oncefuturealien

I became a citizen in Los Angeles today, along with 3,953 others.
 
🇺🇸
 
Best luck to all!! And thanks to everyone here who has helped along the way ❤️

I became a citizen in Los Angeles today, along with 3,953 others.
 
🇺🇸
 
Best luck to all!! And thanks to everyone here who has helped along the way ❤️

Just checked! I can't see the date yet. 🤩

I finally got my oath ceremony scheduled yesterday. It's only been, 7 weeks since the interview. The ceremony is next week!

I thought I'd share this; it's from an older version of the document referenced on the first post of this thread. I've read and heard a lot of naturalization ceremony speeches (you can find several transcripts or videos online), but this is my favorite. Of course it's a little idealistic, but I think the day of our naturalization ceremonies is good time to be idealistic for a day. Every few months someone will start a new thread asking people's views on why they want to become citizens... there are so many practical answers that are always given (passports, sponsoring relatives, voting, etc.) but this speech is always the first thing that jumps into my head.
It was given by Judge Abraham Lincoln Marovitz at a naturalization ceremony on November 17, 1994 in Chicago, Illinois.
"From our beginning as a nation, we have admitted to our country and to citizenship, immigrants from the diverse lands of the world. We had faith that thereby we would best serve ourselves and mankind. This faith has been justified. The United States has grown great. The immigrants and their immediate descendants have proved themselves both loyal and great citizens of the country. Liberty has knit us closely together as Americans. From this very assembly today, we may note the common devotion to our country.
"America has believed that each race, each ethnic group, each religion, each person has something of peculiar value which they can contribute to the attainment of those ideals for which they are striving. America has believed that we must not only give to the immigrant the best that we have, but must preserve for America the good that is in the immigrant, and develop in him and her the best of which they are capable of doing. America has believed that in differentiation, not in uniformity, lies the fate of progress. "My friends, you know better than I the blessings of liberty and freedom. Some of you have been the personal victims of oppression and discrimination. You can appreciate, without any prodding from me, the importance of the heritage and challenge you have today embraced. I welcome you all as citizens of America. As of today, you are equal citizens entitled to the same rights and privileges, and subject to the same obligations, as Americans, whose fathers and grandfathers, and great-grandfathers were born in this land. I thank you, from the depths of my heart, for choosing our beloved country in which to work and live. May God bless you and guide you."

I checked the USCIS site (bc I am compulsive that way) and the letter was in there (update noted on the front page, letter in the documents tab). I haven't received the snail mail letter yet.
 

Approved!
 
Crossing my paws that they're able to slide me into the April 23 ceremony in LA.
 
I was through security and at the check-in desk right on time, waited for maybe 8 -10 minutes, had a very nice officer. He asked for my green card, state ID, passport; my spouse's birth certificate (and I also had a photocopy of his passport page that I gave him); our marriage certificate--I didn't have an original, it's gone missing. I don't know if maybe they kept in in Montreal after my interview? I think I have turned over every piece of paper in this house looking for it, and it wasn't anywhere. So I ordered another one from Vital Statistics, thinking the first one would show up. It hasn't, but I do have another one coming. I explained that I didn't have the original (I gave him a photocopy), but that I had another one coming. He took my fingerprints and a photo. He asked for some bills and things showing we're both in the same house, and I showed him those. I had to read out loud two simple sentences, and I had to write down Lincoln was the President during the Civil War. My civics questions were: What is freedom of religion, Who is the Chief Justice of the SCOTUS, What are the two main political parties, Who makes Federal law, Name a war the US fought in the 1800s, and If the POTUS and VPOTUS couldn't lead the country, who becomes POTUS?
 
He went through the questionnaire, and I showed him our this year's tax return when he got to the tax questions. He asked how my husband and I met. I had an absolute pile of paper with me, and needed very little of it, but SO MUCH BETTER to have too much.
 
At the end he puts a paper in front of me, and I didn't have my glasses on, so I asked, Oh, are you giving me an RFE for the marriage certificate? but he wasn't, it was the approval. We talked about how the notice of the oath ceremony will come (only by snail mail??) and what dates were coming up for LA. The interviewing people have to be there, too! which I had somehow missed. I will make sure I have the marriage certificate with me just in case someone needs it.
 
What a relief!

Approved!
 
Crossing my paws that they're able to slide me into the April 23 ceremony in LA.
 
