DCINDC

genyGal,

They don't take your green card at the USC interview only at the Oath Ceremony well unless you get to do a same day Oath Ceremony.

But as others have chimed you can use a third party agency to super expedite your US passport application with a confirmed travel itinerary. It'll cost you $200-$400 but you can get your passport in a day's time in some cases/locations and with some agencies. You'd still have to visit your local passport acceptance facility or USPS so they can verify your docs etc prior to contracting the 3rd party agency. So that's always an option. If you're going through the USPS route, expedited at $60 more, would cut processing time down to 2-3 weeks. Standard service can take up to 7 weeks I believe, again depending on your location. To give you an idea on costs going through the USPS route, I checked all the options (book, card, expedite, overnight) and it cost me $240 including the USPS fee and money order fees.

I believe they recommend 10 days after naturalization before going to the SSA office. I applied for the passport book the day after my Oath as I figured SS can wait a little while its always a good idea to have a passport handy at all times just in case you need to travel abroad urgently. I do plan to update the SSA soon after I've received my passport book and card and naturalization cert back. It is in dire need of update as my SS card still says 'work with INS authorization only' harking back to my student days in the late '90s. Yes, I never updated my SS card after becoming and being a GC holder for the last 9 years

Congrats momof1 and flyingtiger!

I also became a USC officially on Wednesday 11/14!

Coincidentally, my journey took exactly 4 months to the date - I fedex'd my N400 on July 14.

The venue for my ceremony was at the Women in Military Service For America Memorial at Arlington Cemetery. As expected, the ceremony was decidedly military/veterans' themed. It was a very nice and touching and intimate ceremony. There were about 78 of us from 43 different countries in that small auditorium. The proceedings were officiated by the Director and Assistant Director for the Field Office, Washington DC.

I believe the actual programme mirrored most others' - sign in, surrender GC, receive packet with seat number, opening remarks, videos, Oath of Allegiance, National Anthem singing etc. But what I think was different (according to a friend) was we get to go up on stage individually and also mid-way through the ceremony, the Director called upon a Marines helicopter pilot to say a few words on what it means to be naturalized that day and such (there were about a dozen uniformed men and women in attendance, sitting in the front row). As mentioned, the theme of the ceremony, timing and most of all the venue added a rather emotionally-stirring significance to my being there that day not to be forgotten and I counted myself extra-blessed. As shared before, I was kinda bummed I didn't get a same day oath at my interview end-September as I wanted to vote in the Presidential election but in retrospect, I'm glad things worked out the way it did. Lots of great memories.

No passport applications taken at the ceremony but volunteers from the memorial were at hand to take in voters' registration forms. No big deal, I went yesterday morning to the USPS to apply for my Passport book and card. I never saw the value of the passport card but the Director explained the virtues of the Passport Card and I was sold (it only costs $30 more so why not). She explained, the Card could be indispensable during travelling as a backup form of identification. Also she warned that replacement Naturalization Certs cost close to $600 so take absolute great care of your certs, guys.

Thank you again to the folks on this thread for info, updates and support and congrats to all new July'12ers USCs and to those awaiting, best of luck and smooth journey.

Thread admin, please update my status.

Now that I think about it again, I may have only been asked 5 questions about civics and history; but in any case, concur that they are very easy.

Congrats,

I'm pretty sure my IO stopped after 5 questions as well and as you mentioned, very easy questions (they should all be easy if you studied your 100 practice questions).

I'm glad you got called in within 10 minutes, in my case I waited close to an hour. For a while I thought they had forgotten me as people I arrived with had long come and gone.

Congratulations! Sounds like a Veteran's Day tie-in. Probably will be at Memorial Amphitheater. What a treat!

Thanks Arlington...actually and specifically, it'll be at the Women in Military Service in America Memorial at the Arlington Cemetery. I'm excited and I don't know what to expect. I tried looking up past ceremonies at the Arlington Cemetery and I couldn't find any info on this venue other than they held the first 1 here (Arlington Cemetery) in 2008 and it was described as "historic".

I also was thinking it'll be a tie in with Veteran's Day.

Just to update the thread...

I got my N-445 Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony in the mail today (10/23/12).

Just to recap, I had my USC interview at Fairfax on 09/27/12.

My Oath ceremony is to be on 11/14/12 at Arlington National Cemetery.

