GoodbyeGirl

Good luck for Monday @nompish, not long to go now!

Congratulations! Loved reading your write up, I'm sure that'll help people searching for what the N400 interview is like. I'm glad your experience was a good one. 

Looking forward to hearing about the oath ceremony.  

28 minutes ago, Geordie said:

I had my interview yesterday in Fairfax, Virginia and passed!

 

My Wife and I arrived about 45 minutes early.  She didn't need to be at the interview, but was there to support me.  The clerk at the desk sternly told me to come back thirty minutes before the interview time so we hung out in the waiting room and I handed in my letter to the clerk, I was told to take a seat and someone would call me.

 

Two people didn't show up when called, they could have been there for any other reason but I was sad for them as this is an expensive process.

 

Anyway, I figured I'd get called earlier because of the no-shows and I was right.  My name was called about 15 or 20 minutes before my interview time.

 

I was taken into a small interview room and I had to do the 'do you swear to tell the truth, and nothing but etc'.  I was then asked for my ID, passport and greencard, the interviewer took them and typed something on his computer.

 

He then took my fingerprints electronically and another photograph.

 

The only small talk we did was he asked me why I got a greencard, I told him I Married my Wife and moved here.

I was asked my Wife's name and I made sure to add her middle name just in case.

 

Then we did the English test, he made a point of saying I'd pass this easily as I'm English.  I can't remember what I had to say but for the written test I had to write 'We pay taxes' on an ipad. Hahahahahaha!

 

Next was the application, he asked me if my parents were American Citizens and then went through the entire 'No' section.  Have you ever been part of a terrorist group / have you ever taken part in genocide' etc.

 

Then we did the 10 questions, I can't remember which ones but I got the first six right.

 

The whole interview was under fifteen minutes.

 

This was in Fairfax, Virginia.  The interviewer asked me if I knew where Harrisonburg was, and I had to tell him I didn't.

 

He explained that the Oath Ceremony would be in that city and not Fairfax.  It's based on the zipcode where you live.

 

I was disappointed that the Oath wouldn't be at the same place and day, but it does mean I'll get another day off work, which is nice!

 

 

 

When I find out when that is and go through with it, I'll post about my experience.

 

 

 

 

It was my oath ceremony yesterday, in Wichita Kansas. Everyone was invited to arrive at 12pm, so we (me and my husband) got there at  11:15pm only to discover it didn’t start until 1:30pm.

I was expecting a lot of people as it was held in a theatre, and there were around 150 immigrants, plus lots of family and friends. The place was packed.

About 12pm, we were organised into lines by the local director of USCIS – 2 lines of immigrants with family and friends quickly separated from us. I stood in line for over an hour before I got to the check-in desk where for the first of numerous times that day, I had to show my appointment letter. That became the document the IO officers wanted to see the most. I also had to hand in my 2-year and 10-year green card.

Then we had to line up again to get into the theatre. There were two guys dressed in colonial outfits who gave us a pamphlet on the American flag and a program for the ceremony. We were led onto the stage and had to show the invitation letter again, and then go to a table to sign our naturalisation certificate which the IO took back straight away. We were also given a large white envelope with a certificate holder and various booklets on being an American citizen.

By this point friends and family had been seated at the back and we were directed to sit in the first five rows. They were very clear that we couldn’t sit anywhere else. A senior IO took to the stage to announce what would be happening – a judge would be preceding over the ceremony, and when she arrived the theatre would become a federal court, and all the doors would be locked. Then we got a short bathroom break before the ceremony got underway.

We were told we had to say the oath out loud unless you’d been given permission (on religious grounds) not to, and the IOs dotted around the theatre would be watching us – if they suspected anyone wasn’t saying it, you’d be asked to stay behind and your certificate may not be issued.

Around 1:30pm the ceremony started, and the judge welcomed us – she was friendly. Some kids in guard uniform from a local school marched out and put up the flag, and we stood to sing the anthem. Then a local attorney gave an emotional speech about what she went through to adopt her daughter from Vietnam (her kid was on stage looking embarrassed) and then another attorney led us through the oath and then the pledge.

Another IO took the stage and called out each of the 39 countries in attendance. When your country was called you had to stand up for a second then sit down. Everyone got a generous round of applause. I was the only person from the UK. Some people had dressed in ballgowns and black tie, one guy from Cambodia wore his national dress, some went down the ripped jeans and t-shirt route, but most were smart-casual.

