Stella08

August 25, 2009

Congratulations to radacos and so2008! :dance: :dance: :dance:

I just returned from my first trip abroad and it's a great feeling to travel on an American passport. :star:

July 22, 2009

I applied for my passport at my local post office right after taking the oath end of April. I paid for expedited service and had my new passport in my hands a week after application. If I were you, I would do it this way because it's fairly easy.

On the website it says that expedited service takes two to three weeks. But as I said, I had my passport after just one week.

July 22, 2009

I would make sure that you have plenty of proof of a bona fide marriage with you when you go to your interview.

First you had an overstay and then you entered the country and probably got married a kind of fast (I doubt you had a K1 or K3). This could lead an IO to the conclusion that you had set your mind on immigrating to and living in the US permanently, no matter how. It sounds that you are planning to apply for US ciitzenship the minute you're eligible and an IO might want to make sure that your marriage is not just a way to gain permanent entrance to the US and citizenship, but that it's real and you won't get divorced as soon as you reached your goals.

Of course, you never know what an IO thinks and what he decides. But as I said, I just would make sure to have plenty of proof on my hands. Too often do we read about cases where an IO can't make a decision at the time of the interview. You want to avoid that if possible.

July 21, 2009

Yippie, so 2008!!! :dance: :dance: :dance:

Name..............SentDate....NOA1.......Biodate....Interview...Oath.... Center..LocalOffice.....CheckCashed

shadow_dog........12/01/08....12/05/08...12/31/08...04/13/09....05/20/09...NBC....Chicago.........??/??/??

samsbs............12/01/08....12/23/08...01/14/09...03/20/09....05/05/09...CSC....San_Francisco...12/24/08

broma25...........12/01/08....12/15/08...01/03/09...04/10/09....04/24/09...VSC....Philadelphia....12/12/08

farah2005.........12/01/08....12/12/08...04/13/09. .06/19/09....06/24/09...TSC....oakland park,FL..12/09/08

so2008............12/02/08....12/16/08...01/03/09...07/06/09....08/14/09...TSC....Tampa...........12/15/08

maimai............12/02/08....12/08/08...12/31/08...03/18/09....04/24/09...CSC....Phoenix.........12/12/08

sheepnfish........12/03/08....12/29/08...02/12/09...04/09/09....xx/xx/xx...VSC....St_Albans.......????????

maz...............12/03/08....12/13/08...12/30/08...04/09/09....04/21/09...NBC....Chicago.........12/11/08

Cargo.............12/06/08....12/22/08...01/20/09...04/06/09....05/21/09...CSC....San_Jose........12/23/08

Poppinslp.........12/10/08....12/22/08...01/23/09...04/06/09....04/29/09...TSC....Fort Lauderdale.12/23/08

blessings2us......12/10/08....12/22/08...01/21/09...03/12/09....03/16/09...NBC....Portland........12/22/08

Stella08..........12/10/08....12/19/08...01/13/09...03/17/09....04/24/09...NBC....Washington,DC...12/22/08

ChinaBabe.........12/12/08....12/23/08...01/14/09...04/27/09....04/30/09...TSC....Atlanta,GA......12/24/08

Coquette..........12/12/08....12/30/09...01/30/09...04/28/09....xx/xx/xx...VSC....Norfolk, VA.....01/08/09

NigerLA...........12/13/08....12/23/08...01/07/09...05/13/09....07/02/09...NYC....................12/22/08

rilian............12/16/08....01/09/09...01/27/09...03/20/09....05/05/09...CSC....San_Francisco...01/08/09

Jackjack..........12/17/08....12/27/08...01/14/09...03/12/09....03/17/09...VSC....Boston..........12/26/08

ptrober...........12/17/08....12/31/08...01/22/09...03/10/09....04/16/09...NSC....Cincinnati......01/05/09

radacos...........12/17/08....12/30/08...02/23/09...05/05/09....xx/xx/xx...NSC....Seattle.........12/31/08

alwayswin.........12/18/08....12/31/08...01/23/09...04/15/09....06/17/09...VSC....Buffalo,NY......01/02/09

