All,
Posting my friend's experience and timeline (he's not on VJ
- learned about it today after his naturalization)
Filed Online for N400 (5 year rule) - May 17, 2021
Office - Raleigh, NC
Biometrics reuse notification: May 18, 2021
FOIA filed - Dec 2021
FOIA files received - Feb 7, 2022
Interview notification: Feb 22, 2022
Interview Date: March 29, 2022
Oath taken: March 29, 2022 (Same day oath)
Experience was similar to most folks - security check was airport like and he arrived 20 mins prior to appointment time. Was called in by the officer around 45 mins later. He took interview first (Civics, reading and writing) followed by yes/no. My friend hadn't submitted his traffic citations, so he disclosed them and officer checked the receipts and since they were paid said no big deal. Post processing told him to wait for 15 mins to see if he can oath in the next hour. Came back and said he will be taking oath in the next 30 mins.
Overall 1.5 hours from arrival to exit.
He had submitted the FOIA request after i advised him to do so since he was unaware. Not sure if requesting the A-file did the trick for the interview or not, but there was at least a coincidence in the A-file arriving and the interview notice coming in within 2 weeks. For background he was in the US prior to 2010 and like many others have noted, may have had some physical files within his A-file.
Thanks