Naturalization interview today

[Captain Oates 911]

Interview report today at Yakima, Washington State.

Any of you cool dudes who think you can walk in there without a sweat can think again. The day of your interview you WILL feel queasy.

I arrived in Yakima an hour early. Went to Wendy’s for a burger and coffee. They asked if I wanted cream and I said yes. They said oh we don’t have any. I asked if they had a slice of apple pie or whatever like McDonald's – NO. What a dump and viva McDonald's. I saw a gas station across the road and thought I would kill time and go there. The pumps had no card slot and it said pay inside. The woman said how much gas you need and I said I wanted to fill up. She said she wanted ID and my card and she would keep my card until I filled up. At this point I thought what a dump this town is. These people are lucky to have me as a citizen. I shouldn’t be nervous, they should be nervous that I might pull out.

The weight lifted and I relaxed and I felt great. I went to the USCIS. Night club bouncer with a big gun etc and marine hairstyle and muscles. British bobby he was not. He asked me if I had a cell phone and then asked me if I had a gun.

Bang on time the lady asked me in and she was absolutely great. She put me totally at ease and chatted but she was VERY professional too and I reckon she was getting my guard down at the same time as being pleasant and chatty. We chatted about all sorts. I did the answers about me not being a communist or a terrorist etc and I then did the 6 questions and got all six.

She asked about the gun club and I told her I drank coffee with the Vietnam vets twice a week and it was a great social life. I told her one of em said to me that if it wasn’t for the French, the Americans would still be speaking English. I think she was ok with that but I should have watched my mouth as it was running away with me because things were going so well.

She asked if my wife was a citizen and I said she was from Milwaukee and she was a ‘packer fan’

She sat upright and said – “Your wife comes from Pakistan ? “

I said “no she is a Packer Fan – you know, Green Bay Packers”. I don’t think she knew about football but she relaxed again.

Then she said “Oh, you applied too soon”. My heart sank coz I thought I had nailed the 89 days prior to GC anniversary and we would have to do it all again and I would lose my money.. Then she said I wasn’t eligible for the oath until November 5 and she would keep the file until then and then write to me and give me 2 weeks notice. Phew I relaxed again. Told her I didn’t need 2 weeks as I was retired. Asked about ceremonies and they do them twice per month at Yakima. Sometimes at the courthouse with a judge and sometimes the USCIS are authorised to do it at their offices.

Anyway, I have the form here and it has 2 ticks.

1 You passed the tests of English and history and government

2 Congratulations ! Your application has been recommended for approval. (Their bolds) At this time, it appears that you have established your eligibility for Naturalization. If final approval is granted, you will be notified when and where to report for the oath ceremony’

So all in all I am a very happy bunny. No junk about more of the file to come (It was a foot thick) and twice a month ceremonies too !

I reckon I should be all done by the end of November and have the passport by xmas at the very latest.

I still can’t believe I can file my marriage divorce etc FOREVER after all the times I have been involved with this stuff for 5 years. I suppose this really is freedom.

All in all it was a pleasant experience once I was in the room but I was worried before. If I had been a shady character with something to hide, she would have gotten some dirt out of me with her reassuring manner which was very skilled. She was really good at her job.

Edited October 26, 2010 by Alan the Red

[bonnerbonner 6]

Congrats!!

Thanks for sharing your experience in detail.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Congratulations, and thank you for sharing.

[Okalian 41]

She asked if my wife was a citizen and I said she was from Milwaukee and she was a 'packer fan'

She sat upright and said – "Your wife comes from Pakistan ? "

I would've burst out laughing

Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience and congrats!

Edited October 26, 2010 by Okalian

[SirLancelot 1]

Asked about ceremonies and they do them twice per month at Yakima. Sometimes at the courthouse with a judge and sometimes the USCIS are authorised to do it at their offices.

All in all it was a pleasant experience once I was in the room but I was worried before. If I had been a shady character with something to hide, she would have gotten some dirt out of me with her reassuring manner which was very skilled. She was really good at her job.

