Chocolot

All Done! 176 people from 46 countries were naturalized in the 1st ceremony today. Hopefully Red Diablo found a place to park, as it was crowded with a long line of people waiting at 7.20am, but the ceremony was all completed before 9am.

Since then I have been to SS Office, completed my voters registration and sent my passport application on its way.

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=====================

USCIS Lockbox Texas

=====================

UserName............Sent...........NOA1...........Biometrics......Int ltr recd.......Interview......Oath.......Office

NI-CT...............06/01/09.......06/08/09.......08/07/09........08/27/09...........10/05/09.......--/--/--...Hartford

Imzadi..............06/05/09.......06/10/09.......07/01/09........09/14/09...........10/19/09.......--/--/--...Atlanta

Kamranashraf1.......06/05/09.......07/11/09.......07/28/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...New York

Tata................06/06/09.......06/10/09.......07/10/09........07/27/09...........09/16/09.......--/--/--...Philadelphia

Jayde......resent...06/06/09.......06/10/09.......07/06/09........07/23/09...........08/28/09.......09/16/09...Fort Lauderdale

poisontee...........06/07/09.......06/11/09.......07/02/09........07/13/09...........08/24/09.......--/--/--...San Antonio

CColdwell...........06/08/09.......06/12/09.......07/11/09........08/29/09...........10/14/09.......--/--/--...Newark

PRK73...............06/08/09.......06/16/09.......07/02/09........09/14/09...........10/19/09.......--/--/--...Atlanta

PussInBoots.........06/08/09.......06/10/09.......07/02/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...New York

Red Diablo..........06/09/09.......06/16/09.......07/09/09........08/06/09...........08/31/09.......09/16/09...Fort Lauderdale

Mohsin..............06/10/09.......06/19/09.......07/11/09........08/03/09...........09/02/09.......--/--/--...Mt. Laurel

Wannabe_Texan.......06/11/09.......06/19/09.......07/24/09........08/06/09...........09/14/09.......10/21/09...Houston

Deep123.............06/11/09.......06/18/09.......08/05/09........08/25/09...........10/08/09.......--/--/--...Hartford

LovelySummer1982....06/12/09.......06/22/09.......07/10/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...

AbdiraRashid........06/12/09.......06/16/09.......07/10/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Oklahoma City

Siddarth18..........06/16/09.......06/29/09.......07/18/09........09/05/09...........10/15/09.......--/--/--...Newark

KBF.................06/16/09.......06/22/09.......07/13/09........08/03/09...........09/10/09.......10/19/09...Charleston, WV

phillydude411.......06/18/09.......06/23/09.......07/10/09........09/01/09...........10/20/09.......--/--/--...Philadelphia, PA

Mr. Big Dog.........06/23/09.......06/29/09.......07/16/09........07/25/09...........09/09/09.......--/--/--...Tampa

Leo_Boca Raton......06/23/09.......06/30/09.......07/16/09........08/03/09...........10/14/09.......--/--/--...West Palm Beach

roosh...............06/23/09.......06/30/09.......07/15/09........09/14/09...........10/19/09.......--/--/--...Newark

neolla .............06/27/09.......07/02/09.......07/25/09........09/14/09...........10/21/09.......--/--/--...Newark

shakysgirl..........06/28/09.......07/06/09.......07/24/09........08/31/09...........10/08/09.......--/--/--...Albany

KikiDoug............06/29/09.......07/10/09.......07/24/09........08/25/09...........09/19/09.......--/--/--...Baltimore

malydon.............06/29/09.......07/06/07.......07/29/09........08/13/09...........09/15/09.......--/--/--...Manchester NH

=====================

USCIS Lockbox Arizona

=====================

UserName............Sent...........NOA1...........Biometrics......Int ltr recd.......Interview......Oath.......Office

gopalag1............06/01/09.......06/04/09.......06/25/09........07/06/09...........08/17/09.......--/--/--...San Diego

