Can we talk about my lack of planning ahead?
I’m leaving to go home tonight because thankfully, I’m finally going to become a U.S. Citizen! Yay!! My Naturalization Oath Ceremony takes place in San Francisco this coming Thursday and like any good employee, I’m hopping a plane back to Chile the following day. It’s bad enough that when I’m out of the “office” and in another country I feel completely disconnected and this is going to be the case from Tuesday – Friday of this week. Good of me to then be responsible and hop a plane back following the ceremony.
Oh except that it JUST occurred to me that the second I become a U.S. Citizen, my green card is going to be taken away (replaced by an official document that states I am a U.S. Citizen) … and I won’t YET have a U.S. Passport … so I ask myself, how on Earth is this going to work out? And why didn’t I plan ahead and do all my researching about this before TODAY, the day I’m leaving?
Can I leave the U.S. without a green card? Even if I show my document stating I’m a citizen, won’t there be an issue with me being a US Citizen traveling with a Chilean passport? I’m so confused!! Will the airport people not care? Will they call INS on me? Ack!!
I have no idea what’s going to happen. All I know is that after I enter the U.S. and take my Oath, I won’t have the correct travel documents to return to Chile. For all I know, I CAN leave…but then what if I can’t? What currently looks like a week-long stay in CA can quickly turn into a one-month wait for my U.S. passport to be processed.
Can I cry at my lack of organization and forethought??? Please?
Oh no! At least you realized it now (with time to figure out the answer) than on Friday trying to board the plane. A solution can be found and although I do not have an answer for you, I am sending you buenas ondas!
Good luck at your ceremony and getting back!
We have a blog about travel, and we would like to invite you to visit us and you can find to translate on the right side of the page.
Thank you very much, and we hope you enjoy.
http://www.viagemafora.blogspot.com
best regards
Antonio & Ellen Lenarduzzi
bummer! why is everything so complicated??? all i'd make sure of is how leaving the US w/o the right docs affects your citizenship status. you don't want to jeopardize that. good thing melissa's there and can help you if you need + legal info. have fun!
Oh. I wish I knew what to tell you but I'm wading in my own bureaucratic waters right now. I hope it goes smoothly for you and you can get back on a plane quickly!