daphne2109

Thank you so much for your kind replies, I will tell my friend to advise her friend then.....It sounded "weird" to me that now they give right away the 10 yr GC..........

Thanks alot!!!!

I've been already a USA citizen, but a friend of a friend of mine who just got married last December with an American citizen, got already the 10 year GC, basically she didn't get the 2 yr Gc, but she got right away the 10 year one.

Is that a new law? I'm just curious as I had to go through a certain bureaucracy in order to get the 10 yr GC, and to become a US citizen( no to mention ALOT money to be spent)......so I believe that now everything is smoother & easier.....how unfair!!!It should be the same for everybody....no matter what!!!!!

Anyone does anything about it?

Ty!!!!:-)

Tks for yr replies!!!!!!!

First of all Happy New Year to all VJs people.

I would like to get some feedback from people who became USA citizens and kept also their European citizenship (where in some countries is acceptable)and went back to their country leaving USA with the USA passport, and entering their own country with the European passport. How was it? What do u suggest accordingly to your personal experience?

Tks all!!!!:-)

Congrats!!!!!

congratulations! Don't forget to update your Driver's License and register to vote .

Tks Kathrin41 but I don't drive.....and I will vote next time for the President election.........:-)

Hi all,

yesterday I got my US passport, which was ready in less than 2 weeks, and today I went to the Social Security Office to change my status from "resident" to

"US citizen" and with that after almost exactly 5 years I'm done with the American Immigration.

I wanted to thank all the nice & very helpful PEOPLE have helped me here during these 5 years and also the staff of VJ. I'm very sure that without you guys it would have been more difficult & more expensive. THANK YOU SO MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY for your enormous help and for giving me the opportunity to have also met some very nice ppl that then became my friends. I wish to all of you out there good luck & all the best!!!!!!Love to all of you!!!!

Too late to register to vote for this election cycle, but you can always go to your County clerks office for register to Vote, and after you register to vote only thing you will need is a Photo ID which can be your Driving licence, US passport or any othe government issued Photo ID to vote, I hope this helps, Good Luck...!!!

Tks Davis!!!!

Tks all of you for your prompt replies!!!!!!

Since I am from Cook County, IL, the procedure is to go to a grave yard, copy a hundred year old name and use that. No ID's are necessary as long as you are voting for Daily.

Hi all, I don't know exactly where to post my question........I hope here it's fine, if not sorry!!!!

When we become citizens if we would like to vote what's needed to vote? Do they need our certificate of naturalization? How does it work?

Tks so much!!!!!

Its more fun looking back than wondering what's going to happen in the future, congratulations.

So true Nick......thanks you so much!!!All the best to you & yr wife!!!!:-)

Congratulations! We're going to join you with that IT'S OVER relief in a few weeks! :dance:

Good luck ELW!!!!!It's going to be a very nice experience!!!!:-)

Tks guys for your messages!!!!

Hi all, I got today my Oath, so I got also my Naturalization Certificate!!!!Tomorrow I'll go for my passport.........wanted to share with you VJ ppl. It took long time to be where I got today, it was a very very long JOURNEY, and if it wasn't for VJ it would have been even more difficult.

Thanks to VJ and all its staff!!!U r so precious to all of us!!!!!!And thanks to all the ppl that since 2006 have helped me in my process. I wish all of you out there good luck!!!!

The Ceremony was very nice & emotional!!!!!

They darn well better, ever watch any of those WW II Nazi Germany movies where the Gestapo stops people and says, let me see your papers! The Gestapo was their government that issued these papers, our Gestapo only issued one, a birth certificate. So it was, let me see your paper for entering grade school, SS card, DMV, and getting drafted, ironically all these are parts of our government and the only organizations that wanted to see my paper. Well, that was true for many years until I met my wife and heard of the USCIS for the first time, they wanted to see all my papers, and all of her papers too. Like a 3 1/2" tall stack of papers.

