How many steps there are once we send the requested docs to get the US Citizenship!!!!

[daphne2109 0]

Hello everybody, I'm back again on VJ, tks as always to VJ & VJ ppl!!!!

In May I'll be starting my final journey in order to request the US citizenship, so I would like to ask some questions to who has been through this last part of the journey:

1) - what does expect me after sending the docs to the Immigration?I mean how many steps there are in order to get the oath after sending the docs?

2) - who gives me the book to study in order to get the test?

3) - is it helpful to print the 58 pages of the Guide to Naturalization from USCIS.gov?

4) - Have you sent alot of docs as many as for the removal of condition?

Thanks in advance for helping me!!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas to everybody!!!!!!

[NickD 203]

Hello everybody, I'm back again on VJ, tks as always to VJ & VJ ppl!!!!

In May I'll be starting my final journey in order to request the US citizenship, so I would like to ask some questions to who has been through this last part of the journey:

1) - what does expect me after sending the docs to the Immigration?I mean how many steps there are in order to get the oath after sending the docs?

2) - who gives me the book to study in order to get the test?

3) - is it helpful to print the 58 pages of the Guide to Naturalization from USCIS.gov?

4) - Have you sent alot of docs as many as for the removal of condition?

Thanks in advance for helping me!!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas to everybody!!!!!!

Guide to Naturalization from USCIS should be read first, even before sending in your application. You may or may not receive a biometrics appointment depending on whether they decide to use your old set of prints or want you to get a new set, has to be a flip of the coin for this decision. But if you do, can get that study guide and CD at your biometrics appointment. But no big deal if you don't, all this stuff is on the net. Sent in even more evidence than what was required for removal of conditions if applying for the three year marriage privilege. Besides all that joint stuff, proof that we were both free to marry, our marriage certificate, and the fact that the sponsoring USC is indeed a USC. Passports for proof of your trips if you have taken any outside of the country, and more recently, proof that my wife and I were paying our electric bill together with both our names on the bill.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Hello everybody, I'm back again on VJ, tks as always to VJ & VJ ppl!!!!

In May I'll be starting my final journey in order to request the US citizenship, so I would like to ask some questions to who has been through this last part of the journey:

1) - what does expect me after sending the docs to the Immigration?I mean how many steps there are in order to get the oath after sending the docs?

After you submit your application you will receive a receipt for the application. You will then receive an appointment letter for biometrics. After your biometrics appointment you may or may not receive a yellow letter advising you of additional documents to bring to the interview (not everyone does). About a month or so after the biometrics letter you will receive the interview letter. You attend the interview and if you pass the exam and everything is approved, you are recommended for citizenship. You will receive a date for your oath either at the interview or in the mail shortly afterwards. You attend your oath ceremony and you become a US citizen.

2) - who gives me the book to study in order to get the test?

At the biometrics appointment you will receive a booklet with a CD in it containing the information you need to know for the citizenship exam. There is no charge for this. You can also go to the USCIS website and read over the exam questions. You can also order a set of flashcards that contain the questions on one side and the answers on the reverse - you would need to buy those.

3) - is it helpful to print the 58 pages of the Guide to Naturalization from USCIS.gov?

I wouldn't print it out but I would save either the link to the Guide or the actual Guide itself on your computer and read it over several times - once before starting the process, and then several times during the process to make sure you understand what is going on and why. There is no problem with printing it out if that is what you want to do, but I think it is probably just necessary to read it online. I would, however, print out the Documents Checklist that is at the back of the Guide to Naturalization.

4) - Have you sent alot of docs as many as for the removal of condition?

No. The Naturalization application is a lot easier. Read over the form itself, the instructions and the Guide to Naturalization. At the end of the Guide to Naturalization there is a documents checklist that tells you exactly what documents you need to submit. You will bring the originals of these documents with you to the interview (although they may not look at them ) and you can bring some additional documents then that show the validity of your marriage. They may not ask for them either, especially if you sent in lots of documents with your Removal of Conditions application.

Thanks in advance for helping me!!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas to everybody!!!!!!

Merry Christmas to you as well!

