US citizen

[ethiostar]

Congrats!

I became a US Citizen in 2000 after the new law allowing children of non-natural born citizen not have to jump through the loopholes. My parents got citizenship in 1999, and I applied for it through their citizenship in 2000.

We came to the US in 1990 (October 30th to be exact. I was 4 years old, imagine my surprise and confusion with 10/31 holiday ritual) on economic/political asylum too (my maternal grandfather was a carpenter for the US Army during the Vietnam War; "we" as in my parents, got caught two times before finally getting out of VN in 1988; spent a year and a half in HK refugee camp then 7 months in the Philippines Refugee camp before coming to Arkansas).

I never had to spend time at a refugee camp but my brother did. Two years in Kenya. I can only imagine what you and your family had to endure at those camps.

 

[DIAF]

Does citizenship take THIS long now? Wow.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Awesome news...congrats

 

[ethiostar]

Does citizenship take THIS long now? Wow.

No, it doesn't take this long. I was eligible to apply for citizenship as early as 1999. Once you have a permanent resident status you have to wait 5 years and then you qualify to apply for naturalization.

 

[DIAF]

No, it doesn't take this long. I was eligible to apply for citizenship as early as 1999. Once you have a permanent resident status you have to wait 5 years and then you qualify to apply for naturalization.

I was wondering. It took my mom less than 10 years to be naturalized.

 

[Hoofbite]

Awesome. Congrats.

 

[JustDezIt]

happy to have ya

 

[silverbear]

Me, that is.

After almost 24 years in the US, I became a citizen this morning. I am very grateful for every opportunity this country has provided me.

Welcome to the club, my brother, and congratulations...

Most of us were given our citizenship at birth, you went out and earned yours...

God bless the USA, and all of our citizens-- including our newest...

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Long over due.

Where were you from originally?

 

[zrinkill]

Congrats.

And we are proud to have ya!

Like BP said, Good to see that some still do things the right way.

This......

Grats ethiostar!

 

[SC Cowboyfan]

congrats!

 

[SC Cowboyfan]

Don't know why, but stuff like this always brings tears to my eyes. I think so many of us native born Americans are spoiled by our own country and don't appreciate it enough. When I see the stuff folks like you have to do to be equal with us I think the spoiled ones should know how precious it is.

Congrats my friend. Proud to call you compatriot.

agree 100%Hos. My family came to the United States in 1982 when I was nine. I have to hold my tongue a lot of times when I see people complaining about things in this country. If they knew what it was like in a lot of the other countries, they would be grateful.

I am forever grateful for what this country has provided me and my family.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Congrats man!!!

 

[casmith07]

Me, that is.

After almost 24 years in the US, I became a citizen this morning. I am very grateful for every opportunity this country has provided me.

aboard!

It's too bad it took you 24 years (and I'm sure that's not your fault), but we're happy to have ya

 

[Hostile]

agree 100%Hos. My family came to the United States in 1982 when I was nine. I have to hold my tongue a lot of times when I see people complaining about things in this country. If they knew what it was like in a lot of the other countries, they would be grateful.

I am forever grateful for what this country has provided me and my family.

You gave this country back some beautiful kids. It's a fair trade my friend.

 

[dougonthebench]

Congrats!

 

[ethiostar]

Long over due.

Where were you from originally?

Ethiopia.

aboard!

It's too bad it took you 24 years (and I'm sure that's not your fault), but we're happy to have ya

Thanks Cas.

It is in fact nobody's fault. As i stated earlier in the thread, I could have received it much earlier. For a lot of reasons, some that probably would not make sense to many, I didn't apply for naturalization until this year.

The process at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) used to be a nightmare a decade or so ago. It used to take a very long time to process any request (e.g., green card, visa, naturalization, etc...). However, they have come a long way since then. Most of the process has been streamlined and as long as you follow instructions to a tee and unless there are some unusual circumstances, most immigrants get their cases handled fairly quickly.

When my older siblings and cousins applied for their citizenship, i would guess in the 80's and early 90's, it literally took at least a year for the process to get finalized. I applied in early March, 2011, had my citizenship test/interview in May and I was given a chance to take my oath of allegiance in July. However, I was already scheduled to present at a conference at that time and elected to take my oath at the next available time, which was this month.

So, as much as people still complain about the process, it has come a long way and I'm not sure how much better/faster it can get considering the current state of world politics.

 

[arglebargle]

Congrats!

I became a US Citizen in 2000 after the new law allowing children of non-natural born citizen not have to jump through the loopholes. My parents got citizenship in 1999, and I applied for it through their citizenship in 2000.

We came to the US in 1990 (October 30th to be exact. I was 4 years old, imagine my surprise and confusion with 10/31 holiday ritual) on economic/political asylum too (my maternal grandfather was a carpenter for the US Army during the Vietnam War; "we" as in my parents, got caught two times before finally getting out of VN in 1988; spent a year and a half in HK refugee camp then 7 months in the Philippines Refugee camp before coming to Arkansas).

I had a good friend who worked at that camp in Arkansas teaching English. He told me how the kids there picked things up incredibly fast. He may have even taught you!

 

[MetalHead]

Ethio you rock.

 

[bbgun]

I had a good friend who worked at that camp in Arkansas teaching English. He told me how the kids there picked things up incredibly fast. He may have even taught you!

Is it too late to get CCBoy enrolled?