Coming up on Citizenship

[July09Bride 1]

LPR = Legal Permanent Resident

A K-1'er will first receive Conditional LPR status. After 2 years they can file to remove those conditions...... aka the 10 year GC. One more year after that they can file for citizenship providing they are still married to the USC.

Got'cha. Thanks for the clarification!

[Reba 2]

I am nearing my earliest application date to apply for citizenship (November 11th)

What I wanted to know is - in your experience when is it best to get all of the paperwork together? Do they change the forms often enough to where I should wait - or would it be fine to begin prepping everything and putting together lease documents, photos etc now? We were told during the GC interview that we would have to send in "additional proof" once our 2 year GC was up.

I am getting excited here and I want to make sure everything is tight and put away for the big day.

Brad, I think the interviewer was talking about removing conditions to get your 10 year card, not citizenship. First you have to apply to remove conditions, then one year after that, you can apply for citizenship.

[Carlawarla 1]

I am nearing my earliest application date to apply for citizenship (November 11th)

What I wanted to know is - in your experience when is it best to get all of the paperwork together? Do they change the forms often enough to where I should wait - or would it be fine to begin prepping everything and putting together lease documents, photos etc now? We were told during the GC interview that we would have to send in "additional proof" once our 2 year GC was up.

I am getting excited here and I want to make sure everything is tight and put away for the big day.

Brad, I think the interviewer was talking about removing conditions to get your 10 year card, not citizenship. First you have to apply to remove conditions, then one year after that, you can apply for citizenship.

True...and a major rip-off as far as I'm concerned as you have to apply for ROC, and less than a year after that (if you count in the 90 days), you apply for citizenship, thus some MORE money.

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Likewise, I would like to know of the same too, as my earliest date to apply for US citizenship is coming up soon, in August 2009.

I'm in the process of filling out the forms and gathering the evidence for that now. Do I have to gather as much evidence as I did for the I-751, or do less than that? What other types of evidence do I have to include, besides the manditory ones listed on the USCIS website for the N-400 (marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, lease/mortgage, bank statements, tax returns, etc.)?

What do they ask for during the interview? What do they ask for during the oath ceremony?

What else should I expect during this N-400 citizenship process?

Any other advice, suggestions, hints, tips, etc.? Thanks.

And yes, I'm looking forward to becoming a Canadian/US dual citizen soon!

Lol..now if only they could approve my I-751 case first...

As frankly I'm not in the mood now to surrender another $670, since they 'stole' my $545 for the I-751 and I have still been waiting (for the last 8 months+) for this step's approval.....What a rip off, I agree!!!

Ant (Still waiting for I-751, Still waiting for Baby...)

What I wanted to know is - in your experience when is it best to get all of the paperwork together? Do they change the forms often enough to where I should wait - or would it be fine to begin prepping everything and putting together lease documents, photos etc now?

I am getting excited here and I want to make sure everything is tight and put away for the big day.

Edited April 15, 2009 by AntandD

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I am nearing my earliest application date to apply for citizenship (November 11th)

What I wanted to know is - in your experience when is it best to get all of the paperwork together? Do they change the forms often enough to where I should wait - or would it be fine to begin prepping everything and putting together lease documents, photos etc now? We were told during the GC interview that we would have to send in "additional proof" once our 2 year GC was up.

I am getting excited here and I want to make sure everything is tight and put away for the big day.

Brad, I think the interviewer was talking about removing conditions to get your 10 year card, not citizenship. First you have to apply to remove conditions, then one year after that, you can apply for citizenship.

True...and a major rip-off as far as I'm concerned as you have to apply for ROC, and less than a year after that (if you count in the 90 days), you apply for citizenship, thus some MORE money.

Yeah really!

Here's a thought: Why don't they give us a 3 year conditional GC so we can just skip removing conditions and go straight to citizenship? It would streamline the process and help with the backlog of cases. They can make the conditional GC process equal to the removing of conditions process and huzzah! I should work for USCIS right? I think so

[Flames9_RN 358]

Hi Everyone,

Likewise, I would like to know of the same too, as my earliest date to apply for US citizenship is coming up soon, in August 2009.