Debra&John........12/18/08....12/31/08...01/22/09...04/30/09....05/07/09...NSC....Seattle.........01/06/09

DoxATL............12/23/08....12/29/08...04/30/09...06/22/09....06/22/09...TSC....Atlanta.........01/06/09

skoopie...........12/24/08....12/29/08...01/24/09...04/21/09....04/21/09...VSC....Newark,NJ.......01/06/09

den_y2005.........12/24/08....01/05/09...xx/xx/xx...04/27/09....06/26/09...CSC....Santa_Ana.......01/05/09

edandying.........12/27/08....01/07/09...01/29/09...04/20/09....07/02/09...NSC....Chicago.........01/08/09

jamieswith........12/29/08....01/02/09...xx/xx/xx...04/06/09....04/22/09...TSC....Houston.........01/06/09

Kunjal27..........12/29/08....01/02/09...01/30/09...04/28/09....04/28/09...TSC....Atlanta.........01/06/09

Aizi..............12/29/08....01/05/09...02/03/09...04/23/09....04/23/09...VSC....Newark,NJ.......01/12/09

July 17, 2009

Did not get the 7/17, I predicted that since I pushed my case from above and the supervisor did not like that.

I'm sorry to hear that. But it definitely should be 8/14 then, right?

July 17, 2009

Hey, where are those last few oath letters? :unsure:

July 13, 2009

I think you would file under Section 319e. Here is a memorandum about this. It's a lot to read, but it has a lot of information:

http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments...o_08-15-08).pdf

July 6, 2009

Congratulations so2008!!! :dance: :star: :dance: :star: :dance: :star:

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an oath date this month. :thumbs:

Do you think that "wrong" answer about the arrest could have caused the delay in your background check?

July 6, 2009

As already stated, she will have to surrender her greencard at the oath ceremony.

If you're planning on leaving the country soon after, she can apply for her passport expedited and should receive it in about a week. If you have made travel arrangements already and will leave the country within two weeks, you can make an appointment at a passport office and receive a passport within 24 hours.

July 4, 2009

Happy Independence Day to all of you!!!

And a special thanks to all those who serve and defend our rights and freedom every day, including their families who make plenty of sacrifices for us as well!

July 4, 2009

I never got a yellow letter, but that didn't matter. I read through this forum and looked through all my files. I brought along ANY document that I thought might be relevant for the interview. In the end I had a big briefcase full with documents etc. I figured that I'd rather take too much than too little. Who needs any unnecessary delays? In the end, the IO only wanted to see my driver's license, passport and greencard. But I bet, if I wouldn't have had all those documents with me, he would have asked for them. :blush:

I've heard of IOs asking for birth certificates which usually are not on the document checklist. I've heard of IOs who wanted to talk to the American spouse, even though the interview letter usually never states that the should come along. And so forth. So I wouldn't rely on that yellow letter.

Good luck for all the upcoming interviews! :thumbs:

July 4, 2009

I guess your application was sufficient. I never received any yellow letter and now I am a US Citizen. Good luck. =)

Same here :thumbs:

July 3, 2009

You probably know this already, but I wanted to tell you anyways, just in case you're not aware of this: You will lose your German citizenship if you become an American citizen and don't have a "Beibehaltungsgenehmigung".

Good luck on your application! :thumbs:

July 3, 2009

By the way, I posted this in another message thread, but I thought it would be helpful to you too...
According to the USCIS, one has to meet all of the following conditions in order to become a US Citizen (based on marriage):

-Been a permanent resident for 3 years (which for your case would be June 2011)

-Been married to the same USC for 3 years (you've already met that requirement)

-Been residing physically in the USA for 3 years (which for your case would be the earliest June 2011, assuming that you don't have any long absences of residency outside of the USA for a very long period of time)

Only if she is still married to the same person in 2011.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00048f3d6a1RCRD

Spouses of U.S. Citizens

Generally, certain lawful permanent residents married to a U.S. citizen may file for naturalization after residing continuously in the United States for three years if immediately preceding the filing of the application:

the applicant has been married to and living in a valid marital union with the same U.S. citizen spouse for all three years;the U.S. spouse has been a citizen for all three years and meets all physical presence and residence requirements; and

the applicant meets all other naturalization requirements.

