ANT IS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN! OATH CEREMONY DETAILED STORY….

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

(Note: there might be some grammar/spelling errors in the story, as I didn’t have time to fully edit it. As long as you can get the gist of it, so be it, I guess….Happy Reading!)

Here’s the long-awaited update to let you all know that....

“**Ant is an American Citizen!!**”

On 11/23/09, I went to the Buffalo, NY, local USCIS office for my citizenship private oath ceremony, and this is what happened that day:

(Note: Additional characters in the story…..

IO1=Immigration Officer 1, the same one that conducted the interview on 11/18/09

IO2=Immigration Officer 2, the same on that phoned about the oath on 11/19 and 11/20

DO=District Immigration Officer, ‘the boss’, conducts oath ceremonies)

7:30-9:00: The baby was crying throughout the night and in the morning, so we had no choice but to wake up earlier than usual, with no more than a few hours on and off of sleep before, for the long drive again to Buffalo, NY, which we only had a few days advance notice of, shortly passing the interview five days before. We ate a light breakfast, got dressed, and got the baby bathed and dressed for the day. Dressed in the same way as the interview I had a few days before, I again dressed in a red velvet hoodie jacket, dark blue velvet pants, white shirt with three heart-shaped American flags on them (like my online avator), American/Canadian flags lapel pin on my shirt, dark blue socks, black sneakers. My husband again dressed in a red and blue striped shirt, tan/brown pants, white socks, and black dress shoes. My baby son again dressed in a Buffalo Bills patriotic red/white/blue onesie shirt, dark blue elastic pants, a diaper, a thank-heavens-for-boys white/blue bib (he drools too much..lol..), and matching thank-heavens-for-boys light blue booties (the ones he got when he was born and came home from the hospital with). I made sure that I took my camera with me too, as I wanted to capture the special memories of this occasion. Before I left out the door, on this sunny but cold fall/autumn day, I snapped a few photos of the front of my house and snapped a photo of my green card, thinking that it would be the final time that I would have such in my possession, before I would have to surrender it for my citizenship certificate today….

9:00-11:00-I was feeling anxious and excited about the private oath ceremony today, and kept on thinking to myself that “This is the final stage of the process...In the next few hours I’ll officially be an American”. On the long drive to Buffalo, we again listened to Christmas/Holiday music on the radio, while I explained to my husband the concept of dual citizenship. “Well, when you say the oath, don’t you give up your former citizenship?”, he asked. To which I replied, “Well, on a moral/ethical level, yes, when I say the oath it requires me to do such; but on a legal level, no, as there is no way to enforce such by the US government that I must legally give up former citizenships and the Canadian government does not require me to give up my former citizenship either. Either way, at heart, I consider myself both American and Canadian, a dual citizen of both countries.” Along the way there, I couldn’t help but notice too, a big American flag in front of a local restaurant, so we pulled over, and I took a photo of that flag, waving in the wind on a cold fall day, and feeling even prouder of what it stands for….