I'm in the process of filling out the forms and gathering the evidence for that now. Do I have to gather as much evidence as I did for the I-751, or do less than that? What other types of evidence do I have to include, besides the manditory ones listed on the USCIS website for the N-400 (marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, lease/mortgage, bank statements, tax returns, etc.)?

What do they ask for during the interview? What do they ask for during the oath ceremony?

What else should I expect during this N-400 citizenship process?

Any other advice, suggestions, hints, tips, etc.? Thanks.

And yes, I'm looking forward to becoming a Canadian/US dual citizen soon!

Lol..now if only they could approve my I-751 case first...

As frankly I'm not in the mood now to surrender another $670, since they 'stole' my $545 for the I-751 and I have still been waiting (for the last 8 months+) for this step's approval.....What a rip off, I agree!!!

Ant (Still waiting for I-751, Still waiting for Baby...)

What I wanted to know is - in your experience when is it best to get all of the paperwork together? Do they change the forms often enough to where I should wait - or would it be fine to begin prepping everything and putting together lease documents, photos etc now?

I am getting excited here and I want to make sure everything is tight and put away for the big day.

Interview: Didnt last very long. Did the test first, asked me 10 questions---which came from the USCIS website, very easy. Asked to write "I drink to much coffee." Was a very quick interview. I passed, but due to an extra fiel on my case, they had to investigate that.

Oath ceremony: Signed in, took away the greencard, went to a room with others. Then tyhe ceremony started, blah blah,lol i wasnt exactly paying attention, stated the oath of alliegince, watched a video, got our naturalization cert, family members could take pics. Ceremony it self was around 30 min, most of the time was spent waiting.

Check out the citizinship forum on VJ, many have asked the same questions. I thought it was a very easy process. I didnt get carried awy with evidence, utility bills, mortgage paperwork, paperwork for insurance. best of luck

[JillA 2]

I am nearing my earliest application date to apply for citizenship (November 11th)

What I wanted to know is - in your experience when is it best to get all of the paperwork together? Do they change the forms often enough to where I should wait - or would it be fine to begin prepping everything and putting together lease documents, photos etc now? We were told during the GC interview that we would have to send in "additional proof" once our 2 year GC was up.

I am getting excited here and I want to make sure everything is tight and put away for the big day.

Brad, I think the interviewer was talking about removing conditions to get your 10 year card, not citizenship. First you have to apply to remove conditions, then one year after that, you can apply for citizenship.

True...and a major rip-off as far as I'm concerned as you have to apply for ROC, and less than a year after that (if you count in the 90 days), you apply for citizenship, thus some MORE money.

Yeah really!

Here's a thought: Why don't they give us a 3 year conditional GC so we can just skip removing conditions and go straight to citizenship? It would streamline the process and help with the backlog of cases. They can make the conditional GC process equal to the removing of conditions process and huzzah! I should work for USCIS right? I think so

What, and lose the $$ they make off removing conditions from all of us? Not before hell freezes over! If they did that, think of all the $$ we'd SAVE and they'd LOSE. You should work for them and change the rules

[warlord 73]

I am nearing my earliest application date to apply for citizenship (November 11th)

What I wanted to know is - in your experience when is it best to get all of the paperwork together? Do they change the forms often enough to where I should wait - or would it be fine to begin prepping everything and putting together lease documents, photos etc now? We were told during the GC interview that we would have to send in "additional proof" once our 2 year GC was up.

I am getting excited here and I want to make sure everything is tight and put away for the big day.

Brad, I think the interviewer was talking about removing conditions to get your 10 year card, not citizenship. First you have to apply to remove conditions, then one year after that, you can apply for citizenship.

Not always, many people can get Citizenship without even having a 2 year green card. If the couple has been married out of the country say and then decide to move to the US, the spouse will not get the conditional Green Card and get a straight 10 year card.

I can't recall the other situation or if it's the same as the above but I stated it wrong...

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

I totally agree with this statement:

Yeah really!

Here's a thought: Why don't they give us a 3 year conditional GC so we can just skip removing conditions and go straight to citizenship? It would streamline the process and help with the backlog of cases. They can make the conditional GC process equal to the removing of conditions process and huzzah! I should work for USCIS right? I think so

Believe me, I know what you mean by "backlog" with the removal of conditions stage, as I'm curently stuck there (for the last 8+ months or so), and have wasted $545 for it (and then have to give up this 10yr card when I have it, and gain citizenship, in less than a year later). On top of that, I have to pay an additional $670 for citizenship, and wait another 5+ months of that...What a waste, time-wise and financially!

