Citzenship for my wife!!!!!

[shanghaigale]

I have been going to post this for a while and just finally decided to take the time and do it. We finally got all our paperwork together to file for citizenship for my wife. The last thing that actually had to get done was to have my wife get a friend to translate our marriage certificate into English. She took an extra year to get it done and I kind of worried that they wouldn't accept a personal notorized letter from her friend but it looks like everything went fine.

In any case, I sent all the paperwork in to the Nebraska service center on October 31st of this year because I was told that there is a huge price increase on citizenship that is supposed to be coming in. I have a retired consular friend that was stationed in Thailand his last post before getting married to a Thai gal and retiring here where I live. He told me that they are going to double the price of citizenship from $400 to $800 but didn't know when it would be effective so I decided to get our paperwork postmarked before the start of November. I don't know if he is right or not but didn't want to take a chance. In any case it still hasn't changed so I guess I didn't need to hurry. However, I really couldn't believe how fast the USCIS has processed my wifes paperwork for citizenship. Five days after sending the paperwork in I received receipt for the paperwork. 17 days after I sent it in I recieved another notice on a Friday the 17th of November telling my wife to report to the local USCIS office and have the biometrics done on the following Monday the 20th at 2PM. We went waited about 30 minutes and she was fingerprinted for that. Then about 2 weeks later she got her appointment letter for the interview. I couldn't believe it, She is scheduled for the 23rd of January fior her citizenship interview. I couldn't believe that it could go that fast. Two months and 23 days from start to finish for approval, if she passes!! Is this normal? If she passes the test, then all that will be left to do is have her sworn in. They have the ceremony here, at least once a month from what I have been told. She is also changing her name at that time. It doesn't cost anything extra to have it done then. At that time our long road will finally be completed. I will be so glad to have everything completed. Woops, forgot after that, my wife will file for her sons citizenship to. Oh, well nothing I can do about that except fill out more paperwork.

Gale

[Yuanyang]

Congratulations Gale and thank you for the information.

[SirLancelot]

I couldn't believe that it could go that fast. Two months and 23 days from start to finish for approval, if she passes!! Is this normal?

 

Congrats!

 

In regards to your speed, it is certainly not normal in the past. If this is an harbinger of things to come, I'm sure we all welcome it.

 

But I'm not happy to hear about the fee increase to $800. That's insane! That is a lot of money. This is coming to the point where citizenship is bought. I do NOT like this at all. It's not like we haven't already paid enough for this entire process.

[tonado]

Good luck with the citizen interview. $800 is too much of an increase.

[ed and ying]

Good luck on the interview !!!

[shanghaigale]

Hi everybody,

Well its been a long road but my wife just went for her citizenship

test today. This was so easy I couldn't believe it. Her appointment

was for 10:30AM. We got through security easily and arrived at the

USCIS office at 10:25. We placed her appointment letter in the box

and waited for her to be called. She was called in at 10:55

(about 20 minutes after her appointed time). The interview letter said

it could take 2 hours but she was out in 25 minutes. She was pretty

nervous because we had a friend that had failed twice last summer and

never did pass. However, her worries were not needed.

She passed with no problems at all. She didn't even have

to do the written test. The Interviewer orally asked her some

questions. He went over all the forms in detail and asked her to write

one sentence. That was pretty much it. No problems at all. She said the

officer was really nice and seemed to want her to pass. This was

the easiest part of the overall immigration process for us. I sent off

the I-400 on the 31st of October and her final interview was today. A

total of 2 months and 23 days from beginning to end.

Wow, was she happy and excited, she will be notified as to her swear

in date in the near term future but basically everything is now

complete. She will also change her name at the time of swear in, so I guess we

will have to change her name on her Social Security card to once the swear in is completed. As soon as

the swearing in is done, she will be able to apply for a USA passport,

then we can basically go anyplace from that point on. Wahoo!!!!!!!!, its over!

Gale and Hong (soon to be Catherine)

[Tine & Ella]

Congratulations Catherine and Gale,

 

It has been a long road but now you both are almost finished. No more fees to pay. No more waiting. We are behind you just about a month. Ella's has her appt. for her interview in a few weeks. She is doing the name change also. Let us know how the swearing in is complete.

 

Tine & Ella

[Robert S.]

I love that the way she had to write one sentence!!!

 

Wow, this is great and I am proud for you and envious. Good going.

 

for a special new citizen

[tonado]

Congrats.

[tywy_99]

Hi everybody,

Well its been a long road but my wife just went for her citizenship

test today. This was so easy I couldn't believe it. Her appointment

was for 10:30AM. We got through security easily and arrived at the

USCIS office at 10:25. We placed her appointment letter in the box

and waited for her to be called. She was called in at 10:55

(about 20 minutes after her appointed time). The interview letter said

it could take 2 hours but she was out in 25 minutes. She was pretty

nervous because we had a friend that had failed twice last summer and

never did pass. However, her worries were not needed.

She passed with no problems at all. She didn't even have

to do the written test. The Interviewer orally asked her some

questions. He went over all the forms in detail and asked her to write

one sentence. That was pretty much it. No problems at all. She said the

officer was really nice and seemed to want her to pass. This was

the easiest part of the overall immigration process for us. I sent off

the I-400 on the 31st of October and her final interview was today. A

total of 2 months and 23 days from beginning to end.

