Finally, I passed the citizenship test and became an American citizen.

I got all 10 questions right on the civic test! I was confident in memorization subjects and passed reading and writing too haha.

When I arrived at the citizenship oath ceremony, I was shocked by the huge number of people gathered with their families in the enormous ceremony hall, and I was also surprised by the number of cars in the parking lot.

At the citizenship oath ceremony with about fifteen hundred people, the applause was overwhelming, the American flags were waving, and I even saw tears in the eyes of the man next to me, who looked more moved than I was, whether he was Indian or Pakistani... It was Trump now, but the congratulatory message from President Biden, who was the president at that time, was displayed on a large screen... I mouthed the national anthem and sang along... The citizenship oath ceremony was much more touching than I had expected.

But I didn't have a moment to shed a tear; as soon as I stepped out of the venue, I shouted in my head.

"Let's apply for the passport first!"

Why was the passport so urgent?

Well, to me, the American passport was not just a passport; it was like the 'final reward' after enduring 9 years of immigration to the U.S.

I came through family immigration, received my green card, filed taxes diligently, studied English hard, got my driver's license, and lived earnestly.

I had rushed through all that, and the last puzzle piece was the passport. That blue eagle passport.

Having that one thing made me feel complete as an American.

So I pushed aside the envelope of documents given by USCIS and clicked on the State Department passport application page first.

In terms of passport power, it seems that Korea, Japan, and Singapore have a higher number of visa-free countries.

But in truly important moments? The American passport is undoubtedly the strongest.

Watch the news. When accidents happen abroad or wars break out, there's always that phrase.

"We are checking how many American citizens are in the area."

"The U.S. State Department is considering an emergency rescue operation."

So, if something happens, the first list to be named is the list of American passport holders.

Going to take the passport photo was a whole different level compared to taking a DMV photo.

I put a lot of effort into my makeup and made sure my hair was shiny and dry.

"This isn't just a passport photo; it's 'my face' that I will show every time I travel the world!"

But the photographer said one thing.

"Please don't smile, and tuck your hair behind your ears."

...And thus, the completed photo was of an expressionless Asian woman holding the world's strongest passport.

But it doesn't matter.

As soon as I received the passport delivered by mail, I made plans.

My top priority is Europe. Visa? Not needed.

Receiving my citizenship certificate and applying for the passport wasn't just about creating one more form of identification.

It felt like a diploma for achieving my purpose as an immigrant who has endured the past 9 years.