claudiaarroyo49

My oath is on 9/20/13 and am wondering what to do with the kids (6 months and nearly 3years old)

One half of me wants to bring them as it's a big day for me and I want my family to be there but then the other half is like arrrrgh what if the 6 month old gets grouchy etc etc, my parents in law will be there too to help.

Whats everyone else doing with their kiddos?

Hi,

I know what you mean. Congrats by the way. I have a 2 year old who is very hyper and a 1 year old who likes to run around. I left them with a family member and it all worked out well. I did have a phone on vibrate in case of emergencies and I called before and after three times just to make sure everything was ok. I don't know how far you have to drive, but it's a good idea to have someone there to take care of the children in case they get bored or upset Hope you have a great ceremony

My husband had a "2nd interview" on August 13th. In fact she just needed him to sign some paperwork. We're in line for oath now again. Would have been nice and reduced stress if they had explained that in the interview letter. Hoping it's not 2 more months like some other Chicago people have waited.

Hopefully your oath will be scheduled soon. I applied on April and already naturalized a month ago. Good luck!

I meant to say oath cremony date!

Congrats Welshdan finally!

Congrats to riro and caraqueno on becoming brand new US Citizens!

Wow, I can't believe it took so long! Do you have any idea what may have triggered the delay, other than institutional incompetency? Looking at the table, I assumed you were long done with the process and simply didn't update your status. I hope your case goes smoothly and swiftly from now on.

I'm going to be calling USCIS on Monday, the 90th day since I was put in line for interview. Not holding my breath.

Try scheduling an infopass if service request does not work. Good luck!

EPIC WIN! 8/21 I have been scheduled for my oath, I'm going on vacation today so will have to wait until Monday to find out what the letter says!

It seems like all the complaining worked! Congrats!

Please someone update with my info

Oath letter received today with my ceremony date. August 23rd.

I'm almost about to finish this.

Thanks

congratulations!

Thanks so much. This is very helpful to me

You're very welcome, and congratulations! Hope you have a great oath ceremony.

So, USPS has lost my oath letter... But I called USCIS and they told me that my oath is on 9/3! Can someone please update the list? Thanks!

Also, for others who have already received an oath letter. Do I need to take anything other than my green card to the ceremony?

Hi,

This is what I brought to my oath ceremony: Notice of receipt acceptance, fingerprint notice, interview schedule notice, recommended for approval letter, passport and my green card. All I was asked for was my greencard. By tthe way, don't worry too much about the oath letter. I did not have it with me because my field office called me up to schedule me 3 days before the actual ceremony, so sending out an oath letter would of cut it too close. They just handed it over to me at the ceremony itself and I filled out the part on the back where they ask about any trips after the interview, or arrests and stuff.

It seems like things are moving up pretty quickly for most. I'm so happy for you guys...Congratulations!

Congratulations to all who are done with their oaths and good luck to those with upcoming interviews!

I don't see passports as immigration issues...only US citizens can get those.

I agree, correct me if I am wrong, but I believe USCIS has nothing to do with the US passport. Passports are issued by the Department of State. Although, I think applying for a US passport as soon as naturalized is important, I only got my passport application filed because I am planning a trip to the Bahamas, and in any case I may travel to my birth country in an emergency or something. I was planning on only applying for my passport card, just to have handy in my wallet in case I were ever questioned on my citizenship status. I am only going to carry my passport when traveling abroad. All other times I would just keep it in my safe along with my naturalization certificate.

WOW! I got my PASSPORT on the mail today! and it is BEAUTIFUL I had my passport book and card expedited but I never thought I would get it in seven days. WOW!

By the way, for all those interested, I did the passport application at a passport agency, not at a post office. There was also a same day passport service available and it costs an arm and a leg, also the applicant has to show proof of an airline ticket outside the country in less than 2 weeks. I chose just the regular expedited $182 for the book and 30 for the card. The very nice clerk told me that it would take 2-3 weeks for me to get it (I got it in a week). My friend applied for the regular (not expedited) and got it in 5 weeks.

WOW! I got my PASSPORT on the mail today! and it is BEAUTIFUL I had my passport book and card expedited but I never thought I would get it in seven days. WOW!