I was through security and at the check-in desk right on time, waited for maybe 8 -10 minutes, had a very nice officer. He asked for my green card, state ID, passport; my spouse's birth certificate (and I also had a photocopy of his passport page that I gave him); our marriage certificate--I didn't have an original, it's gone missing. I don't know if maybe they kept in in Montreal after my interview? I think I have turned over every piece of paper in this house looking for it, and it wasn't anywhere. So I ordered another one from Vital Statistics, thinking the first one would show up. It hasn't, but I do have another one coming. I explained that I didn't have the original (I gave him a photocopy), but that I had another one coming. He took my fingerprints and a photo. He asked for some bills and things showing we're both in the same house, and I showed him those. I had to read out loud two simple sentences, and I had to write down Lincoln was the President during the Civil War. My civics questions were: What is freedom of religion, Who is the Chief Justice of the SCOTUS, What are the two main political parties, Who makes Federal law, Name a war the US fought in the 1800s, and If the POTUS and VPOTUS couldn't lead the country, who becomes POTUS?
 
He went through the questionnaire, and I showed him our this year's tax return when he got to the tax questions. He asked how my husband and I met. I had an absolute pile of paper with me, and needed very little of it, but SO MUCH BETTER to have too much.
 
At the end he puts a paper in front of me, and I didn't have my glasses on, so I asked, Oh, are you giving me an RFE for the marriage certificate? but he wasn't, it was the approval. We talked about how the notice of the oath ceremony will come (only by snail mail??) and what dates were coming up for LA. The interviewing people have to be there, too! which I had somehow missed. I will make sure I have the marriage certificate with me just in case someone needs it.
 
What a relief!

Approved!
 
Crossing my paws that they're able to slide me into the April 23 ceremony in LA.
 
I was through security and at the check-in desk right on time, waited for maybe 8 -10 minutes, had a very nice officer. He asked for my green card, state ID, passport; my spouse's birth certificate (and I also had a photocopy of his passport page that I gave him); our marriage certificate--I didn't have an original, it's gone missing. I don't know if maybe they kept in in Montreal after my interview? I think I have turned over every piece of paper in this house looking for it, and it wasn't anywhere. So I ordered another one from Vital Statistics, thinking the first one would show up. It hasn't, but I do have another one coming. I explained that I didn't have the original (I gave him a photocopy), but that I had another one coming. He took my fingerprints and a photo. He asked for some bills and things showing we're both in the same house, and I showed him those. I had to read out loud two simple sentences, and I had to write down Lincoln was the President during the Civil War. My civics questions were: What is freedom of religion, Who is the Chief Justice of the SCOTUS, What are the two main political parties, Who makes Federal law, Name a war the US fought in the 1800s, and If the POTUS and VPOTUS couldn't lead the country, who becomes POTUS?
 
He went through the questionnaire, and I showed him our this year's tax return when he got to the tax questions. He asked how my husband and I met. I had an absolute pile of paper with me, and needed very little of it, but SO MUCH BETTER to have too much.
 
At the end he puts a paper in front of me, and I didn't have my glasses on, so I asked, Oh, are you giving me an RFE for the marriage certificate? but he wasn't, it was the approval. We talked about how the notice of the oath ceremony will come (only by snail mail??) and what dates were coming up for LA. The interviewing people have to be there, too! which I had somehow missed. I will make sure I have the marriage certificate with me just in case someone needs it.
 
What a relief!

Just got my Ceremony Notice! Friday April 12th! The end is so close!
 

Passed my interview today! My case status has already been updated to Oath Ceremony will be scheduled. I'm going to be stalking the online portal for days to see when it will be! Almost done!

I just received an email this morning saying that my citizenship interview is scheduled. No letter with the interview date yet showing in documents. It's getting closer 😀

You are right, Today is a good day 😁

OK INTERVIEW OVER - RESULT - RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL!
 
Tampa office was really busy. I got there 30 minutes before my appointment time, got my number and quickly found out that regardless of number or appointment time, they go in no particular order. The two different ladies I set next to in the waiting room had been there for over an hour past their appointment time. They were calling out numbers in the 40's when I arrived (mine was 75). One lady had something like 59, but my number was called before hers! 
 
As for the interview, my officer seemed one of the happier ones. I cracked a few nervous jokes with him and made small talk, which he was fine with. He was an immigrant from Poland, so that was cool to relate to him a little bit about the journey. He started with a few basic questions about me, my wife and how I started on the immigrant journey. He also asked her full name, where we met, when how we started dating, very simple, nothing strenuous. Then moved onto the civics questions. The questions I got were:
Who becomes president if the president is incapacitated?
When do we celebrate Independence Day?
How many Supreme Court justices?
Capital of my state?
Who becomes president after president and Vice President?
Who was the 50th president? - trick question!
 
Then he moved onto the YES/NO questions from the application. All were rapid fire, I think he went quicker since my first language is English. But still, all simple and easy. When he asked if I would be able to pledge the oath I said "Yes, please when can do we do it?" His reply was....."well I have to approve you first (with a smile)!"
 
