Finally last June 17, I was sworn-in as a US citizen. I took a day-off for this special day since the ceremony will be starting at 9:15 am. We just drove to Oakland rather than take the BART (train).

We got there around 8:30 and the ceremony ended at 10:30. I am glad this last step of my immigration journey is finally over. No more immigration filing to do, I am now officially a US citizen, yehey!!!

Go to my USApinoy.com website for more of this citizenship event.

I passed the naturalization interview today. Everything went on smoothly. The interviewer thanked me for a job well done because I submitted a very thorough list of required documents which she said, made her job so much easier. She said that my file, which was three inch thick by the way,  was by far the best that she had ever gotten because  everything she needed  was already  there so she didn’t need to ask for any more additional documents from me. She said she wished everyone will be as thorough as me.  She actually thought somebody helped me with it but I said it was just me. ( I wanted to add, “and God’s guidance” but stopped myself. )

The interviewing officer told me that I might get the notice for the oath-taking schedule next July.

I sincerely hope I will be sworn-in next month and not July .

Yes! I already have my appointment date for my citizenship interview. This will be on May 19. I have been trying to study the 100 interview questions so let’s see if I pass this one. Hopefully I will .

Yipee!  I finally got my appointment letter for my citizenship interview and it will be on May 19. I still got a month to study the interview questions and hopefully I’ll pass this and be sworn in.

The next process after this will be petitioning my Mom and I am so done when she gets here. All these immigration filings are expensive and I no longer want part of it.  Ooops , I nearly forgot, I still have to petition my older sister, Ate Ching ! Guess I am not done yet huh? But sibling petition takes a really long time , like 12 to 15 years they say, so I don’t know yet…

Anyway, wow, I am nearing my interview. I am ecstatically nervous hehehe… Hopefully I will pass this one.

Please pray for me, Ma!

Yay, I’m done with my fingerprinting at the Oakland USCIS Center for my citizenship and  I am now awaiting their next notice for my interview/test. If I pass the test and interview, if I get approved, then next step will be my oath-taking!!! I will finally be a US Citizen, yehey!

How time flew by so quickly, I came here last May 2005 and now I am applying for citizenship.

For more of my immigration stories , visit my Charina.net.

I had my biometrics at Oakland USCIS office last Wednesday, March 25 . I took a day off from work just for this important thing to do for my citizenship.

Anyway, we got there around 8 am, parked beside the USCIS building, and paid the parking ticket machine $3.00 for the three-hour parking. My appointment was for 9 am but I saw the guard letting the line of applicants come in by 8:10 so with my appointment notice and a photo ID, I fell in line and got inside . The guard handed me a form to fill out, a number and a newly-sharpened pencil ( the guard actually had this electric pencil sharpener beside him and he plugs the pencil on it before giving it to the applicant hence “newly-sharpened pencil). Armed with my deadly pencil, I sat down to fill out my form. I don’t know what was up with me because I kept making mistakes in writing the information needed so I kept erasing and erasing whatever I wrote.

Just some minutes went by and my number got called, the guy checked my full-of-erasures-paper, told me to show my hands palms up ( for what reason I don’t know) and told me to go up the second floor.

Five minutes later, I was called and my fingerprints were taken. I was expecting to have my picture taken as what happened to all my other biometrics so I kept trying to tidy up my unruly hair. But thanks God no picture taking happened. The pretty girl who did my fingerprints, signed my appointment notice and gave it back to me with a survey to fill out. Survey finished, I went out right after.

I was done and out of the USCIS office before 8:30 am.

Below was my hasty cover letter for my N-400, my Application for Naturalization. It also shows the kinds of documents and requirements I submitted.  My eligibility for citizenship was based on my three- year marriage to my US citizen husband.

USCIS
1820 E Skyharbor Circle S., Floor 1
Phoenix, AZ 85034

February 21, 2009

Dear Sir or Madam:

Enclosed please find my N-400, application for naturalization. I am filing on the basis of my marriage to my US citizen husband.

Attached are the following:

· two pieces of my 2 x 2 color photographs
· a photocopy of both sides of my Permanent Resident Card
· a check for $675 for the filing fee and biometrics fee
· form N-400
· photocopy of my husband’s US passport
· photocopy of our marriage certificate
· photocopy of our son’s birth certificate
· original copy of our joint checking account detail information
· original copy of our joint savings account detail information
· photocopy of our joint tax return for year 2006
· photocopy of our joint tax return for year 2007
· photocopy of our joint tax return for year 2008

I hope you find everything in order.

Thank you very much.

Respecfully yours,

CHARINA N. XXXXXX