11:00-11:35: We got to the city at 11:00 or so, parked about one block away on the side of the street next to a meter (about $1.50 or so, as we paid for 1 ½ hrs of parking), as that was the closest parking space in front of the building. I fed and changed the baby, for the next few minutes in the car, so that he wouldn’t get fussy when we went inside. We decided again to bring the carseat and baby bag in this time, instead of carrying him in as we didn’t know how long that it would take for the oath ceremony. When we got inside the USCIS building at 11:30am, there were quite a few people ahead of us in line. When it was our turn, the same male guard as last time at the door asked, “What are you here for?” So I told them that I have a private Oath Ceremony scheduled there at 11:30, and that we were supposed to meet with IO2 for such. He asked me what my name was, and I gave the guard my driver’s license. By mistake, my husband had forgot his driver’s license at home, so he showed them another piece of photo identification when asked for such (lol..thank goodness too, that he didn’t get pulled over when driving that day). The male guard looked at a sheet of paper in front of him and confirmed that I did have an oath ceremony scheduled then and there. Another female guard then asked us to put our keys and wallets in the tray, and I put my black baby bag (which had baby diapers, baby wipes, my original documents, other documents, and the naturalization study booklet in it) on the conveyer belt to go through the x-ray machines. The male guard was friendly and then asked the standard “Do you have any cameras, cell phones, guns, weapons, knives, sharp objects, razors, staplers (huh), etc.?”. I said “no” to everything else, but I said “yes, I have a camera with me”, as IO2 told me on the phone that I could bring such for the ceremony, to which he checked again on the piece of paper that IO2 did write about such for me, and let me through with the camera with no other problems. As well, the male guard again asked if the baby bag had any baby food, such as baby formula, in it, to which I said “no”, and he looked confused again. Oh well. I then walk through the metal detectors with no problems; my husband then walks through the metal detectors with no problems, while carrying the carseat with the baby as he walks through. The female guard remarks at how cute the baby is and in one hand waves a black wand-like portable detector at him. As she waves the detector, she plays with the baby’s booties and toes with her other hand, and asks how old he is (to which we say 4 months or so). We then take the baby in the carseat, the baby bag, and the rest of our belongings, after going through the detectors. The female guard then told us to walk straight ahead to the waiting room area and go up to window 6 to sign in. When we get to the waiting room it was all full, and we had to wait our turn to get to window 6. When it was my turn at the window, I tell the immigration officer (the same one at window 5/6 that was at my infopass appointment in october) that I was there to meet IO2 for the oath. She then checks my name, and slowly reads from a piece of paper in front of her that I was supposed to meet with IO2. She tells me to walk back towards the entrance and take the elevators upstairs to the second floor. On the way to the elevators, we pass by the guards, who remarked about our cute baby again, and lead us to an empty elevator to go upstairs for the oath….

11:35-11:40-Pre-Oath Time…

When we get out of the elevators, we end up in an empty hallway. In the hallway there are display cases full of immigration-related memorabilia and a 10ft replica statue of the statue of liberty. At the end of the hallway was another waiting area, which was empty people-wise except for us, had a dozen or so chairs there, had magazines on small coffee tables, had framed Buffalo, NY themed photos and memorabilia on the walls, and had information about citizenship and English classes on the side. I looked out the windows from that second floor waiting room and, I could see the streets of Buffalo, NY below, with all the business-like people passing by on a busy weekday morning. Off to the side of the room, there was a window, with a receptionist behind a reception desk. So I told the receptionist that I was there to see IO2 for the oath ceremony and had to wait for a few minutes. Then an immigration officer, appeared behind a door and said that she wanted to meet with me alone first. So I took my wallet and went through the door, while my husband and son waited for me in the waiting room. While I was in the office area with IO2….

IO2: (has my entire immigration file in front of her, and places it on a table). Hi my name is IO2 (insert their real name here), and I’ll be in the ceremony today, along with the District Officer. Mrs. (insert my last name here), before we continue…I have to give you something to sign…Now this is what you would sign if you were in a group ceremony, and likewise you will have to sign this here too.

IO2: (gives me a copy of the “N-445 Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony” to sign, which on the first page has the date, my name, my A#, (but oddly enough, no address or location to where my oath ceremony was to be held at), and the second page had eight “yes/no” checkboxes to questions regarding marital status, traveling, illegal activity, etc. after the interview and before the oath)

Ant: (checkmarks the boxes with “no”, with a pen that IO2 gives me)

IO1: (walks into the room to where I am and greets me) Hi Ant. I just wanted to drop in and quickly say congratulations and good luck with the oath ceremony today.

Ant: Thanks. And thanks too, for willing to accommodate my request for a private oath ceremony. You can come to the ceremony too, you know.

IO1: No problem about the accommodations.

Ant: (continues filling out the form). By the way, for the last line for the N-445, which address should I use? The physical address where I live, or the mailing address where I get my mail (they are both different locations).

IO1: We went over this during your interview, about the different addresses. Use the one that you sleep in.

Ant: Umm…I guess that would be the physical address then, since I don’t sleep in my mailbox..lol…(fills out the last section of the second page of the form with my physical address, signed at Buffalo, NY, date it as November 23, 2009, and sign it with my legal (but not full..oops…) signature, before I give it back to the immigration officers)

IO1: I have to get back to work, sorry I can’t stay. Congratulations again. (walks to the back area and into the back area of more offices)

IO2: (gives me a copy of the Certificate of Naturalization) Check it over and see if all the information on it is correct.

Ant: Wow, is this the certificate? (checks it over). Yes, all the information on it is correct, especially too, that it says that my former country is Canada, which is correct there (note: I was worried beforehand that they would get this one wrong, and did mention about it beforehand during the interview to put Canada on it, and not my other birth country).

