SquashGuy

Hey all, I had my interview and oath ceremony this past Monday, everything went smooth sailing, a huge thank you to everyone on this forum that's helped me along the way (18 years since I arrived in this country)! Here are my running notes from interview day for reference:

 

The interview is held at the USCIS Field Office in Newark. You go through the security scanner like in an airport. Interviews are held on floors 14 and 15 (I was 14). When you step out of the elevator there’s a seated guard who checks your appointment letter. There’s also a cafe on the second floor. 

Once you walk in, you give your appointment letter at window 2 and ‘get in queue’ - don't need to take a number. They let you use your phone on silent now in the wait room (make sure you're at 100%!), there’s also a TV playing. 

My appointment was at 8:30am, I got in around 8:10, and had to wait 90 minutes for my turn. Sometimes people that have come after you get called before, so be prepared for that. 

My IO called me in around 9:45. I followed her through a narrow passageway with rows of offices. Once we entered her office, as expected, made me stand and swore me in first. 

We started with a review of my application. In my case, she told me that even though I applied under marriage, since I’d been a resident for more than 5 years, she was going to ask me questions about myself and not ask evidence about the marriage. 

We went through my N-400 in a fair amount of detail, she re-verified everything on my application. My address and job had changed so she updated that in the system. We spent the most time on my travel, as I have over 20 international trips in the past 5 years. She didn’t ask me a lot of questions about any specific trips, but verified the details with their records in the system. Embarrassingly, I had an incorrect date in my application (wrong month) for one of my travels which she couldn’t find initially, but then figured out what happened. She also asked to see all my previous passports. Finally, she finished up with the long list of ‘no’ questions. 

The test portion was smooth, the 6 civics questions I got were, 1) 1 right from amendments, 2) why Cold War, 3) why colonialists came to America, 4) who leads executive branch, 5) who’s next in line after president, and 6) 1 voting amendment. Then a quick reading and writing sample. 

She approved me on the spot (and I could breathe again)!

I took the elevator to 15th floor as that’s where they do oath ceremonies and infopass appointments. I filled out the back of my I-445 while I was waiting. I had to wait about 60 minutes for them to print out a copy of the certificate. They call your name to the window and ask you to verify your details before printing the original. In my case, the details were all fine. I was asked to sit back again.

 

There was an oath ceremony at 11am, but I didn't have my 'white envelope' by then, so I couldn't attend. They didn't have a noon ceremony that day so one of the IOs came out and told everyone to grab a bite and be back by 1. I was thankful they gave an ETA because I was starving by then. I went outside, got fresh air, hung out on the 2nd floor cafeteria for a while, and came back to the 15th floor by 12:45. Around 1:30, they called all the oath-takers to follow into the ceremony hall. 

 

The hall is huge, though only 40 oath-takers can go in at one time. Family and friends are allowed, there was no limit at the time I went. We sat down, got our instructions. They told us how may countries were represented. Our supervisor who was leading the ceremony gave a great, moving speech. We did our recitals and, 45 minutes later, I was naturalized! Took some photos/selfies (no video) and I was out. All in all, took 6 hours but time well spent! 

 

Happy to help with any inquiries while it's fresh in my head...

Question for folks that passed their test and took oath on the same day. Is your spouse allowed to be present for the oath ceremony? I'm thinking to come in for the interview by myself and, if I pass and they let me take the oath, ask her to come to the building.

 

Has anyone done anything like that? It would be great for her to be present for this milestone but don't want her to take the day off if she doesn't need to

On 2/28/2018 at 11:19 AM, Someday said:

What's your field office and can u recall when u got inline 4 int.?

Hi - I'm at Newark, NJ and got in line on 12/20/17.

Hi all - I'm a July '17 paper filer. As an update, I received my interview notice for March 17th. From what I've read on this forum so far, sounds like I should be able to take the oath the same day if they approve on the spot. Fingers crossed!