Kashif..............06/08/09.......06/11/09.......06/23/09........ 08/03/09...........09/22/09.......--/--/--...Seattle

80k.................06/08/09.......06/15/09.......07/16/09........08/31/09...........10/21/09.......--/--/--...Portland, OR

Jess1...............06/09/09.......06/18/09.......07/22/09........07/30/09...........09/22/09.......--/--/--...Detroit

alexandsara.........06/09/09.......06/16/09.......07/09/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Seattle

Onion...............06/10/09.......06/20/09.......07/15/09........--/--/--...........09/22/09.......--/--/--...Detroit

daveh...............06/11/09.......06/16/09.......07/16/09........07/27/09...........09/02/09.......09/25/09...San Jose

Auria...............06/20/09.......06/30/09.......07/16/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Olympia

LiraKonen...........06/xx/09.......06/22/09.......07/14/09........07/24/09...........09/10/09.......09/17/09...Anoka, MN

Treyu...............06/23/09.......06/26/09.......07/25/09........08/06/09...........09/11/09.......--/--/--...San Jose

WishAllGood.........06/23/09.......06/26/09.......07/25/09........08/06/09...........09/11/09.......--/--/--...San Jose

Scouser1973.........06/23/09.......06/29/09.......07/24/09........09/03/09...........10/06/09.......--/--/--...San Francisco

Scouser1973(Spouse).06/23/09.......07/16/09.......08/08/09........09/02/09...........10/06/09.......--/--/--...San Francisco

Kharazia............06/25/09.......07/10/09.......07/27/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Detroit

internetkafe........06/26/09.......07/03/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--...........10/28/09.......--/--/--...Milwaukee

Thank you for the Congratulations WishAllGood, Rebelheart, CColdwell, Red Diablo and Roosh!!

>>SNIP

Jayde - enjoy the Oath tomorrow - our first June USC *sniff* *so proud of you* And Red D too , who will have to be known as Red White Blue Diablo after tomorrow

and Red Diablo Wrote Sep 14 2009, 10:23 PM

JOLLY GOOD for you W T u wil; be done oct 21st congrats

I think its great that jayde started the june thread and the she re submitted and she has the great honour of gertting the june group first oath ,thats sounds right to me

I will be right behind her on weds morn in lardydale

cheers to all, red d

Thanks Guys, I spent some time today (early start in the morning for a 7.30 appointment) preparing a passport application, completing my form but not signing it and making sure I have my 10 year GC, and the letter as well as my little aussie flag pin!

We have a full day planned tomorrow, with a quick trip home after the ceremony to scan and print copies of the certificate, go to the Social Security office to change my status and then to the courthouse or city hall to put in the passport application. I hate the feeling of being unable to travel again, lol but I will add my details to the passport list on this forum, and keep watching and wishing you luck as you all complete your journeys, too

Good luck for tomorrow, Red Diablo,

Do you have warehouse cards, eg sam's, bjs or others that have both of you at same address. Does your wife have photo id with address on it, to photocopy alongside your drivers licence. Do you have insurance listing each other, wills?

Cards sent to you both such as invitations or thank you cards. Have you been on any trips? have invoice from hotel, or petrol on your statement to prove you were away, photos of you there, do you have a pet that you have registered? Phone statements with your numbers listed?

Did you send everything they asked for in the 1st packet, if not add what you can, statements as already suggested, about your living arrangements.

I am sure you will think of things that prove your relationship is ongoing and strong, you may have to be a bit creative to find things that a stranger would say, well they would have to be committed to have this, and then it will be approved.

