It took me 14 years to become an American citizen. I’m voting in a presidential election for the first time.

• I moved to the US in 2010 for grad school in New York City.
• I planned to return to Argentina and continue my career there.
• I’m married to an American, and we are raising our three kids together.

When I applied to a master’s degree program in the US, I didn’t plan to move permanently.

I thought I’d attend Columbia Journalism’s 10-month program and then move back to Argentina, where I had left a boyfriend, my cat, a fully furnished apartment, and every member of my family.

When I got a job offer after graduating, my dad insisted I should at least give New York City a try for a year.

One thing led to the next, and I’ve been in the US for 14 years. I’m married and have three kids, and I recently became an American citizen so I could vote.

Becoming a mom made me care more about politics. I want to do my part as a parent to ensure my three kids have a future full of opportunities.

For years, I had to explain why I couldn’t vote

Every time an election came around, people would ask me why I hadn’t voted.

When I got married to my husband, family and friends assumed that because he was American, I would automatically be able to vote. It’s not that simple. For a while after getting married I was still on a work visa, so legally I was still not eligible.

Then, I decided to become a resident and applied for a green card through marriage.

I remember the interview for my green card vividly.

My husband and I had to prove that we were in a real relationship. We brought albums from our weddings, and I held our 4-month-old baby in my arms, trying to soothe him back to sleep. When the officer asked if I planned to overthrow the government, my sleep-deprived brain thought he asked whether I was going to “respect the government,” to which I replied, “Yes.” The officer stopped, my husband looked at me in shock, and I said, “Wait, what was the question?”

The officer asked again. I answered correctly, and I sighed in relief when I was approved.

Again, many people wrongly assumed that meant I could finally vote.

I became an American citizen at the end of 2021

My three kids were born in the US and are American citizens. I worried about all of my family but me having American passports. One of my biggest fears was being separated from them at the US border when traveling back from vacations — I had been questioned extensively in the past despite having a valid work visa. So, after being on a green card for four years, I decided to apply for American citizenship.

My main motivators were my kids. I wanted to ensure that we would never be separated because of our nationalities. I also wanted to be able to help make decisions about their future. One major way to do that was through voting.

I took my citizenship test in November 2021. I was over-prepared and lost many nights of sleep. Weeks later, I was invited to my swearing ceremony and became a naturalized citizen.

This is the first year I will vote for president

Since becoming a citizen, I have participated in all local elections. In Argentina, voting is mandatory, and so I take the responsibility seriously.

For the first time, I will vote for a US president, and I’m doing it because of my kids. I want to be able to cast my vote for their future since they can’t vote yet.

Whatever happens, it’ll be a memorable election for me — I will finally get my “I voted” sticker.