56 minutes ago, LRP said:

@SquashGuy that status means you are in-line for interview. Keep checking your status regularly (or sign up for case updates here: https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do) for another status which will say that your interview date has been set and interview letter has been mailed. The interview date, time and location will be specified on the letter. Simultaneously call USCIS and ask to speak to a Tier 2 officer. He/she should be able to give you the current status of your case i.e. whether your interview has been scheduled and when. Worst case scenario: make an infopass appointment with your field office here: https://my.uscis.gov/appointment and speak to a customer service officer directly. Depending on how busy your field office is, it make take a few weeks so your fastest option is to call USCIS. 

 

Best of luck! 

Thanks for the info @LRP I had a mini-freak out there But realized looking at the progress posts that's what 'In Line' refers to, so thanks for confirming. It also looks like there a ~3 month lag (for Newark) from that step to the next, so I'm probably okay. Appreciate the speedy post!

Hi fellow July filers, 

 

After months of no update, I checked my case status today with this update:

 

"On December 20, 2017, we started the interview scheduling process for your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization , Receipt Number NBC*xxxxxxx. We will send you an interview notice."

 

I have not received any letter in the mail as yet, and I am really worried I may have missed my date.

 

Does anyone have any indication of the lag between seeing this update and when the actual interview date was? I'm 31 days out now...and no letter. Missing this interview will set my application back significantly.

 

Any input is appreciated!!

 

 

Yes, it worked out!

I went in for the Infopass appointment, produced a photocopy of my lost GC, my stamped biometrics appointment letter, and airline booking email. I received the stamp on the stop.

I was able to receive a Schengen visa on it, and subsequently travel to Europe and come back. Let me know if you have further questions and I'll try to be responsive.

Hi -

I lost my permanent GC while traveling last November and filed an I-90 to replace it. Current processing times indicate an 8-month wait time and I have pending travel coming up in May.

I have a photocopy of my lost, unexpired GC.

1) Can I receive a temporary I-551 stamp while my I-90 is being processed? I've done my biometrics but the I-90 application status is still 'under review'.

2) I have an InfoPass appointment for the I-551 stamp coming up in 8 days. Do they usually give the stamp on the spot or how long should I expect it to take? I will be going to the Newark office.

If anyone has gone or can provide some guidance on this situation, that would be much appreciated!

Thanks, @JimmyHou for the knowledgeable answers. As it happens, I do have a GC photocopy. I think I will mail in a copy of the card and hopefully I'll have my replacement by the time the interview comes around. Your answer saved me months of waiting, thank you!

Hi -

Quick question. I'm eligible to file my N400 based on the timing and spousal conditions. However, I lost my green card while traveling a few months ago and have to file an I-90 to receive a replacement card.

Is it possible to file the N-400 while waiting for the replacement green card to come in, or do I need to wait it out?

Thanks!

Hi -

I'm going through the same I-90 filing process myself to replace my green card. I applied for AOS through my spouse to the USCIS Chicago Lockbox while residing in New York.

Can someone help confirm my reasoning:

Location where you applied for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status.

USCIS Chicago (because that's the location I submitted my application into)

Location where your immigrant visa was issued or USCIS office where you were granted adjustment of status.

New York, NY (because that's where I had my interview)

Does that sound correct, or is it the other way around? thanks!

my bad, I didn't understand. The decision date written on the notice is February 10th. I received the mailing on Feb 17th, but Feb 10 is what should go on the table.

Is 2/10/15 the date of decision printed on your notice? That is the date we need to update your timeline! Thanks.

Thanks, Kash. I received it February 10th.

Congrats on your approval! What is the decision date on your notice? Thanks.

Hey folks, received my approval notice 2/10.

Waiting on the card itself now but luckily they provide a tracking number in the case status, so expecting to receive it in next couple of days as it's shipped.

Thank you again for everyone that answered my questions.

Hi all,

This is a fairly specific question but hoping someone's can share their experience. My wife and I are looking to travel to Thailand in a couple of months for vacation.

I am in the midst of I-751 processing, so have the expired Green Card + extension letter. I require a visa to enter Thailand.

Should I anticipate any issues applying for a Thai visa with my current status? Obviously my apprehensive is the extension letter is an unfamiliar document to many consulates and I don't want to get rejected for that reason.

Much appreciated, thanks!

