November 2008 Filers

[haiti 0]

Way to go November filers.

Keep it up!

www.twitter.com/samhaiti

Congrats to Moe_Lisa, phl_nov08, and asid

Really happy to see this list turning into RED

Name.............Date sent....NOA1.....Biodate...Interview....Oath.....Center..Local Office..Check Cashed

MaryR............10/18/08...11/01/08...11/19/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...NSC....San Juan, PR....10/24/08

myfellah.........11/03/08...11/15/08...11/29/08...02/03/09...03/10/09...NSC....Columns,OH......11/10/08

ziia.............11/03/08...11/08/08...12/03/08...03/17/09...--/--/--...NSC....Chicago, IL.....--/--/--

RightD...........11/04/08...11/12/08...12/12/08...02/23/09...02/23/09...VSC....Baltimore, MD...11/10/08

rwj..............11/05/08...11/13/08...12/04/08...03/18/09...04/10/09...CSC....Reno, NV........11/13/08

phl_nov08........11/05/08...11/10/08...12/10/08...03/20/09...05/08/09...VSC....Philadelphia,PA.11/10/08

k1spain..........11/10/08...11/14/08...12/13/08...05/20/09...--/--/--...NSC....Detroit, MI.....11/12/08

hassan_debbie....11/06/08...11/15/08...12/04/08...02/24/09...02/24/09...TSC....Atlanta, GA.....11/10/08

asid.............11/07/08...11/20/08...12/06/08...04/07/09...05/08/09...VSC....Hartford, CT....11/14/08

duomi............11/07/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...03/03/09...--/--/--...VSC....Fairfax, VA.....11/19/08

JennySala........11/07/08...11/22/08...12/11/08...02/09/09...03/04/09...TSC....Houston, TX.....11/13/08

lomeshp..........11/10/08...11/21/08...12/04/08...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas, TX......11/17/08

Moe_Lisa.........11/10/08...11/18/08...12/10/08...02/23/09...05/08/09...NSC....St. Louis, MO...11/17/08

martingopher.....11/13/08...11/22/08...--/--/--...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas, TX......11/18/08

manty............11/14/08...11/24/08...12/18/08...03/27/09...--/--/--...VSC....Norfolk, VA.....11/17/08

bryand1..........11/15/08...11/22/08...12/10/08...03/05/09...--/--/--...CSC....L.A., CA........--/--/--

TridentMoss......11/15/08...11/19/08...--/--/--...02/17/09...--/--/--...VSC....Washington DC...11/19/08

mavsfans.........11/15/08...11/25/08...12/12/08...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas,TX.......11/25/08

chefdino.........--/--/--...11/20/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...???....????............--/--/-

vital2006........11/18/08...11/28/08...12/11/08...03/31/09...04/03/09...VSC....NYC, NY.........11/21/08

Brian-Charisma...11/20/08...12/12/08...12/24/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...VSC....Charlotte, NC...12/05/08

gennyangel.......11/20/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....Honolulu, HI....--/--/--

nzu..............11/20/08...12/01/08...--/--/--...03/10/09...04/17/09...CSC....Phoneix, AZ.....11/25/08

doodle...........11/24/08...12/10/08...01/06/09...04/08/09...--/--/--...TSC....Charlotte, NC...12/04/08

haiti............11/24/08...12/08/08...01/06/09...03/26/09...04/17/09...TSC....Greer, SC.......12/04/08

karotte..........11/28/08...12/12/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....S.F., CA........12/14/08

cloud9villa......11/26/08...12/08/08...12/23/08...02/04/09...03/05/09...VSC....Boston, MA......12/04/08

Merindah13.......11/28/08...12/04/08...12/26/08...05/13/09...--/--/--...VSC....GardenCity, NY..12/04/08

[asid 0]

I got the passport without any questions about my signature. I signed both the picture and naturalization certificate with my normal signature as opposed to writing my full name.

The process at the CT passport agency was pretty quick. About 45 mins to handover my docs and 15 mins to pick up the passport the next day.

[manty 0]

All done! I'm now a US citizen! Yay.

The ceremony was fairly uneventful, but exciting. First of all, arrive early. Don't do like I did and arrive promptly at the time stated on the interview form - the courtroom was packed and standing room only. Give yourself a good half hour to get a decent seat.