The English test was read " WHO LIVES IN THE White House" and write "THE PRESIDENT LIVES IN THE White House" THE IPADS you have to write on are pretty awful, but they sufficed and he wasn't bothered about poor handwriting. I also had to sign a couple of boxes about reading the oath, as well as a couple of small changes he made to my application.
 
All quite simple. He didn't ask to see anything extra I brought, including my wifes birth certificate or marriage certificate. He did question if our daughters birth certificate was in there, because he couldn't see it in the file. But then he found it.
 
He kept talking to himself as he was scrolling through the application on his screen saying, yes, yes, good, good....... Then he printed off the paper and said "Congratulations"!! These were the best words I've been waiting for and was super happy to hear! I asked when the oath ceremony might be, and he said usually within a couple of weeks of the interview. 
 
Now, I'm sitting back, relaxing, drinking a Mojito celebrating. As much as I want the oath ceremony to happen right away, it's finally relaxing knowing that its actually coming!
 
Good luck to everyone else waiting. It will happen. It will come. It's A LOT easier than you're expecting. 

😃
Well, that's crazy fast. I had my interview yesterday in San Diego. I just checked the USCIS website and my application was approved today!
 
The final step to becoming a citizen is getting so close!
 

Thanks for all the well-wishers, once more.
 
I had my oath earlier today (well, yesterday now) in Dallas. There were 110 people being naturalised from 35 different countries, with the most being 23 from India and 24 from Mexico.
 
There was a minor issue where I had to scribble out the name of my home town on the "Signed at" location on the N-445 questionnaire, since I had already filled that in before arriving. The MC announced that only Dallas or Irving was acceptable there, but it was a quick fix.
 
Other than that it was a nice event, with a lot of people there, and friends and family. One of the cops I know from the PD showed up, which was a really nice touch and meant a lot.
 
So, this chapter of my life is now over. Onto the next...

Way to persist, Brother Hypnos.
In 2007, my then-Congressional liaison described USCIS as "our very worst" Federal agency.
Our I-129F file was languishing on a transfer cart on the processing floor.
It would not have been dealt with had I not called and persisted.  I was enraged with USCIS.
Not much has changed these ~12 years later.
 
Little did I realize that the truest hell would come from the accursed, rogue, rat-####### Guayaquil consulate.
 
The truth is that probably at least half of VJ members have been hosed at one stage or another of the process.
You've had it far worse than most, at multiple phases.
However, you can -- and should -- hold your head higher than anyone at your Oath Ceremony.
Be sure to post a detailed report here.
And please hang around VJ afterwards, to keep offering your sensible advice and wisdom.
It will be understandable, but a palpable loss, if you disappear.
Congratulations again, brother.

Woe betide anyone who doesn't use their turn signals/indicators is what I will say. 

So today I get to give the update I have been hoping to give since all of this nonsense began.
 
I received a flurry of text messages from USCIS this afternoon indicating that my case was updated. Puzzled but hopeful, I began to login to my online account, but before I could do so received a call from a Dallas number. They identified themselves as Officer SomebodyOrOther (I forget the name; I recall it wasn't the person who interviewed me) calling from the Dallas field office. They said they had received my case today, and had seen there was an issue. That she had gone ahead and reversed the denial and approved it, and could schedule me for an oath ceremony next Thursday afternoon, on Valentine's Day, if that would be ok. I said that would absolutely, completely, and totally be fine with me. She said she would mail out a copy of the letter today, and that I should receive it soon. I thanked her, and then called the congressional liaison working my case to let her know what had happened.
 
So... there we are. It's been a rough couple of weeks. I lost about 5 lbs the first week, which I can't say I'm unhappy about since I wanted to lose 10-15 lbs before the police academy begins later this year that I will hopefully (now) be attending, but this wasn't how I had planned on doing it.
 
I just want to say that the system works. And by the system I do not mean USCIS. Everyone who has read VJ for more than 5 minutes knows that USCIS is an inefficient and poorly run federal agency in drastic need of an overhaul. No, by system I mean the checks and balances of oversight of them. I'm not sure whether it was my congressman's office or the CIS Ombudsman that got this reversed. I'm choosing to believe a little of both. But to anyone whose naturalisation eligibility date is approaching, I would strongly urge you to wait just a day or two to head this issue off, unless you enjoy uncertainty and stupidity, in which case have at it.
 
My online USCIS account is currently showing no changes. It still indicates that my application is denied, and there's no oath letter there yet. Perhaps it will change, perhaps it won't. But the older case status site is showing my oath letter was mailed.
 
I'm glad to finally be able to put this behind me. Thanks to all the well-wishers here on VJ who have given public and private messages of support. It has been very much appreciated during what has not been a stellar couple of weeks up to now.

