Iris1954

My partner became a USA citizen last year.  He is considering adopting his niece and nephew over.  Is this even possible?  One child is 13 and the other one 14.  They do have a living mother, but the birth father is MIA.  Is there a good chance he can do this?

Thanks

10 minutes ago, ArizonaPHX said:

Just had my interview this morning at Phoenix office and it was smooth and quick. Started with the civic test then reading/writing and yes and no questions. Also got my oath ceremony letter after the interview, it was scheduled for Sep 22.

 

Good luck everyone

Congratulations.  We had almost the same timeframe as yours in Phoenix too.  Ours was completed way back when.    I wonder why yours took so long.  Anyway, its done now.  Good work!

The journey is complete.  My partner had his oath ceremony today in Phoenix.  It was 3 months and 1 day from when he submitted his application.  We never expected it to go so fast.  Every other step always seemed to take forever.

The ceremony was at the Immigration Office and went pretty quick.  Guests were allowed to watch.  

Good luck to all of you who haven't completed the journey yet. Your day is coming.

1 hour ago, ma-mr-canada said:

Quick question. My mom got her biometric done last week, within one day her status changed to interview scheduled. Is this a good sign or bad?

That is what You want I think.  How could it be a bad sign?

Thanks for the information.  I did try to call but it is impossible to reach anyone on the 800 number.  If anyone has another number to talk to a live person llet me know.   It would be nice to be able to share the experience now that Covid is mostly behind us.

The Oath Ceremony is scheduled on Friday May 19th at the immigration office on 16th street.  This is where he had his interview.

Does anyone know if guests are allowed at the oath ceremony?  My partner is scheduled to take the oath in Phoenix on Friday and I wanted to tag along?  Is it possible?

My partner had his interview today in Phoenix.   He applied under the 5 year rule and the application was received on Feb. 18th.  The appointment was scheduled for 8:40AM and we arrived very early because we were worried about traffic.  At about 8:15 we decided to go in but I was told I couldn't enter the building.   I was expecting a long wait but was surprised when he walked out the door after about 30 minutes.

He said they took fingerprints again as well as had his picture taken.  Next we was given his writing and reading exam.  He was told to read what was on the tablet.  "Where is the White House?"

Next he was told to write: Flag Day is in June."

Before he was put under oath he mentioned that he had two corrections on his N- 400 form.  One regarding dates of international travel and the other regarding receiving a traffic ticket.  She asked to see the paperwork regarding the ticket which he had with him.

She then reviewed a few of the questions on the N-400 form.

After that she did the Civics exam and he answered the first 6 questions correctly.

She had a few more questions regarding his job, length of time at the address he is presently in and a few questions about his spouse.

The final question was "Why do you want to become an American?"

And that was that.  He told he passed the interview.

The oath ceremony was the scheduled for next week on Friday.

So, it went much faster than we had planned.  

Good luck to all of you.

We filed on the 15th of Feb 18th and had the biometrics appointment of March 15th in Phoenix.  Interview is scheduled for this Friday the 12th.

Does anyone know if Phoenix offers the oath ceremony the same day as the citizenship interview?

How will the Filipino government know she has taken USA citizenship?  

My spouse in scheduled to have his interview mid next month.  The letter from Immigration mentioned a list of things he needs to bring.  It didn't say anything about tax transcripts.  He is applying under the five year rule.  I do have copies of the last 4 years but not the oldest year.   Does he actually even need to bring these?   The letter never mentioned them.  Anyone know?

Wow!   This was faster than I thought.  My partner applied under the 5 year rule  on Feb 18th.  He had his biometrics done about a week later.  Today we received notice of his interview scheduled on May 12th at the Phoenix office.  He is studying his USA Civics like crazy.   

We filed on the 15th of Feb 18th and had the biometrics appointment of March 15th in Phoenix.  In looking at earlier filers in Phoenix it seems as if things are going quickly.  I hope it continues.

Thanks.  This was very helpful.  I guess we need to get cracking with all that is involved.  I thought we had another year to get it done.

We submitted the N 400 paperwork. about one month ago and received notice of a biometrics appointemnt scheduled for next week. This happened much sooner than we were expecting being they initially gave us a 16 time frame of when the interview would occur.  Is there usually a long delay after the biometrics appointment?  We are wondering if my spouse needs to start studying for his exam now and also should we get the tax forms together now?  