Good Luck, wannabe texan

Updating for KBF's and LiraKonen's Oaths

1. Please make sure you are using Rich Text Editor as your message setting.

2. Click 'Reply' on the most recent/updated posting version of this list (not a quoted response, pls).

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=====================

USCIS Lockbox Texas

=====================

UserName............Sent...........NOA1...........Biometrics......Int ltr recd.......Interview......Oath.......Office

NI-CT...............06/01/09.......06/08/09.......08/07/09........08/27/09...........10/05/09.......--/--/--...Hartford

Imzadi..............06/05/09.......06/10/09.......07/01/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Atlanta

Kamranashraf1.......06/05/09.......07/11/09.......07/28/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...New York

Tata................06/06/09.......06/10/09.......07/10/09........07/27/09...........09/16/09.......--/--/--...Philadelphia

Jayde......resent...06/06/09.......06/10/09.......07/06/09........07/23/09...........08/28/09.......09/16/09...Fort Lauderdale

poisontee...........06/07/09.......06/11/09.......07/02/09........07/13/09...........08/24/09.......--/--/--...San Antonio

CColdwell...........06/08/09.......06/12/09.......07/11/09........08/29/09...........10/14/09.......--/--/--...Newark

PRK73...............06/08/09.......06/16/09.......07/02/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Atlanta

Red Diablo..........06/09/09.......06/16/09.......07/09/09........08/06/09...........08/31/09.......09/16/09...Fort Lauderdale

Mohsin..............06/10/09.......06/19/09.......07/11/09........08/03/09...........09/02/09.......--/--/--...Mt. Laurel

Wannabe_Texan.......06/11/09.......06/19/09.......07/24/09........08/06/09...........09/14/09.......--/--/--...Houston

Deep123.............06/11/09.......06/18/09.......08/05/09........08/25/09...........10/08/09.......--/--/--...Hartford

LovelySummer1982....06/12/09.......06/22/09.......07/10/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...

AbdiraRashid........06/12/09.......06/16/09.......07/10/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Oklahoma City

Siddarth18..........06/16/09.......06/29/09.......07/18/09........09/05/09...........10/15/09.......--/--/--...Newark

KBF.................06/16/09.......06/22/09.......07/13/09........08/03/09...........09/10/09.......10/19/09...Charleston, WV

phillydude411.......06/18/09.......06/23/09.......07/10/09........09/01/09...........10/20/09.......--/--/--...Philadelphia, PA

Mr. Big Dog.........06/23/09.......06/29/09.......07/16/09........07/25/09...........09/09/09.......--/--/--...Tampa

Leo_Boca Raton......06/23/09.......06/30/09.......07/16/09........08/03/09...........10/14/09.......--/--/--...West Palm Beach

roosh...............06/23/09.......06/30/09.......07/15/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Newark

neolla .............06/27/09.......07/02/09.......07/25/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Newark

shakysgirl..........06/28/09.......07/06/09.......07/24/09........08/31/09...........10/08/09.......--/--/--...Albany

KikiDoug............06/29/09.......07/10/09.......07/24/09........08/25/09...........09/19/09.......--/--/--...Baltimore

malydon.............06/29/09.......07/06/07.......07/29/09........08/13/09...........09/15/09.......--/--/--...Manchester NH

=====================

USCIS Lockbox Arizona

=====================

UserName............Sent...........NOA1...........Biometrics......Int ltr recd.......Interview......Oath.......Office

gopalag1............06/01/09.......06/04/09.......06/25/09........07/06/09...........08/17/09.......--/--/--...San Diego

Kashif..............06/08/09.......06/11/09.......06/23/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Seattle

80k.................06/08/09.......06/15/09.......07/16/09........08/31/09...........10/21/09.......--/--/--...Portland, OR

Jess1...............06/09/09.......06/18/09.......07/22/09........07/30/09...........09/22/09.......--/--/--...Detroit

alexandsara.........06/09/09.......06/16/09.......07/09/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Seattle

Onion...............06/10/09.......06/20/09.......07/15/09........--/--/--...........09/22/09.......--/--/--...Detroit

daveh...............06/11/09.......06/16/09.......07/16/09........07/27/09...........09/02/09.......--/--/--...San Jose

Auria...............06/20/09.......06/30/09.......07/16/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Olympia

LiraKonen...........06/xx/09.......06/22/09.......07/14/09........07/24/09...........09/10/09.......09/17/09...Anoka, MN

