TNs who married USCs and did family-based AOS - Interview Experiences?
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Canadian John
Registered Users (C)
I successfully did the TN - GC route based on marriage to a USC this past year. My signature should give a good outline as to my process. TN - EAD / AP took about a month & a half, while TN - GC took a total of 3 months. Interview went VERY smooth overall and lasted no more than 10 minutes.
My interview experience is located in the April 2009 filers thread. The link is here:
http://forums.immigration.com/showpost.php?p=2074249&postcount=235
My relevant posts are post #235, 236 and 239. There are other good interview experiences in there as well.
Good luck,
CJ
My interview experience is located in the April 2009 filers thread. The link is here:
http://forums.immigration.com/showpost.php?p=2074249&postcount=235
My relevant posts are post #235, 236 and 239. There are other good interview experiences in there as well.
Good luck,
CJ
There's a Canadian forum on VisaJourney, I'm one of the only ones there that have done it though from a TN rather then from a K-1 process though.
I did mine back in 2003 I think it was. It went smoothly from my AOS to my citizenship.
Filed AOS in July, got my EAD and AP in Sept, had my interview in Jan later and my Green Card came in Feb or March.
Interview was standard, bring your spouse, you sit there, IO asks you questions on your marriage and about yourselves etc. Show photos and joint bills and things to show you're residing together etc. They also ask how you two met, how you were living here and so on. It really wasn't much of a big deal at all.
After that gets approved, wait I think it was 2 years and get the conditions removed from your Green Card to make it a 10 year permenant Green Card (meaning that if you get divorced or anything like that, you can still remain and work and live in the US).
3 years (mine 90 days) after your PR date (accepted date of the first interview) you can then apply for the N-400 to apply for citizenship if you want. This of course isn't mandatory at all...
I did mine back in 2003 I think it was. It went smoothly from my AOS to my citizenship.
Filed AOS in July, got my EAD and AP in Sept, had my interview in Jan later and my Green Card came in Feb or March.
Interview was standard, bring your spouse, you sit there, IO asks you questions on your marriage and about yourselves etc. Show photos and joint bills and things to show you're residing together etc. They also ask how you two met, how you were living here and so on. It really wasn't much of a big deal at all.
After that gets approved, wait I think it was 2 years and get the conditions removed from your Green Card to make it a 10 year permenant Green Card (meaning that if you get divorced or anything like that, you can still remain and work and live in the US).
3 years (mine 90 days) after your PR date (accepted date of the first interview) you can then apply for the N-400 to apply for citizenship if you want. This of course isn't mandatory at all...
Thanks guys. John, I just read your posts in the April forum and was very reassured by the fact that the TN and immigrant intent weren't brought up. There are plenty of fire and brimstone stories about TNs applying for green cards out there. I got a new TN 4 months after the wedding, with my obviously American (thick Texan drawl, dressed in cowboy boots and Wranglers) spouse standing next to me, new passport in my married name and all, and the DHS agent in the airport wasn't even phased. He asked if I planned to apply for a green card, as did the CBP agent when we crossed the US border by car in July. We told them both the same thing, "We want to wait and see what the economy does before deciding where to live now that the TN is valid for 3 years." Both were satisfied with that response. If the IO asks why renew the TN and then 8 months later apply for permanent residence I plan on telling them the truth - upon returning from our last trip to Canada my husband got promoted, decision to stay was made. I've got nothing to hide but at the same time, there's a healthy amount of anxiety floating around too...
Warlord, I'm curious about how the dual citizenship thing works.
Again, my heartfelt thanks.
Warlord, I'm curious about how the dual citizenship thing works.
Again, my heartfelt thanks.
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nelsona
Registered Users (C)
If you already got a TN with your USC hubby standing beside you, you've got quite a pair of steel ones, so you shouldn't even be worried about any further steps.
Had you been at the border instead of airport, you not only would have been denied TN, you would have been denied entry. That is what K-3 visas are for. I'm betting you don't get speeding tickets either.
Dual citizenship "works" simply by getting a second citizenship. There's no complication there.
Had you been at the border instead of airport, you not only would have been denied TN, you would have been denied entry. That is what K-3 visas are for. I'm betting you don't get speeding tickets either.Dual citizenship "works" simply by getting a second citizenship. There's no complication there.
Well you're right, I've never gotten a speeding ticket in my life - but it's because I don't speed I try to follow the rules as best I can, no matter what the situation - if I didn't give a crap life would be a lot less stressful!!!