But at least that boiled down for her to let me see your paper, and that is your US citizen certificate. They do take away, not your paper, but your green card, you are dead without that, can't travel, can't work, can't do anything without it. And if you have a foreign passport to travel, that became worthless for travel after you received your US citizenship certificate, at least for leaving and coming back to the USA. You now need more papers, a US passport, but can't get that without your certificate.

So that US citizenship certificate is your paper, your only proof that you are here legally, so you better darn well not leave your oath ceremony without it. Also you better read it carefully to make sure there are no errors on it before leaving. If there are errors on it, will cause you both time and money to get it corrected even though its not your fault. So make darn sure it is correct before you leave the oath ceremony.

It also doesn't become valid until you sign it, and you have to sign your name exactly like it is printed on your certificate, so practice first, you have to sign it in ink, so you only get one shot at it. Do this in a quiet spot, not with a bunch of kids screaming or at a drunken party. This is your paper.

Nick, you are soooooooooooooo and terrible right.....WTH....how US Immigration is....I didn't think about it but it is like that, without the paper we cannot have our US passport, and until we do not have it we are stacked here in US, we cannot go anywhere.........Also my docs file since the Fiancee VISA requested in 2005 (but received in 2006) is about 3.5 or even 4 inches tall........I saw it last time I got my test, she (IO) had everything since then......so much wasting time, money and feelings.........Tks so much for sharing your experience!!!!I can't wait to get my passport and after that I don't wanna hear about Immigration anymore, for the rest of my life!!!!!

I finally completed my journey in an emotional ceremony, with 23 other countries, and 39 other applicants. Its been a fantastic ride, and hearing and using all the information on VJ and from everyone else on here has been valuable. I wish everyone happiness and good luck in their pursuits to become a citizen.

Peace to everyone...

Mark.

Congrats Marco, one question...they gave you the certificate of naturalization same day of the Oath, right?

Tks alot!!!!

Wife was denied entry into Colombia because her US passport states she was born in Colombia, but she argued, only way she could get a Colombian passport was to enter that country. We spend darn near a week chasing around Bogota, got all her documents gathered and approved. Couldn't just go to one place, was like five different places, but all of her documents were approved by the ID office. She was told she could get her ID immediately if we paid a 500 US dollar "expediency" fee in cash. We said no, that was nine months ago, still waiting. She filled out a form where her mom can check and pick it up, she went there last Friday.

Ha, I did ask our immigration attorney that has been dealing with the USCIS for years if there was such a thing as an "expediency" fee with the USCIS, he gave me both bad and good news. Bad was no such "expediency" fee existed so we would have to wait, good was at least we don't have that kind of corruption here. But he did say if I had a friend or relative with access to the USCIS database, that would help, no such friend or relative.

When our I-751 and oath letter were well beyond the processing dates, suggested I contact my senator, that worked, but only if your application is well beyond those processing dates. Wife was promised she would get her oath letter within two weeks, let seven go by before contacting him, she got her oath three days later. Did sent him what I considered a nice size check to his campaign fund, we were invited to a dinner because of that. But can only wonder what kind of checks the oil companies and Wall Street are sending. The amount of money I sent was less than all the chasing around we would have to do otherwise.

Was disappointed to hear, China is outbidding us for oil in Iraq, then just recently, Chavez will be sending us a million barrels of oil less per day as he is getting more money from China. So China not only has our jobs, but getting our oil plus. I get absolutely disgusted each time we rent a DVD with Sony threatening us with our FBI not to copy. You would be shocked as to how the Japanese own our US patent office, no major or even an individual owns a patent issued in Japan. My senator's comment on all this, he is only one voice in a hundred. And I know both he and my congressman have their hands tied in going along with their party if they want to stay in office. That is saddening to learn. So much about We the people.

OMG....what a nightmare for you & yr wife!!!!!!

Still a lot of corruption in the Italian government, certainly had to deal with it to bring my wife and daughter here dealing with Venezuela and Colombia as our USCIS demanded documents from both countries to bring them here. A lot of it in the form of expedient fees, as everything down there had to go to a court of law or notaries as they call them. Without paying them in US cash under the table to get these required documents, we would still be waiting, even after seven years when we first applied.