Thanks

On 2/5/2023 at 9:25 AM, OldUser said:

The questions for you to think about:

1. Do you have any property in Laos?

2. Do you have business in Laos?

3. Are you about to inherit something in Laos?

4. Do you travel to countries visa free that Laos offers (US passport offers access to way more placea)

5. Is loss of citizenship automatic? Or even if you notify it takes time and will of officials to renounce your Laos citizenship?

6. Any penalty in law for dual citizenship?

 

I can see one obvious downside of losing Laos citizenship - on USA passport you will need visa to visit family and friends back in Laos.

 

If you have property, business or about to inherit something - losing Laos citizenship would be a downside.

 

Do you know for sure loss of citizenship occurs in practice and what does it take?

For example, I know some countries do not allow other citizenships, but involuntary loss is almost never enforced. Even when somebody notifies the government, they have go through lengthy procedure lasting several years and president of the country personally has to sign decree to take citizenship away, which happens to 1% of those who emigrated and naturalized elsewhere.

 

Another thing to remember, until you renounce or lose Laos citizenship, you will be their citizen. Even with US passport. You cannot ask US embassy to help you in that case if Laos detains you for example, or doesn't let leave the country.

 

This quote

 

"INVOLUNTARY: The following are grounds for involuntary renunciation of Laotian citizenship: Person voluntarily acquires a foreign citizenship, though persons in this situation should not assume Laotian citizenship would simply be lost by default."

 

suggests to me you will remain Laos citizen once you naturalize in the US until you undergo a special prodecure to document loss of citizenship in Laos.

 

Also, US would not tell Laos you naturalized. It's up to you to follow Laos laws and not to do anything illegal.

You asked many of the questions that I want the answer to as well.  It appears there is no mechanism for the American to inform the Laotians that one of their citizens has taken USA citizenship.  

On 2/5/2023 at 9:25 AM, OldUser said:

 

 

On 2/4/2023 at 4:34 PM, Areaze said:

My country, Indonesia, is similar to Laos in that it doesn't allow dual citizenship. I don't have to inform the Indonesian embassy that I am now an American citizen and I can still use my Indonesian passport to travel. The complication arises when it comes to entering and leaving Indonesia. Indonesian immigration has, the majority of the time, asked me for my green card or USA visa when exiting. Now that I am a citizen I obviously have no green card to show, and that would give away that I am American. Laos may be similar in that if there is exit immigration checks, they will find out.

 

Some people I have known use a third country to try and avoid this. Such as leaving and entering Indonesia with an Indonesian passport but arriving/going to a visa free country, such as Singapore, before traveling onwards to the US with their US passport.

This is exactly what I am thinking.  He could fly into Thailand on his Lao passport and then cross by land into Laos.  I also think before his Laotian passport was about to expire he could travel back and request a new one to be issued.  

Another idea would be just to use his USA passport while going back and worth.  If he ever decided to live in Laos again I assume no one would put two and two together.

Thanks for your information. 

Thanks for the input guys.   I have asked many of the Lao I know here in the USA also but there doesn't seem to be a clear answer.  Both my husband and I have had many interactions with Lao immigration so we are not so concerned with that aspect.  The issue is my partner is fearful of losing his Lao passport.  Can those of you who have actually taken American citizenship chime in?  Especially those coming from countries that do not all dual citizenship.  Has anyone had direct experience with this issue?

The question remains of how would the Laotian government know if my partner took USA citizenship?  Is there a mechanism in place where the USA would notify the Laotian Embassy?  Has anyone had experience with taking USA citizenship and trying to retain the citizenship of your birth country when said country does not allow dual citizenship? 

3 hours ago, Mike E said:

Yes, I know Laos does not allow dual citizenship.  That was mentioned in my first post.   The question remains is that after my partner gets USA citizenship would he need to inform the Laotian government?  Does the USA inform them?   Has anyone dealt with this after getting citizenship?

Laos.

We will be applying for USA citizenship soon.  After receiving it do I need to do anything in regards to informing my birth country that I am now a USA citizen?  My birth country does not allow dual citizenship?  If I do not inform them will they have a way of figuring out that I took USA citizenship?

We are submitting the n400 form this weekend in order to apply for citizenship.  Can someone tell me how much time I have to get such things as tax transcripts together before the interview?  Should I be ordering them now?  Or if the interview is far, far in advance should I just wait.   I see that in Phoenix the wait time is almost 14 months but I read that some people have been called in much earlier.  Is there anything else I will need prior to the interview?  We will be doing the 5 year one.   

He has had his green card for 7 years and has had no arrests or long periods out of the USA.