Congrats Moroccogirl on becoming a new US Citizen,by the way I New York, my second home. I will be visiting soon!

Hi my dear immigration friends! I survived, it went REALLY well, and yes....I passed.

So I got there around 8:15, parked in the parking ramp next door, Costs $3.00 for 2 hours like Vanessa said, but I didn't walk down the ramp, lol (took the elevator).

Went thru security, they were really pleasant...were joking with me because they thought the spine key chain I had in my bag looked like a saw on the monitor. (Chiropractic students all have spine key chains lol lol) Went up to 2nd floor room 215. Waited for 15 mins until my name was called.

IO was a very pleasant gentleman from Kenya. Escorted me to his office, asked me to have a seat, asked for my greencard and driver's license, of which he photocopied. He then asked me to sign my name on my photos I submitted with my application. I asked him if he'd mind if i use the new ones I brought with because I cut my hair really short. He said it wouldn't matter because they will be on my file and not on the Naturalization certificate. I said ok and signed the older pics. He then asked me to stand for the Oath.

Took my seat again, very nervously. He went through the application, asking me verification of mostly everything, asking me my name, dob, soc sec#. He did ask if I've ever been out of the u.s. in the past five years, then he corrected himself and said, three years, and I said No. He asked the name of husband, hubby's ex wife's name, date they were divorced...I couldn't even remember her name...he inquired where she's from...told him Jamaica...he said, wow, your husband likes Caribbean wives...I laughed I said, it's the cooking I guess! He laughed too. I said his favorite dishes are Curried chicken and Oxtail. He laughed more and said good choices. He went on to inquire about the British owned island where I'm from...dont think it was part of the routine, just more out of his curiosity...like population, size, where it's geographically located..he seemed to have never seen a European Union passport before.

CONGRATS!

He went on to ask the general questions, with each one, looking me directly in the eye. That made me nervous but I know they're trained to do that. Under good moral character, where I hadn't noted my traffic ticket for failure to yield, I mentioned it to him, showed him the document and that it was paid. After all that, he asked me to sign the N400.

He then asked for proof of existing marriage. I had copied:

*utility bills for every 3 months since the I-751,

*recopied the tax returns,

*car insurance & joint car titles,

*health insurance cards and statements,

*copy of our joint credit cards,

*bank statements for every 3 months since the I-751

*travel tickets,

*house rental agreement.

He was happy with how it was organized neatly with tabs that described what each stapled section was. He said, "Oh great, you are making my job easier for me. This is neat." I said, thank you!

*He only took the rental agreement, health insurance docs, financial statements and utility bills. I also had pictures of us and our families taken this summer. He looked at those. I chose to print screen most of them from our facebook pages, as they showed a date, and comments from families and friends, and printed them out at Walmart.

Next were the questions. Got all 6 right. They were,

1. What is the freedom of religion

2. How many U.S. senators are there

3. When must all men register for the Selective Service

4. What ocean is on the east coast of the United States

5. When was the Constitution written

6.Name one state that borders Canada

He then asked me to say a phrase on a piece of paper, (don't remember what it was). I then had to write a phrase on another piece of paper (we pay taxes). He then made some notes on my file.

He then handed me a paper and pointed to where he checked that I passed the civics test and that he has recommended me for naturalization and congrats, etc...

He said I will get an invitation in the mail in the next ---- days (don't remember how much he said) for an Oath Ceremony at a specific location. I asked how is the location determined. He said it is according to where you live. I asked if there is any way I can please get into the Aug 9th ceremony in Davenport or the Aug 16th ceremony in Cedar Rapids. He said that more than likely, other applicants would have already received their letter for the ceremony on Aug-9th and he seriously doubts there is room available, and that he knows that the Cedar Rapids location can only hold a maximum of 30 applicants.

He said that there are instances though they are rare, that an applicant may have to change their ceremony date, and if a space becomes available he will see if I can be scheduled but I must not hold my breath. He shook my hand congratulated me, said this interview is now over and rose to escort me to the door.

The end....

Oh well, I guess I'll be waiting for November's oath ceremony Vanessa.!

