ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
US Citizenship General DiscussionREALLY unhappy
They did that to me at GC stage. I had Left Yorkshire to travel to London Embassy the day before so I didn't get the cancellation letter in time.
Inside the Embassy, the interviewing officer said "You don't have an interview here today. How did you get in here ? How did you get past the security guards ? "

I came out with the GC approved and got the Visa and my passport the next day.

It's just part of the USCIS rich pageant of life. I am waiting on my ceremony letter so you know the let down feeling every day as you trudge back from the mailbox. We can either get used to it or get clinical depression. We have that choice and you have that to look forward to after the interview unless you get the ceremony and chip implant the same day.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-06 15:14:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionOld citizenship??
Bob I have a plan to avoid being shot for treason after a damn good water boarding... 183 times in a month ?

If your Sarah wants to start a war with the UK, I will fly to London before she starts, go in the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square and renounce the Naturalization.

10 minutes should do it and I will be accepted by the US as an alien once more and not subject to being drafted.

Then I will be just a Brit again. I am a marksman and we should win this time.

It's a hot plan. It's as hot as my pants - and that's saying something

ps refusing the draft is not treason punishable by death - who told you that - Rush ?

Edited by Alan the Red, 10 November 2010 - 02:55 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-10 14:52:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionOld citizenship??

I don't think you will feel differently after living here longer. Nationality is a strong feeling. Although I love this country I will never feel "American", always Belgian. When someone is raised in his country of birth and leaves that country at a certain adult age, the connection and the feeling with that country of origin never goes away. Giving up loyalty means, in my opinion, that in extreme situations, like war, you show loyalty to the US, not any other country. That is a fair request. I don't think the US government asks you to get rid of your roots.


I spent 2 days short of 60 years in England. My dad fought for Britain from 1939 to 1945 including fighting in the jungles of Burma - all the way from Kohima to Rangoon. His father was killed fighting for Britain at Oppy Wood in France when my dad was 30 months old. My daughter and sister and grand children live in England. There are lots of reasons, but I think these few explain why I should feel some attachments still.

I know that the Italians in the US and many other ethnic groups actively celebrate their heritage and even African Americans have African celebrations after all these years. I meet people who say "I am English too". Turns out they are not but their ancestors were. My brother in law says he is a Prussian but he is talking about his family 110 years ago.

If a George Bush type wants me to shoot English people he can get stuffed. I see the oath as 'do no harm' to the US and 'don't be a criminal' and 'don't work against it' and 'help where you can'. In that spirit I can do all these things but anyone who can kill their ex countrymen and family with no regrets is a turncoat and a psychopath.

The Star Spangled banner is a song about killing Brits and 'washing their their foul footsteps' off the land of the US using their blood. I may mumble a bit when I sing it as that blood may well be that of my family.

I wish National Anthems were more about a positive aspirations for Nations and not full of killing and blood. Militarism is an occasional nasty necessity rather than the reason to be, a National obsession for unwise young men and something to glory in. My family is sick of it and my dad and the British forces threw Churchill out of office at the end of the war because they were sick of it too. They wanted and got a National Health Service which IS an achievement and the real Crown Jewel. A true US patriot would work for the same in the US.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-10 10:37:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionOld citizenship??

Interesting - shame about them speaking French, though. :P

Yes, I knew it was free in certain circumstances. But for the majority, it certainly is NOT free. But not having to worry about costs in your dotage is NICE. Where in the world did you hear that about being thrown out of a hospital after 6 weeks?? That's a little harsh, even with our system. Most hospitals are willing to work with families to pay back what they owe over time. Would be nice if you didn't have to worry about that - but alas! That's just part of what's so poorly broken.

:lol: at that last bit.


They don't throw you out after 6 weeks in hospital as long as you can pay, but it will cost many thousands per week and Medicare will not pay. Everything in the US is wonderful if you can pay. You can even be a film star and beat hookers up and trash hotel rooms and nothing bad happens if you can pay. I can pay (at the mo) so the US is fine by me.
Chris Hitchens that awful English import became a US Citizen only a few years ago. He brags about how much he drank all day and night and he had man affairs with two of Margaret Thatchers Ministers and he is a life long Marxist and Trotskyite and joined their organizations as an officer. How come he gets USC ? At my Naturalization interview they asked me if I had a problem with drink and if I had been a commie and even about my gun club membership - yet Chris Hitchens gets Naturalized ?

