What has determined you to apply for citizenship?

[JB007 4]

This might appear to be a silly question for most but I believe everyone shares a different story. Being a citizen of a EU country I always thought it would grant me universal rights and be treated as a first class citizen but as with most things rights come in fine print too. In my case the freedom to travel unrestricted was primary factor then I was getting tired to get interrogated every time I was coming back from vacation to the US. It bothers me having to answer all these idiotic questions when my life is here in the US - as absurd as having to prove the love for your children.

What's your story?

[TBoneTX 45,284]

*** Thread moved from U.S. Citizenship forum to General Immigration Discussion -- topic not about the citizenship process itself. ***

[akihon 129]

if you were getting interrogated every time you came back from vacation, you're taking vacations that were too long lolol

Edited October 24, 2012 by akihon

[JB007 4]

You'd think that I would get lots of questions at the US border but no, it's at European hubs (i.e. Amsterdam, London) where this happens.

[akihon 129]

You'd think that I would get lots of questions at the US border but no, it's at European hubs (i.e. Amsterdam, London) where this happens.

sheesh! I thought it was at the US border. that's pretty ridiculous. why do they interrogate you?

[JB007 4]

They just ask a lot of questions like what do I do in the US, if I work and where, what do I do at my job, If I can show proof that I really work there (I am lucky I always carry my badge with me). I feel this is unnecessary since I show them my GC. This process feels absurd if your entire life is here (job, bought a house, have kids etc).

The only logical solution was to apply for US citizenship.

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

For me it was two things:

- I wanted to be able to vote

- Once we retired/ the kids are grown, I quite fancy moving back to Ireland, and would want to be able to travel to the USA freely.

and also one "not" thing: I am allowed triple citizenship (US, Irish, Swiss). If I had to give up one of my other citizenships, I don't think I would have gone for US naturalisation.

[MIDUVIL 34]

I'm 42 years old and I learned in life that if you can get something that doesn't cost you anything so get it. You never know what it can bring you or never know what it can cost you.

It didn't cost me my french and european citizenship so why not?- it's all. First of all it's this reason.

Second (but far away), my baby is born here, US citizen, I want to have everything like him- it's crazy. But when I will travel, if I use the american passport for him, i want to use the american passport for me, if i use the french passport it will be the same thing for him also. I don't want to mess up something with my baby. And I don't trust anybody, and don't know any regulations or laws of the different countries, so it's better to be safe than sorry.

The second reason is for my little boy. Never without him. Lol

[MIDUVIL 34]

And maybe another one, but that is far away to the 2 first, I don't know if we will spend our life in USA, I really don't know, maybe in the Caribbean. So I learned also in life, because you don't know the future, prepare you for the future. It's all. Maybe the US citizenship will open doors in the Caribbean that my french citizenship won't open? so why not?

But for the test for naturalization, they don't care about you real reason. LOL- it's funny!

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Becoming a US citizen for anyone who doesn't lose their "old" citizenship when naturalizing is such a no-brainer that it's not even worth talking about it. The only people who should really answer your question are those who will be only US citizens, and nothing else.