Ant: (I look at the rest of the certificate, which has my photo, my birthdate, my gender, my height, my marital status, my former country of citizenship, my full name signed, my full name, approval from Buffalo New York, oath sworn by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, at Buffalo NY, dated November 23, 2009, and with the District Officer’s signature and name on it).

IO2: Can I have your green card too?

Ant: I only used this for 5 months.

IO2: That’s nice

Ant: But I waited 10 months for this card.

IO2: (laughs)

Ant: (gives her the 10yr green card, reluctantly…sigh…Goodbye green card!)

IO2: Ok, go have a seat in the waiting room again, and we’ll call you in again shortly.

Ant: (goes back out into the waiting room)

11:45-A few minutes later….Still Pre-Oath Time….

IO2: Can you come back in here for a few minutes, Mrs. (insert my last name here), you forgot to sign something.

Ant: (goes back into the office area)

IO2: You forgot to sign your Certificate of Naturalization. (give me a pen)

Ant: Did you want me to sign in my whole name, or with my legal signature?

IO2: Sign your whole name, like it appears on the certificate.

Ant: (signs my full name on the top signature line, where it says to sign)

IO2: Thanks. Can you go back into the waiting room again, and we’ll call you in again.

Ant: (goes back into the waiting room).

11:45-12:00-A few more minutes later….OATH TIME!

Present: Ant, D, Baby A, District Immigration Officer (DO), Immigration Officer (IO2)

IO2: Mrs. (insert my last name here), can you come back in here for the ceremony? Your husband and your son can come too.

Ant, D, and Baby A: (are led by IO2 into the office area)

D carries the carseat with Baby A in it and carries the baby bag in with him which has the camera inside. We are led to another smaller office, somewhere in the back rooms…

Inside the room, there is a desk, filled with paperwork, a small basket of chocolates/candy, along with a few chairs in front of the desk. This a room that is typically used for interviews and work, so it was a little bit cramped in there, with the all five of us people in there. D sits down on a chair, puts the carseat on the floor, while I am asked to stand at one end of the room in front of the DO.

DO: (dressed in a formal attire, with a dark blue jacket and pants, light blue tie, and white shirt). Hello, my name is (insert name here), and I’m here to conduct your ceremony.

Ant: Nice to meet you.

D: Nice to meet you too. Can I take a few photos of the ceremony? (takes out the camera)

DO: Sure. But just make sure you don’t get photos of the paperwork in the background. How about if we stand in this corner of the room, in front of this painting (it was some huge pastel-coloured piece of art, I notice too, that on the top corner of the room, right were I was standing there is a huge video camera mounted on the wall)

DO: (who is standing in front of me, reading off a piece of white paper, with his right hand raised). Can you raise your right hand like me, and swear to the following?

Ant: (raises my right hand and repeats after the DO)

DO: Wait, don’t repeat this part yet. Just say “I do” after I read this….

Ant: Oops..sorry about that….

DO: (continues reading something about do you agree to swear to….) Do you swear to….

Ant: I Do

DO: Now this is the part that you repeat after me. I’ll go through this line by line…

Ant: Ok..

DO: I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen

Ant: (repeats after the DO…)

DO: That I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic

Ant: (repeats after the DO…)

D: (takes a photo with the camera)

DO: That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same

Ant: (repeats after the DO…)

DO: That I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law

Ant: (repeats after the DO…)

DO: That I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law

Ant: (repeats after the DO…)

DO: That I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law

Ant: (repeats after the DO…)

DO: And that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

Ant: (repeats after the DO…)

D: (takes another photo with the camera)

DO: Congratulations. You are now a US Citizen. Here is your certificate and flag (gives me the certificate, a USCIS brown envelope to put the certificate in, along with a small American flag).

DO: As well, here is information as to how to apply for children to be citizens if they aren’t yet, information about how to sign the certificate, though I think you already signed such, and information about the employment and citizenship.

Ant: Thanks. Oh, one more question, do I have to notify social security, and/or other government agencies about citizenship status? And how long would that take for your databases to update such information.

DO: It shouldn’t take too long for such updates.

IO2: Congratulations Mrs. (insert my last name here) too.

DO: Why don’t we take a few more photos outside with your family, instead of here?

IO2: How about by that statue in the hallway?

