Another step in the road to US citizenship

It’s now late 2020. 

I first visited my future wife here in Abq through the Labor Day weekend in 2006. Several visits later, both in Abq and my home at the time in British Columbia we made the commitment to each other and began the long process of having me relocate to the USA.

The initial forms etc were submitted in mid-2007 and finally approved in spring 2009 after more paperwork, medical exams, interview at the US Consulate. On May 1 2009 I entered the USA using my immigrant visa.

We were very happily married (and still are!) shortly after my arrival here, and then submitted the 2 year provisional green card paperwork. Followed up with the 10-year card and though I was eligible to file for citizenship after 3 years I felt I wanted my “money’s worth” for that 10 year card that cost about $1K.

So…early in 2020 I felt it was time to start filing the citizenship paperwork, knowing that it would likely be a long process and I wanted it done well before the green card “expired.”

I filed it all online in April and to my surprise it’s moved forward quickly – I’ve been asked to appear for my interview/test on Tuesday this week. I’ve been studying the civics and am pretty confident going in.

I’m hoping it ends up as more or less a formality as all my docs are in order and the language issue ought to be pretty moot….I just need to remember not put those “u” letters in colo(u)r and favo(u)r etc and hope they don’t just say “get out of here you hoser eh”

All that aside, the mountain of paperwork is worth it. I am a “do it right” guy.