Now it was the turn of another attorney, who had a guitar and explained he wanted to sign a song about being American that wasn’t about battle, and invited us to join in with John Cougar Mellencamp’s  ‘Ain't That America’. Everyone was clapping along and singing the chorus.

The judge closed proceedings by thanking everyone who’d made the ceremony possible. The senior IO said we would be called row-by-row onto the stage to get our certificates (again had to show the invitation letter) and said we could have our picture taken with the local USCIS director after.

On the way out there were voting registration stations (just one easy to fill out form) and a lot of people (including me) stopped to do that.

We were out by 3pm, so it took nearly 4 hours in total. Much longer than I’d expected. I raced to the local Post Office, stood in line, only to be told passports were by appointment. LOL. I’ll do it Monday.

So my passport and social security update to do, and then I’ll be done.

Yesterday marked the end of my immigration journey – four years in total. Visa Journey was a massively important part of my story, and I’m very grateful for all the support, help and great advice.

Good luck to everyone still on this ride and many thanks. You guys rock. 😊

Congratulations!

18 hours ago, fruitnut said:

OMG OMG OMG! My card was mailed! My status just updated!

pls delete. Sorry!

You may find these sites helpful for typical ROC interview questions and reasons why some cases are called for interview. Good luck!

https://mypathtocitizenship.com/removal-of-conditions-interview-questions-how-to-get-approved-for-the-10-year-green-card/

https://citizenpath.com/avoiding-i-751-interview/

Congrats on getting to the interview stage!  

The interview letter will be online in your documents tab within about 48 hrs and, you're right, that letter tells you the actual interview date. The same letter should arrive in the mail too.

No, USCIS aren't skipping approvals on Green Cards. Her application will either be approved separately, with or without interview (if with, spouses typically need to attend too) or the odds are you may get treated as a combi case. This is when both the i-751 and N400 are adjudicated at interview on the same day. So two interviews - for the N400 you may be asked to leave the room (my husband had to). 

To try and increase your chances of all going smoothly, I'd suggest raising an online query to find out if both applications will be adjudicated at the same time. Start gathering updates to your i-751 evidences, as well as your N400, as you may not get a formal i-751 interview document checklist. Mine didn't arrive till 1.5 weeks before the interview and I didn't know I needed 3 years of tax transcripts as well as returns. So order your transcripts now if you don't have them already!

Her i-751 will need approval before the N400 can be finalised. A few people have passed the N400 but have had a wait for the i-751 to get the green light, which is a pain. So giving USCIS a little nudge won't hurt.  

Hope this helps and best of luck. 

1 hour ago, JaseFace727 said:

Hello all,

 

My wife received a notification this morning that her interview was scheduled! First question - The actual date of the interview only appears on the hard letter that arrives, correct? 

 

Second question - her application for adjustment of status (i-751) is still pending, meaning she's here on a green card extension letter. Does the fact that the n400 is moving forward mean that USCIS is just skipping the whole adjustment of status/10 year green card process and moving straight to a decision on citizenship?  Or could they turn her away at the interview when she presents her expired green card and extension letter? 

 

Thanks for the clarification to anyone who can answer! 

Wow! Congratulations. You got your oath ceremony on the same day you passed your interview? Awesome, that's so cool. 

3 hours ago, Prisma said:

Hi All, 

 

After completing and passing my N400 tests and interview this morning (appointment was 825AM), I'm happy to announce that my oath taking ceremony for Naturalization is scheduled for 130PM PST today.  

 

Thank you all!!!

 

Submitted my N400 application on October 28, 2019 and got approval April 3, 2019. So it took 157 days
... or 22 weeks & 3 days
... or 5 months & 6 days

 

USCIS office is Portland, Oregon.

 

Good luck to those still waiting for the N400 interview!!! Congratulations to everyone who completed their N400!!!

 

 

 

 

 

You'll soon get a status that says something like 'We mailed your new card' Check https://egov.uscis.gov/ and you'll see the USPS tracking number. I think it arrives in a priority mail envelope. 

18 hours ago, vajaster said:

Couple questions:

1) Anyone know what the next status is after “new card is being produced”?

2) and typically how long after does it update?

3) how can I get a tracking number?

 

Congratulations! Awesome news. Well done and thanks for sharing. Not long to go before you become a citizen.

5 minutes ago, barbieestep said:

I am so happy and proud that my interview went very good today!!! The IO was very friendly and welcoming. He handed me my Oath Ceremony schedule which will be on April 18    Goodluck on each and everyone's journey  The questions asked were: 

- Name 3 original colonies?

