Becoming A US Citizen

~ the britchy one

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Happy Very Special Birthday to me!

Three years ago today I recited the pledge and became a US Citizen. Something I have been amazed and humbled by every day since.

I registered to vote immediately after receiving my certificate of Citizenship and also to be an election inspector. I worked at, and voted in my first US election less than a month later. To date I have worked at and voted in eleven elections, both local, primaries and Presidential. I will be working at my twelfth next month.

Becoming a Citizen is quite a process. You have to be here for a qualifying period, in my case it was three years as a green card holder as I married a US Citizen. It’s usually at least five years, the marriage privilege isn’t an automatic right either. My first green card was only for two years as it was based on marriage. Then I had to reapply for a second green card and go through the entire process again. Right down to biometrics. My second green card was a ten year one. I had it for just over a year as I applied for citizenship on my third Anniversary of living here!

I had to re do all the biometrics AGAIN and be investigated by the FBI. If you read the news it’s something I have in common with a lot of people!!

Once all those checks were complete, I was sent an appointment for my Citizenship test. That was on August 30th at 9am. I had to go to the USCIS Center in Buffalo for that. I’d been there for green card interviews too so I knew the way! (The Starbucks up the road is awful! If you’re obsessively early like me, it’s a GHASTLY place to kill time)

I was tested on the Constitution, asked to name two to three tribes of Native Americans and a few other things. I had been asking everyone to test me for months. I knew they were going to ask up to ten questions and I had to get at least eight right. I answered every question correctly and would have kept going!

I was given a date for my Citizenship Ceremony which was in Rochester NY three years ago today at 11am EST.

I’m a very Proud Citizen

Published by the britchy one

A PROUD American Citizen who was born and bred in England and now resides in the US. I’m married to an American who really didn’t have a clue what he was letting himself in for - poor sod! I’m a cranky bitch who loves cats and books and hates chocolate, politics and Dave’s. Oh and mosquitos. I hate those blood sucking parasites but since I’ve already mentioned politics I’m repeating myself! I’m a short, skinny redhead, 3 kids, 2 dogs, not enough cats and a mouth with a death wish. Blood group - certifiable.

66 thoughts on “Becoming A US Citizen”

    1. I totally get it because I love reading others experiences of stuff like this too! It was a long journey! We met in 2005, then again in 2006 and started emailing, then phone calls etc through visiting each other and finally deciding to take the plunge in 2011!

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    1. Usually the first lady’s ten years but if you get it through marriage, the first only lasts two. Usually, you can become a Citizen after five years so you would only need one green card unless you weren’t planning on taking Citozenship

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  8. And your letter from the president is from Obama?! Awesome!

    Congratulations on being a citizen for so long! The only way I’d ever move to the US is for marriage haha. It’s not even a consideration otherwise

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  12. My Father-in-law just passed also so I know what you went through! That is not easy! Great determination on your part! Congratulations!! Well deserved! I am happy to see that you wrote that you are very proud because this is something to be proud of! God bless you!! 🤗

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  17. That’s wonderful! My partner was born in London, then raised/educated in Canada and is now a US citizen. As an immigrant, he constantly amazes me with how much he knows about US government and history which he learned through the process of becoming a citizen. I wonder what would happen if non-immigrants had to take the same test!!!

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  19. Happy third US Birthday – is that you in the picture then? You are way smaller than l thought much mcuh smaller 🙂 But you have wise hands, they used to call them Homemaker hands when l was a kid, can’t say that now, probably hitting some eqauality issue, so l will update it -practical hands. And pearls to boot 🙂

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  20. I prefer Homemaker hands also, you have similiar hands to my Mother and Suze 🙂 Most dwarfs get away with true ‘moider!’ It’s their ability to wiggle free and run under the legs of giant two leggeds – safe journey Britchy, drive carefully on the other end 🙂

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  24. From an Aussie who grew up in a time when we sang the National Anthem on school parade every morning, and raised the flag, to now no-one seems to know it, even for major sporting events. We have lost any sense of patriotism in Australia and New Zealand as things get watered down so as not to offend immigrants; snd it’s a wicked shame in my books! Here in NZ people can fly all sorts of flags on their own property even.
    I look on in amazement at the rich, proud patriotism of Americans. It is so foreign but something that seems to bind you all together in a powerful way. A sense of identity that the rest of us have lost. 😟🇦🇺🇳🇿 (How many can even tell the difference between these two?)

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    1. That is so sad to read. I think every country should be proud in regards to the flag and anthem, but I surely see the US as being a leader in patriotism. It truly is a magical feeling to be a part of such “brotherhood”. HOWEVER, this is also coming undone. With athletes protesting during the anthem. With protesters burning flags and knocking down statues in order to “make it better for the minorities”. It’s a sad time. I hope we survive it.

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      1. It is sad indeed. That has all been allowed to happen here. Wasn’t it a sign of treason in years gone by? While I love that we have freedom of speech etc, but the things that denote our countries strength of character comes after thousands of people have been prepared to give up their lives to protect it. Civic pride holds communities and nations together, especially when threatened from beyond. This political correctness madness is watering down national pride and respect for others.
        Don’t get me wrong, we have historically not done the right thing by our indigenous people, but there comes a time in the here and now that we need to be united….or divided we fall!

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      2. I think it’s an issue of values. Respect is considered old school, therefore not “cool”/ “hip” (or whatever the kids say these days).

        You make a great point about banding together when a nation is threatened from the outside. I feel like some people are inviting Trojan Horses in willingly and with eye wide open.
        History is full of mistakes. Of course. But it probably wasn’t YOU who did those things to the natives. YOU can only do things NOW.

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      3. You’ve hit the nail on the head there, on all points.
        Even though I’m here and now, and appalled at what our English ancestors did to the indigenous inhabitants when they settled in Australia.
        (Our government finally said “sorry” more than a decade ago, and 26th May is National Sorry Day each year 🤔). Historically they have thrown billions of dollars at trying to right the wrongs, according to their social conscience, but most of that has been misdirected, misused and abused; causing more injustice on whole aboriginal communities and generations. They are now largely dependent on welfare payouts to survive and the demon drink, that effects them more severely than it does the normal white drunk, has decimated them. I have no voice over the current government choices even now….on any matter. All I can do is shake my head in utter disbelief. In some ways nothing has changed.
        While the aborigines are crying and protesting about what the English did 240 years ago, those Trojan horses that have now infiltrated, and are building up power, are going to take us all by surprise and we’ll all suffer.

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  26. I too became an American citizen in much the same way as you but sadly for different reasons. My experiences with homeland security were awful to the point I never wanted to have to deal with them again and although I was a permanent resident I realized the only way I would be rid of them for good was to become a US citizen. That does not mean to say that I am not proud to be a US citizen because I am. Although I have come back to Australia I miss America, my second home and I know one day I will come back and I am truly grateful that with my American citizenship I have the option to do that.

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