Edited December 24, 2009 by Kathryn41

[Dakine 26]

I don't know how many other local service centers do this but in Honolulu you to do your interview in the morning and take the oath [if you pass the interview ] at 2 PM. They give you the certificate right after.

At least that's the way it's done for peeps from the outer islands.

Edited December 24, 2009 by Dakine

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Some USCIS offices do the same day ceremony for those who have their interviews scheduled before a certain time - I think mid-morning is the cut-off tine for Atlanta. Interviews held after that are scheduled for a ceremony on a different day. Not all offices have that option, though.

[daphne2109 0]

Some USCIS offices do the same day ceremony for those who have their interviews scheduled before a certain time - I think mid-morning is the cut-off tine for Atlanta. Interviews held after that are scheduled for a ceremony on a different day. Not all offices have that option, though.

Thank you so much Kathryn41 for yr replies, and of course also the other VJ ppl!!!!!

[antda 13]

Hi Daphne2109,

Nice to see you here on the N-400/citizenship boards! Lol..I still remember you back on the I-751 boards not too long ago....

In answer to your questions:

1) This is what happens when you file for citizenship:

-Fill out the N-400 application forms, enclose the $675 application fee, and passport-sized photos. Send it to a USCIS lockbox (Phoenix or Dallas, depending on which state you live) They cash your check/money order.

-NOA (Notice of Action) Recepit - 1-2 weeks later

You can read about my NOA experience here:

N-400: NOA Received! CRIS Checked! The obsession continues...., And some questions about the NOA too...

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=219066&hl=

-Biometrics/Fingerprints Letter - 3-4 weeks later

-Biomterics/Fingerprints Appointment - 4-8 weeks later, at your local office.

They take your fingerprints and give you the "Learn about the United States: Quick Civics Lessons for the New Naturalization test” Booklet and Audio CD

You can read about my Biometrics/Fingerprints experience here:

N-400: Ant’s Walk-In Biometrics, Infopass, and Baby..Oh My!..., (9/30/09) My Helpful Detailed N-400 Experience and Story Here!..:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=221180&hl=

-Interview Letter - Varies, depending on how busy your local office is. It can be many weeks and/or months later.

-Interview - Varies, depending on how busy your local office is. It can be many weeks and/or months later.

They go through your application and ask the civics/history and English questions. You have to get 6/10 history/civis questions right, and read 1 sentence in English and write one sentence in English, as specified.

If you pass, you are recommended for an oath ceremony date.

You can read about my Interview experience here:

N-400: Ant’s Citizenship INTERVIEW PASSED.…BUT….(Part 1 of 2)…., (11/18/09) My Helpful Very Detailed N-400 Buffalo, NY Experience Here

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=229435&hl=

-Oath Letter - Varies, depending on how busy your local office is. It can be the same day, many days, or many weeks and/or months later.

-Oath Ceremony -Varies, depending on how busy your local office is. It can be the same day, many days, or many weeks and/or months later.

You are not a US Citizen, until you complete this oath.

Usually done in a group ceremony. You say the oath along with others. And they you are given your "Citizenship of Naturalization", which you can use to prove your US Citizenship status, and to apply for a US Passport.

Note: I had a private oath ceremony, due to other personal circumstances, which is somewhat of a different experience. If you want to read about group oath ceremony experiences, you can search for other vjers' posts regarding this.

As for exact citizenship timelines...there are many variables....it can be slow, it can be fast.....

The average now to complete the US Citizenship process is about 2-6 months.....which is a big range.....

And it can change from year to year too, as a few years ago, things were a lot slower in the process...

It all boils down to: a) Interiew dates...Can your local office schedule one quick enough and are you able to pass such that day.

b ) More importantly: Oath dates. You are not a US Citizen until you take the oath. Some people get their oaths as quick as the same day, while some people get their oaths days, months, weeks, months, later.....It all depends on the schedule of your local office....

For example, my citizenship process was 2 1/2 months exactly, from start to finish....which was quicker than usual due to other circumstances....Can't say that it can be as quick for others...again...depends on your local office there....

For more information about my specific timeline, you can find that link on my vj signature below and here....