...In renewing my TN at the airport, I was acting on the counsel provided by my employer's International Faculty and Scholar Services department (and I was scared as hell). They didn't mention a K-3 at any point. The DHS agent chatted with my husband and I about his previous posting on the Texas/Mexico border, made small talk, and offered this lovely tidbit, "I'm glad you've got a real job [Research Assistant]. Not like a Management Consultant. Those aren't real jobs." I pity the fool who goes into the Winnipeg airport trying to get a TN in that category! I hold a graduate degree that qualified me in at least 3 categories and held the same job for 3 years at that point so it's not exactly as if I went in there wearing a sign screaming "Sign me up for welfare!". He (the DHS agent) was also disgruntled with the Bush administration and USCIS changing the TN from a 1-yr to a 3-yr visa. While we were finishing up, a couple came in applying for a visa, not sure which type. When asked what his profession was the young man replied, "I'm a professional golfer." It didn't go over well, but we were cleared before any more questions were asked. He must have gotten his visa though, because they wound up on the same flight as us.
As for border patrol, they've been far more concerned with the dirty clothes in the trunk than my relationship with the US citizen in my passenger seat.
I haven't been able to find any concrete info on dual citizenship on the USCIS website in my limited searches, other than it is discouraged. I thought that you had to renounce your citizenship elsewhere when you take the oath?
On a side note, it is going to be so awesome not to carry my university degrees when I travel out of the US!!! I can finally hang them up =)
I try to follow the rules as best I can, no matter what the situation - if I didn't give a crap life would be a lot less stressful!!! ...In renewing my TN at the airport, I was acting on the counsel provided by my employer's International Faculty and Scholar Services department (and I was scared as hell). They didn't mention a K-3 at any point. The DHS agent chatted with my husband and I about his previous posting on the Texas/Mexico border, made small talk, and offered this lovely tidbit, "I'm glad you've got a real job [Research Assistant]. Not like a Management Consultant. Those aren't real jobs." I pity the fool who goes into the Winnipeg airport trying to get a TN in that category! I hold a graduate degree that qualified me in at least 3 categories and held the same job for 3 years at that point so it's not exactly as if I went in there wearing a sign screaming "Sign me up for welfare!". He (the DHS agent) was also disgruntled with the Bush administration and USCIS changing the TN from a 1-yr to a 3-yr visa. While we were finishing up, a couple came in applying for a visa, not sure which type. When asked what his profession was the young man replied, "I'm a professional golfer." It didn't go over well, but we were cleared before any more questions were asked. He must have gotten his visa though, because they wound up on the same flight as us.
As for border patrol, they've been far more concerned with the dirty clothes in the trunk than my relationship with the US citizen in my passenger seat.
I haven't been able to find any concrete info on dual citizenship on the USCIS website in my limited searches, other than it is discouraged. I thought that you had to renounce your citizenship elsewhere when you take the oath?
On a side note, it is going to be so awesome not to carry my university degrees when I travel out of the US!!! I can finally hang them up =)
The only thing is the US won't reconize another countries citizenship. Unlike some nations like India and Peru where you will lose your citizenship while taking US citizenship. Canada couldn't care less, you will always be a Canadian to them regardless of how many citizenships you take. The US just won't reconize any other citizenship and you are only an American to them.
Only very few people renounce their Canadian citizenship. Some specific high level security jobs in the US government have been known to require you to not have any other citizenships at all. But for the most part, most people will never be in that position for a job...
Only very few people renounce their Canadian citizenship. Some specific high level security jobs in the US government have been known to require you to not have any other citizenships at all. But for the most part, most people will never be in that position for a job...
nelsona
Registered Users (C)
The position the US takes is not that unusual. Canada doesn't recognize other citizenships either. Remember, 'recognition' implies that a certain leeway or courtesy is accorded non-citizens in certain leagl or diplomatic matters that are not available to its own citizens. As such, a dual Cdn/US citizen will not be accorded special treatment that might be accorded a US citizen, and US would take the same position when dealing with that person.
In other words, both Canada and US (and most other countries) would tell such a dual citizen that they won't allow the person to play the "foreign citizen" card when ethey do something wrong, or try to avoid a responsibility.
It's not a bad thing. It's just that the US is more emphatic in stating it.
In other words, both Canada and US (and most other countries) would tell such a dual citizen that they won't allow the person to play the "foreign citizen" card when ethey do something wrong, or try to avoid a responsibility.
It's not a bad thing. It's just that the US is more emphatic in stating it.
The interview was this morning and the TN was not brought up at all. All the IO asked was if this was our first marriage, if we had kids, when had I last entered the US and what documentation I'd used at the border. He had me confirm my full name, birth date, address and cell phone number. The whole interview took 10 minutes, max. Hurray!