Just a FYI. This most likely does not apply to you Alan, as you're a Brit who most likely will not be changing names, but for others who may "Americanize" their names during this process, only a judge can legalize a name change. If your oath ceremony is done at an USCIS office, you won't be able to change your name. If one needs a name change, the oath ceremony will most likely be scheduled for in front of a judge. Only a judge can sign off (court order) on a name change; the USCIS does not have the authority.

Congrats on your positive outcome.

[NickD 203]

Never looked at that before, we took over the Panama Canal where the French had failed and succeeded, then took over Viet Nam where the French failed again, but didn't do so well. Could be because we had our hands tied behind our backs. Said we had to do that to prevent the spread of socialism or communism, Soviets were only socialists for a couple of years, both North Viet Nam and the Soviets were dictatorships. But so were we, with Johnson and Nixon, both dictators sending hundreds of thousands of us to fight a war that was never declared by the people. Nixon won on the premise of getting us out of there, yeah, six years afterwards. Got reelected on the basis of he needs more time to pull the plug.

Wife was taught in a Colombian school, we stole Panama from Colombia when we purchased it from their government, key problem is that Colombia changes their government every five minutes and the new government didn't want to recognize what the five minute before government did. Even the new government didn't care about Panama until the canal was finished, that is went they wanted it. Before, just a mosquito infested swamp. Still don't know why we put a hundred year limit, really didn't buy it, but rented it. And as far as giving it back to the Panamanians, what Panamanians, they all moved in after the canal was finished. So much for governments, seems like only the idiots get in charge and rule us. Not much has changed today.

But far more important to watch a Packers game than taking an interest in your country. And who cares who wins, if any good Packer player is offered a couple of bucks more, he is gone. Only the fans are patriotic. This doesn't make for good conversation with a diehard Packer fan, but they end up agreeing with it, if they open their eyes. Part of our tax dollar is being used to support this team, that doesn't make sense.

Not so sure if its a bad thing to bring a gun into a USCIS office, but heaven forbid bringing in a cell phone. Really never was asked if I had a gun, didn't have to after I was stripped down naked. Maybe they feared I was going to steal that portrait of GWB or even worse, an old folding chair.

Love to tease with my British friends about taking us back, after all, it was we that rebelled. They can pay off all our debts, straightened out our economy, and give us free health care. They tell me, no thanks. Really, the British people back then were in the same boat we were in, still under the control of King George and would be tossed in jail for stealing a slice of bread. King George was ruling when he never had a full deck of cards. Found all the common people of this world to be basically good, but sure question our leadership. And we are suppose to be a government for and by the people.

[ELW 5]

Thanks for the details, Alan the Red! That is an interesting point about them getting people to be chatty and thus, off their guard. My husband is usually really reserved around new people, no chit chat at all. But while he was telling me about the interview, I was surprised with the chatty details he gave! I didn't think about it before but it makes sense that the interviewers would have training to spot lies and fraud; granting US Citizenship is a pretty big thing. Congrats on your successful interview!

[aleful 1,905]

congrats!!!

[OBX 51]

Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

[v333k 59]

congratulations!

[Captain Oates 911]

Yeah I have always been interested in the emotional part of this journey ride. It's interesting watching my perceptions change - it's almost like being an outsider to my own body. Like a near death experience where I float up to the corner of the room and watch my emotional visa journey develop. My ideas on British Monarchy have changed over the last three years and from here on the outside, it really does look like a ridiculous institution.

Some of my contra ideas on US law and society have become reinforced. EG

Hate speech and incitement to murder (abortion doctors etc)' should be outlawed.

Murderers should not be given bail

Washington State is thinking of changing bail now that some nut was given bail and murdered 4 Police Officers in a coffee shop.

My views on American and British Society have sloshed around until I can see the very worst and the very best aspects of both, and now my thoughts on where to live are more dictated by weather and parking spaces and tax rather than which society is 'best'. I don't get homesick any more because now it feels like all Europe and all the USA is home.

I reckon my eventually emotional journey will leave my political and ethical position somewhere in the mid Atlantic.

I am thinking more like Thomas Jefferson every day and it is a good defence against the religious nuts who seek to dominate and who don't understand the 1st amendment, to reply that my religious beliefs are almost identical to his.

They blink, and then put their own spin on it.

[derekkj 0]

Sounds like you will be done far before Derek - congrats!