I just received an email notification that my N400 application has been approved. Note that I submitted my application at 1:00 am EST on the day I became eligible (90 day early filing). Had my interview in October 2018 and IO could not make decision on that day because of "timing-issues". I have been waiting since then. After seeing this thread, I have contacted my senator's office, explained the situation and provided all proofs. My senator's office contacted USCIS on my behalf and requested them to confirm if there is any issue because of my application submission at 1:00 am EST. USCIS has confirmed that there is no issue because of the submission time and they approved my application this morning.
 
This thread really helped me take some proactive steps which resulted in approval of my application. Thanks to all of you.
 
If you submitted N400 application in the early hours (12:00 am - 5:00 am) of the day you became eligible, I strongly recommend you all to contact one of your senators or representative, explain the situation, provide all proofs (pay.gov receipt, credit card transaction date and time etc.) and request them to contact USCIS.
 
I sincerely wish you all good luck.

I received notification today from the CIS Ombudsman that they had accepted my request for expedited review of my case and had contacted USCIS on my behalf to seek a resolution.

=============================== USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox ================================ UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line..|Int ltr..|Intrview.|Oath.....|Field Office..|NBC/IOE .................|--/--/--|--/--|--/--|--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|..............|...  ================================== Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox ================================== UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line..|Int ltr..|Intrview.|Oath.....|Field Office..|NBC/IOE Allan Souza......|12/23/15|11/15|11/26|11/28|12/14/18|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Baltimore.....|IOE ================================== USCIS Chicago, Illinois Lockbox ================================== UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line..|Int ltr..|Intrview.|Oath.....|Field Office..|NBC/IOE .................|--/--/--|--/--|--/--|--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|..............|... ================================== USCIS Online Filing ================================== UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line..|Int ltr..|Intrview.|Oath.....|Field Office..|NBC/IOE ordjnb...........|02/10/16|11/11|11/11|11/12|11/27/18|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Chicago.......|IOE oncefuturealien..|02/04/16|11/08|11/08|11/08|11/27/18|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|San Bernardino|IOE &D2012...........|02/14/14|11/27|11/27|--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Denver........|IOE ThousandMoreSteps|03/30/15|11/28|11/28|11/29|12/20/18|--/--/--.|02/04/19.|03/25/19.|--/--/--.|Oklahoma City |IOE is63.............|03/20/13|11/11|11/11|11/12|12/07/18|--/--/--.|02/14/19.|03/20/10.|--/--/--.|Detroit...... |IOE JnJ13............|07/29/13|11/17|11/17|11/17|12/12/18|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|San Antonio...|IOE raghucbz.........|02/22/16|11/25|11/25|11/25|12/21/18|--/--/--.|01/28/19.|03/04/19.|03/15/19.|Jacksonville..|IOE Mathies_dane.....|08/05/13|11/15|11/15|11/16|12/03/18|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|San Antonio...|IOE Andruida.........|07/27/15|11/04|11/04|11/04|11/27/18|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Boston........|IOE emcia_81.........|01/07/16|11/08|11/09|11/01|12/14/18|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Washington DC.|IOE Xderka...........|01/24/14|11/12|11/12|11/16|12/04/18|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Fort Myers....|IOE -Marie-..........|08/05/13|11/07|11/08|11/08|11/27/18|--/--/--.|01/31/19.|03/12/19.|--/--/--.|San Diego.....|IOE markongo.........|04/01/11|11/08|11/08|11/10|11/27/18|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Long Island,NY|IOE NewKid...........|unknown.|11/07|--/--|--/--|11/30/18|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Santa Ana, CA.|IOE Brewlin..........|unknown.|11/05|--/--|--/--|11/30/18|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|01|15/19.|--/--/--.|Raleigh, NC...|IOE =========================================================================== USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing Under 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA) =========================================================================== UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line..|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|Field Office..|NBC/IOE .................|--/--/--|--/--|--/--|--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|..............|... Instructions for adding/updating yourself (or assisting others) to this list: 1. DO NOT DELETE THESE INSTRUCTIONS. 2. Please use your VJ name to avoid confusion. 3. Click "Quote" on this new template or most recent/updated version of this template. 4. Copy the entire template or most recent update (Mac users: Select the entire template, then select Command + C) 5. Remove the "Quote Coding" located at the top of this template. 6. Paste the entire template or most recent update (Mac users: Select Command + V) 7. Now make whatever updates/changes you would like, then hit Submit Reply 8. Always use [Courier New] Font and font size.[12] 9. Red Font = "I'm A United States Citizen"

Thanks!
 
I'm scheduled for April Fool's Day 😂

Thanks, my interview went well. They approved me.

Updating my timeline: Today I became an American Citizen. 
I wait sooo long to say it. I am so proud to be an American Citizen. 
Thanks all VJ members for the support during this journey. 
If you need any detail on my experience, do not hesitate to contact me. 
Thank youuuu 🙏🏽