Money....it's all about money ain't a damn thing funny - you have to have a car in this land of milk and honey

I digress, but the point is that if we ever get short of money through any reason - the US is not the place to be and a European passport is like gold and anyone who can hang on to theirs should make very effort to do so. It might just save your life.

http://en.wikipedia....topher_Hitchens
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-09 13:25:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionOld citizenship??

You'll get no arguments from me about the slippery slope all Americans are on for health care. Our system is far from ideal, but I also find the UK solution to be less than great too. I wish a happy medium between our two systems could be found and implemented.

I just know that MANY Americans are under the false impression that UK healthcare is free. We burst that bubble for a waitress just last week who was sure that's how it was there. Just wanting a little truth in advertising, that's all.


I want the French system. They have 4 times as many doctors per head of population than the Brits but they do speak French to you. I have been in a German doctor's surgery - very nice too. I have been in an inner city hospital in the UK which was 3rd world and a total disgrace. I left and went to a hospital in a 'nice' area 12 miles way and it was US standard.

Actually the UK system is totally 100% free if you don't work because you are disabled or old or mentally ill or craftily self - employed or yes...work shy. 'From each according to their ability, to each according to their need' and all that.
Every old person gets 100% free health care with no co pay or deductibles whether they have ever worked or not. No enrollments, no part A and part B - no supplementary insurance - no throwing you out of hospital after 6 weeks - that's a good thing and a huge saving in admin.

Many old people in the US shoot themselves which is an option not available in the UK
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-09 12:45:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionOld citizenship??

I hear you, Alan, though I get a little annoyed seeing health care in the UK deemed as 'free'. 11% of your income (last time hubby checked) is NOT free, and is still more than I pay for my private healthcare through my employer (for myself, my husband and our child). Though it is free in the UK for those in certain circumstances.


I agree that it is not free. You and I are in easy street so long as our private health care is 'provided' but a 55 year old in the US who cannot work in a good job is in a very precarious position. If my wife early retired at 55, we would have 10 years of health care to pay at say 12k each for good cover ? That's a quarter million down the drain compared to living in a nice part of England for the gap years.

The US system is like driving a car drunk with no seat belt. Most times you will get home ok in comfort and have more money next day than the guy who paid for a taxi home. However, if anything goes wrong, we will wish we had taken the safe option - universal health care. The 11% in the UK covers Unemployment Pay and Welfare and the State Pension as well as the NHS. My local hospital here pays people to cruise the parking lot offering golf cart rides for those too fat to walk to the front door. They also employ people to stand at the door and wish me a nice day as I leave. I saw a specialist within 10 minutes of my phone call last year.

They wouldn't give me the time of day if we couldn't afford insurance and we are one redundancy letter away from losing our insurance and then our house and lifetime savings. We could be in that situation tomorrow and so could you. It's like walking home through the ghetto at 3am - 90% of the time that works ok - but it's just not a formula for relaxing and enjoying life.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-09 12:12:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionOld citizenship??
Freedom ? It's amazing how one can get used to billions of laws stacked on top of each other and simply adjust to it and find it normal after a few years. I have never felt more watched and regulated since I visited East Berlin BEFORE the wall came down. There are rangers on the lake with sunglasses and guns. There are planes getting people for speeding. There are black shirted security people in the park. Everywhere I look there are fat people in black uniforms who carry guns and watch me.

The thing about stepping back in time is something that seems to strike all Europeans.
I was around in the 1950's and I remember speed cops and intense religion and the anti gay, anti abortion, no nipples, stuff. That means that when I came to the US I simply had to resort to the tactics of the 1950's to survive. I ceased religious observance when I was 10, but had to wait years before I could speak otherwise the kind and gentle and loving people would have made sure I was denied a job in that town and tried their best to cause me maximum hurt. At my first job I worked with a 17 year old girl who had a baby and was unmarried. She suffered from the religious people who treated her like dirt. It took 50 years for all those nasty aspects of life in Britain to be cured and then I come here and the clock is set back to those bad old days. Luckily I am proof against all the discrimination and threats from the religious because I am comfortably retired and they can't do anything to me or exclude me any more. My idea of hell would be living in a small town in the South where time has stood still since the stone faced pilgrims.

