ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
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
US Citizenship General DiscussionSame day ceremony??

I found out everything about my local office by searching online and not at VJ. Quite often a local immigration lawyer will have a discussion board or information on their web site and you can glean a lot of information from that.


That's a good tip

didn't work for me as Yakima is only 2 coyotes, a rusty broken tractor and a bunch of sage grass - so I drew a blank
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-17 11:59:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionSame day ceremony??

Thats the problem with this board, you learn that the some odd 80 field offices all have different procedures. And even how your interview goes is further dependent on which IO you get stuck with. Seems like there should be more consistency, but apparently they let the office managers play games to their liking.


USCIS site says they aim at doing ceremonies withing 4 weeks - then it says check your office profile for their particular policy. I just have done (Yakima). There is a policy page but no mention of interview to ceremony wait time.

The whole set up is a joke that has had me running round in circles since early 2005. I must have worn 6 mouses out.

With luck I should be free of these goons in 3 to 4 months.

I pity all the illegal Hispanics who will have to do 9 years on a work visa after the amnesty and then start this process. I am sure it will be just as cruddy in 12 years from now. My wife says it will be like the Reagan amnesty and nobody will bother doing it.

My application is going ridiculously well at the mo - I fear a BIG crash at some stage coz nobody gets a free pass from a damn good waterboarding.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-17 10:30:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionSame day ceremony??

I was wondering about this as well. I really want my children to attend their stepfather's oath ceremony - I feel it would be educational, and mean alot to all of us. But, I don't want to drag them along for the interview just to find out they'll have to wait for another day. But I don't want to take the chance of having them miss it.... I guess there's always the option to say "no thanks" if offered same day, but who wants to do that?

I mean, does NO ONE ever know before going if there is any chance of having their oath ceremony that day? It's a big enough deal for many people that it seems strange there's no way to know ahead of time.... whether or not to bring along family members....

I wish there was an easy way to find out where it is/is not done, how often, etc...

venusfire


try searching members on vj and put a filter on for your office and 'naturalization' or 'naturalization pending' - then pm the members and ask.

That was my idea but there are no members who have gone through my office - yakima
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-16 22:19:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion about Citizenship

For most people, historically, the distinction has been irrelevant. The processing times for AOS caused the GC residence date for K-1 people to be significantly more than 90 days after their wedding date. They had therefore always been married more than 3 years at the 3-years-of-residence-minus-90-days date.

But because USCIS has gotten so much faster, there is a growing group of K-1 people, myself among them, who received their GC within 90 days of their wedding, and will therefore not have been married for 3 years at the 3-years-of-residence-minus-90-days date. For us, the earliest date we can apply for citizenship is the day of (or one day after) our 3rd wedding anniversary, even though that date occurs after the 3-years-of-residence-minus-90-days date.

Make sense?



yes it makes sense ! wow these 'new' situations keep popping up. It's a good job people have chance to read this stuff before they apply or there would be a lot more rejected applications and lost money.

We were right at the end of a 1 year battle with USCIS at GC stage and waiting only for the embassy interview when they decided to fight over wife's US domicile. We thought we had it all completed - so I know not to count my chickens before they hatch when it comes to the USCIS.

Who knows what else is lurking. I will be on pins every day from now to the end of the ceremony.

I need my divorce from them quick !

Edited by saywhat, 18 August 2010 - 11:44 AM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-18 11:44:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion about Citizenship

That is correct, but to do AOS through marriage, you need to submit a marriage certificate - which basically assures that you are married before the permanent residence status is even granted. I might be missing something in my understanding. Am I?


We got married in Wisconsin on a K1 but then left for the UK before AOS.

We then applied for my GC visa while there.

I entered on a GC visa and then received my GC in Florida 4 weeks later

We had already been married 2 years so no AOS and no ROC needed

I applied for USC 90 days before the third anniversary of my GC (dated arrival date POE)

BUT

I need to show we had been married AND living together for 3 years at the time of application for USC - that is, from the period starting 90 days before I came to the US on my immigrant visa.