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profil...l=&id=30530

2) You get the "Learn about the United States: Quick Civics Lessons for the New Naturalization test” Booklet and Audio CD, needed for the test, when you get your biometrics/fingerprints done. In the meantime, you can have a "sneak peak" at the study materials, by downloading and looking at the official questions and answers here from the USCIS website:

Study Materials for the Naturalization Test

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...000b92ca60aRCRD

3) I had a look at the Guide to Naturalization, but to be honest with you, it didn't help me much, so I didn't print this out (lol..plus I didn't want to waste the ink either).

4) For Naturalization, generally this is what the USCIS wants, evidence-wise, to enclose in your application:

Document Checklist for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00048f3d6a1RCRD

I, on the other hand, went the "better safe than sorry" approach, submitting 95+ pages worth of evidence, just as many documents as I did for the I-751, as you can read about here as to what I submitted exactly for my N-400:

N-400: Ant’s Naturalization Evidence and Information Submitted (3 year marriage rule)…, Is this enough evidence?...

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=218133&hl=

Hope this helps. Good luck with the rest of your citizenship journey in May too.

Happy holidays to you and your family as well.

Ant

Hello everybody, I'm back again on VJ, tks as always to VJ & VJ ppl!!!!

In May I'll be starting my final journey in order to request the US citizenship, so I would like to ask some questions to who has been through this last part of the journey:

1) - what does expect me after sending the docs to the Immigration?I mean how many steps there are in order to get the oath after sending the docs?

2) - who gives me the book to study in order to get the test?

3) - is it helpful to print the 58 pages of the Guide to Naturalization from USCIS.gov?

4) - Have you sent alot of docs as many as for the removal of condition?

Thanks in advance for helping me!!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas to everybody!!!!!!

Edited December 27, 2009 by Ant+D+BabyA

[daphne2109 0]

Hi Daphne2109,

Nice to see you here on the N-400/citizenship boards! Lol..I still remember you back on the I-751 boards not too long ago....

In answer to your questions:

1) This is what happens when you file for citizenship:

-Fill out the N-400 application forms, enclose the $675 application fee, and passport-sized photos. Send it to a USCIS lockbox (Phoenix or Dallas, depending on which state you live) They cash your check/money order.

-NOA (Notice of Action) Recepit - 1-2 weeks later

You can read about my NOA experience here:

N-400: NOA Received! CRIS Checked! The obsession continues...., And some questions about the NOA too...

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=219066&hl=

-Biometrics/Fingerprints Letter - 3-4 weeks later

-Biomterics/Fingerprints Appointment - 4-8 weeks later, at your local office.

They take your fingerprints and give you the "Learn about the United States: Quick Civics Lessons for the New Naturalization test” Booklet and Audio CD

You can read about my Biometrics/Fingerprints experience here:

N-400: Ant’s Walk-In Biometrics, Infopass, and Baby..Oh My!..., (9/30/09) My Helpful Detailed N-400 Experience and Story Here!..:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=221180&hl=

-Interview Letter - Varies, depending on how busy your local office is. It can be many weeks and/or months later.

-Interview - Varies, depending on how busy your local office is. It can be many weeks and/or months later.

They go through your application and ask the civics/history and English questions. You have to get 6/10 history/civis questions right, and read 1 sentence in English and write one sentence in English, as specified.

If you pass, you are recommended for an oath ceremony date.

You can read about my Interview experience here:

N-400: Ant’s Citizenship INTERVIEW PASSED.…BUT….(Part 1 of 2)…., (11/18/09) My Helpful Very Detailed N-400 Buffalo, NY Experience Here

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=229435&hl=

-Oath Letter - Varies, depending on how busy your local office is. It can be the same day, many days, or many weeks and/or months later.

-Oath Ceremony -Varies, depending on how busy your local office is. It can be the same day, many days, or many weeks and/or months later.

You are not a US Citizen, until you complete this oath.

Usually done in a group ceremony. You say the oath along with others. And they you are given your "Citizenship of Naturalization", which you can use to prove your US Citizenship status, and to apply for a US Passport.

Note: I had a private oath ceremony, due to other personal circumstances, which is somewhat of a different experience. If you want to read about group oath ceremony experiences, you can search for other vjers' posts regarding this.

