My Citizenship Experience

[tgsp 0]

Hey Everyone, So today was the day of my interview. My interview was set for 08:05AM, so right after work (7pm-7am), I headed straight to the USCIS field office in Santa Clara County. I have not studied at all for the civics test and only studied during my work shift hahah. But that was fine, for the questions were essentially not too bad. I was told to put my interview letter on Window 1 and from there, 20 minutes later a woman called me for the interview and so it begins. She told me to raise my right hand and made me swear to tell the truth in which I did. She began by giving me the reading and writing test - "There are 100 Senators". After that she went to the civics test, which surprisingly was not too bad. - 1) Name of the National Anthem 2) Ocean to the West Coast 3) Why are there 13 stripes in the flag, I forgot the the remaining 3 questions, sorry about that. But after that, she just asked the questions on my N400 and that was it. She did not even ask for any evidence whatsoever, I guess because my case was pretty straightforward - Married to one woman, first marriage, never left the country since I got here, and have 2 children. I now have an appointment for an Oath Ceremony next week. Good luck to everyone!!! and do not worry too much about the test, it is straight to the point word per word as stated in the study guide.

[Beata1501 14]

Congratulations on passing the test!!!

I will have my interview on December 17th

[NickD 203]

Ha, wife and stepdaughter first looked at the test on the drive to our field office and unlike other government test where you have get at least 70% of the questions correct, with the USCIS, only 60%. And this is only on ten questions, not several hundred.

Was yours the 3 or 5 year? Sounds like the 5 year for my stepdaughter that lasted a whole 8 minutes, wife went for the 3 year with a ton of evidence and took the most part of an hour.

At your interview, read the oath aloud and signed your full name in front of an official witness. For us was another 450 mile drive, had to leave 3 hours earlier for ice and snow. Girls had to fill out that form stating they were not naughty since their interview, waited in a very long line through security. Only to turn in that form, drop their green cards in a bucket, sit and watch videos on an old 27" CRT TV, stand and lip sync their oath, get their certificate and leave. But did get a six inch American flag that I believe was made in China, just to get their certificate.

I read it very carefully for typos, if you walk out the door with typos, will cost you another 400 bucks and at least a six month wait. Then that long drive home through ice and snow. Nobody gave a darn that my wife or daughter received their certificate except me. To the rest of them, they were just making that line longer. Too bad that can't issue that certificate right after you passed your interview.

Ha, at least during my stepdaughters college graduation, another long boring session, got a weak cup of coffee and a cookie. At the USCIS, didn't get anything for this most important ceremony.

After that, the first thing my girls wanted to do was to show their certificate to their employers, in our state employers can be fine $16,300 if they lose their green cards or if they expire. Then driving over to the SS and DMV to update their status, registering to vote was an option, but we did that anyway. Lastly laying out another couple of hundred bucks to the DOS because you can't travel anymore. Was a bit of concern about that, because they send your certificate back via 1st class mail in a plain brown envelop with no proof of delivery. After all this, then its finally over.

[tgsp 0]

Mine was based off of the 3 year span. It was very straightforward with mine. In and out in 10 minutes or so. I was expecting she would at least want to see some evidence of our new documents because my wife and I just bought a new house last month. So I was prepared to show her the deed and other supporting documents, but negative, the Immigration Officer did not ask for anything. At the end she just made me sign the 2 pictures that I submited for the N400 form.

[tgsp 0]

Oh I also forgot to mention, right after the tests, she did calculations to ensure that I filed within the right time period. So I guess it is true that the real calculation comes when the interview actually occurs.

[NickD 203]

That's the way it should be for the marriage 3 year. Could only ask the question with about 99% of the same old evidence already submitted, how in the hell did my wife get a conditional and ten year card in the first place?

The only "new" evidence we had was the latest IRS tax return, but she also wanted to see and copy our bank statements, the ones she had were already four months old. But then she wanted to see a uncalled for completely worthless joint utility bill. We had that. I say they are worthless because we already had a renter that was six months in arrears. They don't give a good damn as to what name is on that bill. they put a lean against the property owner which was us. We had to pay that bill.

Good luck in an interview, is no accidents, no traffic jams, and having a half decent IO. Happy to hear someone finally got the latter.