Summary:

Condition 1 ... I apply 90 days before the third anniversary of my GC which is dated as arrival date
Condition 2.. I must have been living with and married to my current wife for 3 years at the time of application - ie 90 days before I came to the US

I enclosed a copy of my wife's UK GC (further leave to reamin) which is dated earlier than the 90 days before we left for Florida


jeez get me out of this - 3 months to go hopefully

Edited by saywhat, 18 August 2010 - 11:02 AM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-18 11:01:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion about Citizenship
At the application date I have to show married 3 years married and living with.
It is a different requirement to the 3 year anniversary of the GC

They could and would have caught me for no evidence of 'living with' in the 90 days before coming to the US on an unconditional GC issued in London. I therefore showed em evidence we we married and living together in the UK during that 90 day period.


post 5 on this link >>
http://www.visajourn...-90-days-early/

Edited by saywhat, 17 August 2010 - 06:39 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-17 18:38:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion about Citizenship

What I mean is that the "Resident Since" is what they go by and not marriage date. You need to have been married to the same USC that filed AOS and ROC for you, still be married and living together to be eligible to file based on 3 years.



I never did AOS and ROC so I have to show that I was married to her and living with her for 3 years at the date of application. It just struck me at the last moment that I needed to show our 'live with' relationship in the UK as the last 90 days of that forms part of the 3 years at application date.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-17 18:28:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion about Citizenship

No, it's not. Read the box at the bottom of page 22 of the PDF.
You can apply 90 days before the 3 or 5 year residence requirement is met, BUT you MUST [their word] be married 3 years before you file.

AND living with - not just married to.

I have my 3 years less 90 days in and living in the US with wife and GC -- but I had to prove that I was living with in the 90 days prior to coming to the US. I did that by enclosing my USC wife's UK green card.

Edited by saywhat, 17 August 2010 - 06:10 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-17 18:09:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDual citizenship
Alarm bells if your wife is still in Canada - you said she has been there most of her life.

The USCIS may well say she is not US domiciled and cannot sponsor you for a US green card.

make sure she is domiciled in the US first

Most people say it's no problem as long as she intends to take up residence with you in the US - but we were denied for 'no domicile' and it was two weeks and many phone calls and letters while we slogged it out with the USCIS. We were living in the UK but she was conditional so could not file in London

Only her filing her state taxes the year before in Wisconsin saved us and made them relent and they were very grudging and we had to go high up...

Edited by saywhat, 13 August 2010 - 10:34 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-13 22:33:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDual citizenship

I have already been in the US under a student visa for two years. Would that count as 2 of the three years necessary? Do I have to apply for a permanent resident status before applying for citizenship?


The three years starts from the day you acquire your green card (the date on it).

I applied today for US Citizenship and I entered the country in 2007 as a permanent resident with a green card. Doesn't matter if the card is conditional or unconditional - it's 3 years from the date on the card and that is the day you enter with the immigrant visa or the day you adjust status if you were not married when you enter.

All non immigrant visas are irrelevant to this subject and all time spent in country without a GC is irrelevant.
Only a GC holder can apply for Naturalization.

Edited by saywhat, 10 August 2010 - 06:32 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-10 18:27:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionNaturalization experience yesterday

Your husband should have asked, politely of course. According to his interview summary sheet, USCIS has 120 days to respond. But if they don't you have to take action. Heard of oath ceremonies from 30 minutes to 15 months, depending on the field office.


jeez 15 months hope not...trying to fit holidays in while waiting for the ceremony letter for 15 months - that would be awful..

There seems to be no way to find out

I will be at Yakima and i have searched all VJ time lines for pending or done naturalization for that office

nothing


I will just have to ask them at FP time and/or interview time as I am sure the experience of calling the misinformation line will be much, much worse than hanging myself upside down for a month with my head in a bucket of stale cat urine. Not that I have tried the latter, but I have tried the former many times.