CONGRATS!

Either it will be August or November ...we should be glad that you got your reasons to celebrate. Isn't it not too bad that if you can have a citizenship celebration along with your wedding anniversary. Don't forget to try to call USCIS or do a infopass ...my experience told me that the USPS are not very reliable in delivering these notices ....they had lost my fingerprint notice...I know for some people...it actually take them two weeks to delivery a notice within the same city after the mail was mis-delivered to another place.

At our stage...we are finally approve...I think waiting for a oath letter is much better than any of our previous waiting...think about few years ago we were waiting for notices about our GC. Just a while ago...we don't even know how long and what will happen when we were still "in-line".

It's Friday...we should all celebrate every weekends while we know we have nothing more to worry about beside just waiting, which we have trained to be good at...all these years ...by USCIS

I should say congrat Vanessa ....we are lucky compare those people who got hold for name checks for months or people who still doing after-interview REFs just because they encounter an officer who decided they need to do so.

Yes, those of us who at least got a recommended for approval are very lucky. I have heard horror stories! Vanessa, still hoping you get an Aug 9 date. If not then, November will be around before you know it.

My wife took the Oath yesterday morning, applied for a passport in the afternoon.

The journey is over. Bye, bye USCIS!

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-- N-400: APRIL 2013 APPLICATIONS --

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USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox

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UserName.......|Eligible|Sent....|ChkCashd|NOA.....|Bio.....|In Line.|Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice

KEVIN&LEILEI...|10/30/12|03/28/13|04/04/13|04/01/13|04/30/13|05/02/13|05/08/13|06/13/13|10/25/13|Pittsburgh, PA

GHANOU.........|03/28/12|03/28/13|04/08/13|04/01/13|05/06/13|05/28/13|07/10/13|08/14/13|--/--/--|Baltimore, MD

TYGRYS.........|03/24/13|04/01/13|04/05/13|04/02/13|04/29/13|05/22/13|06/03/13|07/08/13|07/26/13|Raleigh, NC

BJZAGS.........|07/09/10|04/02/13|04/11/13|04/09/13|05/08/13|05/10/13|07/01/13|08/05/13|--/--/--|Philadelphia, PA

CHIEFS341......|--/--/--|04/02/13|04/08/13|04/04/13|05/02/13|05/06/13|06/17/13|07/22/13|07/25/13|Dallas, TX

HARRY123.......|--/--/--|04/02/13|04/04/13|04/04/13|05/06/13|05/08/13|05/14/13|06/20/13|09/05/13|Buffalo, NY

IRINASC........|04/15/09|04/02/13|04/04/13|04/11/13|05/03/13|--/--/--|05/10/13|06/13/13|--/--/--|Greer, SC

SHAUN COLE.....|11/15/12|04/03/13|04/10/13|04/16/13|05/07/13|05/03/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Atlanta, GA (EB:05/01/13)

SOUTHLAKE......|--/--/--|04/04/13|04/09/13|04/04/13|05/06/13|05/08/13|06/03/13|07/16/13|--/--/--|Fairfax, VA

WELSHDAN.......|04/09/12|04/04/13|04/12/13|04/09/13|05/08/13|05/10/13|05/14/13|06/18/13|--/--/--|New Orleans, LA

OTTA...........|03/22/13|04/05/13|04/12/13|04/09/13|05/08/13|05/28/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|New York, NY (Manh.)

ROBOTVISIONTX..|05/13/07|04/11/13|--/--/--|04/16/13|05/15/13|05/20/13|06/14/13|07/24/13|08/28/13|Houston, TX

LILIB..........|--/--/--|04/11/13|04/18/13|04/15/13|05/07/13|--/--|--|06/10/13|07/16/13|08/05/13|St.Albans, VT

ANIL2013.......|04/02/13|04/13/13|04/18/13|04/15/13|05/16/13|06/03/13|07/02/13|08/10/13|--/--/--|Boston, MA

ENGLISH MUFFIN.|04/12/13|04/15/13|04/23/13|04/19/13|05/15/13|06/11/13|06/12/13|07/18/13|07/25/13|Charlotte, NC (EB: 05/07/13)