(So we are all ushered out of the office area, and out into the hallway. D gives the camera to IO2, while Ant, D, and Baby A are in front of the 10ft replica statue of the statue of liberty. IO2 takes a few photos of us, with Ant holding the Certificate of Naturalization and American flag in front. In total, we end up taking 6 photos, of both the ceremony itself and afterwards in front of the statue)

DO: Be careful not to drop the baby. (looks at D holding the baby in his arms)

Ant: Don’t worry, we won’t…lol…

Ant: Why don’t you come into the photo too? (looks at the DO)

(So the DO stands with the three of us, while IO2 takes a photo of the four of us.)

DO: How old is the baby?

D: He’s about 4 months or so.

D: Do you do these private oath ceremonies often?

DO: Not too often, only under extreme circumstances by request.

D: Thanks for doing this for us.

DO: You’re welcome. We do what we can do accommodate others here.

DO: By the way, you said that you lived in (insert town name here), isn’t that near (insert name here) State Park?

D: Yes, it’s a few hours away.

DO: Congratulations again. Have a good one.

IO2: For the citizenship certificate, make sure you don’t lose that. Keep it in a safe place.

Ant: Yes, I know, it takes a long time and costs quite a bit to replace.

IO2: Though if you are applying for a passport, you have to give them the original, and they will send it back to you in a separate envelope.

Ant: Ok. But can I also make a copy for myself for personal use?

IO2: Yes, just a copy for yourself only. But others aren’t supposed to make copies of it, as it says here. (points to the line where it says, ”It is punishable by law to copy….”).

Ant: Ok. No problem. Thanks for arranging the ceremony for us too.

IO2: Nice meeting the all of you. Congratulations again.

(IO2 and DO go back to their offices, while we walk further down the hall, go down the elevators, and exit the building. There are more and more people coming into the building later on in the day, and the lines in front of the security guards are getting longer. As we pass by the lines, another person in line notices that I have my certificate and says, ‘hey, she has her citizenship certificate’. The female guard remarks about the baby again too. As we leave, I ask D to take a photo of me in front of the building, which he does, as I jokingly pose with my certificate and flag in my hand, while the wind blows…)

So my Citizenship Oath Ceremony Experience ends here, with us driving away from Buffalo, NY, and with me officially as a US Citizen! For the next 2-3 hours or so, we stop by at a mall in Buffalo, NY, where we celebrate by going to “Build-A-Bear Workshop” (ok, so I’m a child at heart…I like stuffed animals...lol..) and bought a patriotic stuffed animal/puppy (that is white, red, and blue in colour), which we named “Starry”, in honour of the special day. As well, we drive home for another 2-3 hours, and then stop for 1 hour or so at the local “Ponderosa” restaurant to celebrate with a buffet dinner, as the sunset in the night. We didn’t stay long to eat outside though, as the baby was getting fussy, and I was tired after such a long day/night. Also, when I got back home, D surprised me with a “Congratulations” card, with a message congratulating me for my citizenship too.

Overall, I was happy about my oath ceremony experience, and am happy with how the USCIS staff in Buffalo, NY was on that day. And yes, it is especially nice too see too, that they are accommodating to applicants and friendly to children too.

Most importantly of all, I can say, “I’m a United States Citizen, I am here to stay forever! I’m proud to be an American! And so, immigration journey ends here, after 3+ years. What a happy ending, after such a long wait, indeed!”

I hope you found this story interesting and helpful to read. Thanks for reading about my oath ceremony experience story! And thanks too, for being such a supportive, friendly, and helpful online community along the way, vjers. 2500 posts later…!

Good luck to everyone else on your immigration journeys too, and may it be happy one for you and your family, with the same happy ending too….

Ant (I am a United States Citizen! And the Americans, Ant, D, and Baby A, lived happily ever after in America!....)

[lonie 0]

Congrats! Now go enjoy your life with D and baby!

[Krikit 1,163]

I tried to read it but I couldn't. lol. Congratulations.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Congrats Ant! I can't believe you were able to remember all those details. And I love how you celebrated by going to Build-a-Bear! That's way cool!

Edited November 30, 2009 by Hugglebuggles

[brightskte 18]

Congrats!!! I can't wait until Mathew and I are at the point you just crossed!!!

[darkchilde794 5]

Congratulations!!!!! I am so happy for you and your family!