Edited by saywhat, 16 August 2010 - 03:23 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-16 15:21:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionNaturalization experience yesterday

My husband had his naturalization interview in Harlingen yesterday. He was called in about 5 minutes after the appointment time. The officer didn't ask him for any supporting documentation/additional evidence, asked him a few questions about his marriage, address, phone, a few questions about me, etc., and then proceeded with the written, oral, and civics portion of the interview. 15 minutes later we were on our way - he has a letter saying "congrats, it seems that you have met the requirements for naturalization. A letter will arrive later with information about..." or something to that effect. My husband said the officer was polite, not very expressive, but did congratulate him at the end of the interview.

So, my question is now how long is it usually between the interview and receiving notification of the oath ceremony? I was kind of hoping that it would all happen yesterday, but it looks like we'll wait a bit longer.

In retrospect, all the documentation and evidence wasn't even asked for, but we felt better knowing we had it all with us just in case. Best of luck to all! :)


depend on the office

some get done the same day and some wait a couple of months

I will ask at the interview

I am being done in Yakima Washington - they save em up and have ceremonies every now and then (i think). They have them at at different places in the state and invite the local mayor etc

Wish they would just get on with it
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-14 11:53:00
US Citizenship General Discussionlawyer Cannot be in the room with me: is that True?
Wouldn't turning up with a lawyer ring a few bells ?

If one had one's lawyer present when proposing marriage, the lady might get suspicious...

Edited by saywhat, 13 August 2010 - 06:34 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-13 18:34:00
US Citizenship General Discussionnaturalization question

Well hopefully no more wars are going to start because the earth is exhausted of them !!


I agree with that, but history shows that the US is not between wars for long.
However, Egypt is seen as a friend so there is every chance there will be no problem.

Of course Iraq was a friend and Saddam Hussein was given lots of weapons by the US just before it was attacked by the US - so it doesn't always work out.

I have my own strategy ready for if the US bombs England but I keep it secret so not even Mr O knows...

Just do it - it's fun...
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-19 18:45:00
US Citizenship General Discussionnaturalization question

Thank you very much

Now i understand it clearly


Of course you can drive to Canada when war breaks out. Many American citizens have done that especially in the Vietnam era. It's 3 hours drive from my house.
You can talk your way around this. Imagine Egypt's worst enemy and imagine the US declaring war on them . You could support that.

Oh wait a minute though...perhaps that's not going to happen.

ok second worst ?
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-19 16:38:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion re Biometrics notice

I reckon you are right.

But it would be nice if they could mail it out as quickly as they cashed our check. ;)


I'll dance to the beat, shuffle my feet
Wear a shirt and tie and run with the creeps
Cause it's all about money, ain't a damn thing funny
You got to have a con in this land of milk and honey
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-20 11:22:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion re Biometrics notice

Agreed. I received an email on the 17th saying that the RFE had been mailed out on the 13th but it still has not arrived in the mail. And the online status only shows RFE but no FP appointment date.

No matter what - have fun on holiday!

I reckon we should use the email date as the mailing date as it probably takes a day or three to get to the mail room from when the computer produces it.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-20 10:46:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion re Biometrics notice

Don't know how close your ASC is for biometrics, but you could possibly do a walk-in without the bio letter for N400, with your NOA. I know this is doable for military personnel and their family members and I know there was a change of rules for ASC for N400 cases.

ASC is 120 miles each way
hum yes I will remember that in case the fp letter gets lost...
Never thought of that
They can only say no
cheers !
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-20 10:40:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion re Biometrics notice

Agreed. I received an email on the 17th saying that the RFE had been mailed out on the 13th but it still has not arrived in the mail. And the online status only shows RFE but no FP appointment date.

No matter what - have fun on holiday!


cheers !

got the rfe this morning but they wont tell me the date so ... bum !
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-20 10:37:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion re Biometrics notice

No, the online status doesn't show the FP appointment date. Misinformation line wouldn't know either but if you can somehow convince the first person who answer the phone to transfer you to an IO, then the IO should be able to tell you the date bearing that the FP letter had already been issued. But I bet you can walk in once you received the FP letter, would that help arranging your trip?


Well I was trying to steal a march on the 4 to 6 days it will take to arrive at my house.

I am trying to arrange the holiday for mid september and if I get the date of the FP appointment 4 days earlier than waiting for the letter, it would give us a bit more time to arrange things. I will still do a walk in when I get the letter.