No problem, AC&BS!

Thanks for correcting, Khwaidee1, that makes more sense for CSC.

Incidentally, I'm at July filer at VSC and hit my 6 month mark recently. I called in for a service request, and the officer said it's not going to be anytime soon

Hey everyone - was browsing the forum and had some spare time so decided to put this table below.

What it is: A snapshot of decision %'s for each I-751 filing class on VJ
Why: To get a better sense of the actual processing times for both Service Centers based on self-reported data on VJ
How: I aggregated the tables across all 12 threads for each month. Please note this is a snapshot and so obviously evolves everyday.


DECISION RATES % BY 2014 FILING CLASS - AS OF 1/26/15

FILING MO...MO ELAPSED.......CSC%...VSC%......CSC #FILERS...VSC #FILERS
JAN.....................12......................87%.......85%.............23.....................26
FEB.....................11.......................n/a...........n/a.............n/a....................n/a
MAR.....................10....................77%........83%.............17....................30
APR.......................9.....................83%........73%.............24....................52
MAY......................8......................95%........50%............24....................44
JUN......................7......................95%.........43%............19...................50
JUL......................6.......................81%........38%............27....................43
AUG.....................5.......................80%........0%..............20....................35
SEP......................4.........................0%.........0%.............12....................19
OCT.....................3.........................0%.........0%.............16....................13
NOV.....................2.........................0%.........0%.............12....................19
DEC.....................1.........................0%.........0%.............17.....................9

So what does this tell us?

- CSC is processing significantly faster than is VSC across the board
- The VSC stated average processing time is 6 months, which is where the July class is at. However, only 35% of filers have recEived approvals so far, indicating the Service Center is trailing behind
- The VSC trend between March and July is interesting, with an almost linear 8-15% increase per month
- I didn't have data for Feb, but surprised to see Jan at 83% - perhaps the remaining 4 cases are more complex, or could be other reasons
- The disparity between CSC and VSC in August is notable (and regrettable). 4 left in CSC but all 35 outstanding in VSC. Maybe this is where they decided to initiate the load-balancing

Any feedback on analysis or further insights welcome. Thank you to KASH2011 and other moderators that maintain these tables on which this one is built

Hey everyone - was browsing the forum and had some spare time so decided to put this table below.

What it is: A snapshot of decision %'s for each I-751 filing class on VJ
Why: To get a better sense of the actual processing times for both Service Centers based on self-reported data on VJ
How: I aggregated the tables across all 12 threads for each month. Please note this is a snapshot as of 1/26/15, and obviously it evolves everyday.

Decision Rates % By 2014 Filing Class - As of 1/26/15:

2014 Months % Decision Received # of Filers Cohort Elapsed CSC VSC CSC VSC Jan 12 87% 85% 23 26 Feb 11 n/a n/a n/a n/a Mar 10 77% 83% 17 30 Apr 9 83% 73% 24 52 May 8 95% 50% 24 44 Jun 7 95% 43% 19 50 Jul 6 81% 35% 27 43 Aug 5 80% 0% 20 35 Sep 4 0% 0% 12 19 Oct 3 0% 0% 16 13 Nov 2 0% 0% 12 19 Dec 1 0% 0% 17 9

So what does this tell us?

• CSC is processing significantly faster than is VSC across the board
• The VSC stated average processing time is 6 months, which is where the July class is at. However, only 35% of filers have received approvals so far, indicating the Service Center is trailing behind
• The VSC trend between March and July is interesting, with an almost linear 8-15% increase per month
• I didn't have data for Feb, but surprised to see Jan at 83% - perhaps the remaining 4 cases are more complex, or could be other reasons
• The disparity between CSC and VSC in August is notable (and regrettable). 4 left in CSC but all 35 outstanding in VSC. Maybe this is where they decided to initiate the load-balancing

Any feedback on analysis or further insights welcome. Thank you to KASH2011 and other moderators that maintain these tables on which this one is built

Hi everyone...joining the party late but hoping for an avalanche of great news for everyone this month, fingers crossed!

