confused about oath ceremony

[steeeeve 24]

i see a lot of people report doing the oath ceremony during the N400 interview. if this happens, is there any need to attend another  oath ceremony in a group meeting later? how is it determined if the oath is done together with the N400 interview or later? 

 

i'm just not clear what happens after the interview (assuming success of course) and most importunately,, how long it would take following the interview to get a US passport?

 

thanks

[OldUser 10,612]

3 minutes ago, steeeeve said:

i see a lot of people report doing the oath ceremony during the N400 interview.

Impossible. One has to get approved first before taking oath. Oath cannot take place during interview, only after interview. I had same day oath as the interview. Oath was about 1 hr after the interview.

Edited 23 hours ago by OldUser

[OldUser 10,612]

3 minutes ago, steeeeve said:

 if this happens, is there any need to attend another  oath ceremony in a group meeting later?

If somebody says the oath out loud after interview, without leaving room and gets naturalization certificate - they don't need to attend anything else.

[OldUser 10,612]

5 minutes ago, steeeeve said:

how is it determined if the oath is done together with the N400 interview or later? 

 

Black box. Officer decides based in many factors which are typically not disclosed to applicant. You can't predict it.

[steeeeve 24]

6 minutes ago, OldUser said:

If somebody says the oath out loud after interview, without leaving room and gets naturalization certificate - they don't need to attend anything else.

why do some people get to do this and others have to wait to attend a ceremony? is it based on which office you do the interview or something else?

 

oh, just saw the above post, so basically no way to know which way it will go then?

 

Edited 23 hours ago by steeeeve

[OldUser 10,612]

12 minutes ago, steeeeve said:

 

i'm just not clear what happens after the interview (assuming success of course) and most importunately,, how long it would take following the interview to get a US passport?

 

thanks

You apply for US passport by filling form and paying fees. This happens after oath, when you are a US citizen, not just after interview. If you only had interview and not oath, you're not a US citizen yet and cannot apply for passport.

 

There's routine service, expedited and urgent.

 

The times for routine and expedited service can be found here (usually few weeks):

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/processing-times.html?os=io.....no_journeystrue&ref=app

 

Urgent is typically done within a day.

Edited 23 hours ago by OldUser

[OldUser 10,612]

1 minute ago, steeeeve said:

why do some people get to do this and others have to wait to attend a ceremony? is it based on which office you do the interview or something else?

No clear criteria known to public. Some folks are luckier than others. My guess is, if officer is experienced and has time, plus case is straightforward, they may conduct ceremony right after interview.

[steeeeve 24]

15 minutes ago, OldUser said:

Impossible. One has to get approved first before taking oath. Oath cannot take place during interview, only after interview. I had same day oath as the interview. Oath was about 1 hr after the interview.

ok, i guess the posts i read meant the same day, not necessarily during the interview. i did mine about 30 years ago and don't remember much about it but i do remember having to go to a ceremony outside the San Jose courthouse with about 30 other people. my wife's friend recently did the N400 interview in Syracuse which is our office too and she had the ceremony about 3 months after the interview. i've also see reports pf people saying they've waited 9 months for the oath so i guess it really is random.

Edited 23 hours ago by steeeeve

[steeeeve 24]

15 minutes ago, OldUser said:

You apply for US passport by filling form and paying fees. This happens after oath, when you are a US citizen, not just after interview. If you only had interview and not oath, you're not a US citizen yet and cannot apply for passport.

 

There's routine service, expedited and urgent.

 

The times for routine and expedited service can be found here (usually few weeks):

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/processing-times.html?os=io.....no_journeystrue&ref=app

 

Urgent is typically done within a day.

 

so if you end up having to wait months for the oath, i assume you can still travel and use the green card for re-entry then? 

[OldUser 10,612]

5 minutes ago, steeeeve said:

 

so if you end up having to wait months for the oath, i assume you can still travel and use the green card for re-entry then? 

Yes. Applicant can travel with green card and foreign passport. Whenever there is a gap between interview an oath, applicant is asked to fill a form before oath listing any new international travel and / or citations.

Applicant should meet physical presence and continuous residence criteria as well as good moral character at time of oath.

Edited 23 hours ago by OldUser

[Fr8dog 504]

After approval of the N400, there will be either a judicial oath ceremony (Judge) or an administrative oath ceremony (USCIS). Name change will result in a court house.

Administrative will be at the USCIS office and if they have the option, they can offer same day service (initiated by USCIS).

Some jurisdictions may insist on Judicial (Virgina was/is one of them) and that means court house.

 

Same day passport service is available to all US citizens. It requires confirmed travel plans and a trip to the Passport centre. As most ceremonies are later in the day it's basically impossible to do both on the same day.

 

[steeeeve 24]

2 minutes ago, OldUser said:

Yes. Whenever there is a gap between interview an oath, applicant is asked to fill a form before oath listing any new international travel and / or citations.

Applicant should meet physical presence and continuous residence criteria as well as good moral character at time of oath.

ok, so there is a physical presence rule 18 months max outside the country during 3 years from green card to application for married applicant. suppose a trip between interview and oath puts us over the 18 months, would that be a problem?

[OldUser 10,612]

3 minutes ago, steeeeve said:

ok, so there is a physical presence rule 18 months max outside the country during 3 years from green card to application for married applicant. suppose a trip between interview and oath puts us over the 18 months, would that be a problem?

Sure it can be problem. USCIS asks for it for this info for a reason. They can revert approval of N-400.

 

Also, if away, don't miss the ceremony. Here's thread when somebody got stuck in limbo because of rescheduling and missing their ceremony

 

 

Edited 22 hours ago by OldUser

[steeeeve 24]

Just now, OldUser said:

Sure it can be problem. 

ok, well i'll do the math then, i think a 3 month trip will still be under the 18 month limit but it will be close. i'll double check. 

[OldUser 10,612]

5 minutes ago, Fr8dog said:

 

Same day passport service is available to all US citizens. It requires confirmed travel plans and a trip to the Passport centre. As most ceremonies are later in the day it's basically impossible to do both on the same day.

 

I wouldn't say to all. Only to those who have an urgent, already booked trip within the next 14 days