Lol..at this rate, I'm thinking to myself: "It takes just as long to have a baby, as it is to wait for this damn 10yr card!". Oh and to wait for both at once....quite stressful, indeed. Heck, I sort of know when my baby will be born, and as for the card...who knows when that will arrive.....

Frankly I think they should offer the following options instead, at the 3yr mark:

a) Apply for a 10yr card. Need to prove a "joint genuine marriage/relationship" too.

OR

b ) Apply for US Citizenship. Need to prove a "joint genuine marriage/relationship" too.

OR

c) Apply for US Citizenship at 5yrs. No need to prove relationship ties.

Heck, we all on VJ should be working for the USCIS (even though that's not really my choice of career)! I'm sure we can get a lot more work done than they are doing now, and we definitely know more than them at times!

Just my 2 cents on this topic too (make that $545.02 + $670.02 of thought...)

Ant (Still waiting for I-751, Still waiting for Baby...)

Edited April 15, 2009 by AntandD

[antda 13]

Hi Flames9,

Thanks for your addional information regarding the interview and oath ceremony and additional paperwork evidence for the application. Better "safe than sorry" there, in terms of submitting more evidence than not enough.

Glad that everything went well for you there, and that it was a simple and quick process for you. Congratulations again for being a US Citizen recently. Lol..I still remember how you described those "Canadian socks" that you wore that day! Hmm...maybe I'll have to get a pair of socks like that too?

I'll definitely be checking out the N-400 boards (I have been doing a bit of that already) for more info too. Meanwhile, you and everyone else can find me on these Canada boards and I-751 boards and through PMs.

Good luck everyone, on the rest of your immigration journey too!

Ant (Still waiting for I-751, Still waiting for Baby...)

Interview: Didnt last very long. Did the test first, asked me 10 questions---which came from the USCIS website, very easy. Asked to write "I drink to much coffee." Was a very quick interview. I passed, but due to an extra fiel on my case, they had to investigate that.

Oath ceremony: Signed in, took away the greencard, went to a room with others. Then tyhe ceremony started, blah blah,lol i wasnt exactly paying attention, stated the oath of alliegince, watched a video, got our naturalization cert, family members could take pics. Ceremony it self was around 30 min, most of the time was spent waiting.

Check out the citizinship forum on VJ, many have asked the same questions. I thought it was a very easy process. I didnt get carried awy with evidence, utility bills, mortgage paperwork, paperwork for insurance. best of luck

[Krikit 1,165]

Hi Everyone,

I totally agree with this statement:

Yeah really!

Here's a thought: Why don't they give us a 3 year conditional GC so we can just skip removing conditions and go straight to citizenship? It would streamline the process and help with the backlog of cases. They can make the conditional GC process equal to the removing of conditions process and huzzah! I should work for USCIS right? I think so

Believe me, I know what you mean by "backlog" with the removal of conditions stage, as I'm curently stuck there (for the last 8+ months or so), and have wasted $545 for it (and then have to give up this 10yr card when I have it, and gain citizenship, in less than a year later). On top of that, I have to pay an additional $670 for citizenship, and wait another 5+ months of that...What a waste, time-wise and financially!

Considering you didn't have to go through a visa stage I'm having a hard time finding empathy.

[antda 13]

Hi Krikit,

In a way I did have to go through a "Visa" stage, be it that it was a "Visitor's Visa" at the time. Having to wait an additional year in Canada before (other reasons), going through 2hrs+ of detaining and questioning at the border just for a visit then when I could finally visit, getting married spontaneously in a week, not being able to return to Canada to pick up the rest of my stuff, having to stay "without status/somewhat illegally" after my visitor's status expired before I was approved for the AOS 8+ months later, searching for an extra co-sponsor, and having to pay an extra $1500+ for that whole process, was stressful enough for me already....

Lol....no need for empathy here....We just all need an understanding, of what we all here on VJ has to go through this "entire difficult immigration process", at all stages regardless, that's all....

Ant (Still waiting for I-751, Still waiting for Baby...)

Considering you didn't have to go through a visa stage I'm having a hard time finding empathy.

Edited April 15, 2009 by AntandD