The USCIS rep explained the ceremony to all of us, then had us all check our names on the certificates and hand our permanent resident cards in (I'm glad to see the back of that thing). Then we were moved around and all of the relatives were put on one side of the courtroom and the new citizens were seated on the other side. The judge was a little late, but was polished and efficient, and had a few amusing comments thrown in. The USCIS rep administered the oath, then we sat and listened to the judge make a rather sweet speech - I think that was the best part of the ceremony, as he seemed really glad to be a part of the naturalization process, and very welcoming to us all. Then we said the pledge of allegiance (you might want to memorize this first - I had to read it), and then we all met the judge personally.

We all got a little flag from the Daughters of the American Revolution lady (which was kinda cool - my first flag and although it's a cheap little plastic thing, it's something that I'll treasure).

Overall, it was a pretty cool experience, and it didn't sink in immediately. It still hasn't sunk in to be honest - I'm a citizen, something I've been looking forward to for years and years and years, and the six months since applying has flown by. No more immigration issues, no more forms, no more nothing. It's a good feeling.

I'm applying for my passport on Tuesday, registering to vote next week and that's it - nothing else to do!

Thanks to everyone on this board, particularly those fellow November 08 filers, who supported each other through the whole process and shared information - this board was by far the most useful resource I had available.

Good luck to those still waiting!

[MsAnn 0]

All done! I'm now a US citizen! Yay.

Thank you for sharing and many congrats!!!

[haiti 0]

Congratulations! It feels good to be a US citizen!

God bless you!

[merindah13 0]

Congrats!

My interview is tomorrow in NYC... fingers crossed.

[lomeshp 0]

Name.............Date sent....NOA1.....Biodate...Interview....Oath.....Center..Local Office..Check Cashed

MaryR............10/18/08...11/01/08...11/19/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...NSC....San Juan, PR....10/24/08

myfellah.........11/03/08...11/15/08...11/29/08...02/03/09...03/10/09...NSC....Columns,OH......11/10/08

ziia.............11/03/08...11/08/08...12/03/08...03/17/09...--/--/--...NSC....Chicago, IL.....--/--/--

RightD...........11/04/08...11/12/08...12/12/08...02/23/09...02/23/09...VSC....Baltimore, MD...11/10/08

rwj..............11/05/08...11/13/08...12/04/08...03/18/09...04/10/09...CSC....Reno, NV........11/13/08

phl_nov08........11/05/08...11/10/08...12/10/08...03/20/09...05/08/09...VSC....Philadelphia,PA.11/10/08

k1spain..........11/10/08...11/14/08...12/13/08...05/20/09...--/--/--...NSC....Detroit, MI.....11/12/08

hassan_debbie....11/06/08...11/15/08...12/04/08...02/24/09...02/24/09...TSC....Atlanta, GA.....11/10/08

asid.............11/07/08...11/20/08...12/06/08...04/07/09...05/08/09...VSC....Hartford, CT....11/14/08

duomi............11/07/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...03/03/09...--/--/--...VSC....Fairfax, VA.....11/19/08

JennySala........11/07/08...11/22/08...12/11/08...02/09/09...03/04/09...TSC....Houston, TX.....11/13/08

lomeshp..........11/10/08...11/21/08...12/04/08...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas, TX......11/17/08

Moe_Lisa.........11/10/08...11/18/08...12/10/08...02/23/09...05/08/09...NSC....St. Louis, MO...11/17/08

martingopher.....11/13/08...11/22/08...--/--/--...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas, TX......11/18/08

manty............11/14/08...11/24/08...12/18/08...03/27/09...05/24/09...VSC....Norfolk, VA.....11/17/08

bryand1..........11/15/08...11/22/08...12/10/08...03/05/09...--/--/--...CSC....L.A., CA........--/--/--

TridentMoss......11/15/08...11/19/08...--/--/--...02/17/09...--/--/--...VSC....Washington DC...11/19/08

mavsfans.........11/15/08...11/25/08...12/12/08...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas,TX.......11/25/08

chefdino.........--/--/--...11/20/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...???....????............--/--/-

vital2006........11/18/08...11/28/08...12/11/08...03/31/09...04/03/09...VSC....NYC, NY.........11/21/08

Brian-Charisma...11/20/08...12/12/08...12/24/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...VSC....Charlotte, NC...12/05/08

gennyangel.......11/20/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....Honolulu, HI....--/--/--

nzu..............11/20/08...12/01/08...--/--/--...03/10/09...04/17/09...CSC....Phoneix, AZ.....11/25/08

doodle...........11/24/08...12/10/08...01/06/09...04/08/09...--/--/--...TSC....Charlotte, NC...12/04/08

haiti............11/24/08...12/08/08...01/06/09...03/26/09...04/17/09...TSC....Greer, SC.......12/04/08

karotte..........11/28/08...12/12/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....S.F., CA........12/14/08

cloud9villa......11/26/08...12/08/08...12/23/08...02/04/09...03/05/09...VSC....Boston, MA......12/04/08

Merindah13.......11/28/08...12/04/08...12/26/08...05/28/09...--/--/--...VSC....GardenCity, NY..12/04/08

[rwj 0]

so... the journey is finally over!