Wow, was she happy and excited, she will be notified as to her swear

in date in the near term future but basically everything is now

complete. She will also change her name at the time of swear in, so I guess we

will have to change her name on her Social Security card to once the swear in is completed. As soon as

the swearing in is done, she will be able to apply for a USA passport,

then we can basically go anyplace from that point on. Wahoo!!!!!!!!, its over!

Gale and Hong (soon to be Catherine)

A great achievement for you two, an accomplishment for your wife and a milestone for "A Candle for Love!" I think you two are the first here to "reach the summit!"

A very proud moment for you two I'm sure! Congratulations Catherine and Gale!........

[SirLancelot]

A

total of 2 months and 23 days from beginning to end.

Wow, was she happy and excited,

 

Wonderful news! It's so nice and reassuring to hear it took less than 3 months. You read about the people who've been trapped in limbo hell for years waiting for their citizenship approval and it makes one so disillusioned but then you read about a story such as yours and it uplifts the heart.

 

Congratulations!!!!

[shanghaigale]

Hi everybody,

I want to thank you all for your thoughtful replys and congradulations.

I have thought about the whole process from the initial DCF through the

final citizenship process that we went through after coming to america

and I feel so lucky when I think about how smooth and easy every step

of the process was for us. I have heard so many horror stories about what

went wrong with different cases and wonder how this could have happened

to so many people when it went so easy for us. I also read about the nasty

and indifferent agents that different members had to deal with and have

decided that to a large part I think I have to give credit to the USCIS

office here where I live.

We live in Washington State near Spokane. We used

the Spokane office for much of the stuff and were actually always treated

very professionally usually with a smile when we have went there, and our

questions have always been answered very well. Waits have always

been very short after we grabbed a ticket and got our number after entering

the office every time we went in. I have been there when I

watched them help a guy totally fill out his forms for the 10 year

green card for his asian wife because he didn't seem to have a clue

as to how to do it. This guy was at the window for at least an

hour. I really couldn't believe they would help anybody that well

and not lose their patience. I know a lot of people have problems

with the USCIS but to be perfectly honest, I have never had even the

smallest problem throughout the whole process.

Gale

 

A

total of 2 months and 23 days from beginning to end.

Wow, was she happy and excited,

 

Wonderful news! It's so nice and reassuring to hear it took less than 3 months. You read about the people who've been trapped in limbo hell for years waiting for their citizenship approval and it makes one so disillusioned but then you read about a story such as yours and it uplifts the heart.

 

Congratulations!!!!

[shanghaigale]

A quick update. My wife received her swearing in letter today. She will become a US Citizen on the 20th of Febuary at the Spokane, WA. Courthouse. This is less than a month after she passed the interview on the 23rd of January. She then will immediately apply for citizenship for our son who is 14. It looks like this will become a priority now because the fees for citizenship are probably going up a lot for both green cards and citizenship in October. Originally I was told my a friend in who was in the Consulate that citizenship would go up to $800 but it isn't quite that much. I goofed and posted a link to the article on the main visa discussion forum here and it probably should have went here. So if you want to check it out go find my new posting there and find out what is happening.

Gale

 

Hi everybody,

I want to thank you all for your thoughtful replys and congradulations.

I have thought about the whole process from the initial DCF through the

final citizenship process that we went through after coming to america

and I feel so lucky when I think about how smooth and easy every step

of the process was for us. I have heard so many horror stories about what

went wrong with different cases and wonder how this could have happened

to so many people when it went so easy for us. I also read about the nasty

and indifferent agents that different members had to deal with and have

decided that to a large part I think I have to give credit to the USCIS

office here where I live.

We live in Washington State near Spokane. We used

the Spokane office for much of the stuff and were actually always treated

very professionally usually with a smile when we have went there, and our

questions have always been answered very well. Waits have always

been very short after we grabbed a ticket and got our number after entering

the office every time we went in. I have been there when I

watched them help a guy totally fill out his forms for the 10 year

green card for his asian wife because he didn't seem to have a clue

as to how to do it. This guy was at the window for at least an

hour. I really couldn't believe they would help anybody that well

and not lose their patience. I know a lot of people have problems

with the USCIS but to be perfectly honest, I have never had even the

smallest problem throughout the whole process.

Gale

 

A

total of 2 months and 23 days from beginning to end.

Wow, was she happy and excited,

 

Wonderful news! It's so nice and reassuring to hear it took less than 3 months. You read about the people who've been trapped in limbo hell for years waiting for their citizenship approval and it makes one so disillusioned but then you read about a story such as yours and it uplifts the heart.

 

Congratulations!!!!

[rlheim]

Congratulations

[Tine & Ella]

Gale,

 

Derivation of US Citizenship as a Minor through Naturalization of One or Both Parents

Derivation means that the minor automatically becomes a citizen when the parent or parents naturalize. There is no requirement for the minor to apply to the USCIS for citizenship, instead the minor can apply directly for a US passport.

After February 27, 2001:

The child must be unmarried;

The child must be under 18;

The child must have at least one US citizen parent (by birth or naturalization);

The child must be currently residing permanently in the US in the legal and physical custody of the US citizen parent

The child must be a lawful permanent resident of the US; and

If adopted, the child must satisfy the requirements applicable to adopted children under US immigration law.

The child can still do an N-600 to get his or her certificate if they please.

 

Tine