July 3, 2009

I have no idea what an enhanced driver's license is... :unsure: I wonder if that's the same thing as the secure driver's license which they issue in Virginia now (they verify your citizenship when you apply). But if the enhanced driver's license meets the criteria, then there should be a need to carry a birth certificate around, right?

And I agree: I wouldn't lie about anything either. Lying is never a good idea.

July 3, 2009

I applied for my passport first. I didn't have time to go to both offices (post office and Social Security Office) the same day and getting my passport fast was just a much higher priority for me. After I got my naturalization certificate back, I went to the Social Security Office and updated my status there. No problem at all. The SSN stays the same, but you get a new social security card anyways.

I have heard from people who went to the Social Security Office right after the oath and who couldn't update their status because the officer couldn't confirm their naturalization yet. Sometime the certificate is not sufficient, they also check their system and usually it takes USCIS about 10 days to update the info.

July 3, 2009

Hi Everyone,
An interesting point about the re-entry requirements for Canada, Mexico, Bremuda, etc.....

As, yes, a passport is not necessarily required in all cases for land and sea travel between these countries to/from the USA...

For example, my USC husband doesn't have any passports (not even a US one...lol)...He just travels with a US birth certificate and an EDL/Enhanced Driver's License when he travels with me by land to Canada and back to the USA and have no problems crossing the border.

I on the other hand travel with my....Canadian Passport, US Green Card, and Non-Enhanced Driver's License when I travel by land to Canada and back to the USA, and for the most part have few problems crossing the border.

When I become a US Citizen though...I plan to travel with my US Passport Card, EDL/Enhanced Driver's License, and Canadian Passport when I travel by land to Canada and back to the USA. Lol...I'll just present all 3 documents at the same time on both sides of the border (lol..there's no rule against this, after all)...and let them decide which travel documents that they want to process...I don't care...I have nothing to hide....And hopefully I won't have any problems crossing the border..."Better safe than sorry", by presenting all the travel documents that I will have, right?

Ant

Since June 1st the law has changed and these documents are not sufficient anymore:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

LAND AND SEA TRAVEL

ALL PERSONS traveling by land and sea outside of the United States are required to present a passport book/card, or other valid travel documents to enter or re-enter the United States.

The following summarizes information available on the Department of Homeland Security’s website:

Effective June 1, 2009, all U.S. citizens are now required to present a passport book, passport card, or WHTI-compliant document when entering the United States.

Please Note: Children under age 16 will be able to continue crossing land and sea borders using only a U.S. birth certificate (or other form of U.S. citizenship such as a naturalization certificate.). The original birth certificate or a copy may be used. See the Department of Homeland Security's Ready, Set.. Go! for more information on the changing travel requirements.

The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory

And as a U.S. citizen, you should not present your foreign passport to U.S. immigration officer, but only show them your U.S. passport (book or card)

July 2, 2009

Today is the big day for NigerLA and edandying. Congratulations!!! :dance: :star:

Name..............SentDate....NOA1.......Biodate....Interview...Oath.... Center..LocalOffice.....CheckCashed

shadow_dog........12/01/08....12/05/08...12/31/08...04/13/09....05/20/09...NBC....Chicago.........??/??/??

samsbs............12/01/08....12/23/08...01/14/09...03/20/09....05/05/09...CSC....San_Francisco...12/24/08

broma25...........12/01/08....12/15/08...01/03/09...04/10/09....04/24/09...VSC....Philadelphia....12/12/08

farah2005.........12/01/08....12/12/08...04/13/09. .06/19/09....06/24/09...TSC....oakland park,FL..12/09/08

so2008............12/02/08....12/16/08...01/03/09...07/06/09....xx/xx/xx...TSC....Tampa...........12/15/08