I had to reschedule my original April oath ceremony as was travelling, so actually had it yesterday 5/29.

There were 48 of us here in Reno - the letter said to 'arrive promptly' at 9am. By 8.45 there were already lots of us waiting, but the USCIS check in desk was not manned until about 9.15... ah, how appropriate they make us wait again, one last time. But never again!!!

We were done in just under two hours - a little longer than I expected. It was very ceremonious, even a military color guard. But also quite relaxed, one of the officers was chatting with us while we were in our designated seats waiting for the others to be checked in, he was asking where we were from, joking around etc. There was one part where they played a song and showed a video with different landscape scenes from throughout the US. The scenes were beautiful, but they really wanted us to wave our flags along the the music, which I found a little strange. But all in all a pleasant event.

So... someone asked me if i'm 'an amercian now'... and I'd have to say no, i'll always feel 'australian' as my primary identity. But I am a dual US/Australian citizen now, and that feels good.

Good luck to all of you in your future journeys!

[lomeshp 0]

so... the journey is finally over!

I had to reschedule my original April oath ceremony as was travelling, so actually had it yesterday 5/29.

There were 48 of us here in Reno - the letter said to 'arrive promptly' at 9am. By 8.45 there were already lots of us waiting, but the USCIS check in desk was not manned until about 9.15... ah, how appropriate they make us wait again, one last time. But never again!!!

We were done in just under two hours - a little longer than I expected. It was very ceremonious, even a military color guard. But also quite relaxed, one of the officers was chatting with us while we were in our designated seats waiting for the others to be checked in, he was asking where we were from, joking around etc. There was one part where they played a song and showed a video with different landscape scenes from throughout the US. The scenes were beautiful, but they really wanted us to wave our flags along the the music, which I found a little strange. But all in all a pleasant event.

So... someone asked me if i'm 'an amercian now'... and I'd have to say no, i'll always feel 'australian' as my primary identity. But I am a dual US/Australian citizen now, and that feels good.

Good luck to all of you in your future journeys!

Congrats!!!

[haiti 0]

COngratulations!

I am full blown American since my former coutry does not recognize dual citizenship! I am starting a blog about my new life at www.samhaiti1.blogspot.com

[mavsfan 0]

OK Guys here is my update. As you know I went for the interview during March 09. I got denied due to permanant residency issues (back to back travel outside the US for 17 months). I hired an attorney and filed an appeal via N-336 during April 09. USCIS reversed their original decision and approved my citizenship on May 12, 2009. I was scheduled for oath today morning June 4, 09 and finally I am a US Citizen. Applied for my passport today morning. So finally the journey had an happy ending. Glad it is all over now. Thanks.

[gyenigun 0]

hey everyone,

I owe the state some taxes and called the IRS according to the interview checklist ( it says that if you owe any taxes bring a documentation of the current status of a repayment program ) so, the IRS told me that they dont have or give any document like that. they also said I can make payments little by little...

and on the tax forms there is a web site name called www.officialpayments.com/state if i make payments from there and print the confirmation page would that be fine with IO...?

and did you guys have any problem because of the taxes...?

have you guys been asked to show the tax forms especially in Atlanta GA...?

other than that Atlanta does the oath on the same day...if everything goes smooth i will hopefully be a citizens on july 1st...

thanks in advance and have a great day everyone...

[lomeshp 0]

OK Guys here is my update. As you know I went for the interview during March 09. I got denied due to permanant residency issues (back to back travel outside the US for 17 months). I hired an attorney and filed an appeal via N-336 during April 09. USCIS reversed their original decision and approved my citizenship on May 12, 2009. I was scheduled for oath today morning June 4, 09 and finally I am a US Citizen. Applied for my passport today morning. So finally the journey had an happy ending. Glad it is all over now. Thanks.

Great news! Congrats!

[Tini27 0]

Congrats!

My interview is tomorrow in NYC... fingers crossed.

Hope your interview went well! Would you mind sharing any details? I'd love to hear about a recent experience in NYC.

[phl_nov08 0]

At last, the final steps are completed.

On Saturday I got my updated Soc. Sec. Card with restrictions removed.

Today my passport card arrived.

Now I look forward to traveling somewhere I can use my passport.

P