So why do I stay ? I am having a great time in the sun with my shooting club and big car and boat and it's the place to be for an active investor. All the things that I would find intolerable if I was 25 and raising a family, simply do not apply to me and I can sidestep them. When I see a huge sign at the side of road which says 'Jesus is LORD in THIS valley', I feel a bit uncomfortable at the implied threat, but I know they can't get me.

My wife has a great job which is mega safe and we get superb health insurance. Our path of retreat is well covered if that changes. In a couple of weeks I will be a citizen and then when I am at the club and some church goer says they would machine gun and bayonet people on the Mexican Border - every man, woman, child and baby - I will be able to open my mouth as an equal (not an alien) and say that is wrong.

Edited by Alan the Red, 09 November 2010 - 11:45 AM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-09 11:43:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionOld citizenship??

You are so right!



I've got two, the other one is the monetary black pit called national security. As far as healthcare goes I only feel bad for the ones that are for single payer healthcare but can't get it passed. I don't really feel sorry for the ones that go on about death panels and other horrors of single payer systems such as the myths of decade long waitlists etc. In my mind they deserve the mess they want, my mother in law included.



I have 90% of my money invested outside the US just like all the switched on patriotic U.S. investors I know. I looked across the road and saw they have flags outside their houses for veteran's day. Never ending elective wars and ever higher health insurance and ever lower taxes because people think taxes are going up when they are not ? 2% of the population take more than 40% of Gross National Product ? 50% have NOTHING. I heard the popular Rand Paul say he is in favor of restaurant owners being able to deny entry to black people because that is liberty. He is elected on a landslide ! What's happening ? Turkey's voting for Christmas ? Thank heaven I am just watching the game. McCarthyism next with no GC renewals and compulsory church tithing like Germany - so I need that passport quick !

Mother in law - yes she is asking for it. Just when I thought the traditional mother in law was a thing of the past. I always know when my mother in law is coming round because I can hear the mice throwing themselves on the traps.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-08 20:15:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionOld citizenship??

That's exactly how I feel. If I, my wife (who was born here) or any of our children ever get terminally ill I/we are out of here ASAP. I'm not bankrupting myself here because this country has a lot of silly people that don't get it how universal coverage gives a peace of mind and simply for the most part takes healthcare concerns out of the picture.


The voters believe all the lies and it's sad that they do. My mother in the UK had a full hysterectomy at age 92 and had her broken hip fixed 2 years later. She lived in a really nice residential home for 15 years and it was all free. The right wing in the US tell the story that anyone over 55 is left to die in the UK or is subject to a death panel. I can't believe that the US insurance companies can spin these stories and are believed - but they do and they are. My USC wife's family believe ALL those stories and think I am lying and being anti-American when I tell them how it is in Europe. I am sure now that Americans will continue to be cannon fodder to big business while believing their country is ahead of all other countries in all things and with no exceptions. I suppose it is some comfort to think they are part of 'the best country that has ever existed in the history of the world' while they are dying in pain and poverty as an insurance - denied person.

This is the one political issue I feel strongly about and I feel guilty that I have an escape door and the rest don't.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-08 19:21:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionOld citizenship??
Until the U.S. has free universal health care, there is no way I would give up my U.K. Citizenship. It could mean the difference between life and death or at least being reduced to abject poverty. My red passport guarantees that can never happen to me.

I like life in the U.S. but only so long as I am reasonably healthy and the insurance is paying up. I feel sorry for Americans who have no safety net were things to go badly wrong with their health and the insurance company stops coverage or wriggles out of the contract...

Most Americans simply refuse to think about it. My USC wife is deeply aware of this reality and plans on doing 3 years in the U.K. and getting a red passport when she early retires. She lived there for a year and didn't pay a cent - or even a penny. It is worth literally millions of dollars or even life itself in some circumstances.

If the U.K. started to refuse dual citizenship I would withdraw my U.S. Citizenship application right now. I reckon a lot of Canadians would too from what I have read.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-08 18:22:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDocuments I need to bring at the Oath Ceremony

She won't be able to travel outside the US, then re-enter without the US passport since she had to surrender her green card. Even with just a US passport, she can still enter the Philippines and just show our marriage certificate that was issued in the Philippines and get a 1-year balikbayan visa.

