30/365 - British Through and Through...
Re-posted (Get over it~!!!!!!)
I originally posted this picture almost a year ago to this day. I had been waiting for Immigration to go through their laborious process of getting my shit sorted out. I was told by the Immigration lawyer it would take a couple of months to do (Prior to this picture my application to be a full citizen had already taken 2 years). In fact the day I applied, there was a newspaper article that showed a female becoming a citizen in 4 months!!!!!
Yet, here I am three years later. Complaining does nothing except maybe piss people off and make them go slower (than they already are :-) Nothing has changed since my last background check ~ yes, I've already had one and my fingerprints haven't changed ~ since the last three times they were taken!!!! so people tell me I shouldn't be worried but still........... After reading this article, it makes me wonder.
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Every day, every single day, I wait for the letter from the Immigration Department. The letter giving me my interview/test date to become a US citizen. I ask people around me the questions that I am supposed to answer correctly, and you know what? about 2 in 10 get the answers right! Yes! I am supposed to pass the test but people who were born here, raised here and EDUCATED here don't even know the answers.
Something is wrong there. I work for the government here, have paid taxes since day one, have my children adopted (and ultimately became US citizens through that method) and I still have to pass a test!
Drives me mad. So, for that reason, that maddening reason, I am wearing only a flag today. With pride. My UK flag.
Self-timed to 10s
Edited: As of todays date, 10/8/07, my case is in the hands of the FBI. Immigration have no clue as to what is going on now and I can only wait till the FBI are done!
Edited: As of todays date 04/15/08, my case is STILL in the hands of the FBI. *taps fingers patiently*
Edited: Friday 08/22/08, letter from Immigration asking YET AGAIN for another copy of my fingerprints, as they have taken so long they appear to have expired.
Fourth edit, I just saw this article on CNN. Ya think?
Comments and faves
tquiddle (61 months ago | reply)
Yeah... We're all pretty dumb.
Nice photo though!
--
Seen on your photo stream. (?)
Chesil (61 months ago | reply)
When Britain first at Heav'n's command
Arose from out the azure main;
Arose, arose from out the azure main;
This was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sang this strain:
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves!
Britons never, never,* never will be slaves!
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves!
Britons never, never,* never will be slaves!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMRvZTk7QYE
brightonsinger (61 months ago | reply)
Fingers crossed for you "Britannia" - looking forward to the one draped in the Stars & Stripes. Very nicely done
** Seen in 365 Days **
~Kimberley~ (61 months ago | reply)
Love the colours of the union jack, they stand out so bold and proud against the black and white of your skin. I have an Australian friend who's going through the same process as you, I am considered lucky, born in the US but grew up in the UK (American father, English mother), I have the best of both worlds it seems.
Michael_Lehet (61 months ago | reply)
Look at you!!!!
Michael_Lehet added this photo to his favorites. (61 months ago)
Michael_Lehet (60 months ago | reply)
I just wanted to leave another comment because I love this sooooo much!
purpletwinkie added this photo to his favorites. (60 months ago)
purpletwinkie (60 months ago | reply)
love this shot :)
Andrea Knapp (60 months ago | reply)
jeromepoche added this photo to their favorites. (59 months ago)
TerryJohnston (57 months ago | reply)
this is awesome Andi!
TerryJohnston added this photo to his favorites. (57 months ago)
Andrea Knapp (57 months ago | reply)
The Reality of my Imagination (57 months ago | reply)
Dang...how'd I miss THIS one?
The Reality of my Imagination and ms. mac added this photo to their favorites.
Pumpkin :) (57 months ago | reply)
It isn't easy in any country. I have to translate my marriage and divorce papers from my first marriage to ask for French citizenship even if my marriage to my French husband is already recorded by the French state because the French consulate had their hands and eyes on those papers when they registered my marriage to my French husband. Not to mention that I must pay for these and more translations where the US government doesn't require an official translator. I still have to take a verbal test which tests my knowledge of the French culture and language to become French.
Besides, the English have a test as well before you can even live there as a non-citizen.
Don't get me wrong...I had to leave the States because my husband couldn't stay there with me because I didn't make enough money at the time. We have been married for over 6 years and have 3 kids together. I just don't see what is so bad about the test. You weren't born American after all.
If I wanted to just live in England I would have to take a test because I am American.
Andrea Knapp (57 months ago | reply)
Pumpkin :) (57 months ago | reply)
Not an easy answer...but, all of us living in other countries are facing the same problem including those in England.
I don't agree with any of the tests in any of the countries..perhaps the language test but not the civics test..that is just a way to weed out people. Not fair.
However, I wasn't born French and must do whatever they tell me to do to be French even if it isn't fair in my opinion. I had to leave my own country because my French husband couldn't stay there since I couldn't sponsor him financially. Not alot of my fellow countrymen stood beside my American family in that big mess. It broke my heart.
While I agree with you I also understand that it isn't going to change not any time soon in any of the countries that require these stupid tests. :(
By the way, you have the most beautiful pictures including this one! :)
I am from Ohio originally.
Andrea Knapp (57 months ago | reply)
I always ask my husband "What if they say I can't stay?" and he tells me not to worry but I do. I start to look at the world and think, where would we go next? I don't really want to go back to England but......
Thanks for the compliment about my pictures! Where in Ohio? I'm from Mentor on the Lake, by Cleveland!
Pumpkin :) (57 months ago | reply)
I wouldn't worry...I think your husband is right. I am sure you'll do fine. We looked up the type of questions online before we ended up coming back to Europe and it didn't seem too hard.
I wish you all the luck in it all and hope that soon I will be calling you a fellow American! :)
I lived around Dayton, Ohio most of my life but lived in Kentucky, South Carolina and Arizona as well as Strasbourg, France and now the Jura in Switzerland. It has made me more culture friendly...all the moving around. ;) However, it would be nice to call one place home forever.
Dean-er!! added this photo to her favorites. (57 months ago)
oneillg (57 months ago | reply)
Andi, this is a really beautiful portrait, and I really respect your message behind it. Nice work!
johan m b (56 months ago | reply)
i'm glad you know where you want to go.
with me its a bit more harder, Scottish mother,German father, born in Wales, brought up in England. I'm looking at the Uk and thinking do i really want to spend the rest of my life here,
Andrea Knapp (56 months ago | reply)
light guard added this photo to his favorites. (56 months ago)
black irish [deleted] (48 months ago | reply)
It's hard to imagine that we'd turn away someone willing to pay taxes. :P
I sure hope this gets straightened out soon. *mind wanders* Straightened out soon...what where we talking about? ;)
anindya c (48 months ago | reply)
Beautiful shot, love the color...
Andrea Knapp (48 months ago | reply)
johan m b (48 months ago | reply)
read somewhere that a UK born father was refused permission to stay in and had to leave, his USA born wife and kids were refused entry to UK, belive they are in aussie land now
Andrea Knapp (48 months ago | reply)
*fingers crossed it doesn't!*
Mamahoot~ (44 months ago | reply)
My family and I will be in London in a few weeks. We are very excited.