Bummed I didn't get a same day ceremony but I'm excited to have my ceremony done at Arlington Cemetery.

Finally....

Well after wondering and waiting, I got my N-445 Notice of Oath Ceremony in the mail today (10/23/12) - nearly a month after my interview (Fairfax, VA office).

Just to recap and also for the admins to update the table:

Interview - 09/27

I got a text message saying my ceremony was in line for scheduling on 10/05

Received the Oath ceremony letter today on 10/23/12

Date of Oath ceremony will be on 11/14/2012 @ 0830 ... location? Well, it's a cool one - it's gonna be at the Women In Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery

I think this is going to be a special one (I understand its a rare one?). I was kinda bummed I didn't get a same-day oath ceremony but now I'm glad I waited. Being at such an important venue beats an office building or high school anytime

Anyways, I've mentioned this before, I'll mention it again. Congrats to all successful July 2012 N400'rs and thank you for all your support!

I'll give my post-ceremony update later.

I have a question: Can family members follow and attend the oath ceremony?

Hi Michael

1) Yep, same office

2) Her interview was at 1pm

3) Absolutely no red flags. I've been a GC holder for 9 years. No divorces. English is my primary language (since birth). I went to college here. Clean records and full tax history. As mentioned in another thread, my interview did not take more than 10 minutes (I believe it was closer to 5 minutes actually).

It may actually be down to a luck of the draw. I believe my io may not be as senior in rank as my friend's io. He appeared rather young to a point I felt a little awkward adressing him as 'sir'. I'm not sure if this holds true, just a casual assumption.

In any event, I received a text message saying I've been put in line for ceremony scheduling on 10/05 but I have not received the actual letter in the mail. The last text I received (for interview scheduling) came 1 day after I received my interview letter.

GL with your wife's interview.

Hi all,

Has anyone got an update on if Fairfax offers same-day oaths? We're Virginia residents and she has her interview Nov 2 (Friday morning) at 8:30 AM. It's really important to us that she gets same-day if at all possible

Anyway, an update on their policy would be lovely! Thanks in advance for any help from someone "in the know."

Michael

Hi Michael,

FWIW, I did and passed my USC interview @ Fairfax office last Thursday (09/27) at 0900 and they neither offered me same-day oath nor gave me an oath ceremony date on the spot. All the IO said was to expect something in the mail - no estimated time given. I had read on some threads that some folks were offered same-day oaths. Additionally, I had a friend go in for her interview about a month before and she was given the oath ceremony appointment date/time/place on the spot, so I'm not sure what's up. I just hope I get something in the mail soon enough for me to register to vote.

Just an update on this location (Fairfax, VA).

I went for my USC interview this morning. Interview went well (took less than 10 minutes) and I passed but was not offered same day oath nor oath date on the spot. IO said oath date will follow in the mail.

Congrats to all new July 2012 batch US citizens!

Hi Guys n Gals,

Just a quick update. I went for my interview this morning at the Fairfax, VA office.

Aside from the 45 minutes wait, the interview was positively uneventful.

My IO was, let's just say, all business mode.

Interview went something like this: Shown into his office, immediately took the oath to tell the truth then he immediately asked for D/L, GC and passports and went to work going through the N400. He looked through my passports to verify travel dates. Then after that, it was the standard 'read-this-out-loud-then-write-the-dictated-answer' segment. Followed by signing of forms (verifying info etc etc) then onto the Q&A. I wish I can remember the Q's but after days of going through the practice Q's, my mind is a little oversaturated on that subject LOL. I believe he stopped at 5, I'm not sure. Then he said congrats I passed the test, filled out that little form with the tick mark in the right place and told me to wait for the oath date in the mail. It was all done in rapid successions with no small talk or smiles. I think I was in there for less than 10 minutes. The IO did not ask for any supporting documents.

So a little disappointed. I had read in one of the threads here that the Fairfax office was doing same day oaths. I also had a friend who did her interview earlier this month and she was at least given the date, time and place for the oath on the spot. I was given the standard checklist-paper. Oh well, at least I passed I will update the thread when I get wind of the oath ceremony. I am really hoping I'd get to vote this year.

Anyways, thank you for all your support thus dar and GL to those with upcoming interviews.