CLAUDIAARROYO49|07/--/12|04/15/13|04/--/13|04/11/13|05/10/13|05/14/13|05/15/13|06/19/13|07/19/13|San Juan, PR

IMAISHA........|06/13/12|04/16/13|04/19/13|04/17/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Boston, MA

OSEN74.........|02/04/13|04/17/13|04/28/13|04/23/13|05/17/13|05/21/13|06/03/13|07/08/13|07/19/13|Raleigh/Durham, NC

MADDY13........|03/26/13|04/17/13|04/28/13|04/26/13|05/29/13|05/31/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Philadelphia, PA

CARAQUENO18....|03/29/13|04/19/13|--/--/--|04/24/13|05/28/13|05/30/13|07/11/13|08/13/13|--/--/--|Miami, FL

MOROCCOGIRLNY..|03/31/13|04/20/13|04/25/13|04/22/13|05/23/13|05/28/13|06/06/13|07/16/13|07/30/13|New York, NY

STARLAROSE.....|04/12/13|04/24/13|04/29/13|04/25/13|05/29/13|05/31/13|--/--/--|07/24/13|--/--/--|Washington, DC

MILVA..........|05/17/12|04/24/13|04/29/13|05/01/13|05/30/13|05/31/13|06/27/13|07/30/13|--/--/--|Newark, NJ

NIMAAN.........|04/29/13|04/26/13|05/02/13|04/29/13|05/30/13|06/28/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Atlanta, GA (EB: 05/17/13)

HAPPYDANCER....|04/07/13|04/26/13|05/02/13|04/30/13|05/21/13|06/10/13|06/11/13|07/18/13|--/--/--|Louisville, KY

CANADIAN_WIFE..|06/20/12|04/27/13|05/02/13|04/29/13|05/30/13|05/31/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Atlanta, GA (EB: 05/29/13)

==============================

USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox

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UserName.......|Eligible|Sent....|ChkCashd|NOA.....|Bio.....|In Line.|Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice

LORDWORD.......|--/--/--|04/01/13|--/--/--|04/05/13|05/01/13|05/03/13|06/11/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|Los Angeles, CA

VANESSA&TONY...|04/02/13|04/03/13|04/10/13|04/05/13|05/02/13|06/03/13|06/14/13|07/18/13|--/--/--|Des Moines, IA

WIZARDFITZ.....|11/25/11|04/08/13|04/16/13|04/11/13|05/13/13|05/15/13|05/28/13|06/20/13|08/08/13|Indianapolis, IN

MSIMPLE........|10/--/12|04/09/13|04/15/13|04/11/13|05/06/13|05/08/13|06/14/13|07/23/13|--/--/--|Des Moines, IA

MADDYCRUISE....|10/28/12|04/10/13|04/16/13|04/11/13|05/15/13|05/17/13|06/17/13|07/22/13|--/--/--|Milwaukee, WI

ROBO96815......|--/--/--|04/11/13|04/18/13|04/24/13|05/10/13|05/14/13|05/28/13|07/02/13|--/--/--|San Francisco, CA

TX_DUDE78665...|--/--/--|04/13/13|--/--/--|04/16/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Los Angeles, CA

AZURE30........|04/16/13|04/16/13|04/23/13|04/18/13|05/13/13|06/17/13|06/21/13|07/29/13|--/--/--|Des Moines, IA

RIRO...........|04/14/13|04/16/13|04/23/13|04/18/13|05/13/13|06/14/13|06/18/13|07/24/13|08/21/13|Sacramento, CA (EB: 05/09/13)

LIDOTOMATO.....|04/20/13|04/19/13|04/25/13|04/22/13|05/22/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|San Jose, CA

INDOMEX........|04/27/13|04/27/13|05/08/13|04/30/13|05/23/13|06/26/13|06/26/13|08/01/13|--/--/--|San Francisco,CA(EB:05/17/13)

M and F........|04/08/13|04/29/13|05/03/13|04/30/13|05/28/13|06/07/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Santa Ana, CA

SPARTAN........|04/21/12|04/30/13|05/08/13|05/03/13|05/31/13|06/04/13|06/06/13|07/16/13|--/--/--|San Francisco, CA

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USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing Under 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA)

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UserName.......|Eligible|Sent....|ChkCashd|NOA.....|Bio.....|In Line.|Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice

EXAMPLE........|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|City, ST

IMPORTANT!