I suppose when I see the RFE I can assume that the letter will arrive in 4 to 6 days...
I would schedule the holiday straight after the original appointment date even if I do a successful walk in well before.

Getting the date at the same time as the RFE would let my wife book holiday at work too.

yes I will try the IO route via the tell you anything line..

Edited by saywhat, 19 August 2010 - 10:46 PM.

Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-19 22:45:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion re Biometrics notice
I have an account set up at USCIS so I can see when my case is 'touched' and I have it set to receive emails and texts

I got my NOA 1 today (see signature timeline below)

As I understand it, the next step will be an RFE which means that the biometrics appointment has been mailed

This whole process seems to vary enormously with some reporting check cashed after 2 weeks (mine was 3 days) and some reporting bio letter 2 days after NOA1 and some reporting it 2 weeks later

I am trying to arrange a UK holiday straight after biometrics and it takes 4 days or so for letters to reach this location

SO:

My question is this:

When the RFE shows online, will it show the date of the appointment ? If not, will the misinformation line know if I call them ?

thanks

Alan
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-19 21:56:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionWoo-hoo!!!

Tell me about it! I don't think it has sunk in yet. I don't feel any different. Apparently there is no parade, the news channels aren't calling, and Perez Hilton hasn't blogged about it. Geez, I thought this was special.....


hey you will think it's special when they parachute you into Iran with a rolling pin and a big flag

we are all equal now you know !
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-19 16:42:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionWoo-hoo!!!

Yaaaaayyy!!! Congratulations!!!!:dance: :dance: :dance:



Now don't turn up for the ceremony in your pole dancing gear or you will have to start again !

Congrats ! and dont worry about certificate in the mail for the passport as they NEVER get lost...

Seriously - relax

ok me saying it I am still mentally quivering after the GC fiasco and that was 2007 - so it may take a while for you to realise you have escaped them forever - some PTSD is to be expected but it will pass....
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-19 16:10:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionFailed to get FP date from USCIS

Hey come join us on the August filers list. Enter your information on it and track stuff. :thumbs:


Will do !

didn't see it before....

We shall overcome some day !
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-20 14:49:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionFailed to get FP date from USCIS

A very impressive timeline! Posted Image took my RFE four weeks to be produced. I reckon because the local office is always swamped. This rate you'll be naturalized by the end of Sept! Posted Image


Well my 3 year isn't until Nov 5.

However my local office Yakima takes a month or more from interview to ceremony so it could work out fine. Folks report that an interview before the 3 year is ok but the ceremony must be after.

What am I saying ! this is the USCIS and for me it always sets off well and then falls into a hole right at the end. Other folk start slowly and then gather speed. It's unpredictable I reckon but it's supersonic just now..
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-20 11:37:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionFailed to get FP date from USCIS
My application is going unbelievably well - it surpasses my wildest dreams and I have some pretty wild dreams you know.

I got my email and txt this morning to say the Biometrics RFE had been issued

I live in a desert surrounded by diamond back rattlesnakes so it takes a while for letters to get here and I am anxious to get the FP scheduled date as I am planning a UK holiday immediately after FP's

So I called the droning alien misinformation line. I haven't called them since 2007 so it was deja vu all over again to hear a human speak with the tones of a 1981 computer.

I told her I got an email from USCIS today to say my biometrics letter was being produced. I told her I am planning a holiday so could she please tell me what the FP appointment date is on the letter

5 more minutes of misinformation then she said no
I asked if she could possibly put me through to someone who had access to the file so they could tell me the appointment date and she said no

She said I should make an info pass at my local office 120 miles away so I could ask them.

I expect the letter will take 6 days or so - so there is no way I am going to learn the FP date before it arrives here...

Inability to organize a good time in a brewery springs to mind
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-20 10:30:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionOath ceremoney

Ibarek fik , romdanik mabrouk


heck that's KKK code for Hi bro !
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-20 16:35:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionInterview tips
write the answers on your palm like sarah palin or buy my patented microchip spectacles that show a heads up display of all the answers and scroll down by moving your eyelashes down or clearing your throat.

