Steffi

Intro: My marriage-based immigration journey started just over seven years ago when Patrick and I filed the I-129F fiance visa application in January 2003. Now, seven years later, the journey has come to and end. A few less dollars in the bank, form after form filed, a million photocopies of originals, many anxious trips to the mailbox, and a number of hair-pulling moments later this girl is officially an AMERICAN CITIZEN!!

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Naturalization: My naturalization interview appointment was scheduled for 10:05am on Tuesday, February 9 (in Atlanta). Hubby and I arrived at around 9:35am and then took about 10 minutes to get through the security line and check-in on the second floor, leaving about 20 minutes until interview time. Unfortunately they were running behind and I was not called in until 11:05am or so. (Significant others stay in the waiting room.) The lady took me back to her office where she told me to sit down. The next 5 minutes were an awkward silence while she sorted through paperwork. She then asked me to stand, raise my right hand, and I had to swear that I would state the truth, and then sat back down. I can’t remember the precise order of events throughout the interview so don’t quote me on this exact order, but she asked me about some personal information, such as saying my full name, birth date, address, phone number, social security number, etc. She printed out a piece of paper to verify that this information all looked correct. She also asked if I was married to a citizen and what I do for a living. I was asked the questions that were also asked on the N-400 form – were you ever arrested, are you in the process of being deported, are you a member of the communist party, do you understand the Oath, are you willing to fight for the country, etc. She didn’t ask me for any supporting documentation that I was asked to bring in a “Interview Document Check List” letter I had received. (So much for all that wasted photocopied paper, but better safe than sorry!) She then informed me the civics test would start. Unfortunately I can only recall four of the questions I was asked:

1) What does the President’s Cabinet do?
2) How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
3) If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
4) Name one branch or part of the government.

She had me read one sentence to do with Columbus Day (can’t precisely remember what) and then I had to write the sentence “Columbus Day is in October.” I was then asked if I would like to take the Oath the same day. I told her I would love to. She then gave me a letter I had to sign and handed me another letter to say I had passed the exam. She informed me the paperwork would need to be handed over to someone to verify that everything looked in order, and if it did my name would be called to tell me I was good to attend the Oath ceremony.

I was back out in the waiting room by 11:25, so I would estimate the interview took about 15 minutes. My name was finally called at 1:10pm and I was handed the paper that told me to come back at 2:00pm for the Oath ceremony.

Hubby and I quickly drove to the adjacent Northlake Mall to grab some Chinese food and silence our growling stomachs. Then we hurried back. The security line behind us was growing very quickly because obviously many people came for the same 2:00pm Oath Ceremony. I was asked to sit out in front of the Oath room along with my fellow citizens-to-be. Hubby was asked to sit further back, and in some cases people were told to go up to the third floor because the waiting room was getting too crowded. They checked us in by the row, and it wasn’t until close to 3:00pm that all 187 immigrants were sitting in the room ready to take their Oath. At that point family was told to come in. A woman (head of the Atlanta office?) gave a speech and also informed family members they could photograph the ceremony. She then called out every country represented and you were supposed to stand up when your country was called. When everyone was standing we had to repeat the Oath after her (a booklet on your seat has a copy of it) and then we were citizens!! We were shown a video of President Obama welcoming us as new citizens and then a music video of “Proud to be an American”. Then family members were asked to go wait outside, and the woman told us the info packet on our seats included information about next steps like passport, updating social security cards, and registering to vote. We were then called in rows and handed our Naturalization Certificates as we exited!

Noorah101

Wow....Congratulations!! It's been great to see you go through your whole journey on here, and come to a wonderful end.

So...now what?? LOL

Rene

Steffi

Right, "now what?", hahaha. Well, I suppose the journey isn't 100% complete. I've got my passport form filled out and ready to go, as well as my social security form filled out and ready to go.

Here's some photos from the Oath Ceremony:


Waiting for the Oath Ceremony.



Waving my flag.



Ready to take the Oath.



Proudly displaying my American "birth certicate".

orangemirror

Great to read this. Thanks for posting the photos. I'll be there going through it in Atlanta in a year or so.

orangemirror

Oh yeah. What's the answer to question 3? I'm going to have to start learning all this stuff!

Steffi

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

When you go to get your biometrics done for the N-400 they hand you a booklet with all the questions and answers so you can use that to study. I also found this website very helpful for studying: http://mysite.verizon.net/amaruk/tes...ivicsTest.html - After I felt confident about my knowledge hubby started verbally asking me the questions. I felt that was important since during the interview you can't visually read them, so I wanted to make sure I would properly pay attention to his words.

ian-mstm

Congratulations! Terrific news! Wow - great photos!

Ian

orangemirror

And you need to go and vote on something!

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll just wait until I get booklet and then start learning all the stuff.

Rete

Congratulations, Steffi.

Your adventures with USCIS have now been terminated. And BTW hubby is off the hook as your financial sponsor LOL

It has been a pleasure watching you grow from your first USCIS babysteps to the grand finale.

Best wishes for a long and happy US citizenship.

Steffi

Thank you everyone!


Most definitely! Governor elections coming up in November.


Haha, I went ahead and informed him of that.

adjudicator89

Congratulations :-) Wonderful news.

SecretGarden

Yay Steffi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I have to ask: does your naturalization certificate have someone else's picture on it?



~SecretGarden

Steffi

Hahahahaha, great memory!! No, thankfully it's MY picture! Maybe that means the passport will arrive with the wrong picture?

SecretGarden

Shhhhhhhh! Don't tempt fate!!!!!!!!!!!
~SG

meauxna

Yay! Congratulations, Citizen Steffi!!!!

Gads, yer making me feel old here, what an amazing journey you've had.
Hope all is going well with the business & house and that you'll still drop in on us every now and again!

Passport, register to vote & update SSA & you are d o n e!
Oh, and the eventual call for jury duty.