Darth Vader Q

But on a more serious note, permit me to apply a bit of self-censorship: I'm not a June filer, so I'm rather overstaying my welcome by voicing opinion in here on the manner in which this thread is managed. I tender my unreserved and unqualified apologies and shall henceforth cease and desist from all remarks related to the management of this thread.

You sound like you have a problem with that ?

I think if June filers want the "Yellow Letter" column added, I see no harm in adding it.

second stage,

Please, don't misunderstand me, I'm sorry if I sounded like I had a problem with it. How could I? I'm (thankfully) a March filer. I suppose I was just thinking of that Charmin Ultra toilet paper jingle...Less is More, but what do I know?

Too bad we don't have a "received yellow letter" column - otherwise we can track that too...

Another column?? Er...ok.

Presumptive updates to the timeline:

Redening and boldening applicants with past oath dates.

1) Passport agencies usually give conservative estimates of processing times, so the timerframe at your local passport agency could very well be very less than eight business days. Usually processing times are prioritised by travel dates given in documented travel plans. Also enquire about Will Call passport pick-up service. I'd be surprised if that weren't available.

2) Should not be a problem with Social Security

3) Should not be a problem with online booking.

Tip: does your national passport agency operate on a by appointment only basis? If so, make sure you call shortly after 10:00 am local of the fourteenth day prior to your intended application. Those appointments tend to fill up rapidly. To give you an idea, try calling the National Passport Agency 877 487 2778 and following the prompts for your region to get an idea of how busy they are.

Good luck!

A few passport related question for anyone who might know:

1) how quickly is it realistic to expect to get a passport if applying in person at the passport agency? I found my local one in LA that accepts 'expedited applications' with proof of travel within 2 weeks, but they still say they take 8 business days to process it, and I'm not sure this includes delivery time. So that's your entire 2 weeks right there

2) I'm doing a name change with my naturalization. Keeping my first name as it is, taking my husband's last name, and keeping my current last name as a middle name. If I apply for a passport right away (which is my intention), will it matter that I won't have changed my name with Social Security yet?

3) I'm wondering when I should book flights and whether I should wait until after naturalization. I'm assuming I'll have to book them under my new name, so am I even allowed to book them under the new name if I haven't naturalized yet (in case I wanted to book in the next couple of weeks)?

Trouble is, a very good friend is getting married in my home country on Sept. 21. I'd love to attend the wedding if I can, but that means I'd need to be traveling around Sept. 15-ish to allow myself a few days to recover from the jet lag, and of course I'd need to start making arrangements asap. Which would make things very tight with the passport, I'm afraid, especially if the 'fast' service is 8 business days plus delivery time.

If anyone can shed any light to the above questions, I'd much appreciate it.

This response is to the Original Poster's initial query and encompasses the follow-up comments from other posters:

Your plan to maintain a primary physical presence for the purpose of employment abroad with intent to return every five months neither invalidates your Legal Permanent Resident Status, nor breaks the requirement for Continuous Residency as a requirement to naturalise. That said, it places you in a potentially sticky situation that may not necessarily have an unsticky resolution.

1) Customs and Border Patrol offices at ports of entry have some discretion (and some believe they have even more) to assess your suitability for re-entry based on your immigrant status and travel patterns. I have witnessed Legal Permanent Residents who lived for extended periods in the United States (several years) only to be hassled at immigration for an extended trip abroad of a few months to the home country. You may find yourself wrestling frequently with these agents each time you attempt to re-enter the country in the manner according to your stated plan

2) At your eventual naturalisation interview, the immigration officer has even broader discretion to determine your eligibility for naturalisation. He may find your international trips (a pattern that many Legal Permanent Residents employ to maintain their status and which the USCIS is trained to probe) as an abandonment of residence even if you have not broken your Continuous Residency. Such a determination would not disqualify you for naturalisation, it would merely shift the burdern of proof to you on whether you did or did not maintain your residence

3) USCIS makes generous exceptions for employees of US-based entities in cases where the applicant was in the first instance hired within the United States and with those who seek educational endeavours abroad regardless of the educational institution. However, Continuous Residency must still be maintaned in these instances. The exception is simply a greater understanding from USCIS of extended stays abroad (which, again, and at the risk of sounding pedantic, do not interrupt Continuous Residency).

So, what can you do?

The most important thing is to maintain ties to the United States for the entirety of your statutory period in ways that are demonstrative from a USCIS point of view as one who has not abandoned his Legal Permanent Resident status. As near exhasutive as possible documentation in the two categories below would be a helpful start:

1) Financial paper trail: the USCIS seems, above all other things, to value highly financial obligations/assets. Continuity for the entire duration of your application statutory period (in your case, the five years leading up to your application date) would be essential:

a) tax returns

b) bank statements

c) credit card statements

d) correspondence from financial institutions

e) insurance (auto/home/renter's/health) for properties/entities domiciled in the United States

2) Residential evidence:

a) Lease/Deed

b) Letter from landlord

c) Utility bills

Good luck!

