During my journey this site (an a few others) were my god send. I impatiently waited everyday, hoping that it would process already. I have finally received my citizenship and wanted to share my timeline with you.
I did the email and text updates, which i highly recommend, for you impatient folk, like me.
i went to get free legal help on filling out the application. even though it is self explanatory, this company said they will review it for free, have an lawyer look it over for free, send it in for free, and if for some reason the application is denied they will send a lawyer for an appeal for free. so why not.
the dates with the stars *********** i have provided a brief explanation of what happened then below.
i sent in my application on 1/12/15
i got an email saying my application had been accepted into a lockbox on 1/28/15
i got letter on 2/4/15 to go into get fingerprinted
i got fingerprinted on 2/18/15 ******************
i got letter that they have started the interview scheduling process on 2/24/15
i got letter that they scheduled an interview on 4/13/15
i got interviewed on 5/21/15 ******************
i got a letter saying my application is in post decision activity on 5/21/15
i got a letter saying that a supervisor have completed the review of your case on 6/1/15
i got a letter saying they have scheduled me for the oath ceremony on 7/2/15
i oath ceremony was on 7/22/15 ****************
the fingerprinting process was easy and quick. it was schedule at a location in Jamaica, NY. took the train there (parking is horrible there) and the location was one block away. i filled out a paper, showed my letter for me to come in, and i was done is 30 minutes. staff was very friendly.
i arrived to the NYC building, and had to go through the metal detectors (remove shoes, belts, etc). show interview letter to the officer. go up the elevator. followed the arrows, where a gentleman behind a counter looked at my letter and told me to go up to another floor for the actual interview. he also asked if i brought a lawyer with me. which i didn't. went up to the next floor where i again gave my letter to a gentleman behind the counter (even though there is no sign to do that, many people were confused to what to do once they entered that large room). he told me to sit down and wait to be called. i waited about 30-40 minutes until i was called by a female officer. as soon as i walked to her she told me her name (very professional, don't bother chit chatting) she went through my paperwork, and at the same time was asking questions (have you joined a terrorist group, smuggled drugs, etc) she collected any further paperwork (copies) that she wanted. she then told me it was time to do the civics questions (you need to get 6 out of 10 correct) i got all 6 correct so she moved on. then i had to read and a sentence, and write a different sentence (something about George Washington was the first U.S. president, and that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves and was in the civil war). she said i had passed all sections of the civics exam. she then asked if i wanted to legally change my name, which i did, so she had me fill out a paper and sign. after that she said she would submit my application for supervisor review, which i then said oh my god why is something wrong?! she laughed and said no that it was standard procedure, and that she was recommending my application for citizenship/naturalization to be granted. she gave me a form that said i pass the exam and that my application would be reviewed and not to wait (as they do not do the oath ceremony on the same day).
at the oath ceremony (which was in Brooklyn) you give in your cellphone and cameras, and go through security. the applicants (me) were separated from my family (they went to a different floor to watch). they sit everyone down one by one (took about 40 minutes). they then called up each row and have you give in your letter, your permanent resident card, and make sure your naturalization certificate is correct (took about 40 mins). then a guy came to talk about the importance of voting and handed out the form, then collected it and review one by one each application and called up everyone who had messed up (took about 40 minutes). then a lady came to talk about discrimination (took about 15 minutes). finally they said they have called for the judge, he came about 30-40 minutes later. he spoke for about 15 minutes, you then do the swearing in and finally you go up one by one to collect your naturalization certificate. in total there were about 300 people taking the oath. and the whole process took about 4 hours. sadly the family was never allowed to enter the room so they watched the whole thing from a television screen (which sucks).
N-400 approved but case under review with a supervisor
in US Citizenship General Discussion
Posted
During my journey this site (an a few others) were my god send. I impatiently waited everyday, hoping that it would process already. I have finally received my citizenship and wanted to share my timeline with you.
I did the email and text updates, which i highly recommend, for you impatient folk, like me.
i went to get free legal help on filling out the application. even though it is self explanatory, this company said they will review it for free, have an lawyer look it over for free, send it in for free, and if for some reason the application is denied they will send a lawyer for an appeal for free. so why not.
the dates with the stars *********** i have provided a brief explanation of what happened then below.
i sent in my application on 1/12/15
i got an email saying my application had been accepted into a lockbox on 1/28/15
i got letter on 2/4/15 to go into get fingerprinted
i got fingerprinted on 2/18/15 ******************
i got letter that they have started the interview scheduling process on 2/24/15
i got letter that they scheduled an interview on 4/13/15
i got interviewed on 5/21/15 ******************
i got a letter saying my application is in post decision activity on 5/21/15
i got a letter saying that a supervisor have completed the review of your case on 6/1/15
i got a letter saying they have scheduled me for the oath ceremony on 7/2/15
i oath ceremony was on 7/22/15 ****************
the fingerprinting process was easy and quick. it was schedule at a location in Jamaica, NY. took the train there (parking is horrible there) and the location was one block away. i filled out a paper, showed my letter for me to come in, and i was done is 30 minutes. staff was very friendly.
i arrived to the NYC building, and had to go through the metal detectors (remove shoes, belts, etc). show interview letter to the officer. go up the elevator. followed the arrows, where a gentleman behind a counter looked at my letter and told me to go up to another floor for the actual interview. he also asked if i brought a lawyer with me. which i didn't. went up to the next floor where i again gave my letter to a gentleman behind the counter (even though there is no sign to do that, many people were confused to what to do once they entered that large room). he told me to sit down and wait to be called. i waited about 30-40 minutes until i was called by a female officer. as soon as i walked to her she told me her name (very professional, don't bother chit chatting) she went through my paperwork, and at the same time was asking questions (have you joined a terrorist group, smuggled drugs, etc) she collected any further paperwork (copies) that she wanted. she then told me it was time to do the civics questions (you need to get 6 out of 10 correct) i got all 6 correct so she moved on. then i had to read and a sentence, and write a different sentence (something about George Washington was the first U.S. president, and that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves and was in the civil war). she said i had passed all sections of the civics exam. she then asked if i wanted to legally change my name, which i did, so she had me fill out a paper and sign. after that she said she would submit my application for supervisor review, which i then said oh my god why is something wrong?! she laughed and said no that it was standard procedure, and that she was recommending my application for citizenship/naturalization to be granted. she gave me a form that said i pass the exam and that my application would be reviewed and not to wait (as they do not do the oath ceremony on the same day).
at the oath ceremony (which was in Brooklyn) you give in your cellphone and cameras, and go through security. the applicants (me) were separated from my family (they went to a different floor to watch). they sit everyone down one by one (took about 40 minutes). they then called up each row and have you give in your letter, your permanent resident card, and make sure your naturalization certificate is correct (took about 40 mins). then a guy came to talk about the importance of voting and handed out the form, then collected it and review one by one each application and called up everyone who had messed up (took about 40 minutes). then a lady came to talk about discrimination (took about 15 minutes). finally they said they have called for the judge, he came about 30-40 minutes later. he spoke for about 15 minutes, you then do the swearing in and finally you go up one by one to collect your naturalization certificate. in total there were about 300 people taking the oath. and the whole process took about 4 hours. sadly the family was never allowed to enter the room so they watched the whole thing from a television screen (which sucks).