US Citizenship

rockonollie

Has anyone gone through the citizenship process.........

Anything to share on it? Is it as basic as people say?

silja

I have, and it's the easiest part of all the various visa/ greencard/ whatever applications.
Are you applying based on 3 years marriage to a US citizen or 5 years greencard? If the second, it is even easier.

Don't worry about the interview/ test either- having lived in the US for 3 years, I know most of the 100 questions and answers already without studying. The whole process can take a few weeks or almost a year, depending on where you live, so be prepared for that. Once you have the naturalisation cert, make copies, get your US passport, and then put the original somewhere very safe because it is irreplacable.

The oath ceremony can be very nice, and kind of moving, even if you are not generally a fan of American pomp.

rockonollie

3 year marriage......I did look at some sample questions......like you said most of them you'll know just from being here like "what right does the second amendment protect" (if you don't know that right now, you're living under a rock"

I did like the question asking if the atlantic is to the east or west of america

Thankfully, all my previous dealings with my local USCIS office have processed quite quickly

Gandhi

I got one question that was not on the list (I don't think it was anyway):

Name two amendments of the constitution that dealt with voting rights.

ProudDUB

rockonollie wrote: »

Anything to share on it? Is it as basic as people say?

Pretty much. The toughest part was filling out the 27 page form, and having to account for every single time I left the country during the previous 10 years. There were a lot of holidays back here, and as Ireland does not stamp your passport upon arrival, remembering all the arrival & departure dates was a pain. Other than that it was a breeze.

I sent off my paperwork in mid August 2010. Got a letter after about 3 weeks confirming they got it. Got another letter in late Sep with an appointment at my local INS office in mid October. Was finger printed and had my eyes balls scanned in that biometric process similar to what they do at Heathrow. Was brought into a cubicle and the lady had my application on her desk. She asked me to clarify a few words on it that she couldn't read due to my crappy hand writing. That was it, no real questions or anything. I was in and out of the place in 10 minutes.

Got another letter in mid Feb telling me to go back in mid March for my civics test and interview. The form said that the swearing in ceremony would be at 3pm and, if my application was processed early enough in the day to make it, I'd be sworn in that day. If I wasn't, it would be done with the following weeks applicants. I think that once you are called for last interview/civics test it is all a done deal and, unless something goes majorly wrong at that you are home free.

Showed up on D-Day. Had the interview which consisted of the interviewer asking me to teach him some Irish swear words so that he could impress his Irish buddies in Boston. :rolleyes: Then he asked me the civics test questions which are PAINFULLY easy. I imagine if most of them were posted here, the average Irish person would be able to make a good stab at most of them. Then I was told that he was officially approving my application and signed it there in front of me. Told to come back at 3 that afternoon for the oath taking ceremony. I handed over my green card and that was that.

Came back for the ceremony with about 150 other people there. We watched a video from President Obama, listened to some cheesy music (yes Lee Greenwood, I'm looking at you ) & a couple of speeches, sang the National Anthem, stood up & took the oath and then hey presto, we were all Americans. We were handed our Naturalization Certs on the way out. As silja said, its all quite nice and rather moving.

It was all very easy and simple, and the staff could not have been nicer. Most of them seemed to be naturalized citizens themselves, who were originally from other countries. My interviewer was from Somalia & he like everyone else there, seemed to really get how much this all meant to people.

My process took 7 months from start to finish. When my sister did it, it only took 3, so don't let how long it takes bother you. It will take as long as it takes. Best of luck to you.

silja

Since you are applying based on marriage, like I did, be sure to bring proof to the interview of living in "marital union". Ie checkbook with both your names on, joint bills, joint lease/ deeds to home etc. If you have kids, they are a stickler for having both parents mentioned on the birth cert of any kids born during those three years.

rockonollie

silja wrote: »

Since you are applying based on marriage, like I did, be sure to bring proof to the interview of living in "marital union". Ie checkbook with both your names on, joint bills, joint lease/ deeds to home etc. If you have kids, they are a stickler for having both parents mentioned on the birth cert of any kids born during those three years.

Oh we've learned to build all that stuff up.........life, auto, renters insurance, bank accounts, car titles.......pretty much everything that gets a name on it in america is in both our names