCashd|Biometr.|In Line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
BarkerFamily......|--/--/--|12/09/13|12/21/13|12/13/13|01/02/14|12/26/13|01/23/14|02/03/14|02/03/14|Fairfax, VA

Updating for myself. Last step!

N-400: December 2013 Applicants
============================

USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox
=======================================
VJName............|Eligible|Sent....|NOA.....|ChkCashd|Biometr.|In Line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
DebbyNSeyi........|11/27/13|11/29/13|12/03/13|12/06/13|12/31/13|01/27/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Hicksville, NY
gringasuramerican.|11/30/13|11/30/13|12/03/13|12/05/13|01/02|14|01/31/14|03/10/14|04/08/14|--/--/--|Miami, FL
jcarlo............|12/16/13|12/03/13|12/12/13|12/12/13|01/09/14|01/13/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|New York, NY
nachos............|12/04/13|12/05/13|12/12/13|12/13/13|01/07/14|02/04/14|02/14/14|03/18/14|04/11/14|Pittsburgh, PA
Bookworm99........|--/--/--|12/05/13|--/--/--|12/06/13|01/07/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Newark, NJ
raza123...........|02/27/07|12/05/13|12/11/13|12/09/13|01/03/14|01/07/14|03/10/14|04/17/14|--/--/--|Houston, TX
Theempara.........|--/--/--|12/06/13|--/--/--|12/13/13|01/06/14|02/10/14|--/--/--|03/17/14|04/08/14|W. Palm Beach, FL
romnick...........|10/26/13|12/06/13|12/09/13|12/11/13|01/07/14|01/07/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Atlanta, GA
Goldfee111........|12/03/13|12/09/13|12/13/13|12/18/13|01/03/14|02/04/14|03/13/14 04/11/14|--/--/--|Dallas, TX
LostinNY07........|10/07/13|12/13/13|12/16/13|12/19/13|12/31/13|01/10/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|New York, NY
mimigrant.........|12/13/13|12/13/13|12/19/13|12/20/13|03/07/14|03/11/14|03/12/14|04/17/14|--/--/--|New York, NY
Paulette7.........|12/19/13|12/19/13|12/30/13|12/25/13|01/08/14|02/19/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Houston, TX
Paulette7hubbie...|12/19/13|12/19/13|12/30/13|12/25/13|01/15/14|02/19/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Houston, TX
bostonian.........|08/05/13|12/23/13|01/03/14|01/02/14|01/22/14|01/24/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Boston, MA
CbpTLS............|12/30/09|12/23/13|12/24/13|12/28/13|01/16/14|01/20/14|03/11/14|04/15/14|--/--/--|Dallas, TX
Trochero..........|01/24/01|12/24/13|01/02/14|12/31/13|01/13/14|01/24/14|02/24/14|03/24/14|--/--/--|Orlando, FL
CbpTLSwife........|12/30/09|12/26/13|12/30/13|01/06/14|01/30/14|02/03/14|03/12/14|04/17/14|--/--/--|Dallas, TX
DM2008............|12/03/13|12/28/13|01/06/14|01/06/14|01/24/14|02/03/14|03/12/14|04/18/14|--/--/--|Dallas, TX
mikkopel..........|11/04/06|12/11/13|12/16/13|12/20/13|01/20/14|01/23/14|01/31/14|03/04/14|04/04/14|New York, NY
Obormot...........|11/28/13|12/02/13|12/06/13|12/10/13|12/30/13|01/27/14|03/10/14|04/15/14|--/--/--|Houston,TX

===============================
USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox
===============================
VJName............|Eligible|Sent....|NOA.....|ChkCashd|Biometr.|In Line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
David.............|--/--/--|12/02/13|12/09/13|12/06/13|12/27/13|12/31/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Denver, CO
Mary..............|--/--/--|12/02/13|12/10/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|12/30/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Chicago, IL
kdj5k.............|09/01/13|12/06/13|12/12/13|--/--/--|12/31/13|01/03/14|02/03/14|03/10/14|--/--/--|Phoenix, AZ
Nadiia and Eric...|--/--/--|12/06/13|12/12/13|12/16/13|01/07/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|03/24/14|--/--/--|Kansas City, MO
ShadowYU..........|10/17/13|12/28/13|01/03/14|01/06/14|01/30/14|02/03/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Seattle, WA
exsocal...........|07/30/13|12/07/13|12/17/13|12/15/13|01/09/14|01/13/14|02/20/14|03/26/14|--/--/--|Chicago, IL

