In a world where achievements often come with age limits and societal expectations, there are rare moments that defy all norms. They remind us that it’s never too late to pursue one’s dreams. Daibai, a 99-year-old woman, just attained US citizenship. She was born in India in 1925 and presently resides in Orlando with her daughter.
99-YO Woman Receives US Citizenship
They say age is just a number. That seems true for this lively 99-year-old who became a #NewUSCitizen in our Orlando office. Daibai is from India and was excited to take the Oath of Allegiance. She's pictured with her daughter and our officer who swore her in. Congrats Daibai! pic.twitter.com/U0WU31Vufx
— USCIS (@USCIS) April 5, 2024
Such is the case of one extraordinary Indian woman whose journey to attaining US citizenship at the remarkable age of 99 has captured the hearts and minds of people worldwide. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the official USCIS Twitter account shared information about Daibai’s citizenship. “Daibai is from India and was excited to take the Oath of Allegiance,” according to the blog post.
The image shows Daibai holding the naturalization certificate with her daughter, while a USCIS worker stands nearby to facilitate the swearing-in. According to the USCIS website, “Green card holders who are 65 or older and have lived in the United States as permanent residents for at least 20 years (not necessarily consecutively) can take a simplified version of the history and government (civics) exam that is required of naturalization applicants. This is known as the ’65/20 exemption.'”
However, age proved to be no obstacle for this woman.
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However, Netizens Raise Questions
Daibai’s story sparked debate among netizens over whether the American ideal is open to all. “Most Indians in the employment-based green card backlog would look like this by the time they get their green cards,” one X user expresses frustration.
According to an article by Hindustan Times, the H1B visa process has been nothing short of a nightmare these days. Professionals who work in fields like engineering, science, and journalism must wait at least 500 days for their visas to be approved; many of them are now studying in the nation and are awaiting their visa renewal. Social media posts such as “This immigration journey is full of obstacles despite” and “H1B visa is a painful death” are examples of how several students vent their rage.
What do you think?
Cover image credits: X/USCIS