Journey Almost Over

[lissa04 3]

I had my interview for naturalization on 1/11/2010 in Washington DC. I passed the test, however they gave me an N-652 stating that they couldn't make a decision at this time. I was told by the officer who interviewed me that I should receive something in the mail in the next couple of weeks. Well weeks turned into months and on March 2, 2010 I went to see my local congressman. The response I received is that it can take up to 120 days to hear from them. On April 12,2010 I filed a service request and I was told that I should hear something in about 30 days. Still nothing. So tonight I decided to call USCIS to find out what my status is. The officer asked me the usual questions name, address, DOB. He told me that my case was approved on Jan 11, 2010. I was like "oh" nobody told me anything. He asked me when I called, I said that I called in March and in April. I told him that the previous officers told me that they were doing a background check. He asked me if I was sure and I said yes I have been pulling my hair out for the last 4 months. He says on his screen it said approved. Now all I have to do is wait for the oath. Personally I won't believe it till I see it. I contacted my congressman so hopefully I hear something soon as to when this long awaited journey can be over. Would have been nice to tell me that I was approved months ago!

[Emma Dee 0]

Fingers crossed that You receive the oath letter very quickly.

Congrats on the approval! Sounds terrible that You had to wait and not know for months... Hopefully it is all over now and you will be assured of that as soon as you take that oath...

[NickD 202]

Know what your are going through, been there, done that. N-652 also states if you have any questions, contact your IO, with only two shortcomings, first, can't read the name they filled in the blank, second, really no way given to contact your IO.

Wife was told her application is sent off someplace for final approval, yeah, like his/her supervisor down the hall. And who is really being approved? You or your IO? Feel its the later as to whether your IO did their job right or not.

Nothing like making a three buck purchase off of ebay and getting tons of e-mails about your purchase, thank yous, and delivery, hear nothing from something really important from the USCIS. I took affirmative action with my senator and three days later got a field office oath given to my wife, even though giving field office oath ceremonies is not there thing. Listened to the frustrations of my wife's friend in Chicago long enough. Of all things, even though she provided all of the required evidence, they insisted on that utility bill as additional evidence, but only after a long trip to Chicago with an infopass appointment just to learn it was that utility bill they wanted, and another long trip for her to bring in that bill.

While she was six months ahead of us during the entire process, she ended up 9 months behind us until she finally got her certificate, a full 15 months waiting for her certificate after her interview. She was afraid to speak up, but so was her husband. For that matter, so is my wife, heck, she is relatively new to this country and not accustomed to dealing with agencies like I am, so I spoke up for her.

Kind of hinted, this is my family they are dealing with, not just her.

At least you know, if you don't do anything, like my wife's friend did, eventually, even after 15 months, your oath letter will come in. Hers did.

[antda 13]

I had my interview for naturalization on 1/11/2010 in Washington DC. I passed the test, however they gave me an N-652 stating that they couldn't make a decision at this time. I was told by the officer who interviewed me that I should receive something in the mail in the next couple of weeks. Well weeks turned into months and on March 2, 2010 I went to see my local congressman. The response I received is that it can take up to 120 days to hear from them. On April 12,2010 I filed a service request and I was told that I should hear something in about 30 days. Still nothing. So tonight I decided to call USCIS to find out what my status is. The officer asked me the usual questions name, address, DOB. He told me that my case was approved on Jan 11, 2010. I was like "oh" nobody told me anything. He asked me when I called, I said that I called in March and in April. I told him that the previous officers told me that they were doing a background check. He asked me if I was sure and I said yes I have been pulling my hair out for the last 4 months. He says on his screen it said approved. Now all I have to do is wait for the oath. Personally I won't believe it till I see it. I contacted my congressman so hopefully I hear something soon as to when this long awaited journey can be over. Would have been nice to tell me that I was approved months ago!

Lissa04-Congats on being approved. Good luck in getting your oath letter soon.

Personally, I think that you were just approved recently, and that they said that they approved you before, to cover up for their mistakes, after the congressman intervened. Lol..After all, if you were approved earlier, they would have sent you the oath letter earlier, now wouldn't they? Just a thought....

Good thing though, that you did call to check up on them, regardless, and good that you were presistent about things too!

And yes, that determination and the help from the congressman certainly did pay off!

Hope your journey is over soon....And congrats ahead of time in being a dual Canadian/US Citizen soon!

Ant

[Captain Oates 910]

Sounds weird though that the oath letter has not come....

If it was approved back in early January its very weird.

Absolutely need to keep on top of it - I would call every week and ask about the oath letter.

Jeez final escape from their clutches must be worth 40 points off the blood pressure

That's until the original certificate gets lost when applying for the passport - just joking, I have never heard of that happening ever - but sending the original ? The Post office guy who checks the application for the passport

should certify a copy of the certificate and let us keep the original. Never mind, you will feel great with passport in hand - unless you are in Arizona and you leave it at home... 'papers please ! '

[NickD 202]

Sounds weird though that the oath letter has not come....

If it was approved back in early January its very weird.

Absolutely need to keep on top of it - I would call every week and ask about the oath letter.

Jeez final escape from their clutches must be worth 40 points off the blood pressure

That's until the original certificate gets lost when applying for the passport - just joking, I have never heard of that happening ever - but sending the original ? The Post office guy who checks the application for the passport

should certify a copy of the certificate and let us keep the original. Never mind, you will feel great with passport in hand - unless you are in Arizona and you leave it at home... 'papers please ! '

Who do you trust? Apparently if you are the DOS, you don't trust your own certified agents to make a copy of your US certificate, ironically, the SS does. But the DOS skips the most important part in trusting their agents, namely to make sure your passport photos are of you and that they can honestly administer the oath. Yes, have to say a oath to get your passport. So help me God.

Never said this before about my wife's IO, a really big fat black lady that wasn't even curious enough to accept my wife's introduction of me. Would think that just looking at the names on our tax forms would be enough, wife said she went line by line knowing our income. And she asked my wife three times if she was a prostitute and louder each time. My wife was offended by this, but kept her cool.

Feel it was her IO that "misplaced" her application, anyway, my senator straightened this out with even a letter from the field office manager, I filed that with our immigration papers. Followed by an in office oath ceremony just three days away.

Have to say this about our military, if anything of significance occurred, would meet with a board, not just one person, that one person can be prejudiced. Another major sore I observed with the USCIS. So why isn't this interview with a board?

Also finding that some field offices requesting a drivers' license as proof of additional identity is ludicrous, secondary evidence that is rooted on one's birth certificate. Even heard DVM agents requesting a utility bill for identity sake if a person comes in with no birth certificate, maybe that is where some USCIS agents picked that up. Worse form of evidence possible, utility companies are not in the position nor even care about a persons identity, if you don't pay your bill, put a lean against the property where your landlord is responsible for payment. You can just skip town. Wonder if my wife's IO picked this stupid form of evidence from her DMV.

One thing about working for any government agency, if you are too stupid to do your job, they don't fire you, but make a supervisor out of you. And the dumber you are, the higher you go.