==========================================================================
USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing under 319b, 328 or 329 of the INA)
==========================================================================
VJName............|Eligible|Sent....|NOA.....|ChkCashd|Biometr.|In Line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
BarkerFamily......|--/--/--|12/09/13|12/21/13|12/13/13|01/02/14|12/26/13|01/23/14|02/03/14|02/03/14|Fairfax, VA

Wow, that's the fastest process I've seen for NYC so far! Hope it bodes well for the rest of us. Thanks for sharing.

I wanted to think I was special, but my coworker who had his interview the same day as mine, had also filed in mid-December...

Thanks everybody! Birdo, onnea haastatteluun - itsekin olen Kaliforniassa asunut, ja kaipaan kyllä kovasti, ehkä joskus vielä uudestaan!

Rtm, I had applied mid-December. All the steps went through pretty fast. The only glitch was that USCIS had scheduled my biometrics on Martin Luther King Jr Day, a federal holiday! What a mess that was... But I just walked in the next day and they took me in. I think my full timeline is posted in the December filers thread.

So my interview was earlier today. Of course I had a late-afternoon time, so I had to be anxious all day for it...

Today was a frigid day in NYC, I had arrived about an hour early in the city, so I was taking a walk through Chinatown and Little Italy. They're very interesting areas, if you have the chance stop by and see what they have. If only it had been warmer...

I went to the building exactly half an hour before my appointment. Went through the security, and up to the 7th floor. The security guard was very nice and told me "You'll do great." Then I realized I could have come in earlier. Since it was freezing outside, it might have been nicer. Oh well.

In the waiting room, I see someone from my work place. He has his appointment 30 minutes after mine!

I sat down to wait to be called. About 15 minutes past my appointment time I got called to the window. They checked my Green Card, and took a photo and fingerprints. The computer was giving problems, so it took a while...

About 10 more minutes of waiting, and I got called to Door #1, along with another gentleman. The officer asked us to follow her around the corner. There was a smaller waiting room there. She told me to wait here, since the other gentleman was first.

I sat down. There was only one other person there. I asked if she was there for an interview too, and she said she was. A few minutes later, another officer comes in, asks her to check her name on a paper, and sign off some papers. Next, yet another officer comes in, gives her an American flag, and asks her to raise her right hand. I realize I'm witnessing an Oath Ceremony. I don't know why she was being sworn in there and then, but I ended up being a witness to it.

I had to wait a good 15 minutes or so, before my officer came back.The man before me looked happy. I guess he passed.

We go in to the officer's desk. I'm asked to raise my right hand and if I'm going to tell the truth and so on. There's a pretty big file in front of her. Everything is there that I've filed with my current A number. However, not things from my past when I was a student. Probably because I had a different A number then.

She starts off with the civics test. It's on a preprinted form, so she doesn't pick the questions. What is one thing you promise you make when you become a US Citizen? What are two holidays we celebrate? Who is the governor of New York? What did Martin Luther King, Jr do? What movement tried to end racial discrimination? Who was the first president? She writes down each of my answers, and then checks the "Correct" checkbox on the form.

Then she has me read a sentence out loud about Abraham Lincoln. And then write down "Abraham Lincoln was president during the civil war." I jokingly suggested that there should be a "the" before president, but then I end up missing the the before "civil war" myself. Duh! But she lets me correct it.

Then we go through the application, step by step. I fumbled with a few dates, but she asked "March 6th? Not 8th?" She checks both my passports, current and expired for any stamps for travel.

