Stories and Lifestyle: Finally a US Citizen – an interview with Noel Karrasch

August 12, 2008 was the day – the day green card winner Noel Karrasch became a US citizen during a US citizenship ceremony. We congratulate him and wish him good luck and all the best! To share his experiences with you, Noel Karrasch agreed to an interview about the naturalization process, his plans and his life in the US.

TAD: Why did you participate in the green card lottery?

NK: I more or less participated because of your advertisement. I grew up in the former GDR and it has always been my dream to see America. I had been on vacation in Florida twice, and just back from the US when I sat in front of the TV one night, bored. I saw the American Dream advertising on the RTL videotext (RTL= German television network) and since I was still caught up in the Florida-vacation feeling, I just called. At that time, I didn’t feel like I absolutely wanted to emigrate, I didn’t really think about it. I paid the fee (80 Deutsche mark at that time), the forms arrived, I filled everything out and sent it back. I participated without really thinking about it and I was lucky. After a successful interview in Frankfurt I actually had the opportunity to emigrate, and if I hadn’t done it I always would have asked myself “what if” and would have never had an answer. Your assistance on my way to getting a green card was fabulous, THANKS again for that. Without your company, without your advertisement, and without your help, I would probably still be in Germany, because I wouldn’t have known such a lottery existed in the first place. It is incredible what an impact your company has on people’s lives, in a good way, of course. You drastically changed my life and I am always glad and proud that I have the opportunity of living in the US.

 

TAD: What are your plans for your new life in the US?

NK: I don’t have any specific plans. I just want to lead a pleasant life and be successful in my career. I have a good job with a Government Agency and a small side business (computer service), which is a nice extra income. And I have a house and a nice girlfriend. It is not necessarily my goal, maybe more like a wish, to one day be successful with my own business and be able to make a living without being employed at another company. I already accomplished more during the seven and a half years in the US, than in the 30 years in Germany. I am happy here and I keep looking ahead.

 

TAD: How long did it take after receiving your green card until you were invited to the citizenship ceremony?

NK: After I won the green card, it took seven and a half years until I received an invitation for the citizenship ceremony. That was, however, my fault. I waited six and a half years until I started applying for American citizenship. I had my reasons. I went to university and I first wanted write all my exams and graduate before I took the step of applying for citizenship. You have to have been in the US for five years before you can apply for citizenship, so that means after winning the green card you have to be prepared for a period of up to six years. The rules, however, are clear, you have to have been in the US for five years as a green card holder.

 

TAD: Could you please briefly tell us about the process of naturalization?

NK: The process of naturalization is relatively simple and not very complicated, it doesn’t take very long. It took me a little longer, because the fees were raised, which I didn’t know. In July the fees were raised from $375 to $675, and a lot of people who knew about that applied before July. On the USCIS website (http://www.uscis.gov) I found out that due to the increase in price more than twice as many applications were submitted. Usually, each year about 1,200,000 people apply for US citizenship. In 2007, they received 2,500,000 applications! You apply with the form you can download from the USCIS website. You fill it out, enclose a check for $675 and send everything to Texas. You should include copies of divorce papers, green card, passport etc. so that the interview officer already has all these things for the interview. This makes the interview significantly easier, but you still have to bring along the originals to your appointment. I mailed my application on October 2, 2007 and on January 2, 2008 I received a so-called “Notice of Action” stating that my papers had been received and the application was now being processed. In the middle of February I received an invitation to come to Tampa to be fingerprinted. Next I got a book with 100 questions and answers about American history and the American government. Those are the facts you have to learn if you want to become a US citizen. In June I received the invitation for my interview, which was to take place in Tampa at the of July. The interview itself was very easy and a lot shorter than I had expected. The officer swore me in, asked me questions I already had to answer in the application and asked me about American history etc. Afterwards he told me my application had been approved and that I would receive an invitation for the ceremony within the next two weeks. The invitation already arrived that same week, for August 12, 2008.

 

TAD: How did the ceremony work?

NK: We left around 4:40 am from home and arrived at the Convention Center in Tampa at around 7 am. A few minutes after eight the ceremony began. It was explained to us how to answer the questions on the invitation. There are eight questions on the invitation, the same ones were also on the Application for Naturalization (N-400). On the invitation, however, they ask you whether anything has changed since the interview (marriage, joining a party etc.). I had answered everything with No since nothing had changed for me since my interview.

After that was taken care of, we were asked to turn in our green cards. At 9 am the real ceremony started. All Immigration Officers were introduced and a short film about immigrants over many decades was shown. We were asked to stand and sing the national anthem of the USA.

After that, all countries of origin of the people who were at today’s ceremony were named and people had to get up when their country was mentioned. 451 people from 73 countries became citizens of the United States that day, 13 of them from Germany.

After that we were asked to stand again and swear the Oath of Allegiance. After that was done, that incredible sentence was finally said:

YOU ARE NOW CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The feeling of that moment in indescribable.

Now everyone had two minutes to receive congratulations from friends and relatives. After that everyone in the hall swore the Pledge of Allegiance. A video was shown in which the president welcomed us as new US citizens. After that, the song “I am proud to be an American” with subtitles was shown on the screen. Then we had to stand in line again to receive our Certificate of Naturalization. Altogether the citizenship ceremony lasted about two hours.

 

TAD: Was it hard for you to give up German citizenship?

NK: It is possible to keep your German citizenship. You have to file an application to keep the German citizenship, which I did. The important thing is to have your application approved before becoming a US citizen. I wanted to make sure and only applied for American citizenship after Germany had approved my application. So I didn’t give up my German citizenship. If Germany had rejected my application I would have accepted American citizenship anyway, because I am not planning to ever return to Germany and my center of life in the US.

 

TAD: What specific advantages are you hoping for with American citizenship?

NK: I don’t right now see any specific advantages for my every day life. However, I now have advantages that might be helpful in the future. One advantage, and the best thing ever, is that I am allowed to vote in this year’s presidential elections. And I will be very proud when I use my American passport for holiday travel for the first time. A big future advantage would be that I can help my family to also immigrate to the US as permanent residents. Additionally, I can now apply for job openings in the Government that are only available to Americans. After all, I acquired my college degree from a US college.

 

TAD: What is your advice to people who also want to emigrate to the US?

NK: First I would say that in the US it is easier to make something of yourself and to start something successfully. You have all possible opportunities to realize your potential and live your dreams. Anyone who doesn’t mind taking detours on the way to success does have a future here. If necessary you have to start in a lower position and learn to handle it. Anyone who can do that will ALMOST certainly succeed. When you get here you have to start over completely, no one cares about German job training here. With diligence, hard work and will power you can quickly rise to the top here and be very successful. What you should have is a strong character and courage. Don’t whine about setbacks, but look at the bright side and learn from your mistakes – and never give up, but keep looking ahead.

 

TAD: Thank you for the interview, and all the best for the future!

 

PS.: You will soon find pictures of Noel Karrasch’s citizenship ceremony in the Newsletter Archive.