California Service Center (27 applicants, 22 approved - 81%)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved
REEPICHEEP............06/28/14......07/01/14......08/07/14......10/30/14
SHOOLI................07/02/14......07/07/14......08/01/14......10/29/14(RFE received 10/17, responded 10/22)
SUNNY123..............07/02/14......07/07/14......08/04/14......--/--/--(Rescheduled for a later date)

GB6435................07/02/14......07/07/14......08/02/14......11/05/14
JULIE B...............07/03/14......07/16/14......08/15/14......--/--/--(RFE received 10/25, responded 11/13)
MYMARRIAGEJOURNEY.....07/07/14......07/10/14......08/01/14......08/14/14(Early Bio 07/25/14)
TINA&KIERON...........07/07/14......07/09/14......08/06/14......10/21/14
LINDAC1990............07/07/14......07/08/14......08/05/14......10/10/14(Early Bio 07/30/14)
ASHWNZL...............07/10/14......07/16/14......08/15/14......10/22/14
JMD8800...............07/11/14......07/??/14......08/08/14......10/16/14(Needed to redo bio on 09/02 due to unreadable)
AVOKADO...............07/11/14......07/16/14......08/06/14......10/14/14
AMANDA & JUAN.........07/15/14......07/24/14......08/18/14......10/24/14

EL_RIDDO..............07/16/14......07/21/14......08/20/14......10/16/14

JARTA.................07/17/14......07/18/14......08/14/14......10/20/14
ABILA.................07/17/14......07/21/14......08/21/14......11/13/14
CANANNER..............07/18/14......07/21/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
AKIHON................07/21/14......07/22/14......08/22/14......11/05/14
GOATHERDER............07/21/14......07/22/14......08/20/14......11/04/14
BLENIL14..............07/22/14......07/24/14......08/21/14......10/23/14

RANDYN................07/22/14......07/24/14......08/19/14......10/22/14

KKK1234...............07/23/14......07/28/14......08/28/14......10/30/14

CHELSEA09.............07/23/14......07/24/14......08/20/14......10/23/14
JENNIFERJONES101......07/23/14......07/25/14......08/18/14......--/--/--
MARYAMM...............07/23/14......07/25/14......08/18/14......--/--/--
SHRANJAN84............07/23/14......07/25/14......08/22/14......10/21/14(Early Bio 08/12/14)

GRAYL.................07/25/13......08/02/14......08/28/14......11/07/14

LOVE BLOSSOM..........07/29/14......07/31/14......08/29/14......11/05/14(Early Bio 08/15/14)

Vermont Service Center (40 applicants, 7 approved - 18%)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved
LORNEAVO..............06/28/14......07/01/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
DANTEINFE.............06/28/14......07/01/14......08/06/14......--/--/--
TOUCH OF TREBLE.......06/30/14......07/02/14......07/30/14......01/06/15
LEN TAYLOR............07/01/14......07/07/14......08/13/14......--/--/--

BILLLOVE..............07/01/14......07/08/14......08/05/14......--/--/--

OLE7..................07/02/14......07/07/14......08/05/14......--/--/--

OPERATOR..............07/03/14......07/07/14......08/13/14......--/--/--
ADRYAN................07/03/14......07/07/14......08/06/14......--/--/--
RECENTGUY.............07/05/14......07/09/14......08/05/14......--/--/--
LADYSARABI............07/07/14......07/09/14......08/13/14......--/--/--

MRS.JHH...............07/07/14......07/14/14......08/15/14......--/--/--

VIKY&DEL..............07/07/14......07/09/14......08/11/14......--/--/--
HUNDREDQUESTIONS......07/07/14......07/??/14......08/06/14......--/--/--
S_R...................07/08/14......07/11/14......08/08/14......11/20/14(Early Bio 08/01/14)
ME&MYLOVE.............07/08/14......07/11/14......08/05/14......01/07/15
STEBEA1...............07/08/14......07/10/14......08/14/14......--/--/--
KOHEI.................07/08/14......07/15/14......08/19/14......--/--/--

