N-400 JULY 2008 Filers

[sakura888 0]

Hi Guys,

Finally, my interview letter has come!!! After 8 long months! More than that actually.

I'm sorry to hear that some of us July filers are still having difficulties with the USCIS after they have passed their interviews. I just hope that my application will never go the same route after my interview because it has been too much of a frustration already on my part not hearing from them this long while seeing most of the people here at visajourney getting their interview letters shortly after their biometrics.

Well, I guess I am the last of the July filers here to get an interview letter. I didnt even bother to join the list because I was so frustrated with the way my case got pending for so long and I could not even get an update on my pending application. I was passed like a ball, first they made me go to NC for biometrics, then they told me that my local office is Washington DC and that I should make an infopass there. Now at last, Fairfax VA office sent me an interview notice. Well, I dont want to complain anymore, the most important thing is that I got an interview letter, finally! I just got tired of talking to those USCIS hotline reps.

I have a few questions though.

1) Just to make sure, since I am a female, should I disregard this item in the list of items to bring that says "Any evidence of Selective Service Registration"?

2) Has anyone had his/her interview at Fairfax, VA? Do they give same day oath ceremony after the interview?

3) Finally, I just want to make sure that I CAN STILL take the old test, or is this no longer the case these days? I'm sorry I had to ask, I've been on hiatus for a few months since I could not get any information updates on my application, I had nothing much to tell you then guys.

Ok, now I have to review again! Our Congressmen are no longer the same people I memorized months ago. And the USCIS gave me barely 2 weeks to review. Ok, I'll stop complaining now. I should start praying that everything will go smoothly from here.

Thanks guys.

[2bornot2b 0]

Hi Guys,

Finally, my interview letter has come!!! After 8 long months! More than that actually.

I'm sorry to hear that some of us July filers are still having difficulties with the USCIS after they have passed their interviews. I just hope that my application will never go the same route after my interview because it has been too much of a frustration already on my part not hearing from them this long while seeing most of the people here at visajourney getting their interview letters shortly after their biometrics.

Well, I guess I am the last of the July filers here to get an interview letter. I didnt even bother to join the list because I was so frustrated with the way my case got pending for so long and I could not even get an update on my pending application. I was passed like a ball, first they made me go to NC for biometrics, then they told me that my local office is Washington DC and that I should make an infopass there. Now at last, Fairfax VA office sent me an interview notice. Well, I dont want to complain anymore, the most important thing is that I got an interview letter, finally! I just got tired of talking to those USCIS hotline reps.

I have a few questions though.

1) Just to make sure, since I am a female, should I disregard this item in the list of items to bring that says "Any evidence of Selective Service Registration"?

2) Has anyone had his/her interview at Fairfax, VA? Do they give same day oath ceremony after the interview?

3) Finally, I just want to make sure that I CAN STILL take the old test, or is this no longer the case these days? I'm sorry I had to ask, I've been on hiatus for a few months since I could not get any information updates on my application, I had nothing much to tell you then guys.

Ok, now I have to review again! Our Congressmen are no longer the same people I memorized months ago. And the USCIS gave me barely 2 weeks to review. Ok, I'll stop complaining now. I should start praying that everything will go smoothly from here.

Thanks guys.

Answer to question 1 is yes.

#2...... these threads will give you a better answer : http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...&hl=fairfax

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...&hl=fairfax

3) Yes. For people who filed before Oct of last year, you have a choice. So ask for old test.

Finally, good luck. From you grammar and how you composed your post, you should have no problem with the interview (just read through that booklet).

[KyngSilva 0]

Sak...so sorry to hear about you not even getting your interview letter. Hopefully it will be completed quickly.

On anothernote...just got done with the USCIS. The lady at the window was super nice. This is what she stated

USCIS :Your file is in re-verification

KyngSilva: What does that mean?

USCIS: They have to re-verify all the information

Kyngsilva: They told me that in Feb that it was getting audited for quality

USCIS: The IO might have made a mistake and they sent the file back for him to correct. In your case, I think that was what happened.

