NickD

Regardless of whatever I was doing, when anything came in from the USCIS, would drop that, scan it and store it on three different computers on my LAN. Then file away the original documents. Interview form has eight questions on the back that have to be answered and sign at your oath ceremony. Normally all you need is your green card, got to have that as you have to turn that in. A passport is required if you went aboard since your interview.
Just curious about your housekeeper, around here they charge 35 bucks per hour. Wife told me in Venezuela, stayed home six months with her daughter, then hired a housekeeper to watch her. When her daughter was two years old, she came home, her daughter was there alone, but her condo was cleaned out and never saw her housekeeper again. Even the police couldn't find her. Least they left her daughter.

If held in a tight confined area already occupied by the applications, won't be tortured too much, they won't let you in. Did let me in, because I was either the spouse or he parent of the applicant, for one had to stand in the corner. When only the applications were to stand for the oath, had to stoop down.
Our current discussion is a very similar graduation ceremony coming up, another form of torture. Just a stage show of boring speeches, diplomas actually aren't even passed out. Mailed out a month later after their accounting department makes sure you don't owe them any money.
But for the oath ceremony, could to bring at least one level headed person with you to make sure no errors are made on your certificate, otherwise will be out another 400 bucks and better than a six month wait.

During the AOS stage, can't even be with your loved one, those days passed by very slowly. During the ROC, your loved one can't work nor travel, also extremely frustrating, but at least you are together. With naturalization, have the ten year card and a current valid foreign passport, unless applying for federal job, really not much changes with citizenship. That's the attitude we had, and for some strange reason, that was the phase the moved the quickest.
Often wonder if they have some means to monitor your stress, the more stress you are in, the longer it takes. We really didn't care about the final stage and before we knew, had to pack up all the evidence and study for that civics tests. Initial letter we got said would take about a year, was done in 4 1/2 months. Could be 4 1/2 seconds for the USCIS, or 4 1/2 millenniums for us.

Have no idea what a certified tax return is, what the IRS wants is a return with your actual signature on it, not a copy of your signature. But far more common now are electronic returns. That gets to be a pain in the butt, have to hand type all of your W-2's and 1099's for an electronic return. A computer can check your numbers as the IRS already has these numbers, your name, and SS number.
With an actual return, USCIS would want to see your original W-2's and 1099's plus any other rarer forms of earnings. That also gets to be a pain the butt, transcripts are so much easier. Transcripts are very easy to forge, but not a good idea, on that transcript is all the information anyone needs to get tax transcripts from the IRS and doesn't take a genius to learn if your transcript is identical.
You would be shocked to learn what the IRS knows about you, they know so much about you, could just as easily send you a tax bill and not put your through all that misery of going through their 1025 different forms and 13,000 pages of tax laws. Just get the tax transcripts, free, can do it over the phone by knowing your name, address, and SS number. Takes about a week. They can actually go back four years.

Regardless of what I am doing, stop, scan the USCIS document, and carefully file the original away. Only takes a couple of minutes, and far better to take time off of work for another 450 mile drive.

We tend to patronize the USCIS when sending in an application by not planning any trips. Do do so, may result in having your application denied that they can do if they don't hear from you within the confines there time limits. No big deal, you just lose 680 bucks and can apply again. If not denied, can expect long delays, so why even bother applying if you are planning on taking off? But yes, you can travel, but only up to six months or will have green card and N-400 application problems.
Wife and I discussed this matter, she just got a fresh green card and renewed her foreign passport, should we lock ourselves in prison until it over? We did, but just when we were expecting her interview, her niece calls and wants us to attend her wedding, just said sorry, can't make it that is time. But when it was over, traveled, took her and her new husband out to dinner and got them a nice wedding present. So all is well that ends well. If you have an emergency, would write to the USCIS and explain it. But just to take a causal trip, in my opinion, is not worth it. Take your trip and apply when you get back.

Can see an advantage of going to ones home country for college, in the case of my stepdaughter, in her home country, could have gone to college for free. But complications arose in losing a ton of credits, then trying to get a job here with a foreign degree. Granted, Canada is much more like the USA, but wondering why you are choosing Canada. What about the long term considerations since you plan on staying here?

Wife was working last night, so just got curious since between direct and indirect taxes are consuming 60% of our EARNED income. To the best of my knowledge, colonists were only paying around 10% tax on that tea that started the Boston Tea Party. But that wasn't the key reason that started the colonist to revolt against King George.
Key reason is was he wouldn't let the colonist make things here, all had to be imported from England. So here we are today not making our own stuff and really paying super stiff taxes, we have it much worse than the colonists had it. So why aren't we revolting? And what happened to the principles that fonded this once great country?
Watching DVD's! Get really pissed off whenever I see that Sony name all over the damn place, Before Reagan, was extremely against our laws for any foreign country to own any part of our communications industry. And besides Sony, have Fox all over the damn place brainwashing American idiots. Another foreign own company. But then so is NBC by a French company.
So had to watch the State of Union to view where all these traitors are to this once great country.

