Author: Fred Morse

I moved from Wales to the United States in 2005 and have been through the US immigration process and have learned all about citizenship and nationalization on the way. I currently live in Texas with my wife and two dogs

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American History Not on the test

Name the 3 original States

If you want the first three of the original 13 states, they are:

Delaware (December 7, 1787)

Pennsylvania December 12, 1787

New Jersey December 18, 1787

These are the first colonies to become states. So all of this started with Delaware. I’ll just say that again to let it sink in – Delaware – aka the Blue Hen State, the Diamond State, the First State.

In the US immigration test, you are only asked for three of the original thirteen states, so any three will do. The list above is simply the first three, which became states in 1787.

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Not on the test

How To Avoid Lines at your USCIS Appointment

I have been to USCIS processing centers so many times in the ten years up to my naturalization. I’ve  been for biometrics repeatedly, every time I lose my green card. The drive to the Biometrics center is not inconsiderable, and this time I finally worked out how to make the appointment take less time so I can get back on the road home. I spend more time with the family, and less on uncomfortable plastic chairs in waiting rooms.

It’s pretty simple really, and it was my wife who discovered it while getting her photo and fingerprints taken for another visa unrelated to my US immigration.

So you’ve got your appointment letter and it says something like 11:00 am. The thing is, there are a whole bunch of people who got the same invitation, all saying 11:00 am. So you turn up 15 minutes early and go to the official with your invitation to the party. You get first in line. And then at 11:00 am all the other people in your one hour time slot show up and then wait around for as long as an hour.

Meanwhile, you waltz up to the first appointment in your time slot and you’re on your way. OK. So it’s not rocket science, but it can save you a bunch of waiting.