Citizenship interrogation...

[AF-Odin]

Congrats Andy. Remember attending my major professor in grad schools ceremony. Very moving.

[cherokeepilot]

Good luck on your citizenship questions. My wife went through the same thing for her citizenship. We spent a fair bit of time going through the bank of questions that the quizzing would generated. I was amazed the depth of the knowledge needed for the citizenship questions. Frankly, I doubt most native born Americans could answer those questions. Anyway, we wish you well and Welcome to America.......73s

[RicoTX]

Congratulations Andy!!!!

[joe817]

I passed :)

Apparently I'll hear within 2 weeks where/when the swearing-in ceremony will be

Hearty congratulations Andy!! Well done!

[03Lightningrocks]

[RoyGBiv]

I’m reminded of the day I sat with my wife at her interview for her residency & work permit.

She had applied years earlier as the ‘unmarried daughter of a resident’, but that never made it through the gauntlet. She had to update the info a few years later when she became the ‘unmarried daughter of a citizen’ (after her mother successfully navigated the immigration system).

Then, a few years later we were married, and she had to re-apply again because she wasn’t the ‘unmarried daughter’ of anyone. She was now the ‘married wife of a citizen’. New application, many more $$, but now she was in a much shorter queue.
Fast forward to the interview: we’d been married a few years earlier, but had never really put together of wedding album (work and real-life got in the way). We knew it might be important, so we put it together rather quickly, along with a few other photo albums to document our marriage. We sat in the interviewer’s office with all this stuff (and other records) all piled on a corner of his desk.

He never looked at any of it. He did ask a bunch of questions, and my wife developed a good rapport with him. Clearly he felt comfortable about the arrangement because he proceeded to tell us that, “If I grant this residency, you’ll get your green card (with conditions) within a few weeks. In two years, you can apply to get the conditions removed, and then a year later, you can apply for citizenship. What do you think of that?”. He leaned back in his chair and smiled with his arms crossed behind his head, pleased with himself that he’d just laid out the golden plan – the three-year path was the best he could offer anyone.
My wife shook her head so subtly that it was almost imperceptible and said, “oh no sir, I don’t think that’ll work. I need to be able to vote in 2008.”

He explained that he had nothing better to offer, but no problem, we have elections all the time here in the US. She’ll get her chance to vote soon enough.

“You don’t understand,” Mrs. VolTexan said with a smile on her face, “I’ve got to vote against Hillary.”

Interviewer dude sat up, rearranged some papers on his desk and said in a somewhat serious tone, “We’re not allowed to discuss politics in here ma’am.” Then he added with a small grin, “But I sure do wish I could help you. I really do.”

I could tell he appreciated her sense of humor, but it was his turn to have some fun. He pulled out her work permit and slammed a huge stamped, “Denied” across the front of it. My wife sunk in her seat just a bit. It really didn’t matter – she already owned her own business since that was legal for her to do (I guess if you’re entrepreneurial, they don’t mind you creating your own work, as long as you aren’t competing for jobs with legally working folks in the US). But it still hurt a bit.

Then he said, “You won’t need this because green card holders don’t NEED a work permit,” as he stamped a huge “Approved” on her residency application.

————————————————————-

Best of luck to you today Andy. I’ll be proud to share my citizenship with you.

That was quite a roller-coaster. Thanks for sharing the story.
I think your wife and mine would get along well.

[jason812]

That's awesome Andy.

[C-dub]

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!

[ScottDLS]

I’m reminded of the day I sat with my wife at her interview for her residency & work permit.

She had applied years earlier as the ‘unmarried daughter of a resident’, but that never made it through the gauntlet. She had to update the info a few years later when she became the ‘unmarried daughter of a citizen’ (after her mother successfully navigated the immigration system).

Then, a few years later we were married, and she had to re-apply again because she wasn’t the ‘unmarried daughter’ of anyone. She was now the ‘married wife of a citizen’. New application, many more $$, but now she was in a much shorter queue.
Fast forward to the interview: we’d been married a few years earlier, but had never really put together of wedding album (work and real-life got in the way). We knew it might be important, so we put it together rather quickly, along with a few other photo albums to document our marriage. We sat in the interviewer’s office with all this stuff (and other records) all piled on a corner of his desk.

He never looked at any of it. He did ask a bunch of questions, and my wife developed a good rapport with him. Clearly he felt comfortable about the arrangement because he proceeded to tell us that, “If I grant this residency, you’ll get your green card (with conditions) within a few weeks. In two years, you can apply to get the conditions removed, and then a year later, you can apply for citizenship. What do you think of that?”. He leaned back in his chair and smiled with his arms crossed behind his head, pleased with himself that he’d just laid out the golden plan – the three-year path was the best he could offer anyone.
My wife shook her head so subtly that it was almost imperceptible and said, “oh no sir, I don’t think that’ll work. I need to be able to vote in 2008.”

He explained that he had nothing better to offer, but no problem, we have elections all the time here in the US. She’ll get her chance to vote soon enough.

“You don’t understand,” Mrs. VolTexan said with a smile on her face, “I’ve got to vote against Hillary.”

Interviewer dude sat up, rearranged some papers on his desk and said in a somewhat serious tone, “We’re not allowed to discuss politics in here ma’am.” Then he added with a small grin, “But I sure do wish I could help you. I really do.”

I could tell he appreciated her sense of humor, but it was his turn to have some fun. He pulled out her work permit and slammed a huge stamped, “Denied” across the front of it. My wife sunk in her seat just a bit. It really didn’t matter – she already owned her own business since that was legal for her to do (I guess if you’re entrepreneurial, they don’t mind you creating your own work, as long as you aren’t competing for jobs with legally working folks in the US). But it still hurt a bit.

Then he said, “You won’t need this because green card holders don’t NEED a work permit,” as he stamped a huge “Approved” on her residency application.

————————————————————-

Best of luck to you today Andy. I’ll be proud to share my citizenship with you.

That was quite a roller-coaster. Thanks for sharing the story.
I think your wife and mine would get along well.

Inspiring story Vol Texan

[ScottDLS]

Andy this is great news. I’m sure I speak for many Forum members who are natural born and naturalized citizens of the United States in saying we will be happy to have you among us.

[SQLGeek]

Congrats Andy!

[chasfm11]

Congratulations, Andy.

[der Teufel]

I'm sure you've already adjusted to the language differences, but just in case:

Defense = Why you carry a firearm
Defence = What ranchers put around the pasture to keep the cattle from wandering off.