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Categories: Immigration, Naturalization

Updating Social Security Record

Becoming a citizen of the United States is a significant milestone in one’s life. However, along with the joy and pride and relief that come with gaining US citizenship, there are practical matters to attend to, such as updating various official records. One crucial aspect is updating your Social Security record, ensuring that your citizenship status is accurately reflected for administrative and benefits purposes.

Understanding the Importance
Your Social Security number (SSN) serves as a unique identifier throughout your life in the United States. It is tied to your earnings, tax contributions, and eligibility for various benefits, including retirement, disability, and Medicare. Therefore, ensuring that your citizenship status is correctly documented with the Social Security Administration (SSA) is crucial for accessing these benefits seamlessly.

Updating your Social Security record after gaining US citizenship involves a straightforward process, but it’s essential to follow the necessary steps diligently. Here’s a general outline of what you’ll need to do:

To update your Social Security record, you will need an official confirmation of your citizenship: typically your Certificate of Naturalization, as well as your current Social Security card.

You can visit a SSA office (you may need to make an appointment in advance first) or apply online. In both cases, you will need to go to a SSA office in person, but I recommend applying online. This will just make the process much smoother.
Go to this page and respond to the few questions: https://www.ssa.gov/personal-record/update-citizenship-or-immigration-status
You will be able to print out the application after completing it.

If you have that ready with the required documents, it will only take you 5 minutes at the SSA desk! The SSA will verify these documents and update your record accordingly. You will leave with a receipt of your application and you should receive your new card in the mail in the following 2 weeks.

I needed to request a new Social Security card for my son as I couldn’t find his and it was the same process. Application online and visit to the office. I did both at the same time and I felt like I beat the matrix because I really didn’t wait long at all to get serviced and as I said it took only 5 minutes at the desk. what I decided to do is arrived right after they opened so I did not have to wait in line outside in the early morning. Everyone was inside and already had their ticket. And when you have your application(s) with you, the security guard gives you a number that seems to go faster.
So anyway, I was afraid it was going to be a headache, but it was a very smooth process. One thing down! On to the next…

Categories: Immigration, Naturalization, This American Life

Naturalization process

Becoming a U.S. citizen has never been a dream growing up or anything like that, but with the recent years, the idea of calling the United States my home, with all the rights and responsibilities that come with it, has become a necessity. Today, I want to share my journey to naturalization in the USA.

The Decision
My journey to naturalization began with a decision. I had been living in the United States as a permanent resident for several years, and though I am still working of the sense of belonging and attachment to this country, I knew that becoming a U.S. citizen was the next logical step in my journey. For practical reasons (freeing my mother-in-law from her sponsorship) but also being able to vote and be a full participant in the community I live in.

The Research
The naturalization process is quite a straightforward process, but I was initially surprised that I was not eligible after 3 years of living in the USA being married to a US citizen. You have to live TOGETHER to be eligible and obviously, with an incarcerated husband I didn’t fit this criteria. There are exception if you are “involuntarily” separated, for example if your spouse is in the army, but prison is considered “voluntary”, yes…
So I had to wait 2 more years to qualify.

The Application
After gathering all the necessary documents, I filled out Form N-400, the Application for Naturalization. This step required careful attention to detail, as always with USCIS,  as any mistake  could lead to delays in the process. They asked information on where you lived and worked and so on for the last 5 years – so if you moved, you need to know the dates of each move.
I submitted the application and awaited a response from USCIS.

The Biometrics Appointment
A few weeks later, I received notice of my biometrics appointment. This required me to provide my fingerprints and have a (super ugly) photograph taken. It was a straightforward step, but it felt like another milestone closer to my goal.

The Interview
In the meantime, in May 2023, my removal of condition was finally approved with no interview. My interview for my naturalization took place on June 15th, 2023.
The interview with the USCIS officer was a stressful as I had to demonstrate my knowledge of U.S. government and history and prove my proficiency in the English language. I was understandably nervous, but the officer was friendly, which put me at ease. They are really not there to make you fail at all.

The Civics and English Tests
The day of the interview you have to pass the naturalization test (during the interview, it is not a separate test). When June 15th arrived, I was well-prepared. I had been working on the hundred civic questions for the past couple of months. I answered questions about the Constitution, history, and government with surprising confidence. The English language test went smoothly as well. Passing these tests was a moment of immense relief, as they symbolized the end of my journey with USCIS and my first step into integrating into American society.

The Short Wait
After successfully completing the interview and tests, I was right away given the date of  my Oath ceremony (June 28th, 2023). In the meantine, USCIS conducted a thorough background check, and you have one last form you have to fill the day of the interview, ensuring that you still  meet all the eligibility requirements.

