timeasterday

At the swearing in ceremony, the package that you receive will have the application for a US passport.

I think this depends on the office. Here in Atlanta my wife only got the certificate at the oath ceremony. Some of my wife's friends have reported getting a passport application and voting registration application in other areas. No big deal - both are available online to download and print.

Yes, it should be a straight swap. In my wife's case, she gave up the green card at the end of the interview, but only because they were scheduling her in the afternoon oath ceremony. If you have a time gap from the interview to the ceremony, i suppose they let you keep the GC.

The expedited passport service used to be pretty quick - I got my first passport many years ago for a business trip and it only took 3 days. Now the expedited service is 3 weeks. Routine service is 4-6 weeks.

You weren't arrested, so don't say yes. If you were 20 over the speed limit and got a wreckless driving charge, then it would be different.

There is no sort of travel authorization issued at that time. You are given a certificate of naturalization, nothing else. At that point you are like any other US citizen without a passport. You have to go through the typical application process by applying in person at any designated passport acceptance location (see here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html).

No documents will be sent to you to apply for the passport - you need to do this in person. Your local post office is probably the best place to go. If you need one in a hurry they can expedite for extra $$.

Hope that helps!

We just got back from the Atlanta USCIS office. What a long day! Traffic was great by Atlanta standards, so we arrived pretty early at 9AM. Joyce had the interview about 10:30AM and it only took about 15 minutes. They didn't take any of the paperwork we brought. She got all the questions right and the whole process went very smoothly. We waited there until about 12PM when they handed out her appointment letter for the oath ceremony at 2PM. We then went out for lunch and reported back to the ceremony room. This was going to be the last ceremony for 2007 so they really packed them in. There were 87 people lined up to take the oath. It took over one hour to get everyone processed and ready for the actual ceremony. I was walking around snapping photos while the ceremony went on. By the time we got out of there it was 3:45PM and time to fight Atlanta traffic again!

We are both very happy to have the whole thing over with.

Joyce's interview is tomorrow morning! All the paperwork is in order so we should be good to go. I don't know why I am so nervous, but I am. I'll post again after we get back.

IRS tax return transcript

is that 1040 Form? i have to send?

You can call the IRS and request transcripts for at least the past 3 years. That's the document I recommend to get. Seems more official when it's on IRS letterhead.

Wow....nobody filed in June? That can't be.......

Here's Joyce's timeline:

Jun 21, 2007 - Sent N-400 application

Jul 02, 2007 - USCIS cashes our check

Jul 31, 2007 - NOA received (mailed on Jul 27)

Jul 31, 2007 - Appt letter for biometrics received (mailed on Jul 27)

Aug 09, 2007 - Biometrics appointment

Oct 09, 2007 - Received Appt Letter for Dec 20th Interview

Just got the appointment letter today for the interview.

thank you,

anybody else?

We sent in the application on June 21st and the NOA and appointment letter for biometrics were both sent out on July 27th. My wife just went to her biometrics appointment today (08/09).

My wife used her married name and then there's a space to put names used previously - that's where she put her maiden name. The form has an area for the current legal name and another area for name as it appears on the GC, so it seems plausible for someone to have changed their name after getting the GC. If you haven't changed your name since getting the GC, you should put the same thing on parts A & B on page 1 of the N-400. If you want to change your name in the future, I suppose you do it like any other citizen and file using your state's procedure.

I am confused - you just got married last year, your spouse does not live in the US, and you are applying for citizenship? I guess you are applying based on some condition other than marriage?

Download the Guide to Naturalization and read carefully. Pay particular attention to pages 48-49 - the document checklist. You need a marriage certificate if you are applying based on marriage to a US citizen.

-Tim

For purposes of naturalization I don't think you need any of that stuff. The records they will need with your N-400 will be of your residence here after obtaining your permanent green card. But always keep your birth certificate and passport with you for all the K3 stuff.

If you have 3 years of tax return transcripts that should be enough. They are free from the IRS and you can get them a week or two after calling their automated system. According to the checklist item #4, the transcript for 3 years is enough to satisfy the entire requirement of item #4. You don't need to also supply bank account info if you already have the transcripts. At least that's how I interpret the checklist. That might be easier if your bank records are difficult to get.

Never mind - should be Texas.

One more question - the PDF guide says to mail to the Texas service center. The USCIS website says all applications must go to Nebraska. Which is correct?

Thanks everyone! Looks like we have everything ready and in order now. We'll give it a final review tonight and send it off Friday. I wonder how many other people who were putting off the application will now be rushing to file before the fee increase? Maybe this will cause some increased processing time. Oh well, we are not in any huge hurry.

Thanks again!

We are getting ready to send in the N-400 application and I was wondering how everyone typically organizes all the paperwork. Do you use the 2-hole punch at top and put everything in a folder that has the Acco clip on top (that's how filed forms years ago)? Any particular order to things? If anyone has any additional tips we would appreciate it!

Thanks!

-Tim & Joyce

Never mind - I found it in the instructions where we can apply 90 days ahead of time.

For those of us in Georgia, this goes to the Texas Service Center, right?

My wife's permanent GC was issued on 05/27/04, so we are starting to prepare for her N400 application. I thought I read somewhere that you could apply up to 90 days before the 3-year anniv, which means we could apply in late Feb or early March if this is true. Can anyone confirm this? Just trying to beat the fee increase if possible.

Thanks!