She can still get dual citizenship by applying at the Philippines consulate. I know that with some countries, once you become a citizen of another country, they can lose citizenship in their country of birth.


Australia has relented on this since 2002 and so Australians can get their Australian citizenship back now and become duals. Rupert Murdoch has not bothered to apply and remains a US Citizen only.
UK Government takes the view that a verbal oath is worthless so I will remain a dual.
Of course I don't think it's worthless though I shall be wearing my Union Jack underpants and a smirk at the time.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-14 15:22:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDocuments I need to bring at the Oath Ceremony

Actually, she can apply for dual citizenship with the Philippine consulate and reinstate that passport. The closest consulate is in New York. The Philippines allows former citizens to reacquire Philippine citizenship.

However, she's applying for her US passport early next week in case she needs to travel.

That is good news. Shame she has to technically lose it in the first place. Wish they wouldn't play these games.

I will be somewhat concerned about mailing the original certificate and I think the authorized person who swears one in for the first passport (at the post office in my case) should also be authorized to certify a copy. However, they are not. About one in a billion goes astray so all will be well.
You have an extra step before you are all sorted but at least there is no language test to reinstate dual nationality. My written English test had faulty writing because I havent written a letter since 1980 - all computer !

Just let it end...
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-13 21:47:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDocuments I need to bring at the Oath Ceremony

My spouse went to her oath ceremony yesrterday in Erie, PA. All they asked from her was her green card and the oath letter with the questions on the back answered. Now that she is a US Citizen, her Philippines passport is no longer vaild. She'll be applying for a US passport soon.

Congrats to her - must be tough to have your home passport and nationaity invalidated. She has burned her boats I guess so it's onwards and upwards and no looking back !
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-13 19:57:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDocuments I need to bring at the Oath Ceremony
opened it

December 2 at a performing arts school 30 miles away

The uscis is 100 miles away

It is 4pm so wifey can just take a half day off - perfect !

and I should have my passport before xmas...

phew !!!!!!
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-12 17:43:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDocuments I need to bring at the Oath Ceremony

I am sat by the window waiting for :

Birthday card from daughter mailed monday LAST WEEK !
Maturing bank of england bond letter - has to be back in England before the 17th !! (No chance)
USCIS ceremony letter

A watched pot never boils....


I wrote this 2 minutes ago but the mailman has just been and there is a letter form the USCIS !!!! From the local office

It has to be the oath letter I have been waiting for !

left a message for wifey to call me from work and I will open it then

Stuff the birthday card !

Looking at it all sealed still.... hah !
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-12 17:36:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDocuments I need to bring at the Oath Ceremony

Thank you Alan the Red! Well my Status isn't refugee, but just got me wondered because the on the letter 4 of them got marked as "you must bring the following"


I am sat by the window waiting for :

Birthday card from daughter mailed monday LAST WEEK !
Maturing bank of england bond letter - has to be back in England before the 17th !! (No chance)
USCIS ceremony letter

A watched pot never boils....
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-12 17:23:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDocuments I need to bring at the Oath Ceremony

I just got the letter for me to go to the Oath Ceremony, but it asks me to bring
*The Letter with all the question asnswered
*Permanent Resident Card
*Reentry Permit or Refugee Travel Document
*Any Immigration documents you may have

First two are fine, but what is the reentry permit? I've never traveled outside of the US, but I have a form I-94, do they mean that one? I tried to find it but I couldn't, do I need to send them back the Letter and request for another date for the ceremony because I need to obtain another I-94? And the 'any immigration documents you may have', what do I need to bring on this one? Please help! Thanks!


Re entry is for people who have stayed a long time outside the US - too long to re-enter on the GC

I will be taking my passport /GC / driver's license / and the oath ceremony letter.

Unless there was something complicated (refugee etc) about your case then that is all you need

Edited by Alan the Red, 12 November 2010 - 05:09 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-12 17:09:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDelay interview until after 3 year anniversary?

All that will happen is you will get a paper that a decision cannot be made and that is only due to the fact that you are not within the 3 years. You will technically be approved but will not officially get the document. Go to the interview and get it taken care of. You will anyway have to wait for the oath letter, which will come in the mail after your 3rd year anniversary.

good luck!



v33k is spot on right ! Except that I got an approval notice same day.