Treyu...............06/23/09.......06/26/09.......07/25/09........08/06/09...........09/11/09.......--/--/--...San Jose

WishAllGood.........06/23/09.......06/26/09.......07/25/09........08/06/09...........09/11/09.......--/--/--...San Jose

Scouser1973.........06/23/09.......06/29/09.......07/24/09........09/03/09...........10/06/09.......--/--/--...San Francisco

Scouser1973(Spouse).06/23/09.......07/16/09.......08/08/09........09/02/09...........10/06/09.......--/--/--...San Francisco

Kharazia............06/25/09.......07/10/09.......07/27/09........--/--/--...........--/--/--.......--/--/--...Detroit

internetkafe........06/26/09.......07/03/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--...........10/28/09.......--/--/--...Milwaukee

Best wishes, and may the next part of your journey be the happiest time of your lives

A friend told me they gave her cr@p at her interview because, like us, they have no kids.

I so hope we don't get interview.

I'm thinking we won't get an interview but there were times when I was going through AOS when I wished for one just to get it over with...... because I saw all these people getting interviews and approvals in about half the time it was taking for mine. I'd actually like to see them challenge us on our legitimacy based upon the fact that we don't have kids together. What an idiotic stance.

hope you dont mind me butting in.... I had no interview until the N400, and the CO asked me if we planned to have children together, and I laughed at him, I am well past menopause and my oldest would be more than a little shocked since he is 35 this year...

so no i wont be having a kid to prove our relationship, and no I didnt change my name either, I was approved btw, so it isnt all bad. ROC isnt too bad, the waiting times dont look as long but you still need some of the originals for the N400 interview, and the info from the other applications, so dont shred any of your copies yet.

The biometrics can be done at most places on a walkin, once you have the appointment letter and you wont have any problem going out of the country as long as you have the NOA that extends the greencard expiry for a year.

good luck

Thank you.

What is the 10 year card called?

When you get that, is that it for nearly 10 years?

Can you leave the states and live back in the UK for say a year when you have it?

The 10 year card is the same as your current green card, it just isnt 'conditional' and lasts for 10 years before it expires. You may choose to renew it after 10 years or apply for naturalisation and become an American citizen after 3 years if you are eligible and still married to the USC, or else wait 5 years.

You can apply for the removal of conditions 3 months before the expiry of the conditional *2 year* card that you currently have. If you need to travel before you get the 10 year card but after the expiry of the 2 year one, it is possible to make an appointment at your local uscis office and obtain a stamp in your passport to indicate your legal status, so that you can return to the US.

A green card or aka permanent residence card is usually valid only while you reside in the USA and trips for longer than 6 months can be problematic, depending on circumstances I think you can apply for a return visa if you need to be away for longer, but am not sure about those details, and you can probably find the answers in the guides or by a search of the forum.

good luck, best wishes on the next stage of your journey

Congratulations Red Diablo, I bet you are glad that you got a leter time. I understand they have limited space, as you say though, they need to accommodate the 1 guest we are allowed. Oh well, it is the end of an excruciating journey so celebrations are on the cards, I may have a grand shredding time of all the bits of paper I kept as proof, that are no longer needed.

Maybe I will see you as I leave.....

I just received my Oath appointment, 7.30 am on 16th Sept, a bunch of questions to confirm no alteration to circumstances since the interview and the Green Card and we are allowed one guest to attend the ceremony,

Good luck to Mohsin for your interview, you will do fine

Ps I still havent got the formatting correct so will leave it to one of you clever people to update the list for me. I dont know what I need to do to get it right but it always looks a mess when I do it.

thanks

I forgot to ask if I will be engleeeesh or canadian at oath

But ms Hernandez said its like to be a wednesday aghhhhhhhhhhh

the officer I had was quite concerned when he couldnt find the code for Oz, so I think my question is answered. He also asked me if I was dual, I told him yes by birth but that I used an Australian Passport.