- One power of the state?

- Name one of the longest rivers?

- Name one responsibility only for USC?

- I forgot the other 2.. the IO speaks a little fast but he was awesome!!!

Try another option, like 'notice wasn't received' and use the query box to explain why you're getting in touch. It worked for me!

43 minutes ago, hsp_1221 said:

Thanks for sharing. 

 

I have filled out the form but It displayed the message that the application is under normal processing time. 

Hello 

I'll try and help here with my experience, but others may have a different view.  

Good luck, let us know how you get on!

QUESTIONS

• Has the green card now been bundled in with the citizenship application?

It's likely that both your cases will be with your local office for adjudication 

• Does that mean that, even though we waited, the green card simply won't come on its own schedule?

It's common for filers who submitted the N400 with i-751 pending to be treated as a combi case, having the Green Card interview and N400 test/interview on the same day with their spouse in attendance. Some get their physical Green Card (I did) and others don't - but the important thing is the formal status confirming GC approval.

• Is there any way to ferret out slightly more detailed information from anywhere aside from "Your application was received?"

You can submit an online inquiry, call USCIS and ask to speak to a tier 2 or make an Infopass appointment at your local office

• How long does it take to get an extension on the conditional Green Card?
  • Should I apply on April 11, 90 days before it expires, or ought I to wait until June 11,  only 30 days before it expires?
  • Does asking for an extension add to the delays?

My local office will only issue the i-551 (stamp in the passport) around 30 days before the expiration of the current Green Card. I would hold off, as you may find your cases - at the very least your GC - see some traction before July 2019.

• Or has the office been sending second extension letters automatically as well?
  • If so, how long do I wait before I apply for an extension?

As far as I'm aware, there is only one 18-month extension letter. Should you get to at least a month before that expires and there's still no progress, then make an infopass and your 'extension' will be the i-551.

On 4/1/2019 at 12:09 AM, jaske78 said:

Hi there!

 

So some confusion here, and I will give you a timeline and then ask my questions:

 

TIMELINE

• Applied for permanent green card, November 2017, still no word.
• Application was transferred to local field office on March 4, 2018, and has been sitting there ever since.
• Extension granted on conditional green card, January 2018, expiring July 2019
• Applied for citizenship, February 4, 2019. At current timeline, it should be adjudicated in November/December 2019.

 

PROBLEMS

• At current timeline, the Green Card should be adjudicated in April 2019, however, the current timelines show that they are now dealing with applications far later than ours.
• We hoped that, by delaying the citizenship application, we could sidestep some of the problems reported here, of the citizenship being adjudicated before the green card was finished.
• The conditional Green Card's extension is almost over, and I am not sure if it would hamper things to ask for an extension now.

 

QUESTIONS

• Has the green card now been bundled in with the citizenship application?
  • Does that mean that, even though we waited, the green card simply won't come on its own schedule?
  • Is there any way to ferret out slightly more detailed information from anywhere aside from "Your application was received?"
• How long does it take to get an extension on the conditional Green Card?
  • Should I apply on April 11, 90 days before it expires, or ought I to wait until June 11,  only 30 days before it expires?
  • Does asking for an extension add to the delays?
• Or has the office been sending second extension letters automatically as well?
  • If so, how long do I wait before I apply for an extension?

Thank you in advance!

 

Hey, thanks for starting this thread and for stopping by. I followed your story to get some insights and questions answered before I went ahead with my N400 (while GC pending), so I'm so pleased to see you. I can say thanks for sharing, you were a big help to me.  

Congrats on getting your citizenship last year, your experience was anything but easy. 

On 3/30/2019 at 11:29 AM, Zombie69 said:

Hello guys, just want to show support of you all. I started this thread in October 2017, it is nice to see the thread I created is alive and well as we speak. I was naturalized last May. Hang in there, you're almost there. Sending you positive energy from Los Angels here!

Oooooh, good luck! Looking forward to hearing how it went.  

6 minutes ago, Markeee said:

Hi guys. 

Today is my N400 interview. My ROC status still shows it’s in CSC, nothing is new. 

Lets see what is going to happen today at the interview. “Challenge accepted” (c) 

Congratulations on getting over the immigration finishing line.  

You didn't have to wait too long between interview and oath... nice. 

7 hours ago, ibit said:

Hello guys Your guys provide me with a lot of information. And this is my contribution.

