silvermug

I also went to my oath this morning. It was solemn. Good speakers. It lasted for about an hour.The passport application though... That's where we spent around 2 hours. A lot of people applied.
Thank you vj for the support. and good luck to the others!

I also went to my oath this morning. It was solemn. Good speakers. It lasted for about an hour.The passport application though... That's where we spent around 2 hours. A lot of people applied.
Thank you vj for the support. and good luck to the others!

The attorney's fees are probably a little over average but I paid $2000 and my case ended up straight forward. Just having the lawyer appear with you at the interview, I was quoted $800. I charged the rest of it as payment for my peace of mind. One thing I asked my attorney early on: How confident are you in winning my case? And then you asses his body language and the way he answers it, not just his words. The body language is more important. I would wait for the 5-year mark as well, if I were in your shoes... Unless there is a pressing reason you should be naturalized now.

I just had my interview. Boy, it was very long. Took almost an hour.
In the end, I have been recommended for approval.
I will post my experience later on. I am still drained from almost an hour of stressful interview.

I just had my interview. Boy, it was very long. Took almost an hour.
In the end, I have been recommended for approval.
I will post my experience later on. I am still drained from almost an hour of stressful interview.

I have a lawyer. I spoke to him before I filed and then retained him. If you think your case does not have complications, I wouldn't get one. If you got an RFE that bugs you, I would consult one. I have one because my case kind of worries me and it's also because I am a worrier. I get freaked out quite easily, it is for my sanity and peace of mind :/From what I read, most folks who get lawyers are those with previous arrests, if you registered to vote, possible physical presence or continuous residence issue, had previous tax issues... I think the general rule is that if you did something against the law, then it might be a good idea to get a lawyer.

I have a lawyer. I spoke to him before I filed and then retained him. If you think your case does not have complications, I wouldn't get one. If you got an RFE that bugs you, I would consult one. I have one because my case kind of worries me and it's also because I am a worrier. I get freaked out quite easily, it is for my sanity and peace of mind :/From what I read, most folks who get lawyers are those with previous arrests, if you registered to vote, possible physical presence or continuous residence issue, had previous tax issues... I think the general rule is that if you did something against the law, then it might be a good idea to get a lawyer.

I'm sorry this is happening to you. But some things I find unusual:
1. When your fiance was offered college, job here in the US in 2005 -- something that sounds too good to be true, I am thinking someone would ask -- "... and in return, what has to be done, or what has to happen?"
Let's just say, for the benefit of the doubt, she was truly unaware of that -- the denial at that time was for her own protection. That offer from her ex could have something unpleasant. Because if someone wants to bring her fiance in the US, that person would disclose all the things she should know and not hide that important bit... "oh, by the way, in order to get that college and job here in the US -- you have to marry me. hehe"
2. With her prior experience with American boy, visa, interview at the embassy -- I would think she would have mentioned that bit to you, as well... wayyyy before you got the letter of denial from USCIS. Something like, "Oh hey, by the way, I was in a similar situation 10 years ago, so just to give you a heads up, it may not be that smooth with USCIS because of that past tidbit."
With the lawyer fees these days, you would need to financially brace yourself if you are going to fight this with the help of an attorney.

I'm sorry this is happening to you. But some things I find unusual:
1. When your fiance was offered college, job here in the US in 2005 -- something that sounds too good to be true, I am thinking someone would ask -- "... and in return, what has to be done, or what has to happen?"
Let's just say, for the benefit of the doubt, she was truly unaware of that -- the denial at that time was for her own protection. That offer from her ex could have something unpleasant. Because if someone wants to bring her fiance in the US, that person would disclose all the things she should know and not hide that important bit... "oh, by the way, in order to get that college and job here in the US -- you have to marry me. hehe"
2. With her prior experience with American boy, visa, interview at the embassy -- I would think she would have mentioned that bit to you, as well... wayyyy before you got the letter of denial from USCIS. Something like, "Oh hey, by the way, I was in a similar situation 10 years ago, so just to give you a heads up, it may not be that smooth with USCIS because of that past tidbit."
With the lawyer fees these days, you would need to financially brace yourself if you are going to fight this with the help of an attorney.

