But on New Year's Eve, she faced an especially tight deadline. Congress had passed a bill that enabled her to receive U.S. citizenship, which made her eligible to compete at the Turin Olympics. But the deadline was Jan. 1, so she needed to pass the citizenship test. Fast.
The test wasn't hard -- just 10 civics questions, taken directly from a study guide of 100 questions -- but it was nerve-wracking. After enduring so many ups and down through the several-year process, after getting help from so many lawyers, advisers and congressmen, Belbin, 21, didn't want to make any stupid mistakes.
"This part was all on me," she said. "This is my job, this is my responsibility to breeze through the interview and examination."
She did. And now when she and Agosto compete next week at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Savvis Center, they are aiming not only for their third consecutive title, but for the Olympics.
"I completed the test, and they handed me my certificate, and I didn't expect to be so overwhelmed by my emotions," Belbin said. 'It means so much to me to have Ben there, and all the people who made this happen for me."
Belbin, who was born in Quebec, also retains her Canadian citizenship.
She moved to the United States in 1998 to skate with Agosto. The citizenship issue wasn't a problem for competing at nationals or in most international competitions, but they knew they would have to confront it to compete in the Olympics.
The other issue hanging over the team's head -- Agosto's groin injury, which forced them to withdraw from NHK Trophy, which in turn knocked them out of the Grand Prix final -- seems also to be resolved.
Agosto said he tore his adductor muscle two days after he and Belbin finished competing at Skate America. The tear was minor, he said, but it required him to stay off the ice for two weeks starting Oct. 25.
"Then it took quite a bit of rehab in addition to that to get back to strength, to be able to skate full out," he said. "But it's pretty much almost 100 percent now. Going into the national championships, I feel very confident in my ability to do all the moves I need to do to support Tanith and to skate my very best."