Ten days in the Oath scheduling queue, and only two more weeks till the next judicial oath ceremony in Miami on the 15th of August. It's starting to feel as though I'll be lumped in with the September batch. Was really hoping for August.

Thanks alix, I only found some stories from 2011 and older ...I m just curious to hear from somebody whose experience is recent.

Good luck for your upcoming interview.

Ask engineer21 in the March 2014 thread. I believe he (she?) had an interview there within the last three months.

Good luck!

It's all good guys...Thanks alix for the support. At the end of the day, I just want to make life easier for JUNE filers and for future filers.

second stage,

I have a question about your timeline. Forgive me, but, why does your official timeline say "Naturalization (approved)" when your signature timeline shows that your interview has not been scheduled yet? Just curious...

Haha, try to calm yourself. It seems the humour went completely over your head. Even second stage seemed to understand it was harnless ribbing.

I totally agree.

Also, I feel that second stage has done nothing wrong, he's always trying to help everyone, sometimes more than he probably should. On the topic today, he was just trying to figure out ways to help certain people who can't do their own research about their own field centers and keep "freaking out" about every little step of this process, when their expectations (which are usually off) are not met. The theory about GC dates and in line for interview dates when someone used the 90-day rule has been proved correct in most cases (but not all). There are and there will always be exceptions, but it's also interesting to see how things work. We are all on the same boat and should try to help each other instead of putting each other down.

Unfortunately there are people here who like to create drama and some people who like to instigate the drama too. I was trying to stay out of it, but I had to defend second stage. Do I always agree with him? No. I might say things that other people don't agree with. But he is already a citizen and is only giving his opinion and time to help. I'm not saying that you shouldn't voice when you disagree about something but attacking him because of it is not ok.

second stage,

Based on your advanced stochastic models and your one-of-a-kind crystal ball, can you "predict" what day of the week usacitizenship's interview will be scheduled for and what the traffic situation is most likely to be in a 100-mile radius of his/her local field office on said day of his/her interview?

Got placed in line for interview notification today. Please update my timeline. My GC date is 09/01 and I applied per the 5 year rule.

Thanks

Thanks, I wasn't expecting it to be that fast

Actually, I think they may have just released the new dates, but you were right: when I last checked a couple dates ago, August was the latest they had released. Here's the most updated version: http://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/clerk-services/naturalization-ceremony-locations-and-schedule

I hope you don't have to wait till September 17th!

Wow, another status change just a day later!

July 31st my oath ceremony got scheduled and they've sent me a notice with the date and time! I'm 95% sure it's going to be for the Aug. 27 ceremony, which makes me very happy (means I can go ahead and finally make travel plans), but I'm going to wait for the letter to be 100% sure before I do anything. I'll update when I get the actual letter in the mail.

Excellent news! Congratulations on receiving your last USCIS case status ever!

The Oath Ceremony probably will be for 27th of August since the September dates for your jurisdiction haven't even been released yet, correct?

second stage,

I take that back! I misread your post, you are right with those four observations, my apologies for speaking too soon.

My "prediction" about "second stage-fatigue" among your thread-mates before the end of this mnth still stands, though!

second stage,

All four of your observations above are wrong; in fact, each one is true in the exact opposite.

If I had to make a bold "prediction" which you seem to be rather fond of, it would be that, before the end of August, more than a few of your thread-mates may be facing second stage-fatigue!

I am shocked you are not supporting this new idea, after your reply to one of my comments. I suppose you have a lot of free time while waiting for your oath.

I like to think I'm objective: your criticism of second stage was baseless, so I stated likewise. Now, second stage's enthusiasm seems in over-drive, so I employed sarcasm to highlight that.

Nothing personal. Let me know when you have recovered from your shock.

I think being in-line is to help you compare your timeline within your local office and not other office(as in Tampa vs Tampa and not Tampa vs Chicago)

What I have noticed(as a rule of thumb):

1. If you applied early then, doing your Bio early does not help.
2. If you applied early then, you'll be placed IN-LINE about 30 days before your anniversary date.
3. If you did not apply early then, you'll be placed IN-LINE within few days after your Bio.
4. If you applied early then, you will receive interview notification within 30 days after your anniversary date(GC date)

Again, don't ask me to quote - just observation based on other threads...

second stage,

All four of your observations above are wrong; in fact, each one is true in the exact opposite.

If I had to make a bold "prediction" which you seem to be rather fond of, it would be that, before the end of August, more than a few of your thread-mates may be facing second stage-fatigue!

Thanks so much for your fast response! It's 1 1/2 hrs drive but hell we are about to leave (fingers cross). Thanks again Darth V.!!

1) Don't thank me...yet

2) Obey the speed limit

3) Good luck!

Mistere,

Thanks!

Just an additional follow-up, a poster in this thread commented that his (her?) local National Passport Agency in Boston requires proof of travel within two weeks of application, but does not appear to enforce it. It may be of no consequence, of course, but perhaps determine what the actual practice in your local agency is.

