ian-mstm

... you're gonna get it!

I had my citizenship interview this morning at the DHS office in Louisville, Kentucky. Although it still says “Immigration� on the board in the lobby, there is a large brass plaque outside “Room 390� where my interview took place that says “Department of Homeland Security – Citizenship Branch�.

Short version – I passed.

Long version – I arrived at 10:10 for my 10:30 appointment. After clearing security, I made my way to Room 390, dropped the appointment letter and my green card in the box at “Window 2�, and then took a seat to wait. It was 10:45 when my name was called by an older fellow and I was invited into his office. He asked me to remain standing while he swore me in. It was a bit funny actually, because he said, “Do you swear to tell the truth…� and then he stopped talking! It took me a moment to realize that that was all he was going to say. I was expecting something a bit more so there was a slight hesitation before I answered, “I do.�

I sat down and he placed my green card on the table. He pointed to the bottom line and asked if this was, in fact, my real name. He then started flipping through the pages of my application form making comments here and there and asking various questions. I see you work at Marshall University ; I see you’ve been married twice; I see you’ve been back to Canada a few times; I see you have two children – both adults. I indicated they were my stepchildren. He then asked if I ever claimed to be a US citizen? Have I ever voted in a US election? Have I always paid my taxes? Was I ever a member of the communist party? Have I ever associated with Al-Qaeda or other known terrorist organizations? He asked about my 3 speeding citations to confirm that I had only received a ticket and had not been arrested or otherwise detained by the police. He asked if I understood the US oath of allegiance and if I was willing to take that oath – to give up any prior allegiances to Canada, and to serve in the military if that became necessary. I indicated that I understood the oath and that if the military was willing to teach me, I’d be willing to learn! He chuckled at that comment.

He then indicated it was time for the US history test. He pulled out a sheet of paper with 10 questions on it and started to ask them. How many branches are there to the government? Who was President during the Civil War? What is the opening paragraph of the Constitution called? Who is Kentucky’s current Governor? And that was it. He asked me only 4 of the 10 questions. He then asked me to write the sentence, “I bought the blue car today,� and asked me to read the sentence “This is what I said to her last week.�

He looked up, smiled, said that I had done well, and that he was going to approve my application for citizenship. He handed back the appointment letter and another form which indicated that I had been approved. He said the next Oath of Allegiance ceremony for eastern Kentucky would be in Lexington on June 11th, but that I would receive an official letter in the mail in a few weeks with confirmation of the date and time and other details about the ceremony. He did not ask to see any of the documents that I brought with me even though they were specifically requested.

He then stood up and pointed me to the exit. That was it! I said that I had expected the interview to last quite a bit longer and he said that when the applicant’s first language is English it can be a very speedy process. I glanced at my watch and it was 10:53. I had been in there for only 8 minutes. I was glad things had gone well but, since I’d been preparing for this interview for two months, it was a bit anticlimactic.

Anyway, it seems as though I’m going to be a US citizen in time for the July 4th weekend and, even better, I’ll get to vote in the Presidential election in November. WooHoo!

Ian (and Sheila)

---------------------------------------------------
Timeline:

Mailed I-129F: November 28, 1997
K-1 interview in Montreal: March 27, 1998
Married Sheila: May 23, 1998
Filed for AoS: June 15, 1998
AoS interview: February 20, 2001
Received PR status: March 4, 2001
Applied for Citizenship: December 8, 2003
NoA: Priority date - December 11, 2003
Fingerprinted: January 20, 2004
Citizenship Interview: May 5, 2004 – Passed

Rete

Way To Go, Ian!

Congratulations on your successful interview. Wow is there ever going to be large number of Can/Am citizens voting in this upcoming US election for President.

As one of the few remaining alumni of '98, can I ask that you make your final entry into the experience page data on kamya. We are lucky enough to have your first entry on the K-1 and all that followed and would love to see the last chapter to your long saga.

Once again, Ian and Shelia, congratulations on a job well done.

Rita and Jim Wilson
Can/Am Alumni '98

stevelisaw

Congratulations Ian and Sheila. Well done!

(Only little over a month for your swearing in.....fantastic. Steve had to wait over 4 months...tomorrow is his day!!)


Lisa

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Congratulations. Your description fits a garden variety natz interview. However, you remind me of a recent change in Los Angeles which is a reversion to a practice used more than 13 years ago here: The question about the governor is given with a caveat of "don't woryy about the spelling."

Personally, I see no difference between knowing the correct spelling of "Jerry Brown" "Pete Wilson" or "Gray Davis" and that of "George Deukmejian" or "Arnold Schwarzenegger".

There is a story going around, probably not true, but it sounds good -- a CIS examiner accepted "Terminator" in answer to that question.

Ranjini

Lol...that was a good one, Mr. F. Made me chuckle

suiram

That could only be a problem in the written answer

ian-mstm

I knew you'd ask, so it was posted yesterday!

Ian

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Although not strictly required in writing, it is normally given in writing in Los Angeles -- it appears to me to be a pretty good test of being able to write in English -- I really do think that any potential US citizen should know how to write "Arnold Schwarzenegger" -- don't you?

jgbreton

Congratulations!

Mrtravelkay

Folinskyinla wrote:

    > Congratulations. Your description fits a
    > garden variety natz interview. However, you remind me of a recent
    > change in Los Angeles which is a reversion to a practice used more than
    > 13 years ago here: The question about the governor is given with a
    > caveat of "don't woryy about the spelling."

A scene from "Born In East LA" just popped into my head.
Cheech Marin is being questioned by the Border Patrol, and can't think
of the name of the President. (You know, the guy from Death Valley Days)

Folinskyinla

Hi:

"Death Valley Days"??

I actually went to school with those two! Can't say that I knew them then -- they later became famous.

Of course, I always think of "Dave".

Mrtravelkay

Folinskyinla wrote:
    > Originally posted by Mrtravelkay
    >
    >>Folinskyinla wrote:
    >
    >
    >>>Congratulations. Your description fits a
    >>>garden
    >
    > variety natz interview. However, you remind me of a recent
    >
    > change in Los Angeles which is a reversion to a practice used more
    > than
    >
    >>>13 years ago here: The question about the governor is
    >
    > given with a
    >
    >>>caveat of "don't woryy about the
    >
    > spelling."
    >
    >>A scene from "Born In East LA" just popped into my
    >
    > head.
    >
    >>Cheech Marin is being questioned by the Border Patrol, and can't
    >
    > think
    >
    >>of the name of the President. (You know, the guy from Death
    >
    > Valley Days)
    >
    > Hi:
    >
    > "Death Valley Days"??
    >
    > I actually went to
    > school with those two! Can't say that I knew them then -- they later
    > became famous.
    >
    > Of course, I always think of "Dave".

Cheech was referrring to the commercials Ronnie R. did.. Boraxo, I think.

Oh, Dave's not here.
I liked Sister Mary Elephant.. Young man, give me that knife.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

I only remember "Dave" for some reason. Who was who said that if you remember living in the '60's" then you weren't there?