Bushmaster
Registered Users (C)
Before I start with pics, I thank all of you for their extraordinary support and prayers. It felt like this was a never ending journey, sometimes struggle, sometimes even mental torture, but it is all over now. We can all celebrate now.... I am tired, exhausted but I am a US citizen now.
Now, first a bit history of the whole ordeal... I applied for citizenship in September 2005. I was stationed in Korea, and my application was based on my military qualifications. It was supposed to be a very straight forward process, however it turned out to be the quite opposite. After I had my interview and civics test in June 2006 in the US, I waited and waited and waited. Nothing, no response, no progress. I dreamt to become a US citizen when I was as little as 13 and I definitely decided when I was 18, however, it was indeed very depressing to the extreme knowing I was about to be deployed, and I was not naturalized yet. I volunteered to bleed but could not vote.
April 13, 2007 we filed the lawsuit to challenge the government to answer to us, I didn't want to bring myself to that level, but had no other option. Another aspect of our country though, you have ways of getting a response, any response when you knock on the judge's door.
Court hearing was set for April 19th, at 1400 hours, I was there 30 mins prior. I found the courtroom at the 17th floor of the federal building, however the place seemed deserted. Noone around. They kept my phone downstairs as it was camera phone, so I could not call my lawyer. Well, being nervous, I paced and paced, relentlessly saying the Jesus prayer. 10 minutes to the hearing, still noone around, I kept pacing., Finally, just before the time was up, my lawyer showed and he was followed by the Assistant US Attorney, and we proceeded into the courtroom. We sat and the clerk called the judge to come in. In the meanwhile, the AUSA asked my lawyer if we got the "approval", he was like "What? No we didn't get anything" ...
Honorable Timothy Batten Sr, walked in, all rose, and we went ahead with the proceedings, the first thing to come out of the judge's mouth, "I read about the case, it is pretty clear to me, what does the government have to say?" She (AUSA) stands up, "Your honor, we got good news, we assumed we still have jurisdiction and we went ahead approved the case", Judge "Jurisdiction granted" Turned to me and said "Good luck to you over there, be careful" That was it, I got a copy of approval notice and was asked what kind of ceremony I was willing to attend, I wanted to make my middle name "John" officially, therefore I asked for a judicial ceremony. While we were waiting for the photocopying of the approval notice, my lawyer kindly suggested not to wait on these people anymore, just get it done and over with the following day. Well, the judicial ceremony was not until another 10 days. I was convinced I was not going to wait on that. I could always do a name change later...
So the next day, April 20th, 2007, was the end of a 7 year, 8 month, 9 day hope, including the 19 month wait for the application...
Like I said, most of you walked this struggle with me, knowing what steps I was at... Online or offline it doesn't matter, I value all of you my friends. You all are a part of my life, a part of this journey... Thanks again for everything you have said, done and thought.
Here are the pictures...
Here we are waiting for the hour to come... We are the earliest ones in the waiting room.
We are moved to the ceremony room now... We are presented with our "welcome" packets...
-Dude, when does this thing start? It's been 20 minutes already!!!
Now, first a bit history of the whole ordeal... I applied for citizenship in September 2005. I was stationed in Korea, and my application was based on my military qualifications. It was supposed to be a very straight forward process, however it turned out to be the quite opposite. After I had my interview and civics test in June 2006 in the US, I waited and waited and waited. Nothing, no response, no progress. I dreamt to become a US citizen when I was as little as 13 and I definitely decided when I was 18, however, it was indeed very depressing to the extreme knowing I was about to be deployed, and I was not naturalized yet. I volunteered to bleed but could not vote.
April 13, 2007 we filed the lawsuit to challenge the government to answer to us, I didn't want to bring myself to that level, but had no other option. Another aspect of our country though, you have ways of getting a response, any response when you knock on the judge's door.
Court hearing was set for April 19th, at 1400 hours, I was there 30 mins prior. I found the courtroom at the 17th floor of the federal building, however the place seemed deserted. Noone around. They kept my phone downstairs as it was camera phone, so I could not call my lawyer. Well, being nervous, I paced and paced, relentlessly saying the Jesus prayer. 10 minutes to the hearing, still noone around, I kept pacing., Finally, just before the time was up, my lawyer showed and he was followed by the Assistant US Attorney, and we proceeded into the courtroom. We sat and the clerk called the judge to come in. In the meanwhile, the AUSA asked my lawyer if we got the "approval", he was like "What? No we didn't get anything" ...
Honorable Timothy Batten Sr, walked in, all rose, and we went ahead with the proceedings, the first thing to come out of the judge's mouth, "I read about the case, it is pretty clear to me, what does the government have to say?" She (AUSA) stands up, "Your honor, we got good news, we assumed we still have jurisdiction and we went ahead approved the case", Judge "Jurisdiction granted" Turned to me and said "Good luck to you over there, be careful" That was it, I got a copy of approval notice and was asked what kind of ceremony I was willing to attend, I wanted to make my middle name "John" officially, therefore I asked for a judicial ceremony. While we were waiting for the photocopying of the approval notice, my lawyer kindly suggested not to wait on these people anymore, just get it done and over with the following day. Well, the judicial ceremony was not until another 10 days. I was convinced I was not going to wait on that. I could always do a name change later...
So the next day, April 20th, 2007, was the end of a 7 year, 8 month, 9 day hope, including the 19 month wait for the application...
Like I said, most of you walked this struggle with me, knowing what steps I was at... Online or offline it doesn't matter, I value all of you my friends. You all are a part of my life, a part of this journey... Thanks again for everything you have said, done and thought.
Here are the pictures...
Here we are waiting for the hour to come... We are the earliest ones in the waiting room.
We are moved to the ceremony room now... We are presented with our "welcome" packets...
-Dude, when does this thing start? It's been 20 minutes already!!!
), and that is give your life for this great country - you have made the ultimate sacrifice. I for one would definitely second a motion, if there ever was one, for all non citizens who serve in the armed forces to be naturalized immediately without a waiting period. I mean what greater sacrifice could there be?