Caution:
don't try this at home...and the McDonald's coffee can scald if you throw it in the baby's face
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-20 16:32:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionInterview tips

I'm a little nervous as well, not that I'm not well prepared but I'm just afraid that something is going to go wrong and out of my imagination.

I'm bringing all the originals as well, just anything I can think of and as much as I can carry.

My hubby has to work so he won't be there. We just can't afford for the both of us to take a day off under this economy. Hopefully with all the evidence I bring, they won't still be thinking that our marriage is fraud.

Best of luck to the both of us!! Praying that we will both have a nice IO!


Most people report that the USCIS don't ask for any supporting documents at all.

They will only judge the marriage a fraud if they ask you if you ever argue and you reply 'No, never'
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-19 21:09:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionInterview tips
all except the rent agreement - the USCIS specifically mentions that.

If you own the house then purchase agreement and/or mortage

You didn't mention that but presumably you submitted it


hope you remember what kind of wood george washington's teeth were made from....
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-19 20:50:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionInterview tips
I also submitted the purchase summary of our house. If you rent, then the rent agreement.

As far as the interview is concerned, as an aid to memory I used a technique I used in my accountancy finals. Unclutter your mind and learn only the minimum

3 Colonies ? key is 'new' so new york, new hampshire, new jersey > forget the rest

2 american public holidays > christmas and new years (same as uk)

how many in congress 435
I knew it was four hundred and some so I just start with 4 and then go down one and then up one so 4 -3 -5

right/responsibilities - just remember 'vote' as it works for both - forget the rest

by using this technique you can remember the 100 easily

I studied past questions for the accountancy exam and realised that 40% of the curriculum never came up - so I studied the 60% only. It worked.

Hope my doctor/pilot didn't use the same technique
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-19 20:29:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionTravel While Naturalization is Pending
Admiralty rules

What to do if your ship is caught on a lee shore

answer:

Never put your ship on a lee shore
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-18 19:11:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionReally Sad Interview
In these circumstances where you didn't know the real date you became a GC holder and your only evidence was your GC itself, then they owe you that money through their negligence.
They may say that you were sent a notice at the time your GC was approved and you should have checked your GC against the date on that notice - watch out for that.

Whatever, it's a rotten trick to try and take your money at this stage through their mistake. Get after em for the money and file again quickly within the real 90 days while waiting for it (If you can fund that).
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-23 16:59:00
US Citizenship General Discussionbiometrics schedule... ???
It's Phoenix that is scorching fast at the moment..

no doubt they will make up for it later in the process

It should arrive at your house about 4 days after your USCIS online account shows RFE as that is the bio appointment
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-24 17:36:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionBad credit history
I reckon she will be OK as the standard of good character is 'an average american' and the average American is 'in up to their arm pits' right now...

With ONE qualification

A guy on here was refused because he didn't pay his speeding / parking tickets.
She needs to make sure that penalties owing to THE GOVERNMENT including States/Cities etc are cleared...
Owing money to banks and private people/organizations etc is no problem
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-25 18:47:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionCitizenship Ceremony at courthouse

Hi everyone,
well, my wife is finally at the end of the "process" and has her Naturalization interview date on September 10. My question is that is at the US District Courthouse in West Palm Beach and not at the USCIS office where it usually is at. Can we bring friends? Can we film the ceremony? Is it a group ceremony or individual? I had some questions about it and tried to call the courthouse, but there is no answer. Anyone with experience with a ceremony at the courthouse would be greatly appreciated!! Bottom line...were happy beyond words, just would like to know what to expect......


try doing a search of VJ members and set the filter to that office and naturalization completed or naturalization pending

If it returns someone - pm them
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-25 19:11:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionBIO and interview at same place ?

Feel that my wife is the most beautiful woman in the world and also my best friend. Was making quite a bit more money than her until my job was shipped to China, but still enough to support her, would have to tighten the belt a quite a bit more. Hear about people should retrain into high skilled jobs, ha, already there, maybe something will open with this green stuff but so far,just talk.