* 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 (to do this, click the little grey switch on the top left of the edit box then remove the tags).

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Congratulations to both of you!

There's a website with the Iowa dates. http://www.iasd.uscourts.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112&Itemid=165

I asked for a Davenport ceremony. They only hold them 4 times a year. REALLY hoping to get the August date. Time will tell.

Oh no wonder! Let's hope for an August date then.

Okay, because we all know it works I'm going to be a pain and rant. WHERE IS MY OATH LETTER?!

I really really REALLY don't want to have to wait for the November 15 ceremony... that's AGES away. I would LOVE to get the August 9th date that's coming up oh so quickly... I want to call someone to make sure they haven't forgotten about me, but that seems... rude. I've never had to call before. Man...

No online updates... so I'm hoping the online updates are wrong and tonight (or sometime this week) I'll go home and check the mail and there it will be... like the Golden Ticket from Willy Wonka...

Well, let's not give our hopes up. See, I was beginning to think that USCIS was never going to schedule my oath ceremony after nearly a month of waiting for at LEAST an in line for schedule email. Then, all of a sudden on a glorious Monday, after all hope had vanished I got a phone call for an oath ceremony for Friday. It may happen for you I know how you feel and waiting sucks. I gotta tell ya, I did a happy dance after the phone call. Are you sure the next ceremony is not till November, maybe they have one sooner, how do you find out the exact dates? That's too far away.

Hubs passed with flying colors. No oath ceremonies today. Will be a few weeks. So proud of mah man.

Congratulations!

I will apply for my passport book and card tomorrow. Hope it's a hassle free procedure.

Over the weekend I threw out mail. Riveting I know but bank statements and the like (after properly protecting our personal info of course). It was great to be able to finally throw that stuff out. No more needing to prove our relationship... just sitting back and waiting (not patiently) for the Oath. I have more mail "stored" that I kept just in case of an RFE and because that doesn't matter anymore, I'll be "cleansing" that after the Oath in a blazing ball of fire. I will however be keeping my immigration stuff for a few years. Neatly stored somewhere. E-filed on my external hard-drive as well.

Anyone else enjoying the destruction of something that's been forced to be in the backs of our mind for years?

Yes, there is nothing more liberating than getting rid of junk you will no longer need. Specially me, I'm a neat freak!

Question for people who have had their interviews/approvals. Did you get an online update showing the approval? If so, when?

And for those that have the oath dates, did you receive an online update or just get the letter?

I haven't got an online approval yet. Hoping it updates/issues my oath letter sometime next week for the Aug date. Won't seem real until then I think!

I never got a online approval. My status went from interview scheduled straight to Oath scheduled. I did get an oath scheduled email a month after the interview.

Congrats, Claudia!

Sounds like very nice ceremony, indeed. I like very much the origin country flag traded for an US flag idea. I wish more USCIS offices were doing it this way!

Yes, it doesn't get old for them. They do monthly ceremonies, and they always make sure citizens come out with a wonderful experience.

Congrats Claudia!

Thank you, Congrats to you too. Yesterday was a wonderful day for both of us. Thank God it is all over now.

As of today, I am proud to be an American Citizen. I thank the wonderful staff at my local office in Guaynabo, PR for setting up such a memorable and heartfelt ceremony. Tere were a total of 53 people from eleven countries. The ceremony took about an hour and a half. I was very much surprised to see a small flag of my birth country waiting for me along with the citizenship packet on top of my seat. The flag was eventually traded in for a small US flag which I got to take home. The director of that office which is also the director of the office at the US Virgin Islands is a sweetheart; USCIS needs more people like him. After the ceremony I went to my favorite seafood restaurant for lunch to celebrate.

"An Oath Ceremony is like getting married to the United States. A permanent resident card is like the engagement before the marriage"