This is it for me. No more USCIS, I'm done. Became a US Citizen today and the next step is to get my passport. Thank you all for answering my questions when I couldn't understand something with my naturalization application.
My timeline (Interview was at Newark, NJ) Marriage base N-400:
My Case Timeline
Category: Naturalization (Application for Naturalization)
Total Days: 330 days
N-400
Start: Jan 10, 2021
Decision: Dec 06, 2021
@National Benefits Center
● Jan 10, 2021 / N-400 / Submission to USCIS
● Feb 12, 2021 / N-400 / Biometrics, i.e. fingerprint and photo
● Oct 19, 2021 / N-400 / Interview
● Dec 06, 2021 / N-400 / Decision (Approval)
Oath ceremony same day.
My appointment was at 11am. I have arrived at the building around 10:45am (I've parked my car at the parking lot behind the building, $21 for the all-day parking) and the security check was very quick (airport style metal detector check). The security guard at the elevators told me that my appointment so on the 15th floor (Naturalization department). On the 15th floor, checked in with another security guard next to the elevators, then again at the window in the waiting are (I was only asked for my Notice with the appointment info), after that I was told to sit down and wait. I waited from 11am until 2pm for my interview. The interviewers are coming out of 3 different location (left door, back of the hallways, and some are just using PA system to call people to the door number 3). Really hard to go and pee because they can call you at any time. There were Oath Ceremonies happening when they had around 30 people approved for Naturalization. I was called for the interview around 2pm and the IO was smiling when I got to the door. Asked me how I'm doing. After I got into his office he swore me in and the interview started.
IO asked me for my green card and my passport as well as my driver's license. Out of nowhere he asked if my wife and I have kids, I have answered no we don't. He then said what else do you have, so I told him we have a dog, his response was what else do you have, I didn't understand the question so I said that's all. IO then said to me "I'm trying to establish your marriage to your wife, what else do you have?" So I said we own cars together, we rent an apartment so I do have lease, we have credit card accounts, we have bank accounts, we have life insurance, we had medical insurance. That's when he asked me why we don't have it anymore, and I just told him that it was expensive to pay whole amount out of pocket while being self-employed. He look at me with weirdness, and I just continued saying that I'm thinking about a business and my wife believe in natural remedies over medicating us both (which is true). Within seconds his switch and went with all the exam question:
• Who is your senator?
• Who is the Vice President now?
• What was MLK Jr. fighting for?
• Why do we have 13 stripes on the flag?
• Name one longest river in US?
• Who was Ben Franklin?
After answering all the questions, I notice a question on the iPad infront of me with a question "Who elects Congress?" and I was told to read that question to the IO. Then he told me to write "The people elect Congress."
Right after he asked me few questions from the application such as:
• How long have you been married?
• Was your wife born in US?
• What date did your wife become a US citizen?
• Questions from Yes/No (I actually froze at open question got 2 sec "Have you ever been arrested?" After those 2 sec I have answered NO, but IO asked me "why did you pause before I answered?". I just simple explained that I wanted to understand the question, because I have been cited by the police but not arrested. He accepted my explanation and we moved on.
After maybe 2 min of Yes/No questions he made me sign things on the pad and gave me a paper with more Yes/No questions, told me to mark everything No, put my address and sign the paper. Then he gave me a paper with my information asked if it's all correct and 10 sec later he said that I passed and congratulated me for passing, told me to get my stuff and wait in the waiting room for the oath. I just said Thank you, grab my stuff and left to wait for the oath in the waiting room. 15min into waiting and a guy came out to the middle of the room and started calling names of people who were told to go to the room down the hallway for the oath ceremony. My name got called and I went into the room where the Oath Ceremony was going to take place. Nice lady greeted us and told people to move down the row and sit down in the chair and wait. After everyone who was called was there she congratulated all of us and started explaining what to do after we get out naturalization certificate. She also mention to people who have kids who are under age of 18 and have green cards that they are automatically a US citizens and to apply for their passport while applying for your own. Oath took place, people took pictures, and left to celebrate with their families. That's all she wrote for me. I'm done.
Side note: You can bring your family members to the waiting room but they won't be able to attend your Oath with you, although they can coming after the oath to take pictures.
Just wanted to share our experience if it helps anyone for their future travels..
We just came back from travelling abroad and my husband didn't have any issues re-entering the country with the extension letter
One customer service rep at the airport in Italy didn't understand much about the letter but then I told her to re-read the first sentence in the letter and she let him go through.
The ticketing agent, who was really nice, asked for his permanent address and the date of expiration of this extension and then entered all his data in computer system and we went off to the gate!
He didn't have any issues at the airport here either when we arrived.
...And now we patiently wait to hear some news regarding the GC...
Hey!
I traveled several times with my passport, greencard+extension letter and it went very smooth. I am a March 2017 Filer . When you are coming back from Italy the person in the Italy airport may not know what the extension letter is because he/she may have never seen it before (they are probably new workers).. but they usually ask their manager about it and everything goes as it should.
In other words, yes, you should be fine with the passport, greencard+extension letter!
Approved !!! My fiancé had his interview a couple of hours ago and will be getting his passport and visa shipped soon and then will be on his way to the U.S. (In about two weeks)
As for the K-1 process - Mission completed ! We're so happy now time to plan a small wedding and move on forward with the AOS and other things.
Wishing the best for all of you and a speedy process !
- Shai
I'm still in Italy visiting my fiance and two days ago I received an e-mail notifying us that the US Consulate General in Naples received our case and that the Packet 3 was attached to the e-mail My fiance quickly completed the DS160 application and we are currently on our way to fax some documents to Naples and print some other documents so he can get his interview appointment.. We are so excited
ichnusa reacted to Sebat4 in Done, over, I'm a US Citizen now! My experience inside.
ichnusa got a reaction from M_1412 in November 2017 I-751 Filers
ichnusa got a reaction from Cincyman in November 2017 I-751 Filers
ichnusa got a reaction from TabeaK in December 2014 filers (TSC) - post NOA2 approval thread
ichnusa got a reaction from Amicableprettypen in December 2014 filers (TSC) - post NOA2 approval thread