Good luck!

Well, I would not say I'm really worried. I just know that it could happen and if it does I guess I'll deal it with it then. I do appreciate your positive outlook, it's one ot those things that is at times contagious.

I guess I was thinking about it like "lost checked luggage" when traveling by air, if it's happened to you more than a couple of times and one of those times you received it a couple of days later in a plastic bag with half of your stuff missing, when you see your bag on the conveyor, you wonder: Am I going to see it later? and almost every time you will.

Things happen that we no control over and you take care of your own things better than someone else would. So I guess I will go with, it probably won't happen to me. I believe that my local National Passport Agency requires proof of travel within a two week period.

Thanks for your advice/comment and good luck to you...

Joe&Dzung,

It's possible that your wife has missed her oath ceremonies since it seems common to only schedule such ceremonies a few weeks in advance; in you case, a full month has passed.

The situation is not terribly severe, though. Here's what you should do right away:

1) Go to your local field office as a walk-in INFOPASS (don't bother trying to schedule one on the online system) and expain the situation

2) If you have missed the oath ceremony' politely ask them to schedule you right away for the next one and request that they hand you the notice letter before you leave

3) If you have not missed the oath ceremony, simply ask them to print off another notice letter for you

Good luck!

We are very concern because my wife had her interview back in middle of June and she passed. The officer gave a letter stating she passed but need additional documents (the same ones that I sent with the N-400 application) again! So when we home I sent more photos, mortgage deed, bank statements, etc. we waited and waited until I checked on her case status online and it says that the oath ceremony has been mailed out on July 1 !! We never received it. It's Aug 1 now and we don't know what to do. We have been at the same address, never moved and we received the NOA back in May for the biometrics appointment so why didn't we get the ceremony letter? I called the customer service and they can only request a call back from the local office, and who knows when they will get back with us. We're afraid my wife will miss her ceremony! Anyone experience the same circumstance?

For those waiting to be scheduled for Naturalisation Oath Ceremonies in the New Orleans local field office, here is an idea you might try if you're looking to speed things up:

A Naturalisation Oath can be performed by any competent entity (such as a US district judge, or authorised agents at local USCIS field offices) at any time, and there is no requirement that this oath must be taken at a formal ceremony scheduled at a future date. Applicants have in the past successfully made informal requests to both US district judges and USCIS field office agents to swear the oath in private and ahead of any scheduled ceremonies.

My suggestions:

1) Gather all documentation that shows your N-400 application has been approved

2) Start calling US district court clerks to see if there are any judges in your jurisdiction amenable to conducting a private oath ceremony for an individual in a hurry to become naturalised

3) Co-ordinate with your local USCIS office in order that they may either furnish the requisite information and documentation to the US district court (in the event an amenable judge is found), or enquire with them about private oath ceremonies at the local office in the event an amenable judge cannot be found

This does require some determination, of course, but it is not a long shot and I have seen cases where people have met with success.

Good luck!

Being anxious could be a good thing. it'll tell you if your application is moving with everyone or if you need to take action if you deviate. I certainly want to know if am *stuck* and without tracking, I wouldn't know...

Anyway, it was only a suggestion and was going to be more work for me

Hey, any way you could add a weather column as well to let us know the ambient temperature in each of the field offices? That's also a suggestion.

A quick note on passports. Apparently not all passport agencies that have the travel within two weeks rule enforce it. I went to the Boston passport agency even though technically I'm not traveling for another 3 weeks and they let me apply no questions asked. Should get it next Wednesday (paid for overnight delivery). It definite felt better to hand over my naturalization certificate right there at the counter versus having to think about it getting mailed off somewhere if applying at the post office. Took pictures, color copies, and scanned it before hand of course!

Good advice! Does the Boston Passport Office offer passport pick-up (some of the passport agencies do), and if so, can the Naturalisation Certificate be picked up at the same time? Might be something to look into.

Based on some research I've been doing on the side, it would appear that the Miami Passport Agency is one of those that strictly enforces the travel within two weeks requirement. They do, however, offer the option for passport pick-up and same-day passports when need is satisfactorily demonstrated.

hi

I signed mine the day before at home, and my ceremony lasted 45 min in Miami in 2010

being seated almost lasted longer than the whole ceremony, 200 of us

Was your ceremony at the USCIS office (8801 North West 7th Avenue) or the US District court (400 North Miami Avenue)? Thanks!

Ask something stupid if you want. We've all done it. You won't be the first, and you certainly won't be the last. (smile)

Regards,

Bill

Hmmn, well, sometimes, if the moderators think your question is particularly stupid, they might decide to punish your perceived stupidity with sanctions (I've seen it before), so I wouldn't get tooo stupid.

In line for oath scheduling as of July 30th!

Here's to hoping they'll schedule me for the late August ceremony!

Congratulations! One more case status update to go.