ProudlyConfused

Passports have the same RDID tech in them.

You can actually purchase wallets - and I do - that prevent RFID chips from being able to be scanned while in them. They are not more expensive than a normal good wallet either

I moved from Israel to the US with my two dogs from Israel.

Depending on the country you are coming from, Philippines in your case, you need to research what documents are needed for your animals. In my case it was proof of vaccinations and good health. You also need to ensure that the crate you are traveling with meets all of the airlines requirements - if it does not there are kits you can purchase online.

Note that when travelling internationally with animals, as they go in the cargo hold of the plane, you need to research and find airlines that have climate controlled storage for animals. We flew Lufthansa via Germany with a 5 hour layover in Germany. 

Lufthansa was great in that they have a traveling pet lounge, so they unloaded our animals and we were able to take them out for a bit during the layover.

Also note that you are not allowed to give your animals any type of sedative, as if customs thinks the animals are sick or "out of it" when they come off the plane they can deny them entry.

Upon landing at our port of entry, it only took me about 40 minutes to be processed, and we could hear people calling outside asking "who has not claimed their animals", and my wife had to run out to let them know we are with immigration.

It also looks like the Philippines is listed as a rabbies high risk country and requires additional paperwork
https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/rabies-vaccine.html

https://www.cdc.gov/importation/traveling-with-pets.html

I grew up in South Africa and lived in the middle east for a decade, now living in Michigan during the winter I have been diagnosed with a cold-air-allergy.

Towards the end of fall I start getting this terrible cough that stays and gets worse all winter; basically coughing so bad that I have broken ribs.

As soon as fall starts my doctors (pulmonologist and ENT) have me start COPD medication and a heavy does of steroids and that seems to help, the steroids help keep the swelling of the throat down from all the coughing.

14 hours ago, abibae said:

Hello! We are in the process of applying for citizenship for my husband. He is from South Korea and had served his mandatory two years of military service back in 2009 (before we were even married). We marked the necessary boxes on the N-400 regarding him having military and weapons training and also wrote an explanation. Does this explanation sound good enough or is it too short?

 

"In South Korea, it is mandatory by law for all adult men to serve two years of military service (excluding those with health or religious limitations). I completed my two years of service in April 2009 to February 2011 and was assigned as a medic two months into my service until the end of my service. As a medic, I worked alongside a doctor and helped treat any minor injuries on soldiers and helped the doctor make medicine for soldiers. I completed volunteer service in the local town to help seniors as well. I was also trained on first aid and CPR.

 

In reference to part 12, question 19, I received two months of weapons training with a K2 at the beginning of my service and then received training on the M-16, which was what I trained with for the rest of my time in the military. All soldiers are required to train with these weapons."

 

We are also planning on including a copy of his Military Discharge card, but it is all in Korean. We were planning on just translating it on the same document that he used to explain his military service. Would that be okay? Do we need to find someone to "officially" translate the card? Do we even need to provide a copy of the discharge card?

 

Thank you!

I served in the IDF (also mandatory conscription) and included a very similar explanation, was naturalized a few months back with no issues.

21 minutes ago, corvusheart said:

So we tried applying for the passport at the Post office. They told him all supporting documents needed to be over 6 months old to be used. That his certificate of naturalization was too new and that his state ID was too new as well (since we just moved).

 

I thought you could apply for a passport right away as soon as you became a citizen?

They are mistaken - go to another location...

You can apply straight away.

23 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

Hmm, I wonder if something was changed from last year.  When my wife applied at the Detroit Passport Agency within 30 days of her oath, they did not keep the NC, but made a copy of it and had a supervisor approve the copy.

 

 

Correct if you apply within 30 days at the passport agency they dont keep it, the post office is a different story...

@Zombie69 I do a lot of domestic travel - flying almost once every two weeks so I applied for the passport card, just for the sake of another form of ID i can use in case something happens to my drivers license .

Congrats and dont forget to go to the SSA office to update your records there.

I served in the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) and answered Yes to those questions along with an explanation of my service and that Israel has mandatory conscription.

As I am sure you are aware, this answer affects several others, such as 14C, 17 and 19

During my interview the officer and i spoke about these, there only real question was whether I felt I had ever violated the Geneva conventions.

I was naturalized last month with no issues.

I expedited everything - the application as well as the mail and received my passpport book, passport card and certificate all within 2 days of one another

In total I had everything in hand about 2 weeks later

I did mine at the post office so it was not - are you mailing yours in or via a passport office?

If you are doing it via a post office the department of state fee must be by check and then the processing fees (usually $35.00) can even be put on a card, those are the two payments - see below

Hey,

I just got all of my passport stuff back this past week, I did my process at the post office, it was quick and easy.

Needed my naturalization certificate - and a copy

Copy of my drivers license

Photo - they will use what you bring in if it meets the reqs.

completed application in BLACK pen

When at the post office, the department of state will only accept a check or money order, I did personal check

you can see what the fees will be by going through the questionnaire located on the site below:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

You need to file a  DS-4194 to the office of authentications - see below:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/internl-judicial-asst/authentications-and-apostilles/office-of-authentications.html

1 hour ago, Tanish said:

As @ProudlyConfused mentioned, apply for your naturalization and if they say that you need to apply for ROC, you can do that as they did and hope it works out.

