Reputation from Markip1 - Page 2

Markip1 reacted to Joyoussinger in N-400 September 2022 Filers March 15, 2023

Congratulations!!! I love your thought about "completing the circle"!

Markip1 got a reaction from ybc in N-400 Filers @ New York City, Queens and Long Island Field Offices March 15, 2023

So, I'm a citizen! I attended my ceremony yesterday at Federal Plaza (Brooklyn office - Floor 8 ). It was a 10am start and we were out of the building by around 11:30am. Big shout out to the security staff at the front of the building, who were as ever sparkling in their insolent effrontery and rudeness. I assume it must be in their training that if someone doesn't speak English too well, screaming what you are trying to say to them louder and louder directly in their face will help them to understand what you mean. Never having to deal with these goons again was a large motivation for applying for citizenship to be honest, and I am glad to see the back of them.

The ceremony experience was all very straightforward, and somewhat anti-climactic to be honest. The ceremony was basically conducted in a waiting room. If you've been to the USCIS office at Federal Plaza before and waited in a hall with a ticket in your hand watching the TV screens to announce your number, then it's basically that room. There were no videos to watch, no speeches were given, no anthem was played, there wasn't even a US flag in sight. I felt overdressed in trousers, shirt and tie, as most people were dressed very casually. There were probably between 50 and 75 other people there, and interestingly it appeared that they were doing same day interview/oath ceremonies for some people in attendance, although they were taken to another room for their oath and were not involved in our ceremony beyond having their documents checked in the main room.

The process went something like this:
Everyone had line up to have their form checked, confirm a few questions about anything that had occurred since their interview, and hand in their Green Card (they also took my EAD/AP card but they didn't seem to bothered about those). They then had you check your naturalization certificate for any errors. If there was an error they would correct it on the spot at no cost for you, but if you left without requesting the change then you were on the hook for the full cost of a replacement at a later date. They took the certificate back once I had confirmed all the details, and they handed me two envelopes - one was a welcome letter from the President, the other contained information about what to do next as a US Citizen, a passport application form, and a copy of the constitution. They also gave me a small American flag. After you had been up to the window to do the above you were told to sit back down again. It took a while to check everyone in, but we were allowed to use phones or read a book so the time passed pretty quickly. Once everyone was checked in, an officer stood at the front, read the oath for us to recite, then told us to sit back down again. Officer said she had information available if we wanted it about applying for jobs at USCIS now that we were citizens, which got a few wry laughs from the crowd. She then called us up one by one to the window to collect our certificates and we were free to go. If anyone has any questions about the day feel free to ask. Before the event, I was mainly curious about what people would wear, and if they would allow family in to see the ceremony, and the answers to those questions were 1) wear pretty much whatever you like and 2) yes, my wife was allowed in no questions asked at all. I was also interested in the actual process of the ceremony, but now I realize there was very little to wonder about. It was all very straightforward and easy to navigate, but it had all the excitement and romance of the easiest trip to the DMV you've ever had. I'm over the moon to be at the end of this process, and can now fully embrace life in the US, but it would have been nice to have experienced a little bit of pageantry and occasion while taking the final step. That might just be the British person in me talking though. We love a drawn out ceremony.

The rest of the day was lovely though, my wife and I had lunch, and then wandered around Manhattan in the sleet and snow. Our wedding day was beset by awful weather so it felt like completing the circle for the naturalization day to bring more of the same. I think it'll take a few days to sink in that we are done with all the admin and fees and intrusion, but already it feels great to know that life here will now be much more straightforward, and that I can now become fully involved in all the rights and responsibilities that come with being a citizen.

Thanks to anyone who has offered help and guidance over the years, it's genuinely appreciated. Good luck all.