Also, when we get to the arrested/cited part, I had marked "No", but I mention that I had gotten a speeding ticket. The day before I had called up the court, and asked them to fax me a receipt for the payment. Even though this was about $150, and over 5 years back. I offered the receipt to the officer, and she adds it to the file. She also writes the ticket on the application, and has me initial the change. But she says that it doesn't however count against me. Good thing I had asked for the receipt!

Once all the questions are over, she asks me to sign the paper, congratulates me, and tells me that she is going to recommend an approval, but that someone else will be making the final approval. Also that I will be getting a letter later on for the oath.

I leave relieved, make my way back to the train station and have myself a celebratory gin. I don't usually drink during the week, at daytime, but I thought it would be OK now.

Welcome to the forum mikkopel..Wow ! Less than 3 months for the interview date from the date of filing the application! That is one impressive time frame. New York cranking them out!

Thanks! I know, I was surprised too, when I compared it to other timelines... I don't know if you noticed from my other thread, but I even had the problem of having the biometrics scheduled on a federal holiday... But I'm still on track, on schedule.

Just adding myself in the mix...

USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox
==========================================================

VJName............|Eligible|Sent....|NOA.....|ChkCashd|Biometr.|In Line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
DebbyNSeyi........|11/27/13|11/29/13|12/03/13|12/06/13|12/31/13|01/27/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Hicksville, NY

gringasuramerican.|11/30/13|11/30/13|12/03/13|12/05/13|01/02|14|01/31/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Miami, FL

jcarlo............|12/16/13|12/03/13|12/12/13|12/12/13|01/09/14|01/13/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|New York, NY

nachos............|12/04/13|12/05/13|12/12/13|12/13/13|01/07/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Pittsburgh, PA

Bookworm99........|--/--/--|12/05/13|--/--/--|12/06/13|01/07/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Newark, NJ

raza123...........|02/27/07|12/05/13|12/11/13|12/09/13|01/03/14|01/07/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Houston, TX

Theempara.........|--/--/--|12/06/13|--/--/--|12/13/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|West Palm Beach, FL

romnick...........|--/--/--|12/06/13|--/--/--|12/11/13|12/24/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Atlanta, GA

Goldfee111........|12/03/13|12/09/13|12/13/13|12/18/13|01/03/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Dallas, TX

LostinNY07........|10/07/13|12/13/13|12/16/13|12/19/13|12/31/13|01/10/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|New York, NY *Bio date: 01/13/14

mimigrant.........|12/13/13|12/13/13|12/19/13|12/20/13|01/20/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|New York, NY

Paulette7.........|12/19/13|12/19/13|12/30/13|12/25/13|01/08/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Houston, TX

Paulette7hubbie...|12/19/13|12/19/13|12/30/13|12/25/13|01/15/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Houston, TX

nola2014..........|--/--/--|12/20/13|12/26/13|12/30/13|01/23/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|New Orleans,LA

bostonian.........|08/05/13|12/23/13|01/03/14|01/02/14|01/22/14|01/24/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Boston, MA

CbpTLS............|12/30/09|12/23/13|12/24/13|12/28/13|01/16/14|01/20/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Dallas, TX

Trochero..........|01/24/01|12/24/13|01/02/14|12/31/13|01/13/14|01/24/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Orlando, FL

CbpTLSwife........|12/30/09|12/26/13|12/30/13|01/06/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Dallas, TX

DM2008............|12/03/13|12/28/13|01/06/14|01/06/14|01/24/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Dallas, TX

mikkopel..........|11/04/06|12/11/13|12/16/13|12/20/13|01/20/14|01/23/14|01/31/14|03/04/14|--/--/--|New York, NY

==============================================
USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox
==============================================

VJName............|Eligible|Sent....|NOA.....|ChkCashd|Biometr.|In Line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
David.............|--/--/--|12/02/13|12/09/13|12/06/13|12/27/13|12/31/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Denver, CO

Mary..............|--/--/--|12/02/13|12/10/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|12/30/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Chicago, IL

kdj5k.............|--/--/--|12/06/13|12/12/13|--/--/--|12/31/13|01/03/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Phoenix, AZ

Nadiia and Eric...|--/--/--|12/06/13|12/12/13|12/16/13|01/07/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Kansas City, MO

