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simsim2

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    N-400 Filers @ New York City, Queens and Long Island Field Offices

    in US Citizenship Case Filing and Progress Reports

    Posted

    At last, here's my experience for my oath ceremony at the Manhattan Office on 10/07/2020. 

     

    My oath ceremony was scheduled for 1PM and a line had already formed at security when I arrived at 12:30PM. The guard told us to come back closer to 12:45PM to go through security. At 12:45PM, I went through security and was sent to the 3rd Fl, if my memory serves me well. Oath ceremonies for the Brooklyn and Queens offices were in a separate room. 

     

    I followed the signage indicating where the ceremony would take place, and got in line to check in. As usual, social distancing was respected. I got to the check-in window, which is directly in the oath room and was asked for: 

    • All cards issued by USCIS that I have in my possession (EADs, APs, Green Cards, etc) 
    • My oath notice
    • The form attached with my interview letter 

    I gave all of this, and then had 3 questions about COVID (Do you have symptoms, have you been in contact with a Covid case, have you been instructed to self quarantine). The officer then proceeded to ask me the questions that I was asked on the form attached to my oath notice and to confirm the answers provided. She then asked me if I had travelled out of state or internationally in the past 14 days. "No, ma'am, as much as I want to be in Miami right now, I kept my butt in NY because there was no way I am missing this!" 

     

    Let me pause here to give you all two anecdotes from other people at my oath ceremony. Two applicants were denied their oath ceremony because they did not respect NYS-imposed self-quarantine. One came from Miami, FL the morning of the ceremony, and one came from South Carolina 8 days before the ceremony. As much as we all want to leave NY during these horrid times, we should all be making an effort to make sure to stay in NYS for 14 days prior to our oaths. The way I look at it, this is much much much more important than a vacation. And don't get me started with how everyone should be responsible and quarantine when they come from a high risk place... But I digress. In both cases, the officers were nice about it and explained that the applicants should be in quarantine and will not be naturalized on that day. One took it well, the other one not so well. 

     

    After these questions, I was given my naturalization certificate and was shown to a seat. The room was pretty big and had 60-ish seats, all 6-ft apart. We ended up being only 28 people being naturalized that day. 

     

    On my seat, I found an envelope for my naturalization certificate, a letter from the President, a pamphlet about the responsibilities of a citizen, a passport application, and a little card with the oath of naturalization, the pledge of allegiance, and the anthem. I got seated around 1:05PM and waited for the ceremony to begin. 

     

    At 1:30PM, we were told that we should get started shortly and were waiting for one more applicant, who turned out to be the South Carolina person. When she exited the room, an officer kicked off the ceremony by giving us a few guidelines for after we are naturalized: 

    • Wait 4-6 weeks before updating SSA records due to COVID 
    • You will need an appointment to visit SSA Office 
    • You can apply for your passport right away 

    She then gave a little speech about the importance of naturalization, and that even though this may not look like the ceremonies from pre-COVID with friends and family, this was important nonetheless. She then made us rise, raise our right hand and repeat the oath of naturalization after her. 

     

    Just like that I was reborn into a (Franco-)American! 

     

    We then exited the room row by row and we were done!!

     

    Happy to answer any questions that you may have :)

    2020/ 21- US Passport & Card Application-Tracker

    in Passports, etc. - What to do now that you are a US citizen

    Posted

    US Passport & Card: 2020 Applicants

    ===================================

    User Name                 |Expedited|Sent        |Cashed      |Trackable   |PP Received |PPC Received|NC Received |Location

    ramboy                    | Y       |01/09/2020  |NA Bank's Ch|01/21/2020  |01/28/2020  |01/30/2020  |01/30/2020  |Boston, MA (USPS)

    Mounat02                  | N       |01/11/2020  |1/21/2020   |01/18/2020  |03/02/2020  |03/06/2020  |03/04/2020  |Houston, TX (Public library)

    Estrella                  | N       |01/14/2020  |NA          |01/21/2020  |            |NA          |02/14/2020  |Shreveport, LA (USPS)

    ramboy(2)                 | Y       |01/18/2020  |NA Bank's Ch|01/23/2020  |01/30/2020  |02/03/2020  |02/04/2020  |Boston, MA (USPS)

    Stevo79                   | N       |02/02/2020  |N           |N           |            |            |            |El Paso, TX (Public library)

    OBX                       | Y       |02/19/2020  |NA          |02/25/2020  |02/28/2020  |03/02/2020  |03/05/2020  |Newark, NJ (USPS)

    Myrna87                   | Y       |02/21/2020  |N           |02/25/2020  |03/10/2020  |03/13/2020  |03/19/2020  |Dallas, TX  (USPS)

    Luis562                   | Y       |02/26/2020  |03/02/2020  |03/02/2020  |            |            |            |Anaheim, CA (USPS)

    sidster81                 | Y       |02/19/2020  |2/24/2020   |02/24/2020  |03/07/2020  |03/09/2020  |            |Dallas, TC (Denton County Passport Office)