KEVONLW...............07/09/14......07/14/14......08/11/14......--/--/--

MTOTOMWAFRIKA.........07/10/14......07/18/14......08/05/14......--/--/--
BJMYRNAJOURNEY........07/11/14......07/--/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
PANKYELLUS............07/11/14......07/14/14......08/11/14......--/--/--
JUNIOR11..............07/14/14......07/18/14......08/22/14......12/17/14
ADRI & JASON..........07/15/14......07/21/14......08/18/14......--/--/--

BLAKE AND CHERRY......07/15/14......07/??/14......08/28/14......--/--/--

ANGELINA75............07/15/14......07/21/14......08/19/14......01/06/15
YASJUN................07/15/14......07/21/14......08/21/14......--/--/--(Early Bio 08/12/14)

RAMSEEKER.............07/16/14......07/21/14......08/19/14......--/--/--
USER22................07/16/14......07/21/14......08/20/14......--/--/--
FLORUJA...............07/17/14......07/21/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
TRIXS.................07/18/14......07/--/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
ONA...................07/18/14......07/21/14......08/22/14......--/--/--
IMWITHU...............07/21/14......07/--/14......08/20/14......--/--/--
HIGHHOPES.............07/21/14......07/23/14......08/21/14......01/06/15(Early Bio 08/13/14)
KALEIGHA..............07/22/14......07/24/14......08/22/14......--/--/--
JAMES & TARA..........07/22/14......07/25/14......08/25/14......--/--/--

PAULA_C...............07/23/14......07/28/14......08/28/14......--/--/--
YITO..................07/25/14......08/05/14......08/26/14......--/--/--
ERIC AND ANUM.........07/25/14......07/29/14......08/26/14......12/30/14
SEANDAKE..............07/25/14......07/29/14......08/26/14......--/--/--(Early Bio 08/18/14)
2001GRAD..............07/25/14......07/28/14......08/26/14......--/--/--

SQUASHGUY.............07/25/14......07/28/14......08/22/14......--/--/--

IMPORTANT!

* Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.
* Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.
* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.
* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.
* Please check that you have not deleted anyone's NAME & DATA.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application
NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your NOA letter
Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment
Approved = The Date your case was approved

* Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list.
* When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly.

* If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.

VJers - I have to schedule emergency travel on account of death in the family and wanted input on the following situation:

I currently have an expired green card along with a I-797 Notice of Action of I-751 Receipt Notice stating my status is extended by one year for employment and travel.

There was a death in my family. I have to travel JFK-LHE via Doha on Qatar Airways. Can anyone provide input on the following:

- Has anyone specifically flown Qatar Airways on the expired GC/I-797 NOA1 combination? Were there any issues at the check-in desk to allow boarding?

- Has anyone specifically flown from Lahore to United States on expired GC/I-797 NOA1 combination (regardless of airline)? Any issues or considerations, or specific pieces of evidence?

- I'm flying out in 48 hours. Is it worth trying to get the I-551 stamp on my passport in lieu of my GC/I-797

As always, thank you for being incredibly helpful.

Hi all,

So I just received my green card last week which was a huge relief! Just need to tie up some loose ends now.

Quick question for the forum -

While waiting for my green card, I had applied for my EAD (they had indicated my GC processing was delayed indefinitely, and I needed to start working).

Nonetheless, my green card came unexpectedly in the mail a few days after I sent off the I-765 application. Today, I received the NOA for my I-765, along with another NOA for a biometrics appointment.

I want to cancel my EAD application as there's no need for it now. The question is: should I withdraw my application or just let it run its course and be denied?

If I don't show up for the biometrics application and have it rejected, will that appear as some sort of a complicating factor on my USCIS file - either when applying for removal of condition or citizenship?

Any such issues with withdrawing an application?

Let me know if anyone has any thoughts on this, much appreciated!

squashguy

Hi folks -

I wanted to get the reaction/advice on my current situation with the AOS process.

Brief background: Applied for AOS in the U.S. through spouse, who is a born citizen. Was on F-1 visa prior to application for MBA. I myself was born in Pakistan, but have been in the U.S. for 10+ years (on H1/F1).

I had my I-485 interview on May 10, 2012. The interview went perfectly fine, no tough questions. The interviewer didn't issue the green card on the spot, but said that she would approve it and to expect it in the mail in the next 2 weeks.