As for exact citizenship timelines...there are many variables....it can be slow, it can be fast.....

The average now to complete the US Citizenship process is about 2-6 months.....which is a big range.....

And it can change from year to year too, as a few years ago, things were a lot slower in the process...

It all boils down to: a) Interiew dates...Can your local office schedule one quick enough and are you able to pass such that day.

b ) More importantly: Oath dates. You are not a US Citizen until you take the oath. Some people get their oaths as quick as the same day, while some people get their oaths days, months, weeks, months, later.....It all depends on the schedule of your local office....

For example, my citizenship process was 2 1/2 months exactly, from start to finish....which was quicker than usual due to other circumstances....Can't say that it can be as quick for others...again...depends on your local office there....

For more information about my specific timeline, you can find that link on my vj signature below and here....

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profil...l=&id=30530

2) You get the "Learn about the United States: Quick Civics Lessons for the New Naturalization test” Booklet and Audio CD, needed for the test, when you get your biometrics/fingerprints done. In the meantime, you can have a "sneak peak" at the study materials, by downloading and looking at the official questions and answers here from the USCIS website:

Study Materials for the Naturalization Test

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...000b92ca60aRCRD

3) I had a look at the Guide to Naturalization, but to be honest with you, it didn't help me much, so I didn't print this out (lol..plus I didn't want to waste the ink either).

4) For Naturalization, generally this is what the USCIS wants, evidence-wise, to enclose in your application:

Document Checklist for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00048f3d6a1RCRD

I, on the other hand, went the "better safe than sorry" approach, submitting 95+ pages worth of evidence, just as many documents as I did for the I-751, as you can read about here as to what I submitted exactly for my N-400:

N-400: Ant’s Naturalization Evidence and Information Submitted (3 year marriage rule)…, Is this enough evidence?...

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=218133&hl=

Hope this helps. Good luck with the rest of your citizenship journey in May too.

Happy holidays to you and your family as well.

Ant

Hi Ant, nice to see ya back here on VJ with all yr great & detailed replies!!!Thank you so much!!!!!

I would like to ask you, just few things accorrding to your above reply:

1) when you sent the docs, what you mean as document that you sent to, the following:

Receipt Notice of Action of I-751 Removal of Conditions

2) When you get the interview at the same time you get the test, right? The questions are more like a "test", I mean your reply is based on several options they give you, or you must give an answer accordingly to the questions?( I hope I was clear about what I mean)

3) If you don't get the biometrics, I understood that you don't get the book + CD,since they are given when you get the biometrics, therefore accordingly to you personal experience, you think that reading on line on the USCS website might be enough to be prepared for the test?

Thanking you again for your precious help, I send you my best regards!!!!!!

[NickD 203]

Using Adobe Acrobat Pro, downloaded the M-476 manual, scan read it and copied and pasted what applied to us and printed out about four pages. Did the same for the N-400 instructions as not everything is in the M-476 manual. Thought about the guy that combined all the different circumstances to apply for USC, and the work he caused me to separate it to what just applied for us.

Sure didn't read anything about a joint utility bill, but friends before us got hit with the positively ridiculous form of evidence, we were prepared. Feel they are just trying to be extra nasty on this issue. Instructions stated something about the average time to fill out the form is about 4 hours plus gathering all the evidence. Maybe true if you do this everyday, was our first time, more like 40 hours. Then trying to make heads or tails out of some of those questions, it's like they are trying to ask a question but don't know how to phrase it, in English. Those I had to call my immigration attorney for, but he didn't bat a thousand either as my wife's IO had a different version of what they wanted.

It's all about pleasing your IO, really need a crystal ball for that.

[antda 13]

Hi Daphne2109,

You're welcome for the detailed reply. Glad to be able to help you here...

