- After years of delays, endless paperwork and life changing along the way, Damaris Ndungu finally reached the moment she once only dreamed of; becoming a US citizen
- Her journey from Kenya to America stretched several three years and included motherhood, setbacks and unwavering patience
- The young mother was emotional as she celebrated not just a new passport, but the relief, security and fresh beginning that citizenship brings
When Damaris Wangari Ndungu raised her right hand and took the oath of allegiance, it marked the end of a long, emotionally demanding journey that began years earlier in Kenya.
Source: UGC
For her, becoming a United States citizen was not just a legal milestone, but a deeply personal victory shaped by patience, paperwork, motherhood and faith.
Damaris told TUKO.co.ke that she moved to the US in April 2022 through a spousal visa, alongside her son, after a process that stretched for nearly three years.
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What began in 2019 quickly became complicated by the global disruption caused by Covid-19. Embassy backlogs, delayed interviews and repeated paperwork turned what should have been a straightforward application into an exhausting wait.
“The process in Kenya was not smooth at all,” she recalls. “Covid caused serious backlogs, the paperwork was tiring, and then I got a baby in between, which meant even more documents and procedures.”
Each new requirement felt like another hurdle, but she pressed on, determined to keep her family together and move forward.
Despite the challenges, Damaris finally arrived in the US, where she began rebuilding her life. In September 2025, she took another bold step by applying for US citizenship. This time, the experience was strikingly different.
“Honestly, the citizenship process was so smooth and fast, at least for me,” she says. “The paperwork took me only 20 to 30 minutes.”
From the day she submitted her application to the oath ceremony, the entire process took just three months, a sharp contrast to the years of waiting she had previously endured.
Because she applied on marriage grounds, Damaris was required to prove that she was still married and living with her spouse, having met the three-year residency requirement. Beyond that, she found the process surprisingly manageable.
“Basically, it wasn’t that hard,” she says with a sense of disbelief and relief.
Source: Facebook
The benefits of citizenship, she explains, go far beyond the ceremony itself as they include permanent protection from deportation and the right to vote and hold public office.
She also has access to a US passport that allows easier global travel, eligibility for more federal jobs, benefits and scholarships, and the ability to petition for additional family members to join her in the US.
Emotionally, the moment was overwhelming.
“At first I was very tensed, I don’t even know why,” she admits. “Then I felt excited, and finally a huge sense of relief that the journey is over, at least for now.”
One of the most meaningful outcomes was that her eldest child automatically gained US citizenship through her, a moment she describes as profoundly fulfilling.
Looking ahead, Damaris remains hopeful not just for herself, but for others back home. She says she is encouraging her siblings and friends to consider legal migration pathways, including the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery programme, should it reopen.
“You never know,” she says. “I seriously hope it opens up. Mungu mbele.”
For Damaris Ndungu, citizenship is more than a status. It is a symbol of endurance, family, and the quiet triumph of making it through a journey that once felt impossibly long.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