And all in one room at that. All have two arms and two legs with small brains but with enormous egos. In showing close ups of congress members, asked myself if I would buy a used car from anyone of those, I don't think so. But did tend to put my hand over my pocket carrying my wallet. I don't put my hand over my wallet when walking down a dark alley, but sure do when I walk into any law office, that is one big law office.
Do we actually have laws encouraging our industries to leave the country with huge tax breaks? Who came up with those laws, should be hung as a traitor to this country. Was cute of Obama to bring in just two people that can earn a living under his plan. And are billionaires really paying less taxes than we are? Sure taking one big hell of wade out of our paychecks, like over the price of a brand new car, but that is only in direct taxes, all of us pay a huge fortune in indirect taxes when dealing with anyone. A good share of their rates have to cover their taxes as well.
And what was Boehner so pissed off about, got to have his face plastered all over the nation, supported by his billionaire buddies, and got to sit behind the president. He should be happy, doesn't have a damn thing to worry about. Reminds me of nuts I met in a psycho ward.
Was a nice little show, but its back to the same line ####### today. Do we really need leaders? Would have been far more productive for me to spend last night working on my taxes, do this without pay collecting money for the state and federal governments, all so those crooked basterds can have a very high standard of living.

Under the Current address column, just type in Deceased. Would think they should only ask you to list your kids that will automatically without any kind of proof that will become naturalized with their applicant parent. But the instructions state to list all of them. After my wife's IO saw our long list, just told her, none of our kids are eligible, we already knew that.

Could just not post with the level of this dialog going back and forth with misinformation. Your wife will be in deep trouble if she filed head of household when married. Suggest you see a tax accountant and make amends before applying for naturalization,.

Wow, the Embassy of the USA is under Homeland Security, as is the DOS, USCIS, and even now, a part of social security reports Homeland Security as they are keeping track of immigration status.
Apparently the Embassy of the USA does not trust the DOS, but does trust the USCIS for essentially the same documentation. And I see the Embassy of the USA also requests a photocopy of the certificate of naturalization. What they trust that copy? SS doesn't, even if you bring in your original certificate and a beautiful color copy of it, won't accept that. They insist on making a copy on their dirty old copy machine instead.
We just have too damned many different agencies doing the same thing, each with different laws, crazy. Or how about digging a water well on your own property requiring getting permission from 42 different governmental agencies. If there is low lands a hundred miles away, drawing a few gallons of the water may affect the mosquito population so there is an agency for that!
In regards to losing stuff, wife ask me to dig out a pin number for a calling card I got for her son, asked why? He lost it, well it was a darn good thing I had a copy of it, otherwise would be even more money down the drain. We are no different than Nazi Germany, have to keep track of your papers.

Wife is excited about voting, her former country, Venezuela is now a dictatorship. But like me, doesn't like the choices, have to guess about the least of two evils. Would be a different story if most Americans voted for what they consider the losers, want to vote with the poles for the winner. Not easy living in a country loaded with idiots, but seeing the effects of that thinking now.

You are just switching from your last maiden name to your new married name, right? Maybe you went to court to get married, but that is far as going to court is. All you need is your marriage license. In Wisconsin a name change on your drivers' license is 15 bucks, SS is free all over as well as your banks. At your citizen interview tell them you want to use your married name, they will want to see your marriage certificate anyway if applying for the 3 year.
At my wifes' request, I called our phone land line company, and told them over the phone she is using her married name now. On the next directory, her name was listed under mine. No proof was needed.
Now if you are change your first, middle or last name to entirely different names and with a last name that is not on your marriage certificate, then you have to go to court to get that done. This can also be started at your citizenship interview.

You have to visit all these places anyway to let them know you are a US citizen, like your DMV and social security, just bring your marriage certificate along, in particular if your citizenship certificate is in your married name. Wife never even went to SS, just got her paperwork and did that for her with her signed application. In the county seat 40 miles away where I have to go for business. She did have to show up at the DMV to have her photo taken, but I went with her for support. Banks were a snap, we also did that together, as was applying for a US passport.
Would perhaps be more frightened at your US citizen interview trying to explain why you wanted to keep your maiden name. But your maiden name will always be your maiden name, its on your birth certificate and every document before you got married. If you as a woman were previously married, also stuck with that name to.
Wife's home country passport is still in her married name, reason, their crooked politicians want a small fortune from us to change it. I don't mind that, when we travel there, she is my girlfriend. Ha, it coming home that hurts, then she is my wife again, telling me what to do, LOL.