I had my interview 11 days before my anniversary date.

So the ceremony letter was held up until after the anniversary date and I got it last week - a few days after the anniversary date

If the USCIS make a mistake and arrange a ceremony BEFORE the anniversary date (it has happened) - call them and delay it because the Naturalization will be illegal

.

Edited by Alan the Red, 15 November 2010 - 04:00 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-15 15:56:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionIs is better to get the citizenship quickly or can I just wait?
When I told my legs to swing out of bed this morning, they insolently failed to comply and were surly until they were topped up with nescafe classico

The younger ones should plan accordingly and assume they might get better off later
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-26 12:53:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionIs is better to get the citizenship quickly or can I just wait?

This was one of my main considerations in becoming a US citizen. If the US spouse dies, the usual 'right of occupation/inheritance' that is granted tax free to the other 'US' spouse does not exist for non-US spouses. The whole estate becomes taxable at that time and the remaining US spouse needs to pay the whole bill due on the whole estate - they inherit it but the tax payment is not deferred until their death. If my husband had died before I received citizenship I would basically have lost everything I have here in the US to pay the tax bill on the estate and would have been forced to sell the house and probably move back to Canada. It is a very compelling motivation.



Right on !

An overwhelming percentage of any population doesn't have much in the way of financial net worth and so this aspect doesn't come up in discussion, or if it does, is of no concern to the majority of immigrants and so doesn't attract much attention

To those who have managed to amass a wad, it's very important.

If I die before I naturalize next Thursday, I will be very angry.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-26 12:17:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionIs is better to get the citizenship quickly or can I just wait?

"I have to keep living to next Thursday in order to avoid a huge bill from the IRS."
Are you serious?


Yes quite serious

The treatment of transferring assets to aliens is special and the tax rate is punitive..

It is rarely mentioned as an advantage of citizenship but I think it is more important than being available to serve on a jury or to vote in Central Washington where Republicans are re-elected 'un-opposed'


I believe there may be SS implications too when it comes to coat tailing on some obscure spouses entitlements but I am not as sure of that without a refresher
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-25 16:44:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionIs is better to get the citizenship quickly or can I just wait?
There are big tax advantages and social security advantages if your partner dies.

The transfer tax on assets is huge if you are still an alien

Penal !

I have to keep living to next Thursday in order to avoid a huge bill from the IRS.

Woke up feeling mawky this morning so it's going to be a challenge

ps mawk is 'maggot' in old Norse which is still used in Yorkshire - hence Mawky is ready for the grave and then to be eaten by maggots

Edited by Alan the Red, 25 November 2010 - 02:21 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-25 14:17:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionAfter Naturalization
http://www.newcitizen.us/after.html
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-26 18:07:00
US Citizenship General Discussionmy interview experience Garden city NY

:dance: Congratulations and thanks for sharing your experience.


It is curious how different offices handle the interview. It all adds to the unpredictability of the process.

It must be intensely tedious being an interviewing officer. The first week would be interesting but not after that.

I was bored to tears with the Q&A by the time I got to the interview so I imagine the IO's are too

They should ask more interesting questions like what is the difference between an illegal and treasonous armed insurrection compared to a legitimate and justified revolution.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-25 13:57:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDivorse and Citizenship question

yes but when you file your n-400 you need copy of divorce, you and your wife, copy of your marriage certificate, tax transcripts 3 years,copy of your green card front and back,copt of passport biographic page,list all trips outside of the us,dates 4 passport photos ,..your divorce if you want to you can write a letter explaining about the divorce, good luck,



The divorce was withdrawn. Never happened.

As long as you were in marital union for the three years then that is ok

What is marital union ? - if one goes on a 6 months visit to another country are you still in the relationship that the law requires ?

I would say yes.

The law likes to leave it all grey and mushy to make money for the lawyers as most legislators are lawyers

I would say marital union exists unless you have a court order for separation or a divorce or even a court order saying that one cannot see the other because of domestic violence

In your case where you simply fell out and filed divorce and then withdrew it, I would say that is ok and no termination of the marital union took place

Some people do that on a monthly basis !

http://www.uscis.gov...000b92ca60aRCRD

.