Citizenship
Event	Date
Service Center :	Online
CIS Office :	Sanberdino CA
Date Filed :	2018-10-15
NOA Date :	2018-10-16
Bio. Appt. :	2018-11-09
Interview Date :	2019-03-11
Approved :	Yes
Oath Ceremony :	2019-03-26
Comments :	Early Bio metrics Walk in done on 2018-10-31 and Approval same day. Oath ceremony was mailed like 3 days after the interview

 

There's always a family emergency or house emergency (bust pipe etc). 

Horrible predicament to be in but if your spouse can't attend, there's a good chance your i-751 will get delayed. Have you had it confirmed that you'll definitely have a combi interview?

12 hours ago, David1987 said:

tell your husband to fall sick on that day

I wish I had the answer. Have you tried looking up the processing times for the service center your case has been transferred to? Another option is to dig around here for experiences from other filers who are in a similar situation to you. 

But, there's no rhyme or reason sometimes as to why some standard cases take longer than others. There are people still waiting from Aug-17 (and maybe further back) for approval. 

Best of luck. 

21 hours ago, vajaster said:

 

No we did not file for N-400

Waiting on this first.

I mean it’s been 2+ months since case was transferred ... any idea about how much longer?

Did you file for N400 as well? If so the wait for i-751 can be a little longer if you're processed as a combi case (both applications adjudicated at interview, normally on the same day). 

I don't think you are out of processing time yet, but you can try raising an online inquiry, calling USCIS and asking to speak to a tier 2 or making an infopass appointment at your local office.

Good luck!

5 hours ago, vajaster said:

Were Oct 2017 filers as well. Our case was transferred on Jan 19 2019 to another service center ... since then there’s hasn’t been any update.

 

any suggestions? Just wait?

I didn't send in photos for my N400 application (Oct-2018). My photo was taken at my biometrics but I wasn't asked to sign them at interview. I wasn't asked to produce any photos on the day, but just to be on the safe side, I got my passport photos done and took them with me. I needed them anyway for my USA passport application which I'm planning on submitting after my oath ceremony on 19 April. 

Good luck! 

2 minutes ago, Geordie said:

Did anyone not submit photographs with their application?  At the time the wording on the uscis website suggested I didn't need to as I was not living abroad at the time.

Photograph(s) were taken at my biometrics.  Are they the ones you sign at the interview?

 

I'm mulling over what I've done / not done and I think I should get some photographs done, just in case and have them with me for my interview next month.

Sure! Here's what I did. Good luck.  

2 hours ago, hsp_1221 said:

Thank your sharing this. This is helpful information.

 

Can you let me know how to submit online inquiry? 

I tried calling and trying to talk to Tier 2 officer via call back but I am not finding any luck.

 

Thanks

 

 

Congrats to you both! Maybe you guys will get to meet.  

1 minute ago, Nikolas2017 said:

N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony on april 12)))))))

same time and same city)))))

The N400 application is pretty easy, not that many docs to submit and if you do it all online, you don't have to do a cover letter. I'm an Oct-2017 i-751 filer like you, and applied for my N400 as soon as I was eligible in Oct-2018. I did it online - you will be asked to upload specific docs and you can also add more if you want.

I didn't submit a cover letter and it wasn't a problem. 

Good luck!

13 hours ago, munchkinpot said:

Planning to do an N-400 since I have no response for our I 751 applied Oct 2017.  Doing it on the 3 year marriage rule, what are your recommended docs to submit along with the N400?  Do we still need to supply a cover letter stating to combine our I 751?

 

Thank you so much!

Exciting! Congrats, not long now...  

22 minutes ago, a.t.j24 said:

Just got my Oath Ceremony notice! Friday April 12th! The end is SOOOOOO close!

Same for me, so I raised an online inquiry and got a letter from my local office confirming I'd be interviewed for both. Six weeks later I got the formal i-751 interview letter (same time/date as the N400) with the evidence checklist. Freaked out as I didn't have IRS tax transcripts (they want those and returns).

So I'd suggested raising an inquiry, gathering your evidence and bring you spouse in preparation for two interviews. 

Hope that helps and best of luck.  

10 hours ago, hsp_1221 said:

I have I -751 and N400 both pending. 

 

Today I received interview letter for I751 but nothing mentioned about N400.

Has anyone experience similar situation?

or

Should I expect joint interview or this will be interview for I751 only?

 

Thanks 

It's great to get a date... the finishing line is finally in sight. Good luck with the study.  

20 minutes ago, dannyphan91 said:

Got the date April 30. Now it’s time to start study 👌🏻👌🏻