Its just important to note that it will delay your N-400 processing and that you still will have to pay for the I-751 processing, when the officer found the error during my initial N-400 interview he was able to write me a letter to submit with my I-751 that there was an error with the classification on the GC which resulted in me receiving a 10yr instead of a 2yr, otherwise I would have been penalized for submitting the I-751 many years late.

I also worked with my states senators immigration team to push the files along and it still all resulted in roughly a 12 month delay

Being issued the 10 year card when you should have gotten the 2 year is a big deal, I know it happened to me.

We only realized once I had submitted my N-400 and was sitting there with the officer for my interview - it landed up delaying my case by almost 1 year as I had to file emergency I-751 paperwork.

Thankfully it all worked out and I was naturalized 3 weeks ago 

On 6/24/2019 at 2:03 AM, Kath2506 said:

@ProudlyConfused 

Hope you have a lovely day at your Oath Ceremony, hope it will be a memorable one for you. Congrats

Thanks!

I had my ceremony yesterday, it was great! All in all 80 of us took the oath from 40 countries.

The only item that threw me off was the letter started 09:30, we arrived there at 8am to play it safe and all, and the ceremony only started at 11am - which was a bit tough on my kids who REALLY wanted a snack!

The judge and the teams there were great

20 hours ago, RodDetroit said:

FYI for those that have their ceremony scheduled soon.  I read everywhere you should be 45 min before the ceremony starts, basically because there is going to be a long line to go through security , verify your personal details with the form, get everybody seated , cell phones are not allowed as you may know so you will have to bring a camera if you want to take pictures.  Right after the ceremony there will be a stand to apply for an expedite passport right there,  so you won't have to send your certificate to get a passport, bring 2 pictures and the form filled out to save time . 

Thanks for the info - I have my oath on 6/24, I've read about the long lines!

Great to hear about being able to apply for the passport there and then and not having to schedule an appointment with the passport office across the road.

Have you tried reaching out to you states senators office, mine was really able to assist in expediting my case.

Re a lawyer; I did both my I-751 and N-400 on my own with no issues, I had a pretty straight forward case - apart from the fact that I had to file my I-751 many years past the due date due to a USCIS error on my GC.

I had my combo interview last Friday and take the oath in 2 weeks

2 minutes ago, Miki28 said:

Congratulations! ❤️ So happy for you. 

If you don’t mind me asking, what local office for N400 are you? 

Thanks.

Detroit office.

Juts got back from my combo I-751 and N-400 interview, the interview went really well.

The only "tense" questions that sparked discussions were from the N-400 related to military service, weapons training and having taken a life; as I had served overseas in a foreign military.

The officer did allow my wife to be present through both interviews, however told her that she may not speak during the N-400 portion; cracked the joke that its the quietest she'll ever be for 30 minutes 😉

He was able to approve my I-751 and conditionally approve my N-400; he let me know that due to my military service and some of the questions its affects my approval would require a post decision approval.

By the time I got home, I received multiple emails from the portals  - the final one started that my post-decision approval had been approved and that my ceremony has been scheduled with the letter containing the date and time on the way.

Thanks all for the support, it has been a journey.

Best of luck to all.

Juts got back from my combo I-751 and N-400 interview, the interview went really well.

The only "tense" questions that sparked discussions were from the N-400 related to military service, weapons training and having taken a life; as I had served overseas in a foreign military.

The officer did allow my wife to be present through both interviews, however told her that she may not speak during the N-400 portion; cracked the joke that its the quietest she'll ever be for 30 minutes 😉

He was able to approve my I-751 and conditionally approve my N-400; he let me know that due to my military service and some of the questions its affects my approval would require a post decision approval.

By the time I got home, I received multiple emails from the portals  - the final one started that my post-decision approval had been approved and that my ceremony has been scheduled with the letter containing the date and time on the way.

Thanks all for the support, it has been a journey.

Best of luck to all.

34 minutes ago, afrocraft said:

Wow. I feel your pain. I'm in a different kind of hot mess: the date on my 2-year green card was 4 months later than it should be, and despite 3 attempts to correct it (2 I-90s and a returned I-751), I still had problems during my N-400 interview. Now, I'm in limbo. Good to see that a resolution is within sight for you though.

I worked alot with my states senators immigration office, they have helped to move things along, have you tried reaching out to yours?

Just now, afrocraft said:

Ah. Guess they'll still accept the expired green card. They issued it, after all...

That's part of the kicker about my scenario, my physical green card is still valid.

I was accidentally issued a 10 year GC when I should have been issued a 2 year, this was only caught by the officer during my initial N400 interview almost a year ago, 6 years into me entering the US. Bit of a hot mess.

3 minutes ago, afrocraft said:

Congrats. Two forms of government-issued ID AND your passport? 

Drivers license +green card and passport should do the trick

1 hour ago, LeoFromBR said:

 

I had never seen this format used before... then again, I had never see a notice for combo interview before...

 

Did the letter also include another page listing documents to bring? Why is there nothing listed after "Please bring with you:" ??

 

Good luck either way!

Just that single sided piece of paper