Further complications were in the USCIS forms themselves, written in such poor English with a threat of keeping your fees and rejecting your applications, not knowing about this board, had no choice but to hire an immigration attorney. How many people do you know have to pay exorbitant fees to prepare their IRS tax forms? Same thing. Further expenses were with USCIS approved doctors, they have a racket going on. Strictly out of pocket expenses, not covered by health insurance and all of know we get robbed blind even seeing a doctor for a cold. It was that I-693 that was extremely expensive. Both my wife and step-daughter received lifetime TB tests, so didn't pass that now defunct skin test, this cost me an additional small fortune in medical bills for further test to prove they didn't have TB. But that crazy I-693 form at the time would still permit them to come here as long as they would agree to have counseling.

Then those long trips with loss pay to have the same set of fingerprints taken three times over again. Plus additional long trips and expenses, because they misplaced our applications three times. Really stopped keeping track of these direct and indirect immigration expenses to bring my wife and daughter, but I know I am well over the $20,000.00 mark and still not done, yet. So I feel we also have a bit of corruption here, but not nearly as bad as Venezuela or Colombia.

And this money is all post tax money, did contact my tax attorney since I have a business, could have deducted these expenses if I claimed my wife and daughter were working for me. But how would that look like with the USCIS? Not good, wouldn't even dare attempt to deduct these fees and expenses. So between FICA, federal, and state income taxes, ended up having to earn an additional 40% in taxes for these governmental fees and related expenses.

Could negotiate a little with USCIS approved doctors and immigration attorneys, but you cannot negotiate with anything dealing with the government. For more effective in negotiating "fair" prices with my vendors and customers. And with the USCIS, can't even mutually agree on an appointment, here you definitely feel like a slave, and you are definitely guilty until you prove yourself innocent. Your entire life is controlled by the USCIS during this process.

In no event, did my government even showed any signs of protecting me if I was the victim or fraud, that you have to do yourself, but certainly in the position to be accused of fraud. Already been screwed blue and fooled by my first wife, so I know I am not immune. And my wife has the same experience, we dated for two years before tying the knot and learned we can really work together well in dealing with extraneous government induced problems. But if there was fraud on the part of my wife, could have really been screwed with that I-864 as has already happened with to many on this board. So where is the USCIS protecting the sponsoring US citizen?

Certainly met a lot of good honest hard working struggling people in Venezuela, Colombia, and yes, the good old USA, and wondering more than ever, why do WE THE PEOPLE put up with this. We are essentially all slaves.

wow....you went through a very very tough Journey!!!!Sorry to hear that!!!!!

Grandfather is from Roccamontepiano, Italy, about a two hour drive from Rome. I'm third generation here, but contacted the Italian embassy, they want me back.

Grandmother is from Manoppello, Italy, she was the daughter of a lord with maid servants and all that. She never liked it here, no one to cook or sweep the floors for her.

Meeting a lot of my distant relatives on facebook, cool.

wow....this is so cool!!!!!I love Rome!!!!!I know facebook is great.....I love it, I found people I thought I could never get anymore news from them!!!!Good luck Nick for yr life to you & yr wife!!!!!

Ha, just thinking historically, a much greater experience to become a Roman citizen, then, you were no longer a slave.

But some advantages, don't have to carry that card around anymore, but not so sure if that holds true in Arizona, was a lot of news about that state, but quieted down since then.

Fairly confident we sure never hear from the USCIS again, 100% honest in our application, but always that concern. If my wife gets hit by a hit and run, kicked off our medical insurance due to a precondition, that already happened in my family before, least we can seek public aid without me being concerned by that I-864, definitely an advantage here.

No more concerns about reporting to the USCIS if we decide to move across the street, but wonder about when your city decides to change street names? We had several street name changes recently, now have a Veterans expressway, that is a joke, loaded with traffic lights. And a Veterans Street, Veterans Avenue, and a Veterans Lane, suppose if they changed the name of our street, we would have to report that. Ironically, with a huge medical complex in town, no Veterans hospital or even one doctor, have to make a 275 round trip for the nearest one, not even worth it, and still faced with a co-payment because I am still making a couple of bucks per year. We even have a new Veterans Park, but not allowed to bring my dog there.