Interview report today at Yakima, Washington State.

Any of you cool dudes who think you can walk in there without a sweat can think again. The day of your interview you WILL feel queasy.

I arrived in Yakima an hour early. Went to Wendy’s for a burger and coffee. They asked if I wanted cream and I said yes. They said oh we don’t have any. I asked if they had a slice of apple pie or whatever like McDonald's – NO. What a dump and viva McDonald's. I saw a gas station across the road and thought I would kill time and go there. The pumps had no card slot and it said pay inside. The woman said how much gas you need and I said I wanted to fill up. She said she wanted ID and my card and she would keep my card until I filled up. At this point I thought what a dump this town is. These people are lucky to have me as a citizen. I shouldn’t be nervous, they should be nervous that I might pull out.

The weight lifted and I relaxed and I felt great. I went to the USCIS. Night club bouncer with a big gun etc and marine hairstyle and muscles. British bobby he was not. He asked me if I had a cell phone and then asked me if I had a gun.

Bang on time the lady asked me in and she was absolutely great. She put me totally at ease and chatted but she was VERY professional too and I reckon she was getting my guard down at the same time as being pleasant and chatty. We chatted about all sorts. I did the answers about me not being a communist or a terrorist etc and I then did the 6 questions and got all six.

She asked about the gun club and I told her I drank coffee with the Vietnam vets twice a week and it was a great social life. I told her one of em said to me that if it wasn’t for the French, the Americans would still be speaking English. I think she was ok with that but I should have watched my mouth as it was running away with me because things were going so well.

She asked if my wife was a citizen and I said she was from Milwaukee and she was a ‘packer fan’

She sat upright and said – “Your wife comes from Pakistan ? “

I said “no she is a Packer Fan – you know, Green Bay Packers”. I don’t think she knew about football but she relaxed again.

Then she said “Oh, you applied too soon”. My heart sank coz I thought I had nailed the 89 days prior to GC anniversary and we would have to do it all again and I would lose my money.. Then she said I wasn’t eligible for the oath until November 5 and she would keep the file until then and then write to me and give me 2 weeks notice. Phew I relaxed again. Told her I didn’t need 2 weeks as I was retired. Asked about ceremonies and they do them twice per month at Yakima. Sometimes at the courthouse with a judge and sometimes the USCIS are authorised to do it at their offices.

Anyway, I have the form here and it has 2 ticks.

1 You passed the tests of English and history and government

2 Congratulations ! Your application has been recommended for approval. (Their bolds) At this time, it appears that you have established your eligibility for Naturalization. If final approval is granted, you will be notified when and where to report for the oath ceremony’

So all in all I am a very happy bunny. No junk about more of the file to come (It was a foot thick) and twice a month ceremonies too !

I reckon I should be all done by the end of November and have the passport by xmas at the very latest.

I still can’t believe I can file my marriage divorce etc FOREVER after all the times I have been involved with this stuff for 5 years. I suppose this really is freedom.

All in all it was a pleasant experience once I was in the room but I was worried before. If I had been a shady character with something to hide, she would have gotten some dirt out of me with her reassuring manner which was very skilled. She was really good at her job.

[Captain Oates 911]

Sounds like you will be done far before Derek - congrats!

Cheers fellow VJers ! I could not have got so far without you. No relaxion until the passport arrives. I always remember the lady at Atlanta where they took her GC at the ceremony and then didn't give her a certificate ! She went home without a GC or a certificate. Then we have to send the ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE to the DOS for the passport.

It ain't over til it's over.

[NickD 203]

Cheers fellow VJers ! I could not have got so far without you. No relaxion until the passport arrives. I always remember the lady at Atlanta where they took her GC at the ceremony and then didn't give her a certificate ! She went home without a GC or a certificate. Then we have to send the ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE to the DOS for the passport.

It ain't over til it's over.

By any chance is Alan the Red and Saywhat, one of the same person? Certainly have similarities.

[Captain Oates 911]

By any chance is Alan the Red and Saywhat, one of the same person? Certainly have similarities.

Alan the Red was the richest man who ever lived !! He was an immigrant and lived in Yorkshire. Saywhat is neither at the moment - but working on it while drinking nescafe instant!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2603983.ece