wooden heart

Hi guys, my interview is coming up and I'm starting to have all these little doubts in my head! So here's a silly question: in Brazil we don't really have a middle name. We have "name + mother's last + father's last". So my full name is Erica de Oliveira Ribeiro. For both my greencards AND the n400 I didn't really know what to do with it when filling out the forms, so I just put "De Oliveira" as middle name, even though it's not exactly a middle name!

Then I noticed on my brazilian passport that it says "name: Erica", "last name: de Oliveira Ribeiro".

So my question is, at my interview, should I tell the IO that "De Oliveira" is not exactly a middle name and should be put as last name or it doesn't really matter? Cuz I think on your naturalization certificate they don't really specify name, middle name, last name, do they?

As far as I know it just shows your full name on the certificate without specifying what's middle, what's last. So should I mention it to the IO or it doesn't make a difference?

And one more question: do we have to bring our social security card for the interview?

Thanks!!

Hey Erica!

I think at your interview you should tell your IO that De Oliveria is part of your last name. Today during my interview they had me verify information for my naturalization certificate, including that first, middle, last names were in the right sections. So yeah, you'll have a chance to explain that 'middle name' should be blank, and that there should be two last names in the 'last name' section.

I brought my social security card today but my interviewer didn't ask for it. good luck!!

What does "modified oath" mean?

It means that I asked for a deletion of "bearing arms on behalf of the US if required by law" and "performing noncombatant service in the US Armed forces", due to being religiously convicted to non-violence and peacemaking.

Others ask for a modified oath to say "solemnly affirm" instead of an Oath, or ask for "so help me God" to be removed.

Hi all,

I had my interview today, 6/20/16. I was approved! While I was in the waiting room for so long it was fun to see people go in, and leave happy... and then I asked a lady who finished up what day her Oath ceremony would be - and she said Friday - so quick. I was hoping mine would be that too.

My husband and I got there around 1pm, for my 1:45pm interview. I wasn't called back until 2:30pm, hah. My interviewer had me take an oath, take out my State ID, Green Card, and "all passports". She only looked at the recent one. We reviewed my application together. She had some questions about my name change (my husband and I changed our last names to a new, shared last name, by court order last year). When it came to asking if I would be willing to affirm the whole oath, I said no, that I was asking for a modified oath based on conscientious and religious objections to bearing arms and serving in the Armed Forces. She asked for a letter about it. I asked if she wanted one written by me, or by religious leaders. She took both. She then crossed out the two lines in the Oath that I'm not able to affirm & had me initial beside them.
We then moved on to the civics test. My questions were...

1. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

2. What is one of the two longest rivers in the U.S.?

3. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

4. Who lived in America before Europeans?

5. Who is the current Speaker of the House?

6. How many years do we elect a President?

I got them all right

Then she asked me to say "Who is Abraham Lincoln?" and then I wrote "Lincoln was the President in the Civil War."

She then congratulated me and let me know I could join the oath ceremony on Friday the 24th at 11AM if that worked for me. I told her it did (my boss is very flexible .

I went back to the waiting room to wait for my oath ceremony notice. About 10 minutes later, an officer came out (not the one who intervieed me) and said "If you want your old name to be your middle name, you're going to need a judicial ceremony." I said "oh, my name is already changed". I showed her my name change decree. She said, "oh, let me make a copy of this". Kind of weird. She came back a few minutes later with the oath ceremony notice - this Friday the 24th at 11am! My application was received on February 25th so that makes my process 4 months less a day.

I will definitely share how it went - i am curious to see how it'll work with a modified oath, if they'll have me say it separate from the group, or what. I'll update.

Prayers for speedy processing for everyone still waiting

My interview is today at 1:45pm! I'm so tired of studying the civics questions....

I will update everyone this evening

hey all, got mail today... Interview is scheduled for Monday June 20th at 1:45pm

Thanks all. I'll just be patient.

Hooray! Just checked USCIS.gov. They scheduled my interview TODAY. Is there a way folks are finding out the interview date before the mail comes?

Hi all,

I'm late in the game and I've been watching for about a month, but if you'd like to oblige me here's my info

I am an early filer.

Today I checked USCIS (like I do every day and received notification that I am in line for interview.

UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line.|Int ltr.|Intrview|Oath....|Field Office
wooden heart.....|05/24/13|02/23|03/01|03/01|03/21/16|04/26/16|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Philadelphia, PA

Hey all,

Late to the party, but I am a February filer!

Put it in the mail Feb 23, they rec'd it Feb 25.

Had my biometrics appt on 3/21, now just waiting for more....

This is not entirely correct. You can file form I-131 before you depart the US and apply for a re-entry permit. This document will allow you to stay outside the US for up to two years. Be careful however as it cannot be renewed. If you do not have the re-entry permit and you remain outside the US for more than six-months you will run the risk of losing your LPR status up and including deportation.

http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Resources/B5en.pdf

Thanks for the helpful link. Realistically, we could still go back to the States a couple times a month; would it still be wise to apply for an I-131? Or just confusing to border guards?

Hi all,

I apologize if this has been discussed before or if there are pertinent links I should be reading instead. I will happily take any redirection.

I have been living in the US sine June 2, 2012 when I entered on a K1 Visa. I got my EAD/AP on September 28, 2012 and received my 2 year Green Card on May 24, 2013.