Edited by Alan the Red, 30 November 2010 - 01:50 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-30 13:50:00
US Citizenship General Discussionn-400 noviembre 2010

hmm ok.. wont stresw it but i have families in DR, Jamaica and Canada us of couurse who are either natural or have gotten it thru residency requirements set by that country... they havent not had any problems.. i have families in the UK.. hmmmm dont communicate with them but hope they are not being dealth with in a bad way or a/b categories like here in the usa.. even so .. it's cool


A baby who came to the US legally at age 6 months and became a citizen and was raised as the adopted child of a Senator, is forever banned from the Presidency.

A baby born to an illegal immigrant in a field 100 yards on the US side of the Mexico border, is qualified to be President

That's as daft as the ban on catholics for monarch in Britain. Trouble is that changing anything in the U.S. is very slow and either doesn't happen or takes many decades. That's why the US was last in having votes for women and banning slavery etc. I don't expect to see a change in my life time so I might as well get myself a 'Category B'
T shirt.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-11-21 12:35:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionIs a violation affecting GOOD moral character?
Moral Turpitude OR bad character..

Some people have been refused on bad character grounds for not paying speeding tickets !

So messing with hookers has to be higher up the scale than that

The standard is how the average American citizen behaves.

Would the average American Citizen want someone with a hooker offense dating their daughter ?

I think it's a sticky wicket. I used to think that moral turpitude was the standard but it isn't. It's 'good character'

Seriously, you have been up to the line with your absences both total and the 6 month thing and you have been arrested for the hooker offence - if I were you I would leave it until the 5 years comes and then do it

I reckon you are at serious risk of being thrown out. They do warn you of that when the USCIS talks about the dangers of applying for naturalization.

So do the lawyers.

It happens that people are deported because of a naturalization application - it really does.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-14 12:05:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400

I suggest you contact USCIS now and place a service request to send you another biometrics letter. Insist that it got lost in the mail and mention that you already received the NOA so they have the correct address.

I wouldn't wait since some biometric appointments are in two weeks so it could be around this time and if they wait a long time, then it can get messy

Oh, the request for evidence notification online is actually your biometrics....


I totally second that. Also you could ask them the date and place over the phone. You need the letter to take with you but at least you will have the information. The appointment is usually 2 to 3 weeks after the letter.

Edited by saywhat, 16 August 2010 - 10:02 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-16 22:02:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionWhen to apply for citizenship
I like a happy ending

I am an admin nut and I was prepared with all the forms done 4 months before I was eligible
so that I could check em 50 times over before filing 2 minutes after the post office opened on the first eligible day.

I sometimes forget that other people are not like me

Perhaps they have got a life and I haven't !

I will still be glad when it's done.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-16 22:11:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionUSCIS address alert !

Only just seen this glad you took the plunge mate :thumbs:


Hi Dave !

yep have a butchers at my timeline signature !

It's scorching along so far - much faster than Texas bods..there will be the devil to pay later on I bet

I bet my wife videos me waving the little flag and blackmails me that she will send it to my mates in Yorkshire...

Edited by saywhat, 16 August 2010 - 05:19 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-16 17:16:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionUSCIS address alert !

Hi Everyone,

My experience with sending things to the USCIS....
(I've sent stuff to Vermont, Kentucky, Texas, etc....in regards to the USCIS...)

I've always sent it with "priority mail" and "delivery confirmation" with the "USPS"....

And I sent it to the regular/non-courier/USPS address specified.....

It costs $5-6 or so to anywhere in the USA...For about 1-150 pages of paperwork in a 'flat rate' priority mail envelope.....

And I always track it online, with the delivery confirmation option...
So I make sure it gets there.....
And it usually got there in 3-5 days.....

I never did signature confirmation...
As I figured it would slow things down with them having to find someone for a signature...
Nor did I bother with extra insurance...It's not worth insurancing paperwork like this....

And I never bothered with a courier...
As I don't want to spend the extra money in sending it that way...(lol..I'm broke enough paying for application fees)...

I figure too, if the USCIS uses USPS...
Then I use USPS too..
What goes around comes around....;)

Hope this helps. Good luck, with whatever delivery method you decide to use....