In answer to your further questions:

1) The "Receipt Notice of Action of I-751 Removal of Conditions" (or something along those lines), was basically the NOA for the I-751 that I received last year, while my I-751 case was pending. No need to send that in for the N-400, really. The only reason why I sent it in...was to (ok..I hate to saythis)..."prove a point"....in saying that it took a long time for my I-751 case to be approved. As you can see, I filed for my I-751 and got the receipt in August of 2008, and it wasn't until June 2009 that I received my actual 10yr card. I wanted to tell them "hey, you guys took way too long for my I-751 case". 10 months was definitely unreasonable, for something that should have taken 4-6 months maximum, especially in light of the fact that I had submitted 100+ pages of evidence with that case, and that I was pregnant at the time and that this delay affected the health of me and my baby. I was also tempted to send in the copies of letters that I sent to my congressman, along with the expedites and inquiries that I had during the I-751...but I figured that I shouldn't piss them off too much for the N-400..lol...So yeah, that was my "last chance to complain about the I-751", during my N-400 application. And if there were any further delays with my N-400, I was also going to contact my congressman again too (I had their number handy). Lol..And in some strange twist, needless to say, I seriously think that they read all my 95+ pages of N-400 evidence that I sent in, as I got an interview date pretty quickly, and I got a special private oath ceremony accomodation request honoured too. All done and complete for citizenship for me in 2 1/2 months for citizenship, way less than the average of 4-6 months here. Lol...So yeah, I guess I can finally say, "I got my point proven"...and...lol..."they really did mess with the wrong immigrant here"....lol....But back to your case...No need to submit the "NOA/Receipt Notice of Action of I-751 Removal of Conditions" for you...one less piece of paperwork for you to photocopy here.

Just send them a photocopy of your 10yr green card (both sides), as required and stated on the N-400 application form, and you should be ok there.

2) Yes, during the interview they give you the civics/history test and the English test. You study from a list of 100 questions in the study guide/manual. The civics/history questions are asked orally, and you have to answer orally. You have to get 6 out of 10 right to pass here. This is not a multiple choice test. You have to tell them the answer(s), as you as asked. You mainly have to give them one answer, unless otherwise specified. Some questions have more than one answer, so answer those accordingly. For the English portion of the test, they just go through the application form, then they ask you to read a simple sentence from a choice of three, then they ask you to write a simple sentence from what they read out loud. Don't worry, it's pretty straight-forward. It's all covered in the study guide/manual and study materials. And if you can converse, read, and write in good English, you will do ok there. When you pass, you are given an approval letter, and told that you are "recommended for approval", and an oath date letter will be sent to you.

3) Make sure you ask for the study guide book/cd during your biometrics/fingerprints appointment. They are free, and you have every right to ask for such, as a N-400 applicant. If you don't get the book/cd, don't worry. All the study materials are available online, from the USCIS website (from the link that I gave you earlier). These are the exact same questions in the book and cd, and you can study off of there too. Personally, I found the audio cd to be the most helpful, for the civics/history portion of the test, as this part of the test was conducted orally, and it made me better understand the questions as they were asked that way. As well, I made home-made (I didn't want to waste printer ink) study flash cards for the civics/history test, which I found helpful too (note: you can also download and print out the flash cards from the USCIS website directly, but be prepared to use a lot of printer ink here to print them out). But yes, overall, I found the USCIS wesbsite for the study materials to be helpful too, as it gave me a "sneak peak" and let me study ahead of time, before I got the book and cd, so I already knew the study materials ahead of time and was even more prepared then for the interview.

Hope this helps too. Good luck with the rest of your journey too. Best regards to you too.

Ant

P.S. I'll reply to your e-mail sometime this week too.....

Hi Ant, nice to see ya back here on VJ with all yr great & detailed replies!!!Thank you so much!!!!!

I would like to ask you, just few things accorrding to your above reply:

1) when you sent the docs, what you mean as document that you sent to, the following:

Receipt Notice of Action of I-751 Removal of Conditions

2) When you get the interview at the same time you get the test, right? The questions are more like a "test", I mean your reply is based on several options they give you, or you must give an answer accordingly to the questions?( I hope I was clear about what I mean)

3) If you don't get the biometrics, I understood that you don't get the book + CD,since they are given when you get the biometrics, therefore accordingly to you personal experience, you think that reading on line on the USCS website might be enough to be prepared for the test?

Thanking you again for your precious help, I send you my best regards!!!!!!

Edited December 28, 2009 by Ant+D+BabyA