[CdnMN 0]

Congrats Ant

Sounds like everyone was really nice.

K.

[Jo&Si 9]

Congratulations Ant !

Very nice review!!!

Thanks

Jo

[mikey78 6]

Congrats!

[Carlawarla 1]

Congratulations Ant!

[Varba 0]

Congratulations!!

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for your replies, well wishes, and greetings. Here are my replies to your replies:

Lonie-Thanks for the congrats. Lol...Actually that was on my "things to do list": "enjoy life with D and the Baby"....Now that I don't have to worry about being deported and whatever else with immigration, I sure have a lot of time to spend here with family here, indeed...lol...

Though despite that, rest assured, I haven't forgotten about all of you here.....I'll still make some time for my vj family too...

Congrats! Now go enjoy your life with D and baby!

Krikit-Thanks for the congrats. Lol...that's ok about not being able to read all of it.....But yeah, I know you got the message anyways....

I tried to read it but I couldn't. lol. Congratulations.

Hugglebuggles-Thanks for the congrats. As for remembering the details...I have a super memory (just kidding..I can't even remember my or anyone else's names, phone numbers, or other details at times in my everyday life..). What I do though, is that in my mind, I make an extra note of the details, and "replay" it in my head, and type it out as it is played in my mind. It's kind of like watching a movie, but taking notes while watching it....lol....Never mind, I'm just odd that way....As for Build-A-Bear, yeah, that was a nice surprise too.. I was walking in the store, and wanted to just look around, and it was D that wanted to get that stuffed animal for me...lol....I said no at first, walked around the mall a couple of times, and eventually caved in...oh well...By the way, I also took a photo of the stuffed animal with my son...Will have to post that sometime here on vj, if I can figure out how to get photobucket working again...(grr...been having trouble with that again).....But yeah, I love stuffed animals and other kid-like toys and creatures....lol..

Congrats Ant! I can't believe you were able to remember all those details. And I love how you celebrated by going to Build-a-Bear! That's way cool!

KaylaMathew-Thanks for the congrats. Don't worry, you and your fiance/spouse will get to the same point too! Those years will fly by, before you know it. Lol...it only seemed like yesterday that my immigration journey began, and now it came to an end.....It helps too, to have other vjers along the way. And congrats too, for you coming aloing in your journey. In the meantime, enjoy life together with your loved ones, and let the immigration stuff figure itself out, in due time....

Congrats!!! I can't wait until Mathew and I are at the point you just crossed!!!

Darkchilde794-Thanks for the congrats. Likewise, I'm happy for all vjers too, who are going through their immigration journeys too, as I like to see loved ones being reunited with loved ones, despite the difficult process along the way....

Congratulations!!!!! I am so happy for you and your family!

CdnMN-Thanks for the congrats. Yes, overall, the immigration officials that I dealt with in Buffalo, NY were very nice to me and my family, indeed. Lol...I admit, at times, I've had my frustrations, stresses, etc. with immigration officials and the entire immigration process, regardless. But in the end, it all works out well, and "all is forgiven" in moments such as this when it is all over (now...if only I can get my $2000+ and 3yrs of my life back...lol...that's another story).

Congrats Ant

Sounds like everyone was really nice.

K.

Jo&Si-Thanks for the congrats. Glad you liked the review and found it helpful too.

Congratulations Ant !

Very nice review!!!

Thanks

Jo

Mikey78-Thanks for the congrats.

Congrats!

Carlawarla-Thanks for the congrats (and the virtual flower too...).

Congratulations Ant!

Varba-Thanks for the congrats.

Congratulations!!

Again, to everyone, thanks for the congratulations, and thanks for being such helpful, friendly, and supportive people along the way....Without vj, I wouldn't be where I am now...

And to everyone: Good luck with the rest of your immigration journeys, and may your journey end happily too....

Ant

P.S. Despite being American, I'm still Canadian too.....I guess I get the best of both worlds now?.......Dual Citizenship!

Am I still allowed to hang around in the 'Canada' forum?....lol...just kidding....

Edited December 2, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[Emancipation 2]

I tried to read it but I couldn't. lol. Congratulations.

Oh Krikit..

I love how you gave us the play by play color commentary on what you wore Ant..

Congrads.

[bogartnoir 0]

congratulations, my fellow american!

wonderful to read your journey!

[Persona 0]

Congrats~!!! Woo hoo!