Ant


yes its all about the signature I agree

With signature - street address
Without signature - po box

We have slow mail from here in Tumbleweedville and sometimes it takes a week even to CA from Washington State. So I am using USPS express which guarantees next day. It will go to the street address as it requires signature.

Then feet up and relax

I keep having a dream, that at the interview, I get 3 wrong and the last one is what kind of wood George Washington's teeth were made from..

The only actual hurdle is the ceremony as I am always ragging on the yanks and my wife says she is bringing a video camera to get me with my little flag and my hand in the air and a tear in my eye. Think I will insist on wearing a Burka.

Edited by saywhat, 08 August 2010 - 03:46 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-08 15:45:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionUSCIS address alert !

We always paid our fees with a personal check, yes I have to print it out, but it is a verified receipt that they received our application.

As a matter of fact, just about anything we sent to the USCIS required a check be enclosed.

In our AOS stage and I-751 send those overnight, but noticed it could take one or two weeks before our cash was checked. Said the heck with it for the N-400 and sent it first class mail, within two days our check was cashed.

This led me to believe you teed somebody off if you force them to sign for your application, must toss it in a box and let it sit for a week or two.

Besides anything we received from the USCIS extremely important like appointment letters and even green cards were returned to us via first class mail.

Just our experience. What is your experience?


oh jeez we tried to do the GC from Lancashire and it was months between everything and the UPS (not usps) letter got returned as that address refuses courier stuff. We got there eventually but it was so hard to do it from abroad

I still shudder when I think about that process....

This n400 stuff is so much more relaxing as there are no consequences to delays.

then at 9am pacific on Monday it's mailed and it's bollocks to em, last USCIS application packet ever - and I can relax (I hope)

If my wife goes off with Pedro the gardener I still wouldn't get a mail order replacement - I would officially and irrevocably retire from birds AND even more convincingly - the USCIS

the USCIS will just be something that happens to other people...
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-08 15:36:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionUSCIS address alert !

not sure about everybody else BUT in our case, I have always send the paperwork thru usps to the "normal" add even though it has always went express because we ask for confirmation delivery (for peace of mind).. and this last time it was no exception, we mailed papers to the lockbox, sent express. In the past, they have never said anything and this last time, they just cashed my check so I am assuming it was the ok add... the word "courier deliveries" has always stopped us from sending to that alternative office or whatever it is...

(just my experience)

not sure if my answer is valid, husband is just telling me we send it priority mail with delivery confirmation..

so sorry.. I guess..


It is very confusing

My wife says that Express mail (via USPS) should go the street address rather than the PO box as express mail requires a signature and these are not available from the PO box. That sounds logical.

And the USCIS link above says it is the the street address for express mail and courier

Its the guide that is ambiguous as it says 'non USPS mail goes to the street address' - BUT express mail is USPS

So there is definitely a conflict between the guide and the USCIS web site

Anyway i will send it to the street address and cross fingers.

I like the street address better coz it says 'n-400' on the address and it gives me a bit of hope that it's right

It reminds me of the goon show - Halt, who goes there, put up your hands and lay down your arms'
razernfrazernrazzern USCIS ... can't win

roll on the ceremony
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-07 21:34:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionUSCIS address alert !
Mailing my n-400

The address in the guide for my State is:

Phoenix PO box 21251 but

for non usps and courier it is 1820 e skyharbor

I decided to lash out and send it express mail via USPS and I read the above instruction as saying IF IT IS USPS then it goes to po box 21251

At the last minute I found the link below that says if it is Express mail (The usps service). it should go the second address !


USCIS instructions are ambiguous yet again !

The only reason I looked is I was filling in the express mail address label and i was looking to see if there were 4 extra zip code numbers.

phew ANOTHER lucky escape

Get me away from these crazies !

http://www.uscis.gov...00048f3d6a1RCRD

Edited by saywhat, 06 August 2010 - 03:57 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-06 15:57:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionIMPORTANT - inconsistent case#

We called up USCIS today and when we asked about the two case numbers, we got transferred to an IO. She said (expected) that the top number was the right one attached to hubby's A-number, and to disregard the second number. She said she couldn't open up a service request because it wasn't even 30 days yet (going by receipt date of July 19) and anyway they don't open service requests unless the bio was missed (WRONG!). She said our application was still at the service center awaiting scheduling of local biometrics, and scheduling depends on how many people are waiting in front of us for dates. and all cities are different. :( So, still the waiting game for us (while most everyone else who sent in July applications already either completed their bio or has their notice).


worraloadertosh !