I'm sorry this is happening to you. But some things I find unusual:
1. When your fiance was offered college, job here in the US in 2005 -- something that sounds too good to be true, I am thinking someone would ask -- "... and in return, what has to be done, or what has to happen?"
Let's just say, for the benefit of the doubt, she was truly unaware of that -- the denial at that time was for her own protection. That offer from her ex could have something unpleasant. Because if someone wants to bring her fiance in the US, that person would disclose all the things she should know and not hide that important bit... "oh, by the way, in order to get that college and job here in the US -- you have to marry me. hehe"
2. With her prior experience with American boy, visa, interview at the embassy -- I would think she would have mentioned that bit to you, as well... wayyyy before you got the letter of denial from USCIS. Something like, "Oh hey, by the way, I was in a similar situation 10 years ago, so just to give you a heads up, it may not be that smooth with USCIS because of that past tidbit."
With the lawyer fees these days, you would need to financially brace yourself if you are going to fight this with the help of an attorney.

My N400 window opens sometime in Sep this year. I will be applying for Naturalization based on marriage to a USC of 3 years.
In addition to the standard ones, such as cert of marriage, husbands birth certificate proving he's a USC, etc -- Is having the joint tax returns in the last three years enough?
Do I need to keep holding on to this massive binder of proof of bonafide marriage from the I-751 app and bring them with me during the interview, just in case? Do they need this?
Gawd, sometimes I feel this journey is never going to be over! Phew.

What more evidence was asked in the yellow letter?

I'm sorry but I have to disagree on the bold text. We tried this ourselves. The house deed is under my name and it goes hand in hand with the mortgage. We asked the lawyer to change the deed, but then they said that it won't happen until the lender changes the mortgage, as well. We TRIED to put my husband's name in the house deed, but due to his financial adventures in the past, the mortgage rate just changed significantly, and unfortunately not to our benefit.
So we decided to leave the deed and the mortgage be in my name, instead of suffering from the financial implications of such change.
This could only be with our lender :X Other lenders might make this easier.
On topic:
Sorry, why can't you add your name to his account or his name on yours? I'm having a hard time understanding it If you have disagreements in financial management, it doesn't have to actually be implemented in the accounts. You could still keep your separate accounts and do your personal financial transactions separately? I mean, I chip in to pay for the utility bills, but I shop using my personal account, tee hee

Sorry, if I may ask... What specifically does he not like here? It HAS to be specific, like -- job, gas prices, food, weather, income, friends; not something like -- "The world is against me!" or, "Life sucks".

Hmm. I can understand some of the reactions to the topic sounding like a generalization. But, I think it is funny (and I hope it is meant to be )
I learned how to drive here in the US through my classmate at the university. But I have known the mechanics of driving a manual long before as I watched my mother drive our car back in the Philippines.
Some tips (if solicited) in teaching a Filipina:
1. Use a car with an automatic transmission (she can shift to manual as soon as she gets the confidence on the road)
2. Start in your driveway. Back and forth. It is a place where she does not have to worry about the traffic rules and other vehicles. Just the hands-foot coordination. And you don't have to be with her and drive elsewhere. She can do it by herself, in her free time or whenever. It's a good place to practice pressing the gas pedal like you're breaking an egg instead of killing a cockroach. If you have a bigger place, she can do turns. This is how my father started with my mother (in our garage). It is also a good place to learn how to slow down instead of going fast
3. Once she's comfortable in that garage thing, she can go out in small roads (less cars, maybe in your neighborhood). This time, the hands-foot thing should almost come naturally for her. She can start minding the signs and lights. Turns. May not be a good time to start changing lanes because that might freak her out.
4. Take her to a place with a little bit more cars. Start minding the vehicles around her. If the one in front has the blinking light on, what to do; or when the car in front of her has the brake light on, what to do. Looking at the mirrors, being aware of the vehicles around her (if there are any).
5. Do NOT, and I mean, NOT, raise your voice -- at any time, while she's driving. She's still trying to put her arms around many things: driving, the signs, the lights, the vehicles around her, the traffic rules -- and raising your voice will just shatter her concentration. She's got them covered. Give her time to register your instruction as she is already busy trying to get all those things coordinated.
6. If the instruction is not registering and you suspect an impending harm -- tell her to drive to the side and stop. I would think that both of the lights are blinking at this time.
I also taught a classmate after I learned. I just let him drive and I hardly spoke. But my hand was on the emergency brake all the time. We drove around the school campus over and over, up to the point that he was very comfortable about it, he was already talking to me about non-driving related things while he was driving. At that point, we went outside the campus.
Also, I think this is not just for Filipinas. No offense, but I think Asians, in general, have this reputation (unfortunately, haha!).
My husband jokes around giving me a present: a sticker for my car -- "ASIAN DRIVER".

Wow, your AOS journey is so quick! Good luck tomorrow!