KyngSilva: Seriously!! I thought the USCIS was perfect =)

We laughed- USCIS: I know it's not the best system, but that's what we have to work with

Kyngsilva: I have my apps in for a couple of jobs, but they need my citizenship. I can't even move forward till then

USCIS: Sorry about that, I'll check a different system and see if I can find something

KyngSilva: Thank You!! Thank You

USCIS: Same info on the other site: Sorry !! The file is approved, all it is waiting for is to be verified. Once it's done yu will be scheduled to go to an Oath.

KyngSilva: How often do they have oaths?

USCIS: Once A week

Kynsilva: Thank you

[Lyuba 0]

That's just not right.

[KyngSilva 0]

Not right ...but atleast I know what the heck is going on. How do you like this Oct people finishing their Oaths.

[sakura888 0]

2bornot2b, thanks for the encouraging words.

KyngSilva, that doesn't sound right, I feel for you... what's new with these USCIS guys? They could always make our USCIS journey a real pain whenever they feel like doing it.

[KyngSilva 0]

Thanks Sak... I'm trying to get my wife to call the Senators office and put the screws to them. We shall see =)

[davidanhhong 0]

Thanks Sak... I'm trying to get my wife to call the Senators office and put the screws to them. We shall see =)

Hi, I'm about ready to write my senator as well. We applied for my wife's N400 back in August 2008, she passed her interview on 10/22/08, and then nothing. I tried writing a letter to the IO officer in January of this year - no response. Then I called the toll-free number - no help since they insist on waiting 120 days from the interview. So I waited until Feb. 20, 2009 and called again - they wrote down our information and promised to make an official inquiry as to why the oath ceremony letter was being held up. By that time I didn't really trust them to do anything so I made an Infopass appt. and we went to the Alexandria office to find out what the problem was, on Feb. 23, 2009.

After waiting an hour, we finally spoke with one of the information officers, who looked up the case # and said there were two FBI inquiries on my wife sent out near the end of August, and only the 2nd one had come back (clean, of course). So they were waiting for the first (earlier by about 10 days) one to come back. The information officer said he would try and get the office to accept the second FBI check result as satisfactory and waive the first one. The officer took down my cellphone number and said he would call me with an update, and he did call back later that day stating everything was OK now and to expect the oath ceremony letter in the mail "shortly". About half an hour later, another officer from USCIS called and told me that there was a problem with my wife's legal name. As is customary, I had put down her first name, maiden (last) name and my last name as her married name on our marriage certificate when we got married in 2004, and she has been going by that name ever since. The USCIS officer told me that under Virginia (where we live) law, her name is her first name, her two middle names and then my last name. I have never heard of this practice and I seriously doubt that it is true - if somebody here knows, please let me know . Anyway, I told her that we wanted to proceed with the oath ceremony ASAP and that we would get her name legally changed afterwards, which she agreed with, and so ended our conversation.

To make a long story short, we haven't heard anything from USCIS since then. The next oath ceremony according to the 2nd officer is March 20th. There is no way to call the Alexandria office - they blank out the last 7 digits of their phone number when calling me on the cellphone. So now I have another Infopass appt. scheduled for this Wednesday, 18 March 09, to find out what the latest problem is. Hopefully it can be resolved in 2 days so that she can get her citizenship next Friday.

I suspect it may be that they are waiting for an official name change document, despite the assurances from the 2nd officer, so this Monday we will go to the Manassas courthouse and get my wife's name legally changed to what we have been using for the last 4-1/2 years now.

I sincerely hope to be shed of the USCIS soon, as I am pretty tired of dealing with this agency. And I have been a supervisor in another Federal agency for the last 12 years - I would never tolerate such lack of customer service and followthrough in my employees as seems to be the norm at USCIS. My employees know that if a customer calls them up, they are expected to take ownership of the problem, even if it is in another department, and get some satisfactory resolution if possible, and a detailed explanation if not, within one business day if at all possible. And if not possible, to call the customer and keep them informed! After all, they pay some substantial fees to apply to my agency, and that's the least they deserve. And I will be glad to suggest this change of policy to the USCIS, via my senator and Pres. Obama (once we are done with them, naturally ).

Sorry for the rant, and I know many people here probably have worse stories to tell, but it feels good to vent!

[KyngSilva 0]

welcome on board...We feel your pain. I too am completely disgusted in the way things have been handled. People on here got their citizenship done in 3 months. I still don't understand how a federal agency cannot have the same process and guidelines from office to office. It's insane!! Let us know how your process goes after yoru next info pass appointment.