I have yet to find anyone who has been unsuccessful at an attempted FP walk-in - so what's all this about they have a scheduling line.... rhubarb. Miss-Inflammation line strikes again.

It's all me eye and Betty Martin and they just schedule it 2 to 3 weeks in advance of when they mail the thingy

Edited by saywhat, 16 August 2010 - 05:38 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-16 17:37:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionIMPORTANT - inconsistent case#

Don't worry about Friday the 13th - my hubby had his visa interview on Friday the 13th and passed with no problems so, it's been lucky for us! :thumbs:

Also, someone recently posted saying they did their Removing Conditions FP ten months ago and still they had to do it again for Citizenship so... no consistency here. :no:


My immediate thought was "hooray the check has cleared, they have accepted the case" - then I read that they can send the file back or deny it and keep the money after they cash the check if some bird brain reads my actual 88 days as 110. Then it can be a 12 month exchange of letters etc..

jeez just let me get clear of them for once and for always

I am assuming that once I get the FP I should be some way down the line..
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-15 20:31:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionIMPORTANT - inconsistent case#

yes , I had my last biometrics at AUGUST 1st 2009 for removing the condition on my green card and this year applied for Naturilazation on JULY 6th 20010, so it was only 11 months in between... but, what I understand this is not a strict rule for uscis , I mean there r lots of people who got their biometric less than a year ago but still having FP notice... on the other hand just because they don't require me to be Fingerprinted at this point doesn't necessarily mean that they won't require it at interview step.. I have read on somewhere else about a case that, applicant never received a FP notice for same reason but then even though she passed her interview they hold her approval and required her to get FP done after interview because FP was already expired before the day of interview.. hopefully this will not be the case for me:)) but to tell you the truth when it comes to USCIS nothing surprise me anymore..:innocent:


ah - I thought it rang a bell that removal of conditions people don't usually get FP again at naturalization so that makes sense. Know what you mean about USCIS - anything can happen (and probably will)

I wish my check had cleared Thursday 12th August and not Friday 13th - I am filled with foreboding.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-15 19:50:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionIMPORTANT - inconsistent case#

Hi all, I'm a long time lurker but first time poster! I also have two case numbers on my NOA for my N-400. I did an internet search and found some info on another website. Unfortunately I cannot copy and paste it as the website will not allow it so here is the link (website removed by request). It sums up what lailaa said about the second number (with the $ sign) is a payment identification number. I hope I am allowed to post link? If not sorry!


Welcome and thanks chucky !

WE sure need each other when doing all this USCIS stuff

Edited by Kathryn41, 06 December 2011 - 04:51 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-14 19:17:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionIMPORTANT - inconsistent case#
ah if they already have your biometrics does that mean you had them done recently in the last 18 months or so - for some process ?

I seem to remember that not everyone has to have bio if they have a recent version on file ?
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-14 13:20:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionSame day ceremony??

All I could find was Twin City newspaper articles on how slow the oath ceremony was, as long as nine months! Some reasons is they wanted to have a big party with at least 3,500 applicants, others, couldn't find a free judge or a place to hold it in. That is when I decided to contact my senator, not even sure why we have to go to Bloomington when Milwaukee is closer, but even people only living 65 miles north of Milwaukee were forced to go to Bloomington. Bloomington is a small town about 13 miles south of St. Paul and the people that live in Bloomington vehemently object to the USCIS office calling it St. Paul as do the people living in Minneapolis.

But only about 8 blocks from the Mall of America where I can buy a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee for only nine dollars, other bargains there as well


Heck - we started this journey in Hubertus, 20 miles north of Milwaukee - must be v close to you. Guess at Fond du lac. Oshkosh etc excellent. She was there last week and is homesick for that area. Bloody homesick when I am 8 time zones from home and live among 300 million extremist crazies - jeez..

I just want my FP date then I can plan my UK holiday straight after - they can take as long as they want after that coz jury duty doesn't appeal one bit.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-17 13:09:00