Rescheduling Oath Ceremony

[S_Flores 35]

I was scheduled to do my oath ceremony on January 5, 2023.

 

On December 18, I sent mail to our local field office requesting to reschedule my oath ceremony due to travel. I included the original copy of the form, my request letter and a copy of my flight ticket/information.

I still haven’t heard back from USCIS and I have not been rescheduled. I am so worried and I tried calling and I was told on December 29 that a tier 2 would call me. 
 

The oath ceremony is this Thursday. What should I do? Help!

[milimelo 4,220]

Are you in the US and able to go to the oath ceremony? 

[S_Flores 35]

I am but I already submitted the request to reschedule including the original letter they sent that I was supposed to bring.

 

I wanted to reschedule because I am traveling soon and if I apply for a passport after the ceremony, it won’t make it in time for my flight. I don’t want to risk to expedite the passport because that’s not a guarantee. My grandmother is really sick and I want to come see here.

[Mike E 11,723]

Have you tried using EMMA (chat).  Sometimes that is  more effective than calling. 
 

If  person on the other end of the chat acknowledges your request then you have a basis for appealing any denial of your N-400 case. Screens shithtye chat session and/or record it (an Apple Mac’s screenshot utility lets you record a video of your screen). 
 

The other benefit of chat over the  phone  is that there are laws regulating recording your own phone calls but for chats not so much. 
 

Since you will still be around on the day of the oath, you could try attending the oath and explain the situation.  You would not surrender your  gc or take oath.  
 

OTOH,  

 

1.  Granted this is a long shot, if folks from the passport agency are there and willing to do an expedited passports, you might be tempted to concentrate the oath,   Or 

 

2. Reportedly is is easy for a Filipino to get a visa for Mexico. So complete  the oath and don’t apply for a passport. Instead travel to Mexico and walk into the USA using your naturalization certificate.  A variation of this is to apply for your passport and use a photo copy of your naturalization certificate to walk into the USA.  
 

Even if 1 fails, 2 is viable. 

[S_Flores 35]

41 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Have you tried using EMMA (chat).  Sometimes that is  more effective than calling. 
 

If  person on the other end of the chat acknowledges your request then you have a basis for appealing any denial of your N-400 case. Screens shithtye chat session and/or record it (an Apple Mac’s screenshot utility lets you record a video of your screen). 
 

The other benefit of chat over the  phone  is that there are laws regulating recording your own phone calls but for chats not so much. 
 

Since you will still be around on the day of the oath, you could try attending the oath and explain the situation.  You would not surrender your  gc or take oath.  
 

OTOH,  

 

1.  Granted this is a long shot, if folks from the passport agency are there and willing to do an expedited passports, you might be tempted to concentrate the oath,   Or 

 

2. Reportedly is is easy for a Filipino to get a visa for Mexico. So complete  the oath and don’t apply for a passport. Instead travel to Mexico and walk into the USA using your naturalization certificate.  A variation of this is to apply for your passport and use a photo copy of your naturalization certificate to walk into the USA.  
 

Even if 1 fails, 2 is viable. 

Hello! Your advice to chat with Emma was super helpful! It was fast, I got to chat with an agent and I was assured that I can go on my trip and I will be rescheduled. He mentioned that it may take a while to get a new date depending on how busy the local office is but he said there is record of my phone call to USCIS last week and our chat today so I should be good.

 

THANK YOU!🙏🏼

[.yana 586]

Back when I was applying for a passport and needed my congress person to check on it status - there was an option to request a congress person's help with an urgent (under 48 hours) passport appointment.

Also - there are passport agencies that can get you those super hard to come by passport appointments if needed. They're not cheap but that's an option.

 

I wouldn't miss my oath ceremony.

[Mike E 11,723]

1 hour ago, S_Flores said:

Hello! Your advice to chat with Emma was super helpful! It was fast, I got to chat with an agent and I was assured that I can go on my trip and I will be rescheduled. He mentioned that it may take a while to get a new date depending on how busy the local office is but he said there is record of my phone call to USCIS last week and our chat today so I should be good.

 

THANK YOU!🙏🏼

Did you screen shot this?

[Chancy 6,233]

4 hours ago, Mike E said:

Reportedly is is easy for a Filipino to get a visa for Mexico. So complete  the oath and don’t apply for a passport.

 

OP would no longer be a Filipino after taking the US oath.  Their existing Philippine passport would be void by PH law.  Unless OP applies to reacquire Filipino citizenship and gets a new PH passport prior to travel (which will likely take longer than applying for emergency US passport), OP would not have a valid passport for travel.  Rescheduling the oath ceremony is really the only option, if OP needs to travel asap.