N400 interview - with an infant baby..

[Little_My 463]

Hello!

It's been a while since I've been around these forums, but I could use your opinions and experience again..

My N400 interview was originally scheduled for late September, but I ended up missing the interview because our firstborn baby who was due on 10 October decided to arrive three weeks early, just a week before the scheduled interview. The interview has now been rescheduled for 3 November, and I am facing a bit of a challenge in terms of what to do with the baby.

He will be about 6 weeks old at that point, and he is exclusively breastfed. My husband is not here when the interview takes place, but luckily my parents will be visiting from Finland. I have called the customer service number, and was told that my parents would be allowed to come with me to the waiting area and wait there with the baby while I go for the interview - does anyone have experience about this, are people who are not related to the petition allowed into the general waiting area? I have previously only gone with my husband for GC related appointments, for which he was obviously also required to come in any case.. Our interview is in NYC, Manhattan office.

The other issue is the possibility of having to bring the baby into the interview room with me. Has anyone done this? If the interview goes quickly, then chances are he will be okay in the waiting area with my parents - but if he has a meltdown and needs to be fed, there isn't much else that can be done besides bringing him to me. How long do N-400 interviews usually take? my understanding is that they are fairly quick, 30 min or less?

Any thoughts, experiences and opinions are warmly welcomed! Leaving him at home is not an option - we live in Brooklyn, and just the commute takes 45 min one way, it would be way too long for him to be away from me and his food source.

Also, just to share my experience with anyone else who might have a similar situation - after he was born, I sent a letter asking to reschedule the original interview. Because he was born about a week before the original interview was scheduled, the letter was only mailed about 4 days before the interview date, and did not make it to them in time (or wasn't processed in time), so I got a "failure to show" letter in the mail, which said I had 30 days to explain why I missed the original interview. I send another letter, with a copy of the original request to reschedule letter, explaining the situation and also stating that I had in fact sent the reschedule request, but it just didn't make it to them in time. I also sent proof of our baby's birth. In a week, I was sent a new appointment, and the time between the original and the new one is just over a month, so missing the first barely delayed my interview.

Thanks in advance!

[rhein 451]

It shouldn't be a problem. When my wife went for her N-400 interview, we brought our son with us. He was not related to the petition, he was already a US citizen. He waited with me in the lobby.

[goodgirl2013 0]

Dont think it would be an issue, but if your baby is outside waiting with your parents you can also express breastmilk and leave them the bottle just for that ocasion.... My baby is also exclusively breadtfed and for emergencies I expressed milk and leave for the baby to eat with dad... Good luck!!!!

[Diazy 10]

I would leave a baby with your parents in a nearby park (if there is any). You can give a bottle with your milk to your parents just in case your baby would need to be fed while you're away.

I don't think a lobby of Immigration building is the best place for a newborn.

[Misha and Masha 0]

I dont' see any problem bringing your parents to the waiting area. I went with my husband 5 years ago, we were not married then. But I wouldn't bring a newborn into a crowded place - there will be a lot of people there, a lot of germs in this season. I like the advice for your parents to stay in the nearby park. I would personally have left my baby at home and left milk in the bottle for baby to eat.

[deidre 13]

Can you not bring the baby in there it you? I don't see why that wouldn't a problem about doing that, considering baby will only be a tiny 6-week old and is not able to help you answer the civics questions, etc.

I think it might also "help" the situation, so to speak, to have baby there when you show them the birth certificate (if requested)...

[Diazy 10]

deidre, An immigration interview is a serious procedure. Why would anyone want to bring a newborn? It is the same as bringing a baby to the job interview. What if a baby becomes fussy? A newborn is a huge distraction at the interview with feedings, diaper changes, and so on.

Of course, if there is nobody to leave a baby with, I would understand. But in general, a babysitter is required for these events.