Yep the Wednesday bit was what I was told and that it could be at different times, so lets hope you dont draw the 8 am one. I have no idea if they have a big room beyond those double wooden doors though, so dont know exactly where the ceremony will be

oops meant to put my report in this section

anyhow its a new thread

all the besties

well done! I barracked* for you, lol

did they tell you anything about the ceremony?

for others * to barrack (nothing to do with the US President) is the aussie equivalent of rooting which has an entirely different meaning (sorta xrated) in Oz

How wonderful Jayde Congratulations!!! Glad it was reasonably painless!!!

I'm taking a boatload of paperwork (bills etc evidence), in case they need to see more, since we're applying based on the 3 years, so don't have as long a marriage history as y'all...

Hope the wait for the OL is short!!

We are also 3 year filers, just waited an extra couple of months. But not as long as it took them to complete my AOS which was really what added a lot of time to the procedure.

LOL, as well as the folder I carried to the interview (with the extra utility bills) I also had the BIG folder in the car in case they wanted anything else. Judging by some recent posts it just seems you never know what they may have lost or want to see again.

Thanks to you all for all the support it makes this whole process a little less frustrating to know so many people are around "rooting" for you.

We went through the security about 30 minutes before the appointment time, this is always a little more difficult for hubby and his pacemaker, checked in with the appointment letter at the desk and was told to wait in the room to the right where I would be called by name. The appointment letter mentioned to allow 2 hours but I was finished in 20 - 30 minutes.

We watched as lots of families and individuals were called to the windows, with a number system and others were being called by name and disappearing through some wooden doors. I was called by name and we both got up but the officer told us my husband he was not needed so he waited there.

I followed the officer and when we arrived at his office he introduced himself asked me to remain standing in order to administer the oath to tell the truth, then he drew the file towards him and took the top papers off. He asked to see my greencard and passport and then hubby's birth certificate and the documents that I had sent copies of. He was checking off the forms that I had submitted and went through each question, either ticking or writing comments as he went. He asked how the marriage was inquiring if we were happy but mainly the questions were those that I had answered on the forms.

He got me to sign on a couple of pages, and also on the photos, which he removed from the little baggy that I had placed them in when I sent them.

He asked 6 questions from the booklet, like who was the next in line after the President and the VP, I know he asked the other 5 but dont remember exactly which they were, all I know is my memory didnt fail me, as I had feared. He was pleasant and professional, and by then I had got over some of the nerves that I was feeling. He had me read "when is Columbus Day" and write that it is in October.

He asked about my children and questioned our current address and the time we had spent outside the USA, he seemed worried when he couldnt find the country code for Australia and discussed the fact that I was already a dual citizen being British born, so I guess my question is answered about when to stand up.

He gave me a receipt and we left feeling happy that in the next weeks or months I should receive a letter with an appointment for an Oath Ceremony. These are held at various times of the day on a Wednesday at the Oakland Park Office.

Success, my file that was started in 2004 and has all the documents that we have tendered over the last 5 years is stamped approved.

I can report back positively tomorrow, and I echo your well wishes to red diablo, I am sure you will do well and all will be fine. At least the end of the journey is almost within our grasp now.

Jayde you Sheila munching on a choccy bar in your pic.

Did you enjoy the cricket this week I sure did.

but us pom,s will get our arses kicked down under next time I reckon

anyhow all the besties for tomarra

keep us posted I will not make lardydale till sun afternoon

btw dont fret about the test you will have no probs and all will be bonza

let us know about your oath date

Jules wishes to be with me but reading kathryn 41 at atlnta not sure if its a good idea

also I am on a canuck passport being there for 30 years but when they ask brits to stand up

ooops I might pop up twice in cermony that will confuse em

good luck Roger Naples fl

Thats just not cricket old chap! bringing up that the better team on the day took the ashes!

Like you I have been absent from the old dart since the 70ies and they appear to be making me use my country of birth, so I will be standing as a brit, maybe.... havent felt like one for a very long time and if we are at the same ceremony they may do a double take, if we are both bobbing up and down like a clown at a funfair.

