the interview and the exam

[Disteny 38]

On 1/1/2021 at 2:30 PM, QueenofSwords said:

Hi all, I have a couple of questions for the interview in terms of what to expect. Mine is coming up now in 12 days. I am studying for the 2008 version of the civics exam because I am a March 2020 applicant. Nonetheless I have also read over the new exam just in case. 

A friend of mine who was naturalized 2-3 years ago told me that they reword the questions from the booklet. Is this true? They don't read them verbatim?

More worryingly, she told me they quiz you on the spot on portraits of the Founding Fathers or other relevant figures (ie: Abraham Lincoln) hanging on the walls of the interview room. I know what Lincoln looks like because I went to U of I and there was a statue in my department. But is this kosher? This worries me that the officers go off script so to speak and ask random questions. 

On that note, do they ask questions that aren't in the 100 question pool?

Also, can someone enlighten me on what the English exam is? I read that they read a sentence that we are supposed to type out on an ipad and also that they ask another question off of the 100 question pool to which we type up an answer. How many questions do we get on the English proficiency portion?

Sorry for another barrage of questions but I thought I'd ask away and see what the community here says. Thank you in advance!

During my interview which took place on Nov.10  I was asked direct questions same as the booklet ( 6 questions) , the reading test : Which State has more people?   The writing test : California has more people.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

1 hour ago, QueenofSwords said:

Thank you!

I have another question. I am so sorry to be pestering the forum members but something that I've been pondering concerns the supplementary questions the officer will ask outside of the civics and history exam, and apart from proficiency (though I am told that the officer also aims to assess one's proficiency via these other conversation topics). 

specifically, they'll go over your responses to the N-400 questions. I am an online applicant and hence do not have an exact copy of the form I submitted. I know the answers to all the questions of course since I answered candidly but for example, I can't recall if I gave my university's main office address or my own faculty office address. do you all have copies of your original N-400 submission?

Luckily I was able to tabulate all my exact travel dates-- a total of 5 trips outside since becoming a US resident, all lasting a week or 2 weeks-so I can ensure they are identical and correct to what I submitted.

But I worry that as with the office address example, there may be minute discrepancies. To the best of my recollection, the online n-400 did not permit one to export out a pdf. 

If you look under case history online there is something called “case snapshot” which should have a copy of your submitted form. I don’t recall being asked any specific addresses of employers/schools, and I don’t think it matters.

[NEW CITIZEN 151]

5 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

You clearly had an interviewer who was worried about time, most of them go through all the N400 questions, it’s odd that yours didn’t.  

Because interviewers "read" people.

They skim your application, if nothing stands out there's no drilling for information.

If you can't speak the language, they will take you apart.

 

Hers another one discussed on another thread, I DID NOT mention/report traffic tickets.

They were under $500, I read between the lines, if no documentation needed, then not worth mentioning.

I wasn't asked either.

 

Another thread here, I never sent tax returns, wasn't asked either.

 

Too much paranoia, too much information, causes questions on the interview.

 

 

 

 

[QueenofSwords 29]

Thanks everyone, I see the case snapshot but it's failing to download or compile the pdf. It keeps on giving an error. I'll try from a different browser or laptop or else have to go off of memory. 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

1 hour ago, NEW CITIZEN said:

Because interviewers "read" people.

They skim your application, if nothing stands out there's no drilling for information.

If you can't speak the language, they will take you apart.

 

Hers another one discussed on another thread, I DID NOT mention/report traffic tickets.

They were under $500, I read between the lines, if no documentation needed, then not worth mentioning.

I wasn't asked either.

 

Another thread here, I never sent tax returns, wasn't asked either.

 

Too much paranoia, too much information, causes questions on the interview.

 

 

 

 

The alternative perspective is that for something as important as this, you prepare the best you can, and consider yourself lucky if you get a lenient interviewer.  I spent over 2 hours in the waiting room for my interviewer, watching everyone else. The average interview time for n400 was half an hour. For everyone.

Edited January 4, 2021 by SusieQQQ

[QueenofSwords 29]

Hello all, as I suspected I learned that they won't allow any phones for the interview. I thought that I could check it in with the guard and retrieve it  after the interview.

Unlike most people, I fly solo as in I will be driving myself there. I would rely on GPS so I need my phone. 

So, am I expected to just leave my phone in the car then? And I can take my purse in? I suppose we can have a book or something to pass the time while we wait our turn?

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

38 minutes ago, QueenofSwords said:

Hello all, as I suspected I learned that they won't allow any phones for the interview. I thought that I could check it in with the guard and retrieve it  after the interview.

Unlike most people, I fly solo as in I will be driving myself there. I would rely on GPS so I need my phone. 

So, am I expected to just leave my phone in the car then? And I can take my purse in? I suppose we can have a book or something to pass the time while we wait our turn?

Seems odd, does it actually say you cannot bring it at all? We had to have our phones off in the waiting room/interview room but were allowed to keep them with us. Purses etc were not a problem.

[MightyIndian 25]

12 hours ago, QueenofSwords said:

Hello all, as I suspected I learned that they won't allow any phones for the interview. I thought that I could check it in with the guard and retrieve it  after the interview.

Unlike most people, I fly solo as in I will be driving myself there. I would rely on GPS so I need my phone. 

So, am I expected to just leave my phone in the car then? And I can take my purse in? I suppose we can have a book or something to pass the time while we wait our turn?

I was allowed to keep my phone with me. Despite me keeping it in silent mode the alarm went off in the  middle of the interview😀. I apologized and went right back to answering the questions. While it depends on each of the field offices to allow phones, in general you are allowed to take your phone with you. Unlike me, please switch the phone off during the interview.

Edited January 4, 2021 by MightyIndian
correction

[QueenofSwords 29]

Thanks for all your responses ! I am leaning toward the option of leaving my phone in the car. I figure it's a safe parking lot and I'll lock the car. The letter didn't specify what not to bring. Or I can risk it and just go back to the car. 

[sidelcampeador 18]

23 hours ago, QueenofSwords said:

Thanks for all your responses ! I am leaning toward the option of leaving my phone in the car. I figure it's a safe parking lot and I'll lock the car. The letter didn't specify what not to bring. Or I can risk it and just go back to the car. 

I took the phone with me and during the interview when the officer asked me when I wanted to do the oath ceremony she told me I can look at my phone. But besides that in the waiting room there are plenty sings that prohibit cellphone use. I think they don't want you using it bur you can have it on you.

[QueenofSwords 29]

1 hour ago, sidelcampeador said:

I took the phone with me and during the interview when the officer asked me when I wanted to do the oath ceremony she told me I can look at my phone. But besides that in the waiting room there are plenty sings that prohibit cellphone use. I think they don't want you using it bur you can have it on you.

thank you. An applicant who completed their interview at my FO responded to me on the other forum to say the same, that it was possible to bring the phone in but that usage is not permitted. 

I only meant to read articles and such on it but I'd like to steer clear of any infractions so I'll just have it on silent in my purse and just read printed out articles and/or a book instead. I'm on the 2nd slot in the morning so in similar spirit to flights, it's less likely than an afternoon slot to be characterized by a major delay-assuming delays ensue from previous candidates' interviews running over.