Yep the website's slow to update, I had been checking every other day and I even subscribed to email alerts and nothing for the last couple of weeks. It had been stuck on the fingerprints status message.

But today I checked my mail (which I check every couple of days) and lo and behold an NOA Form I-797C for interview!

A little notation as I think this info might help others - My original Biometrics appointment date was for 08/22. Encouraged by the EB efforts of others, I did a walk-in on 08/01. My NOA is dated 08/21/12, so that is some proof that EB works!!!! I think I may have saved 2-3 weeks of processing time.

My interview letter states a 0900 appointment for Thursday Sept 27, 2012 @ Fairfax, VA

Thread admin, kindly update my timeline please.

To the other July N400'rs - Check your mailboxes diligently, don't rely too much on the USCIS site.

Can someone please update. Got interview letter for 9/17.

Awesome! I'm only 4 days behind you (in sending off my N400). Bummer if I get scheduled around those dates as I'll be on business travel

I was browsing and found out a amazing thing that i want to share with you all , its the format of the interview which i attached as a pdf file , this will be a great guide line who are going to interview........

Good stuff, I've downloaded/printed it out. There's also similar stuff on youtube (search N400).

The status marker goes to 'testing and interview' but the particulars read:

Ahhhh I see. Thanks Grashoppr. It looks like mine has not moved despite my EB efforts (still on fingerprints stage). Oh well.

Would thread admin please update my EB date 08/01/12 please. TIA.

I don't think there is a 'right' time to attempt a walk-in, it really depends on the location and how busy it is. I walked in (today) on a Wednesday afternoon and was postively received. I got out in just about 10 minutes! This is in Alexandria, VA.

Hi fellow July N400'ers. Originally my bio letter was sent off on 07/25 and my bio appointment was set for 08/22.

Following some posts on this thread and forum, I decided to cheekily attempt an early biometrics (EB) or walk-in, and I'm glad I did.

My ASC office was in Alexandria, VA (near Ft Belvoir). It was quite a drive down there from my workplace in NW DC. I rolled in today (wednesday 08/01/12) at about 1pm and the office was empty. I proceeded to the security desk and asked the lady if I could do my bio and she was more than receptive. She reviewed my letter and GC and gave me a clipboard. I filled it up and proceeded to the reception desk where another lady gave me a number. I barely took 2 steps away when the fingerprints lady popped out and promptly and enthusiastically escorted me to the the fingerprints machine/area. Everything went without a glitch except I had to redo some of my digits (it wasn't showing up well). After which the lady gave me back my letter and a civics study booklet and sent me off. All in all it took about 10 minutes!

I know the jury is still out if it'd make a difference but I like to think I'm 22 days ahead of schedule now

Anyways, just sharing my experience. For those on the fence about doing an EB, I say give it a shot. The worst that can happen is you'll get turned away and asked to return on your set appointment date.

Cheers.

If ASC is not busy, you can usually do walk-in biometrics at an earlier date. Most people on VJ forums do not think early biometrics will speed up N-400 process. However many people do early biometrics because of schedule conflict, etc.

Thanks for the info. I googled up walk-ins at the Alexandria, VA ASC and found many positive comments on how quiet this ASC is and how easy is it to get a walk-in done. I will attempt a walk-in this week.

Just got the Biometrics letter in the mail. System said it was mailed out on 7/25, but my appointment date is not until 08/22 at the Alexandria, VA office.

Thread admin, please update.

What's early bio? Are we able to drop by at an earlier date and get the biometrics done? Will this speed up the process? I'm hoping to be able to vote this year.

I've also received my IRS transcripts which I requested online. I got a momentary heart attack when I saw the letters from IRS but then I remembered I had applied for transcripts lol. Anyways, I think it took them about 7 business days which I thought was quite efficient.

I think as long as you've been a steady tax-paying, law abiding resident of moral of 5 years you'll be find. You are filing on the basis of the 5 years, no?

Casually checked for updates on the website and I saw bio letter has been mailed out on 07/25/12. Will update thread once actual letter is in hand. So far so good!

Sorry for noob question, what's the deal with early biometrics?

You should be able to check status online NOW. Make sure you input all letters ,symbols, numbers in your receipt number, i.e, NBC*xxxxxxxxx.

ahhhhhhhh I thought it was just the numbers. Thanks, I'm going to give it a try now.