Edited October 23, 2014 by Diazy

[slangofoil 50]

No personal experience here, but I'd bring the baby and your parents. If things go well, you can feed him a couple of times while waiting and hand him off to your parents while you go back for the interview. I'd just mention immediately to the interviewer that you have a six-week-old there and it's possible he will need his mother at some point if the interview runs long. Or, you might get lucky and have him asleep in a sling or wrap while you're called and they'd hardly notice him.

Diazy, of course immigration interviews are serious, but so is caring for a newborn, especially a breastfed one! I feel like the office should be able to work with the mother. Newborns are unpredictable, but generally happy in their mother's arms. And leaving baby with a bottle of pumped milk is not always possibly if baby is not accustomed to bottles. Anyway, it's not like bringing a rampaging toddler to the office. If you slip baby into a sling or wrap and he naps through the interview they'd hardly know he was there!

[Diazy 10]

Diazy, of course immigration interviews are serious, but so is caring for a newborn, especially a breastfed one! I feel like the office should be able to work with the mother. Newborns are unpredictable, but generally happy in their mother's arms. And leaving baby with a bottle of pumped milk is not always possibly if baby is not accustomed to bottles. Anyway, it's not like bringing a rampaging toddler to the office. If you slip baby into a sling or wrap and he naps through the interview they'd hardly know he was there!

It also depends on a newborn. Some can be too fussy, while others are happy most of the time if they are fed and changed.

I just remember my nephew and he was a fussy newborn. There is no way he would be comfortable in an office during an interview.

[deidre 13]

Diazy... Either which way, it's an interview for citizenship, not a job interview. If that were the case, then going to the oath ceremony is like getting the job, and you wouldn't have your friends or family with you taking photos when you get the job ... Ah ha!

Anyways, In a situation like this, I'm sure the IO would rather you be in the office with baby, then to have you excuse yourself or be interrupted by a knock at the door to go get your baby. So the question would be, why would you NOT bring in your new born? IMO I would take my 6-week old infant in with me. But each to their own, it's approx 30 minutes from what others have said, so it could be an easy 30 mins or hard 30 mins with or without baby.... Little_My whatever makes you most comfortable and at ease. Worse thing you could do is worry and stress so much about baby during your interview that you appear super nervous and forget everything, which could then result in delays on your approval...

[Little_My 463]

Just to give an update and for information for others in a similar situation, this is what we ended up doing in NYC:

We went to the interview with me, my parents (they are visiting from Finland) and my 6-week old baby, who is exclusively breastfed. Just for emergency, I had pumped breast milk and we had fed him from a bottle a couple of days earlier to make sure he takes the bottle without problems. My appointment was at 11:30am, we got there around 11 or so - as we arrived in the waiting area, he started to get fussy in his stroller so I took him our and breastfed him in the waiting area. He fell asleep shortly after that, and my mom held him as he slept. By 12:30 I still had not been called in - apparently, 2-3 hour wait is considered "normal", and I should have told them when I arrived that I was there with a baby and they could have called me sooner (did not know this, so just FYI in case you find yourself in a similar situation!). Right as I was asking about how long the wait would be, I was called in, around 12:40pm. Baby was sleeping and stayed with my mom and dad in waiting area. My interview took about 30-40 min, and he had slept the whole time.

If you have a calm baby, I don't see why bringing him to the actual interview would be an issue - unless you are very nervous about the test, either civics or english portion. I really was not nervous about the test or interview, just my baby! Do what feels right for you, your baby and your situation as a whole. For me, leaving the baby at home was never an option - I would have been 100 times more nervous and not concentrated if he had been home and not close to me, but everyone should evaluate their own particular situation and make a decision that seems best for them.

Interview went well, passed the test, but I was asked to provide proof of a short three month sublet I lived in while my husband was abroad for a work assignment and we were looking for a new apt for us. Once I submit the proof, everything else should be in order - fingers crossed!

[slangofoil 50]

Glad things went well with the baby! Hope you get your approval soon.