The Oath of Allegiance
The culmination of my journey to naturalization was the Oath of Allegiance ceremony. The room was filled with people from diverse backgrounds and countries. We were allowed to have one guest each. We took the oath, pledging our allegiance to the United States. It was a moment of celebration for many, marking the end of one journey and the beginning of a new one as a U.S. citizen.

The Benefits of U.S. Citizenship
Becoming a U.S. citizen has opened up a world of opportunities for me. I can now vote, sponsor family members for Green Cards, travel more freely, and enjoy the social security benefits that come with citizenship. These privileges have made all the effort and patience worthwhile.

My journey to naturalization in the USA was a challenging but rewarding experience. This journey has shown me the importance of perseverance, dedication, and the power of dreams realized. If you’re on a similar path, remember that your journey is unique, and each step brings you closer to your own moment of triumph.

Categories: Immigration, Removal of Conditions

Removal of Conditions

When you are a conditional permanent resident who obtained status through marriage, you want to apply to remove the conditions on your permanent resident status before the end of your 2-year green card. The removal of conditions will give you a 10-year green card.
To apply, you need to file a I-751 petition.

You can only file 90 days before your green card expires but do it as early as possible. I know Covid hit and is one reason it was so delayed, but I applied in May 2019 and was only approved in May 2023!

Here what you need to provide:
– a check (the fee changes every year so check the website to get the right amount)
– the I-751
– Copy of your current Green Card

and proof of a bona fide relationship, I sent:
– US Marriage certificate
– Copy of French Marriage certificate
– Copy of French Family Record Book
– Tax Return Transcripts showing taxes filed jointly
– Life insurance policies showing my spouse as beneficiary
– Notarized affidavits talking about our relationship (I think 3 or 4)
– Copy of Alan’s power of attorney designating me to make health/financial/etc. decisions for him if needed.
– Copies of photos of us together and with family throughout the years.
– Cards received from family and friends for our wedding or addressed to us both through the years.
– Phone calls record

This is if you are in a similar situation and that your spouse is incarcerated. Otherwise you have plenty more options to prove you are in a bona fide relationship, for example:
– lease or mortgage at both names / proof of joint residence
– joint bank account
– receipts of gifts
– photos of diverse celebrations including your wedding
– birth certificates of children born from your relationship
– proofs of travels together, especially to your home country

Like I said earlier I applied in May 2019, in November my case was “ready for an interview”, then Covid hit and USCIS shut down. In January 2021 I inquired about my case as I saw others were moving along, and my case was updated at, one again, “ready for an interview”. Then nothing happened until I was able to apply for nationalization so I sort of gave up on my Removal of Conditions. And I was finally surprised by receiving my 10-year Green Card out of the blue with no interview in May 2023.

Categories: Life Updates, Living in the USA

I moved in my own place!

For two and a half years, I was hosted, and even nurtured and pampered by my in-laws. Because of my professional situation, which was on hold for so long, my salary did not allow me to get an apartment. Fortunately, I finally got my promotion in August, and as I’m pregnant I was a little in a hurry to move, so it just left me two months to save and look for a “home”.

Easier said than done… It is not extremely different from France here, they ask the first month of rent and a deposit (around the price of the rent but not necessarily the exact same), proof of income and rental history. But they also look at your credit score and your criminal record! And most of the time, an application for a rental is charged (to cover the price for the criminal record precisely as well as agency fees – most owners use management agencies), from what I observed, between $40 and $100!!

As a foreigner, rental history and credit score can be a problem! Since I have not just arrived in the USA, I was able to “work” on my credit score and luckily mine is good enough (everything above 700 is good). For the rental history, my in-laws wrote a letter to justify where I lived so far and the conditions, and I also asked 3 people to write me letters of reference (my ex-boss and two friends). I had read that it could make a difference if you cannot provide a classic history (they normally contact the agency where you previously rented who must then fill out a form that basically says whether or not you have been a good tenant, that you always paid your rent on time, and that they would rent to you again).

In my case I was lucky, this apartment was on the market for 2 months so we can consider that I did not have a lot of competition, it was my first application and I got it!

It is an old apartment and there have been some upgrades/minor repairs needed, but it is a two-bedroom apartment in a very safe area. Not easy at all to find in my budget!

Here are the apps I used to find apartments for rent:
– Trulia
– Zillow
– Apartments
– Rent.com

I mostly used the first 2, and I have a small preference for Trulia that allows you to see the crimes statistics! Super important in a city like Jacksonville, especially when you do not know the neighborhoods very well.

You can also use a Realtor; if I understand correctly, they receive a commission by the rental agency if they find a tenant, so it does not cost you anything.

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