[moonhunt 1]

I wish Warm Spring weather will bring good luck to KatLovM, KyngSilva, sakura888, and davidanhhong.

I guess on St. Patrick day we can try shamrock cookie for bringing best luck for them.

Or green beer ? Cheers!

Edited March 14, 2009 by moonhunt

[2bornot2b 0]

Yes, Good Luck to KatLovM, KyngSilva, sakura888, and davidanhhong. Hopefully they will be done with USCIS soon.

Just for comparison, here is my experience with passport application. You will see that most citizens take their citizenship for granted or maybe we have been trained by USCIS to be very exact and accurate when we file anything.

Ok so I went to the local library to file for my passport. I have all the forms, pictures, checks etc. all ready as we are all trained to do.

When we arrived about 1 hour before closing time, we thought we would have ample time. Took a number and sat down. Long story short , from my observation, people did not come prepared. They pick up the forms, and fill them up in front of the officer or left blanks and need to fill up another taking the officer's time. Next they did not get passport pictures taken . The officer got to take time out to take their pictures which is part of the service so they have all the right. And most forget to bring checks to pay for their passports and had to run home for their checks. Do they think the passports are free? While others come with a family of 5 but only has 1 check thinking they can just use 1 check for all 5 people.

Is it that obvious that we have all been well trained by USCIS? lol My hubby and I just sat there and watch while rolling our eyes.

In the end, the officer had to keep the office open 2 hours after closing time to complete the people who are already in line. In my humble opinion, I think the officer is too nice. She should have just sent those people without completed forms back to the waiting room to fill them out and those without checks to come back another time with their checks and forms instead of waiting for them to fill up the forms there or to let them go home to get their checks and cut in while she is with another applicant.

[KyngSilva 0]

Now if the USCIS was that nice and considerate we would all be happy and satisfied.

[sakura888 0]

Thanks everyone for the support

Anyways, I think I should have posted this one on this thread since all of us have same the timeline and that you guys just had your naturalization interviews. I remember, based on the Document Checklist for N400, I sent everything that they required, I should just bring the original copies on my interview. But I just wanted to know if any of you had the experience that a consul looked for some more documents during your NATURALIZATION interview other than those listed on the interview appointment letter, and if so, what are those. The USCIS at this point has copies of all of our pertinent documents as they already required those even before we were qualified to apply for naturalization. I just want to hear some of your experiences regarding this. Thanks a lot.

Hi Guys,

Did any of you have a consul looking for more documents other than what are listed on the interview letter? I just want to come prepared with everything.

I am going to bring the original copies of the evidences of relationship that we sent with the application, I just wonder if there are other things I should bring aside from those listed and those, which copies, we sent with the N400. Those documents I'm talking about are the ff: marriage cert, birth certs, passport, greencard and ITRs for the last 3 years.

Should I bring some latest bill statements under my name and my husband's, or maybe a car registration or latest bank statements?

Thanks.

[sakura888 0]

I think I should just bring more documents for the evidence of marriage, just to be on the safe side. And I will bring an entire album of our family... pictures for every occasion hahah!

Gosh, this whole USCIS journey is sooo tiring! I wonder what these USCIS people do to the documents they required us to send? Why do they have to get another set of all of these documents that they already have in possession every step of the way? (Sigh)... you can't win, you just have to be patient I guess until the whole USCIS journey is over.

Let's hang on, Kyngsilva, Katlovm and davidanhhong! There must be light at the end of the tunnel

[moonhunt 1]

Adjudicator can ask "any" documents or proofs during the interview.

So as other people said, better overprepared than hearing "Sorry".

Good list for checklist is following.

http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.php?t=288288

The reason why you have to bring original/copy for interview is for just in case.

Just in case they lost the something in the middle.

Just in case they didn't receive it in the mail.

Just in case they don't like the photo you sent.

Just in case they ask for more info.

I brought full duffel bag of immigration documentation just in case, but they didn't even bother to look at it.

But if they asked for it, I was ready.

Immigration things doesn't have logic. It was so twisted, so you have to see from adjudicator's viewpoint, not from normal common sense.