Good luck Jayde for tomorrow!! Best wishes, and let us know how it goes - sure you will do great

Thanks wannabe_texan, I am nervously going over the paperwork, I will be taking and questioning myself over whether I know the answers to the 100 questions.

Hopefully I can report back positively tomorrow, and I echo your well wishes to red diablo, I am sure you will do well and all will be fine. At least the end of the journey is almost within our grasp now.

Congratulations, Kathryn

reading your experiences does help, but I'm still nervous, I will be glad when tomorrow is over

(are you sharing that Dairy Milk Jayde??)

Pooh and Piglet - a main topic in this thread is about pledging allegiance to the U.S. when you become a U.S. citizen - and excluding other countries, also being able to vote to fully participate in your new community - so while on the surface it doesn't seem like a big deal (based on what you are talking about) for a lot of people it is.

I can understand the USC view that my taking citizenship is disingenuous BUT I have no alternative, as when I return to live in my home country, my permanent residence in the USA is no longer valid. I dont need another citizenship, I have my birth country and my choice (adopted) 2 passports are plenty.

US immigration overhaul doesnt appear to change some of these issues, so we have to make the best choices we can, for our families.

PS TopDeck is really my favourite, DairyMilk is just second choice

You have the choice to be a permanent resident, or a citizen.

However if you leave to live elsewhere, you lose PR. Unlike some other countries, eg Australia where permanent means always and does not make you undergo the complete immigration process again. Unfortunately I feel forced into taking citizenship to avoid having to apply for a new visa in the future.

Because I cant find many who have used the Oakland Park Office I havent been able to find out how they organise the Oath Ceremony, but it is quite possible we will be scheduled for the same one.

I agree a Friday is good, would be nice if they did same day ones,

Congratulations Jayde Things are moving along quickly for you!!

Ok time to start random Civics Questions of the Day *** CQD for the June Filers ***

* When was Declaration of Independence adopted?

* Name three of the 13 original states?

Todays questions are:

What are some freedoms guaranteed by the first amendment?

What do the stars on our flag mean?

Congrats everyone, we are all one day closer!

hey everyone

so hubby and i are thinking about returning to australia ....

can anyone tell me where to look to see about his visa and also our daughters? ... and all that stuff?

I called Washington recently and they gave me the usual it takes 3 - 6 months, also said they have had a few more applications lately. I had heard on other boards it was really quick.

You can send all your application papers along with the medical (done by a panel Dr) and state and fbi checks. I havent quite worked out how we pay for it yet.

Stay in touch cos soon as I have US citizenship, (just got the interview letter for August) we will be applying too.

I am in shock! The dreaded/anticipated letter with my appointment arrived today. It had a white checklist letter enclosed. My interview will be on Friday 28th August and I just tried to update the list but it looked skewed again, so I will let one of you experts to do it for me,

Appointment letter says to allow approx 2 hours, need to take: appointment, green card, evidence of selective service, passport, marriage cert, Divorce cert, spouses birth cert and any originals of copies I sent with application.

Ta

Gareth (English citizen) and I have been toying with the idea of moving to England in a few years...has anyone gone through this process? Is it easier/harder then what we had to go through to bring him here? This is nothing we have 100% decided on but we are def considering it for down the road....

Gareth plans on keeping his England citizenship but myself and our children are American citizens...

Thanks for any input

After going through the US process it may be wise for him to get citizenship here first so that if you decide to yo-yo between countries you dont have to go through this system again.

I think britishexpats.com has more info on emigrating to the UK, hth

Went to the bio appt today - was a breeze. In-and-out in less than 20 min. The ASC was very organized, no crowd in there and the staff was very friendly. I see improvement.

does it seem strange to anyone else that the whole of USCIS seems to have had some improvement in the timelines recently. Is is coincidence or is it the result of a new administration?

woohoo, we are on the way, congrats Poisontee,