N-400 Intrerview experience Boston

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I thought I'd do a separate thread about my wife's N-400 process. The monthly filing threads get quite mixed up and hard to read without a standard for everyone to follow. It would be nice if it was possible to have a template with columns and a header at the top with the title of each step so that everyone would be filling in the information in the same order and a quick look would show it clearly. As it is now, some people fill in more dates than others, etc and you can't just take a quick look to see what took place and when. IMO, it would be much more helpful it could be more organized and clearer. We filed in November 2014.

11/18/2014 N-400 mailed

11/20/2014 N-400 received by USCIS

11/24/2014 Date on I-797

11/26/2014 I-797 received

12/05/2014 Fingerprint Letter received

12/12/2014 Yellow Letter Received

12/17/2014 Fingerprints taken at Portland St. Application Support Center

12/12/2014 Yellow Letter Received

02/20/2015 Interview notice received

03/25/2015 Interview

We had an early appointment, 7:30AM. We arrived at the JFK building just after 7AM and went through security. You must completely empty your pockets, take off belt, watch, etc. Everything goes into a tray and is X-rayed while you walk thru the scanner. The security staff was friendly and polite. We went in the back entrance to the building, the one facing City Hall Plaza. This entrance is right next to the USCIS offices. It is only open from 7AM-1PM, so if your interview is later than this, you'll have to go in the main entrance. If you take public transportation, the JFK building is right across the street from the Haymarket Orange Line stop.

When you enter the USCIS offices, a receptionist directs you to a check in window. You present you interview notice at the window and are simply told to sit down and wait to be called. There is really no interaction at all. At this time of day, there were approx 25 people in the waiting area. My wife was called about 7:45AM and was finished just after 8AM. She wasn't in the office for 20 minutes.

The agent checked her drivers license, Green Card and her passports. Nothing else was checked although she was told on the interview letter to bring our marriage certificate and my birth certificate.

The civics test was first. She answered the first 6 questions correctly, then was shown a paper and told to read the sentence, which she did. The agent took the paper back and told her to write the sentence she had just read. The test took 2-3 minutes. Then the agent reviewed the N-400 application item by item, asking her each question, etc. I'm assuming that this is done to verify all information face to face and catch any errors or problems.

This took the most time. After this was done, he gave her the N-652 Naturalization Interview Results form, which stated that her application was recommended for approval and that if final approval is granted she will be notified when and where to report for the Oath Ceremony.

If anyone has any specific questions, please ask, I'll do my best to help. I will also update this when I have more information about the Oath Ceremony.

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

Congratulations!

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Congratulations!

Thank you.

Interesting tidbit. Over 30,000 people are naturalized through the Boston office each year, so that averages out to 2500+ per month. Yet here at VJ there are only 1 or 2 participants who file through Boston each month.

[TBoneTX 42,988]

This is very helpful, Spooky. Belated congratulations! Great feeling, ain't it?