Paya Pávlíková with her husband Delbert Romero following her natualization ceremony Feb. 9 at the convention center in Albuquerque. Courtesy photo

Staff Report:

Paya Pávlíková of Los Alamos, the only member from the Czech Republic, was among 140 people sworn in as American citizens from more than 44 different countries Feb. 9, during a ceremony at the convention center in Albuquerque.

Pávlíková is the daughter of Radka Pávlíková and Jiri Moravek of the Czech Republic. Pávlíková’s husband Delbert Romero is an associate broker for Exit Realty Advantage NM and newspaper distribution coordinator for the Los Alamos Daily Post. He is also a background actor in the Cleaning Lady season 3 series airing Tuesday evenings on Fox.

Romero asked Pávlíková why she wanted to become an American citizen. She replied, “After being here long enough, it became my second home, and I wanted to become an active member of American society with the ability to vote and freely travel as I wish.”

Pávlíková has lived in the U.S. for seven years now. After her permanent residency she applied for citizenship and two months later she passed the citizenship test and was awarded full citizenship … this process usually takes 18-24 months.

Pávlíková has just gained the certifications and passed her exams and is now a licensed real estate agent in inactive status in Los Alamos. She also is pursuing her business degree through online courses from the Czech Republic.