Nail Art-Licious: My Citizenship Journey

Not Nail Arts related but I want to share my journey to my citizenship. I will list important dates and updates on this journey. How long it takes and how the process goes or went.

I am eligible to file for my citizenship now because I am a lawful permanent resident for 3 years and married to and living with the same U.S citizen.

Below is copied from USCIS website!

You May Qualify for Naturalization if:

You have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years and meet all other eligibility requirements, please visit our General Path to Citizenship page for more information.
You have been a permanent resident for 3 years or more and meet all eligibility requirements to file as a spouse of a U.S. citizen, please visit our For Spouses of U.S. Citizens page for more information.
You have qualifying service in the U.S. armed forces and meet all other eligibility requirements. Visit the Military section of our website.
Your child may qualify for naturalization if you are a U.S. citizen, the child was born outside the U.S., the child is currently residing outside the U.S., and all other eligibility requirements are met.

You may also qualify through other paths to naturalization if you do not qualify through the paths described on the links to the left. See our A Guide to Naturalization guide. Chapter 4 of the guide discusses who is eligible for Naturalization.

Note: You may already be a U.S. citizen and not need to apply for naturalization if your biological or adoptive parent(s) became a U.S. citizen before you reached the age of 18. For more information, visit our Citizenship Through Parents page.

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions!

This website helped me a lot preparing before we decided to file. Check this USCIS WEBSITE for more information.

What is filing fee?

Document Checklist here.

This list will help you get ready too.
To request or download N-400 forms, click here. All forms are free by any request through phone or mail. You need to request more than one so you can have a neat(no erasures) paperwork to submit in case you mess up.
Or download N-400 form here!

March 22, 2012 - we sent paperworks to USCIS.

March 31, 2012 - Notice of Action 1

April 21, 2012 - Notice of Action 2 (Biometrics Appointment Letter.

April 26, 2012 - Biometrics Appointment at York, PA

The place is like an hour away from were we live, now it depends where you live to get your Biometrics done. We arrived there like 20 minutes early. As soon as I came in, the lady checked my appointment letter and ID and took me for my pictures and finger printing. It was so fast that I was done in 10 minutes. Wow! There were only three people including me in that room in line for biometrics.

Before I left the room, the lady gave me this book to study for my Civics Test. Its FREE!!! This study guide comes with an audio cd that asks same questions from the book. The CD is very handy, I can play it in my computer and answer the questions or in the car on the way to my Interview and Testing Test.

The book and CD has 100 questions and answers about US history and government.

May 14, 2012 - Interview and Testing letter of appointment received. Two weeks after my biometrics. Not bad!

June 15, 2012 - Interview and Testing Date. The big day!

So, let me tell you about this one of the important days of my life.

Philadelphia is like an hour and half from our place plus expect the ridiculous bumper to bumper traffic. So, to avoid being late for my 2:00 pm appointment, me and hubby left home around or before 10:30am. Oh my gosh, it was good that we did because the traffic was horrible.

Anyway, on the way there, I studied more because I was so freaking nervous. My heart beats like there was no tomorrow. Hubby was really good calming me down and said that I could do this.

We arrived at the destination 12:42pm, cant you tell, I was watching the time, lol. The place could be somewhere better neighborhood but thats just my opinion. We decided to stay in the car for a while since it said on the letter that there is limited space so dont come half an hour early, so we waited, I studied more.

At 1:15pm, we decided to go in, paid the parking and went inside. Well, we checked in on the 1st floor, damn, you have to remove all your stuff from your pocket(thank God for my purse but poor hubby needed to get all his stuff out of his pocket). I think they are just really being careful, DAMN TERRORIST!!!

Went to 2nd floor like it stated on my letter, the lady(I thought shes a Pinay too) told me that my interview was on 6th floor. She signed me in and went to 6th floor.

In the waiting room for interview and testing, there were only four people including us. Then the waiting time began.

Finally, its 2pm, I thought I was gonna get called already because the guy before me left before my appointment time. Smh, but after 10 minutes, she called me, yes, she was a she, thank goodness, I like women interviewing me, its more comfortable.

She was very nice, I like her, she began asking me to raise my right hand and swear that I would tell the truth and of course I did, then after I sat down, she gave me a paper with my basic info in there and asked me if everything was right and then she asked me for my ID's. Green Card, Passport,(mine expired, it doesnt matter, she just need to see your stamp from your Port of Entry), Drivers License, Military ID(if you have one). She asked for my marriage certificate and proof of citizenship of my spouse which is his birth certificate. She started with the form you filled up(N-400), if you have same address, how long you live on that address, if you moved, what was your address before that, where you meet you husband, your job, do you like your job, whats your husbands job, how many times he divorced(if its in your filed documents). She thoroughly checked my papers. I mean thoroughly though she didnt scare me, she gave me smiles here and there. She asked about joint accounts, credit cards(joint) and utility bills(all of the utility bills are in just my hubbys name)

To make it short, she just really asked me about the documents we submitted, how true are they and was just making sure that me and my hubby were really still together. And she was also observing how good you speak and understand English! I would say, the interview went on for almost half an hour. Like I said, she was thoroughly investigating my documents.

Finally, she gave me a paper to sign and print my name. She said everything looks good. Then, she said she has 10 questions that I need to answer orally. I need to answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly. Guess what?????? I answered the first 6 questions without a sweat, she said I did great!

Then, she made me read a question "Who can vote?", take note, theres 3 sentences on that paper means you have 3 chances if you read the first 2 wrong. As easy as that sentence or question, HELL YEAH, I read it right! The last part was, she asked me to write a sentence that she dictated and it was "Citizens can vote." HELL YEAH, for that one too.

Congratulations! You passed the test for naturalization! Your oath taking ceremony will be on June 22nd, 9:00am. Are you available then?

Me: Yes, I am! :))

She printed my notice of oath ceremony, gave back my IDs and shook my hand with smile and congratulated me. I left with a big, big smile on my face that I could jump so high in happiness. lol

Yeah, baby, I made it!!!! I passed!!!