It is now July 30th, and I am still waiting for the card. The online status shows the application as still in the 'Testing and Interview' stage.

Upon calling the immigration helpline last week, I was told that the application has not started processing yet; they even followed up with a detailed letter in the mail basically stating that, because of my country of origin, my application is going through background checks - as a data point, the last time I applied for my H-1, it took about 10 weeks to process because of background checks.

I guess I'm just curious to get any reactions to my situation because my expectation really was that green card document would be issued in 2 weeks. Does this feel out of the ordinary? Are there any other Pakistanis/nationals from countries subject to secondary screening that also ran into delayed processing? If so, how long did it take you?

Thank you very much for your time, and I look forward to hearing the responses. I have another, separate question on EAD that I will be posting in a new thread.

Squashguy

Thanks for the comments Little_My and grrreat.

Yes, I'm quite pleased about the interview date - fingers crossed that it will go smoothly and the card production won't take too long this time.

I'm going to lodge my I-765 and I-131 applications in the next couple of days, will keep you posted on the response.

Yeah I think I'm probably going to bite the bullet on the fees, my price elasticity is quite low on this

Grrreat,

Thanks for that critical piece of clarification. I was using EAD/AP interchangeably because I had filed my I-131 as well. My I-131 was approved Feb 27, 2011 (didn't get the notice again) but checked my case online.

I actually just spoke to an officer on the NSCS hotline - apparently customer service representatives can escalate to an office which I didn't know, and here is what I found out:

i) I should go ahead and re-file for I-765 and I-131 together (grrr, thanks for pointing out the difference again)

ii) I should apply on an expedited basis and attach my wedding card/itinerary as part of the rationale

iii) I have to pay the filing fees - first time around is free but replacements cost

iv) Biometrics are not required if I got them done in the last 15 months

Thanks again for your insight! This forum is so clutch...

Hi everyone - had a question regarding lodging an I-765 for a replacement EAD card, thank you in advance for your excellent and helpful input.

Brief background: I am currently on F-1/OPT, and applied for my AOS in December 2011 through my wife. According to my case status, my EAD card was supposedly delivered on March 1, 2012 but I never received it despite a lot of back-and forth with USPS. In addition, I received my NOA for the green card interview to be conducted on May 10, 2012. On a personal note, I have to leave the country on June 22nd for my wedding in my home country.

After opening a ticket with the USCIS hotline on April 4th, I received an email from them on April 13th stating 'as you have not received the card, and USPS has not returned the card to us, we conclude that the card was lost in the mail. You will now need to re-file the application for a replacement EAD' (paraphrased).

I am planning on lodging my I-765 in the next couple of days for a replacement card, and I need some help from the forum:

1) First, the rationale for my re-applying for the AP is that I need to be able to travel by June as a priority so this is a way to cover my bases. The EAD card that got lost took ~2 months (Dec 29 - Mar 1), so I figure that if I apply mid-April, I have a shot at getting it by mid-June. Also, if my AOS interview is on May 10th and it generally takes a month for the conditional green card to arrive after, there's also a decent shot of it coming by June 10-20th. Does that rationale make sense or am I missing something?

2) In a worst case scenario - if I leave the country in June and I'm out for a month, is it possible (in the event either of the cards don't arrive in time) for someone to mail me the cards. I would think it should be legal to mail an EAD card for sure. Could it be an issue if I leave the country based on my F-1 OPT but come back on my AP? Are there any considerations for first-time entry/exit on AP?

3) In terms of the I-765 filing itself:

i) Will I have pay the full $380 when applying for replacement EAD based on a pending I-485? I believe there was no fee for the original because

of the basis of application

ii) Will I have to take biometrics again? I believe biometrics aren't required for a renewal, but is it required for a replacement?

iv) Does anyone have experience with filing a replacement EAD? How long did it take for you?

iii)For question 11 "Have you ever applied for employment authorization from USCIS", should I be putting in the details for the EAD that was lost,

or the F-1/OPT?

Thank you for your help! Let me know if anything is unclear.