Just about every gal in this country uses their husbands last name, only bit of evidence you need is your marriage certificate. Using your own last name can certainly raise questions, are you just living together?
Wife used her maiden name in front of her married name, that was confusing enough that she realized wasn't done in the USA. On her own, she dropped that name at her interview
Two of my daughter-in-law's are licensed, one is pharmacist, the other a medical doctor. New licenses were issued to them at practically no cost with a congratulations for getting married. So they had to do that besides everything else. Just saying, not a big deal, very common.
Now if you don't like your husbands' last name, that is a different story, ha, my wife and two daughter-in-laws' like their new last name.

What, two different posts (http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/342900-need-help-pls/) on the same exact subject?
Its up to you, as stated, nobody really cares, but if you have kids, they will carry your husbands' last name. Not really a problem, wife goes by her new married name, her daughter elected to stay with her biological fathers name. As a stepdad, could sign for her for school, drivers' license, or even medical appointments. With 50% divorce rates in this country, common to have a family living together with three different names.
For legal reasons, whatever name you choose, should be the same as your elected ID papers. If dealing with any governmental agency, will want a paper trail of your name, whatever it is. Your SS number will always be the same from day one.
Really not an issue, and the bottom line is that nobody cares, except you.

This friend is a man and has kids in a foreign country. Yes he has to state that as well as showing proof he is providing child support papers.
Sounds like he lied to his new US citizen wife, a hell of a way to start a marriage. If I were you, would find a new friend. With friends like that, don't need enemies. Could also be lying to you.

This friend is a man and has kids in a foreign country. Yes he has to state that as well as showing proof he is providing child support papers.
Sounds like he lied to his new US citizen wife, a hell of a way to start a marriage. If I were you, would find a new friend. With friends like that, don't need enemies. Could also be lying to you.

This friend is a man and has kids in a foreign country. Yes he has to state that as well as showing proof he is providing child support papers.
Sounds like he lied to his new US citizen wife, a hell of a way to start a marriage. If I were you, would find a new friend. With friends like that, don't need enemies. Could also be lying to you.

Have to report that trip on your oath letter and also bring your foreign passport book with you in case they want to verify that trip. Shouldn't be problem, but if your US citizen spouse dies on the way to the oath ceremony, happened to one board member, and applying with marriage, then you are screwed.

For the five year, you omitted a copies of both sides of your green card, and two passport photos they don't use the latter anyway.
For the three year marriage, the above and a ton of evidence that you are indeed married, but won't get into that.
Gosh, I have to practice on my mind reading skills. But my premonition tells me to expect your envelop back, you really can't expect them to look up your alien number to learn if you even have a green card.
Oh, and the kind of help you needed was before and not after the fact.

Only filled out the SS-5 once for both my wife and stepdaughter, first for their EAD's, LPR, then for US citizenship, just changing Line 3 citizen status, and line 14, the date, printed it out from the pdf, had them sign it and took it into our local SS office. With the appropiate evidence, EAD card, LPR card, or the citizenship certificate where they made a copy, took the application, and that was it.
None of this trying to find it on some database, their SS number never changed since day one, and better not change, you can change your name on your card, like getting married, but not that number, that is yours for life. They both received three new cards in the mail, anywhere from a week to three weeks, not like you are dying to get it, except the first one.
Did run into a nitwit in the Wisconsin Rapids, WI office once, handing me a line of bull like you just received. Ask to talk to his supervisor and she corrected him in front of me. Is this your office as well, or do they even have more nitwits working for the SS?

Didn't your oath letter depict a starting time? Our last one said ceremony started at 3:00PM, but show up between 1:30 and 2:30 PM. Elected the latter as was a very long line for security, but still seated at 2:30 for a rather long 30 minute wait. Collecting the oat letters and green cards went fast. But that security was a drag, just as bad as airline security. Teased a woman guard about making all of us walk in naked to speed things up, she said if they did that, she would quit.

Took a new programmable calculator to a family reunion years ago, was a hit, could tell how many days old a person was, and the day of the week they were born in. But now the days between dates is real simple to use with free programs on the internet. USCIS goes by days, not weeks, months, or years. Just enter days between dates on google.
Unless you hire an immigration attorney to make mistakes in filling out your form, have to read the N-400 instructions, the M-476 manual, and the new supplements in the N-400 USCIS website. Its all there.