My husband and I have been invited by a Christian community development agency to join their team in Vancouver, Canada, sometime this year. Eventually, we are interested in doing this overseas.

Would I be risking too much by moving back to Canada (NOT permanently) but still trying to keep ties in the US? US citizenship is my goal. I know I have to be in the US 1.5 years out of 3 to qualify for citizenship; when did that 3 years officially begin? How DO you live outside of the US while being a US Permanent Resident? (We have family in Seattle and could easily spend a fair bit of time there).

are there other options worth considering? I know there is a special visa for US Permanent Residents who will be Religious Workers/"missionaries" in another country. Is this what I should consider?

Thank you so much for your time and consideration

Naomi

you are reading it wrong.

Montreal takes the 134 for the k-1 and uses the 864 for spousal visas. The information on Montreal website is lumped together for k-1 and spousal visas.

the bottom line is Montreal k-1 visa interviewers only use a 134.

Okay -- thanks for the help!

And yes, his income was so low he did not need to file a tax return. He's a full-time student who has had a few minimum wage paying, part-time jobs for a few months of last year.

I'm a little confused by people saying the consulate doesn't use the 1-864? On the checklist I received from the Montreal Consulate it says an Affidavit of Support (I-134) and Evidence of Support (I-864, federal individual income tax return for most recent year). Is that incorrect?

Agh... TYPO!!! I meant to write my fiancee the petitioner. I'm Canadian, I'm the beneficiary. So sorry folks.

Hello all you friendly, helpful folks,

Please excuse me if this question has been asked and responded to several times -- I took a search through the forums and couldn't seem to find anything.

My fiance, the beneficiary, did not receive a tax return last year as he filed that his income was so low that no tax was deducted from him. So instead of receiving a income tax return, he just received a notification of the above.

(We, of course, are going to have a co-sponsor.)

Does my beneficiary need to re-file and get a tax return?

Thanks so much...

As Inky and Rayoflight said, most people never receive their Packet 3 from Montreal. They're notoriously backlogged. I received mine after I scheduled my interview. From the moment DOS tells you your Packet 3 instructions were mailed to you, just go ahead and mail your Packet 3. Give them 3 weeks then start calling DOS to see if they received it. Once they did, Send your Packet 4.

TammyandJosh, the DOS clerk is wrong, you won't be able to reach Montreal's consulate. Their answering machine is an endless loop message and they rarely reply to email requests. If your instructions for Packet 3 were mailed to you, go ahead and mail it to them. What they mailed you is exactly the same thing as you'll find on their website.

Packet 3: http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/content.asp?section=visas&document=visa_pkt3

Packet 4: http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/content.asp?section=visas&document=visa_pkt4

Wow, so I should just send my Packet 3 now? I've been waiting since Dec. 20th to receive the P3 letter. I feel like an idiot.... better get on that now. Thanks so much for this info.

Blame the same device that made it possible for most of you to meet your SOs. The internet.

The increase in people meeting online has fueled the increase in petitions which has extended the delays. So the very thing that may have made your journey possible is also causing it to be much slower.

Ironic, yes?

It is, but I can't take personal blame for that one. We both signed up for a summer volunteer trip through a Christian organization at our respective universities.

... Sometimes I find myself daydreaming of my fiancee and I being who we are, but just forty years ago... I imagine it was much easier to marry & immigrate back then. Plus, I'd be wearing some swanky polyester clothing. Just trying to distract myself while I wait for the Consulate to contact me. It's a nice daydream. praying for all who wait tonight!

Congratulations! :-)

Hope this will be my week too! I keep praying and fingers are crossed!!

Thanks so much & congrats to you!!!

I filed on July 26, 2011 -- & just checked my e-mail after a weekend away to discover we got our NOA2 on December 8, 2011! No RFE!

Hey everyone,

Our application was received on July 26, 2011 -- so I'm with all of you...

Wow, thank you all for this information. It is so incredibly helpful. I feel a lot more at ease about embarking on the whole process.

Thanks for your reply. I assume my fiancee will be sent information on when/how to send the Form I-134? I understand it may not be requested at all - under what circumstances would that be? Does anyone have specific experience with this?

I believe a number of family members are willing to act as a joint sponsor. If we were to have a joint sponsor, would that person just fill out a Form I-134 as well as my fiancee filling out one?

Hello,

This is my first post and I have found browsing this forum quite helpful. If you find my question is answered elsewhere in the forum - please feel free to refer me there instead of repeating information.

I am a Canadian living in Toronto working in the field of social work. My fiancee is a university student in Pennsylvania who will be entering his fourth year of study this fall. We hope to get married in late May 2012.

The K-1 visa appears to be the easiest/best process for us to follow, but I have one main concern about the process - the Affadavit of Support, Form I-134. According to the U.S. government website, it says a Form I-134 may be requested in my visa interview.

My fiancee gains income from a part-time job, but nowhere near the poverty line for two people. He will likely become employed full-time after graduating from University, but at that time we hope to be married already. If a Form I-134 is requested, I fear for rejection of my visa since he won't meet the poverty line. Will my profession and education (Bachelor of Social Work) be taken into consideration? Will we need a "joint sponsor"? (I don't know much about co or joint sponsoring).

Thanks so much in advance!