TUFAN is US Citizen as of 3:30PM EST
Hello Folks,
Here's your one and only TUFAN with the "Late Breadking News". It's finally a new beginning for me as my 19 years jounery has finally paid off! i am Free and, ofcourse a Official US Citizen of the USA. I am sorry for the delay in the posting but it has been a long hectic day for me and my family. Not to mention the weather added to the delay and the overall depression. Anyways, just to cut the crap, let me give you the details!
Firstly, thanks to all of you for being a great support for past 9 years or so. It won't have been possible without your help that too free of cost!
Both myself and my wife reached at the USCIS office around 9:45AM in the morning. My interview was around 10AM. Left our cell phones in the car trunk as i thought they won't be allowed, but the phones are allowed and you could text if you are inside. Security is bit tight and they make you take off your belt, jackets, cell phones, wallet, watch, jewelry etc!! The officers are nice, but still have a attitude towards immigrants. I had my kid with me, so they made me keep only one snicker bar. Went upstairs on the 2nd floor, checked in was asked to wait. My wife was asked to go on the 3rd floor for an interview(3rd floor is mainly for I-485 case interviews).
99% of officers are African American. They get the file from the front desk and then call out the names.. Thought they might call me in 15 mins,but i was called an hour later by officer T., at 10:45AM. She was a tall woman, very poilte and curtious. i went through the hallway, saw different rooms for the officers and was asked to sit in her room. She asked to raise right hand and to speak the truth, nothing but the truth. She asked me for the GC and my passport. Confirmed my name, and checked that i did not give Birth certificate, so she said school records give at the time of GC interview were fine. Basically, they want to check the DOB, and name!!!
She said, when was my GC approved? I said 11/1/04, and she gave me that look that as if i am not within 3 months(90 days) of applying. She said, you are close but i'll let you go.
Then she checked in the computer for the security clearance. Kept on saying that why i use middle initial and not the full name. She said she will use the initial and not the full name as it would delay the case if we were to go through the name change. She said it's fine, then she had 1 white paper, which she had to stamp the date 8 times, the sheet had 8 different internal checks for her. She was checking everything related to my status, my kids if they are 18 or older? I gave her the DL even though she did not ask me for it. She said that my pictures are small, but they will work with those and asked if approved am i willing to take the oath today itself. I said yes!
LET ME Tell you that these people are thorough.
My file was so huge that i felt embarrased. She had sepearate pieces of 6 yellow papers which she had all the information of when i had left the country. i coudn't make out on the other yellow papers. She kept on checking her computer and kept on updating the computer. Later she started with the english reading and writing test.
Please read: Who elects the congress?
write: the people elect the congress.
The civis quetions were:
1. Who wrote decleration of independance?. Ans. Thomas Jefferson
2. What is the president's party now? Ans. Democratic
3. What are the 2 parties in the united states? Ans. Democratic and Republican
4. Name 3 states of the 13 original colonies? Ans. Georgia, North & South Carolina.
5. Who is father of the nation? Ans. George Washington
6. What is one state that borders mexico? Ans. Texas
All were easy and she wrote the answer while I kept looking around. She was very thorough.
Then she went through my applications and made corrections. Q8G. where we are asked that how many times has your current spouse been married?
Ans. i had put down 0 based upon suggestion from the forum, but the answer is 1, if you have only been married once. She corrected and moved on. Confirmed everything on the application and tick marked every single thing. She asked about citiations and i said NO and did not mention my "camera red light ticket". she moved on and then confirmed if i have travelled since my last trip after applying for the application. She made me sign the application and also made me sign a paper that i won't do anything illegal until the oath ceremony.
Overall the interview took 25 mins and she congratulated me and said that she is recommending my applicaton for an approval and i need to wait in the hallway until a decision has to be made. I had to wait
1 hour before i got the oath certificate from a senior officer, around 12:30pm. She was pretty looking lady, i think she was british.
Finally i got the oath letter and went to thrid floor to look for my wife and son. When i went upstairs they had already gone for the interview. Waited for her to come back. Her interview went well but officer gave her hard time for her last name. She thought that my wife changed the name before marriage and she confused her big time. I had also not mentioned in the applicaton the previous names she had used? (QC). Her experience was not that pleasant after all but she did get approved. I had to go quickly to pick up my 2nd son from school and then i came back. went through the security again. Meanwhile my wife had gotten the oath letter as well, just before 2PM ceremony.
OATH Ceremony: It was pretty straight forward. There were 117 people from 45 countries. They had started packing the room around 1:45PM and kept on doing until 2:30pm until the oath started. It was 30 mins ceremony, where you pay respect to the flag and watch a small video. Vern was the host of the ceremony and apologiezed 10 times for having difficulties using the new video system. It was funny that Mr. President started congratulating us before we had taken the oath. But the guy apologized and then we watched the president give the speech. We were told not to use the passorts of other countries anymore. The naturalization certificate is 1 "kick ***" certificate and have never seen anything that pretty!! We got the certificates afterwords and went home brain dead and exhausted.
Now that i look back, i am left with mixed feelings.
I am happy and at the same time glad that it's all over. 19 years is a long time and i have not been able to digest that it got over in 1 day.
I'll be around for any questions, so please feel free to ask. Again, the moral of the story is that good things come to people who wait!!!
So, your time will come ... Don't panic at the interview, try to relax as you have nothing to hide.
I got to apply for U.S. passports and then OCI cards ... so the journey does not end here...
Once again, thanks to RealC, Eltoro, Bilip2000, RSK1, aniertake, boysmyth, ga509, juney, mimi, tmc, and all others!! Sorry, if i have left out any names, but you guys are the BEST of the BEST!!
God bless all and the United States of America!
HOPE you guys are still awake!! i wanted to give any information that might help you so sorry for making this long.
Cheers!