Still feel this can be the greatest country in the world with decent leadership, shame we only have a two party system, and ironic that each member of the two parties has to vote the way there party tells them to. But more and more people are waking up when it hits their pocketbook.

Wasn't even concerned about health insurance until Reagan got in, besides kicking my kid off my policy with a pre-condition, rates skyrocketed. Like a 30 buck a room hospital bed jumping up to the 2,000-3,000 buck range. And its the same damned room like it was 25 years ago! A ten buck doctor visit for a sneeze jumped up from ten bucks to over 500! That is absurd.



All about healthcare now..

Wifey's brother is a claim killer - he works for a health insurance co and makes sure they refuse to pay when people claim - it's a huge department - the core of the business. He thinks he will go to heaven too.

If I got a 500k health claim prob I would be on the plane out of here. It would be that or lose everything here.

Went for skin cancer check last week. She said shirt off - took a look - all clear come back next year. Start to finish 25 seconds in the room and she was gone. I bet that is $350.

Aneurin Bevan was a saint (and probably a relative)
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-26 15:22:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionBIO and interview at same place ?

Still the first amendment rights to free speech, but that doesn't cover being liable toward someone. Can be sued for that.

I am not in the best of moods, increased my property taxes last year by 500 bucks, college tuition just went up another 1.400 bucks this coming year, that was a shock, then got a letter from the assessors office telling my the assessment on my home increased 8%! Can't wait to see my next property tax bill. Then just heard on the news that property values are going way down, lowest percentage wise in some 30 years due to the poor economy. City claims the are not getting the money from the state and the state claims they are not getting our money from the feds.

In the meantime, wife said no more overtime, dismissing employees, and she has to work a lot harder. If a patient does not show up for a scheduled appointment, she has to use her vacation time or loose her benefits for not putting in her 40 hours.

Emilio, former head of the USCIS got congress to more than double the fees with a promise of a 10% decrease in processing times. The rest of us with jobs have to work more than twice as hard for 10% less pay or even more. Police and fire department is always calling for donations, but they get to retire at 55 years of age with 75% pay. Claim their jobs are dangerous, but when you call them, they run the other way, and watched a neighbors house burn down because the fireman didn't want to get too close. Those road sings, men working should be changed to guys standing around doing nothing. University professors demand a wage increase due to inflation the federal government claims that it doesn't exist. This goes on and on. But all a guy can do is to b!tch about it, least for now.

Keep track of Venezuela, we still own property down there, was good and bad news yesterday, Chavez's popularity is down to 36%, that was the good news, the bad news is that he doesn't have any opposition, they either left the country or are in prison. We haven't gotten that bad here yet, but its happening.


I reckon every immigrant has a totally unique perspective.
I am retired but my wife is young and beautiful and has a good job with good benefits - so I play in the sun while she provides the health care and halfs all by bills.

Washington State has no income tax and the property tax is reasonable.

If my wife divorced me, I would have to pay a fortune for health care until I was old enough for Medicare and then I would pay $7k a year for life to buy in. That might make me leave but not necessarily.
You will get most of it free after 10 years contributions.

You are at the toughest stage of life and it takes some hacking. When I was 24 I had a wife and 2 kids and was working 10 days on and 1 day off on 24 hour shifts. I was feeling the strain - and my dad laughed and said "A tuppeny bun costs eightpence now lad"

That stage will pass and life will get easier - and then you die.
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-26 12:35:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionBIO and interview at same place ?

Could be the USCIS wants the immigrants to see more of America. Could be they are in cahoots with the oil companies so you burn more gas. Asked why our local police department couldn't take fingerprints, they don't trust them. None of our agencies trust each other, but we are suppose to trust all of them.

Welcome to the USA.

chuckle... the day after I arrived in 2007, I bought a car in Tampa and the salesman was a Brit who has been here 20 years. He told me all the junk and said 'welcome to america' with the usual sardonic tone. A lot of these ex-pats are curious personalities - not us of course. :yes:

I reckon you and me can handle it now and it is 'normal' - but I don't know if that means we have become adjusted or we have become maladjusted :lol:
Captain OatesMaleEngland2010-08-26 10:10:00