ShadowYU..........|10/17/13|12/28/13|01/03/14|01/06/14|01/30/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Seattle, WA

exsocal...........|07/30/13|12/07/13|12/17/13|12/15/13|01/09/14|01/13/14|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Chicago, IL

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

VJName............|Eligible|Sent....|NOA.....|ChkCashd|Biometr.|In Line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
BarkerFamily......|--/--/--|12/09/13|12/21/13|12/13/13|01/02/14|12/26/13|01/23/14|02/03/14|--/--/--|Fairfax, VA

No, it was the one in Westchester Ave in The Bronx. I had someone else PM me, and they were able to do a walk-in successfully as well. I can kinda understand the mistake, since MLK Day is not on the same date each year, but what I don't understand is how either no-one realized the mistake, or if they realized the mistake, didn't take any steps to notify of the changed date... I never got a letter with with the new date.

One thing to remember, especially when dealing with abusive spouses, is that domestic violence is a deportable offence. You do NOT want to risk that on your record. If you think about it, you can figure out why this is important, even if you're not the abuser. Say there's a fight, your spouse is being his typical abusive self. Something finally clicks in you, you end up hitting him. The neighbor calls the police. Now you have a DV on your record.

Or maybe you never even lay your hand on your spouse. But your spouse wants to teach you a lesson, and makes it look like you did. Again. DV on your record.

Even if you don't get deported, if you get arrested, they will find out when you apply for N-400.

Yeah I did a walk-in, and they took me in, so that's taken care of.

Of course they were closed... Just a note saying that I will be mailed a new appointment time. It would have been nice to get the new appointment letter BEFORE my first appointment...

Hmm... I just realized that tomorrow is a Federal Holiday, yet somehow I have a biometrics appointment scheduled for tomorrow. I wish I had thought of it earlier and called ahead to double check. Oh well. I haven't received any other letters, and even the USCIS status website references the letter that I have.

What are the odds that they're actually open tomorrow? I'm sure I can sort it out eventually, but it just sucks if I have to make the trip to The Bronx for nothing...

It makes it way simpler. You'll probably still have to take a copy of the marriage certificate to your eventual interview (but I understand that not all of the interviewers even ask to see it). So just bring both copies. Nice to see another Finn over here.

Yeah, I'm planning on taking every single document I can think of to the interview "just in case". There's a guy who works under me at work, and he just got his citizenship this past year so he's been telling me what to expect at different stages. It helps a lot when you know what to expect.

Nice to meet you too! Good luck with your interview soon!

Since you have been in US for more than 10 years you can file for N400 with the 5 year rule and not by marriage. That will reduce the amount of paperwork you need to submit. Under the 5 year rule all you need apart from the N400 are two pictures and a copy of GC. You will need the tax papers during interview.

Make sure you select you are filing under 5 year rule in part 2.

Oh I didn't realize I could do that. It does make sense though.

Hello! I've been married to my wife, a USC, for ten years now. We've been living in the US continuously for the whole time, except the first few months before I moved in.

So I've been eligible for citizenship for a while now. I've just pushed it back for silly reasons. But now I am gathering together all the necessary paperwork, and filling out the forms. But I do have a question.

We got married in Finland, and I submitted a certified translated copy of the marriage certificate to the US Consulate in Helsinki to get my immigrant visa. Now, I can't find a copy of it. And in Finland, all records are electronic anyway, so I can get an official copy of my records, in English, showing the date of marriage and my spouse's name. But technically, this is not a marriage certificate. But then again, they might still have the original copy on file at the USCIS.

To complicate things a bit more, my wife was having trouble changing her name back then. So for that, and for our family in the US, we actually had another ceremony in the US exactly a year after the one in Finland. For that, I can get a copy. So even based on just off of that, I've been eligible for citizenship for a long time. But is it really valid, since we were already married to each other before?

I'm still married to the same person, and nothing has changed, and I have tax records showing we've filed jointly ever since. So all that is pretty straightforward.

Any suggestions on how to file this? Just file all the papers, and explain if they ask? Or file either one of the papers, which one?

Thanks!