Disappointing, because before, just had to maintain my wife's foreign passport, now we have to maintain that and a US passport as well. Wife's grandparents lived less than 400 miles from my grandparents, but hers took the boat to South rather than North America. Was quite the process to bring her here because its only where you were born that counts, but she still isn't a US citizen like I am.

Ahahahahahaha....a Roman citizen.....makes me smile because I'm from Milan in Italy, and I wish I were a Roman (from Rome) citizen when I was in Italy........so funny!!!!Tks for your funny message!!!!

I finally completed my journey in an emotional ceremony, with 23 other countries, and 39 other applicants. Its been a fantastic ride, and hearing and using all the information on VJ and from everyone else on here has been valuable. I wish everyone happiness and good luck in their pursuits to become a citizen.

Peace to everyone...

Mark.

Congrats!!!!!

Congrats & all the best!!!!!!

Hi daphne...I took my green card and my driver license... and I signed the paper there in the ceremony. I did not have to go to the SSN office. You dont get the passport right there and then... you have to pay the fee and send in your apllication for it, they have all the info at most post offices.

Hope this helps

Marco

Tks so much Marco for your reply!!!!:-))))

Is confusing when they ask you to bring all of your immigration documents with you, what the heck, had all those in my briefcase, so tossed that in the car, it stayed in the car.

Wife did completely fill out the back of her oath letter, but signed it in front of the immigration officer, all she needed was her oath letter and her new long delayed ten year green card that she hated to give up.

Oath ceremony in my opinion was all lip service, not being of the shy type, walked clear up to the front and requested to take a photo of my wife when she was handed the certificate. Was accommodated by that request. I proof read the certificate to make sure it was correct, wife was way to excited to do that. She signed it when we got home.

Knowing the date of her oath ceremony, already had her passport and SS application filled out. Oath ceremony was long day, so took care of her passport the following day. Already made both scanned, photo, and copying machine copies of it, with fear after sending it off to the DOS, we may never see it again. But because I went through all the effort, it came back. Same technique also worked for all of our applications, by making a complete duplicate copy of everything we sent it. If I didn't, surer than hell, they would have lost it. But as it was, was only misplaced, twice.

Tks Nick for telling me yr experience!!!:-)

Hi everybody,

in 11 days I'll have my Oath, so I was thinking if anyone out there, who got it already, besides the 10 green card and the paper received for the Oath Ceremony what else you took with you for the Oath?

The paper received by mail for the Oath you filled it out before having the Oath, I mean you signed it before having it or in front of someone there?

After you get the certificate of naturalization beside getting the passport, you went to the SS office with a photocopy of the certificate of naturalization to let them know that now you are US citizen or they need the original certificate of naturalization?

Thanks for all you info.

Good luck for all of you!!!!!

Hello All:

My wife's UK Passport is set to expire April 2011. I downloaded the renewal application, which states, "if you possess the nationality or citizenship of another country you may lose this when you obtain a British passport. Please check with the authorities of the other country before making your application."

http://centralcontent.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/central-content-pdfs/form-c1

Any thoughts, experiences would be greatly appreciated. We could renew the UK passport now (as she is still a permanent resident) and have it prior to obtaining her citizenship, but would then be faced with the same scenario when that passport would be up for renewal in a decade or so.

I know for example for my country (Italy) that they allow you to have the "dual citizenship" so as soon as I get the naturalization certificate I will have to send them a copy of the certificate to let them know that I'll be also American. When I need, in the future, to renew my Italian passport, I'll have to send them a copy (again) of the naturalization certificate to let them know that I'm also American.I hope it helped my comment!!!Good luck!!!!

Thank you so much for all y info, and your nice thoughts!!!!!

And thanks to VJ for being part so important during all my processes!!!!