Citizenship

Finally, I made it to this point. No more dealing with the INS for now unless I will start petitioning my folks back home which is not on my/their agenda right at this time. To sum it up, I would say it was an easy road to my citizenship. Just simply follow and submit the requirements and show up on your appointments and of course pay the exorbitant fees and pass the test and you’re set. The oath taking ceremony is another story. I was one of the two hundred sixty two people sworn in today from fifty different countries. The excitement was in the air and people were waving flags and singing the song with the video presentation “Proud to be an American” with such emotion. The person next to me was from Guyana and seems like he memorized by heart the Oath and Pledge of Allegiance. I was impressed! It was a touching moment especially during the first part of the program where a video was shown “Faces of America” with different immigrants with their testimonies on how it was to be naturalized and live in a new adopted country. I can’t help but feel nostalgic and sentimental. It is a normal part of my transition process and of course I am proud to be where I am right now. It’s such an honor to be a blue passport holder. The privileges are endless. But that’s not it! Dual citizenship here I come!!!

My timeline:

November 24, 2006 – mailed my application form N-400. I paid $400.00 total including biometric fee. Now it will cost the applicants $675.00 starting last July 2007. What an increased!!! The following week I received a notice from the INS that they received my application.

February 15,2007 – fingerprinting
You will get in the mail the date, place and time for fingerprinting. Bring the appointment letter with you. Once you get there, you will receive a booklet “A Guide to Naturalization”. It has sample questions an officer might ask you during the interview. The booklet comes with an audio CD also.

September 13, 2007 – test/interview
In order to passed the interview, you are required to correctly answer 6 out of 10 questions. Once you get 6 questions right, they won’t bother to ask you the rest of the 4 remaining questions. You are also asked to write a sentence in English and asked you to read a sentence orally. Recently, the INS came out a Redisigned Naturalization Test. It includes a new lists of history and government questions. Visit their website www.uscis.gov for more information.

November 15, 2007 – oath taking
You will received in the mail the date and place of your oath taking. Dressed nicely and make sure you get a lot of pictures:)