    Suze1                     | N       |03/10/2020  |03/16/2020  |03/16/2020  |07/14/2020  |N/A         |07/20/2020  |Tampa, FL (Court House)

    alexpop13                 | Y       |03/11/2020  |03/17/2020  |03/16/2020  |03/26/2020  |N/A         |03/27/2020  |Cleveland, OH (USPS)

    Mounat02(2)               | N       |04/06/2020  |04/21/2020  |06/08/2020  |            |            |            |Houston, TX (USPS)

    ME_RHEDZ77                | N       |06/16/2020  |06/24/2020  |06/24/2020  |07/16/2020  | 07/20/2020 | 07/21/2020 |Rancho Cucamonga, CA (USPS)

    JaEnglishGirl             | N       |06/29/2020. |     NA     |07/08/2020  |10/01/2020  |            | 10/02/2020 |West Palm Beach, FL (USPS)

    Anggva                    | N       |07/11/2020  |07/17/2020  |07/17/2020  |10/06/2020  |            | 10/10/2020 |Jacksonville, FL (USPS)

    BRgirlUS                  | N       |07/20/2020  |     NA     |07/24/2020  |09/24/2020  | NA         |09/26/2020  |O'Fallon, IL (USPS)

    ME_RHEDZ77(2)             | N       |07/20/2020  | 07/29/2020 | 07/29/2020 |            |            |            |Rancho Cucamonga, CA (USPS)

    ME_RHEDZ77(3)             | N       |07/20/2020  | 07/29/2020 | 07/29/2020 |            |            |            |Rancho Cucamonga, CA (USPS)

    crbabelgium               | N       |07/23/2020  |07/29/2020  |07/29/2020  |08/08/2020  | NA         | NA         |Columbus, OH (USPS)

    NEW CITIZEN               | N       |07/21/2020  |07/28/2020  |07/28/2020  |            |            |            |Santa Clarita, CA (Library passport agents)

    Texans_99                 | N       |06/18/2020  |06/29/2020  |07/06/2020  |            |            |            |Houston,TX (USPS)

    Volts                     | N       |06/18/2020  |06/25/2020  |06/24/2020  |09/11/2020  | NA         |09/14/2020  |Baton Rouge, LA (USPS)

    Neoblast                  | N       |07/23/2020  |07/23/2020  |07/29/2020  |            |            |            |Tampa, FL (USPS)

    TreasureHunt              | N       |07/23/2020  |07/29/2020  |            |            |            |            |Beaverton, OR (City Hall)

    Kiwibean (son)            | N       |07/08/2020  |07/15/2020  |07/14/2020  | 08/17/2020 |            |            |Boston, MA (USPS)

    alucardo3                 | N       |08/10/2020  |            |            |            |            |            |Atlanta, GA (USPS)

    ianthomas18               | N       |08/4/2020   |08/13/2020  |08/13/2020  |            |            |            |Birmingham, AL (USPS)

    swissbuttercream          | N       |08/4/2020   |08/11/2020  |08/10/2020  |            |            |            |St. Louis, MO (USPS)

    Neoblast  (son)           | N       |08/17/2020  |08/17/2020  |            |            |            |            |Tampa, FL (USPS)

    thetrademark              | N       |08/4/2020   |08/13/2020  |08/12/2020  |            |            |            |Decatur, AL (County Clerk)

    kp2019                    | N       |07/31/2020  |07/31/2020  |08/17/2020  | 10/02/2020 | 10/09/2020 | 10/13/2020 |Chicago, IL (USPS)

    lazy (renewal)            | N       |08/17/2020  |            |08/21/2020  |08/29/2020  |            |            |RTP, NC (USPS)

    Leo Marti                 | N       |10/05/2020  |10/09/2020  |10/08/2020  |            |            |            |Woodbridge, VA (USPS)

    Simsim2                   | Y       |10/07/2020  |10/14/2020  |10/13/2020  |            |            |            |Manhattan, New York, NY (USPS)

     

     

     

     

    Instructions for adding/updating yourself (or assisting others) to this list:

     

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    5. Always use [Courier New] Font and font size.[12]
    6. Make changes and Add Reply.
    7. Expedited - Did you choose the expedited option? Yes or No
    8. Sent - Date you applied
    9. Cashed - Date when your check, money order or any other payment was processed or cleared.
    10. Trackable- Date when your case became trackable on State Department website
    11. PP Received - Date you received passport back from State Department
    12. PPC Received -Date you received passport card
    13. Location- Local office where you applied for US Passport book and or Passport Card
    14. NC Received- Date you received your Naturalization Certificate back from State Department.
    15. Redden timeline after receiving the Naturalization certificate or any other documents back.

    Also added to Google Doc 

    N-400 Filers @ New York City, Queens and Long Island Field Offices

    in US Citizenship Case Filing and Progress Reports

    Posted · Edited by simsim2

    1 hour ago, vic2016 said:

    congratulations !! may I ask if they allowed any family to enter? also how long did it last?

    No family, the ceremony itself lasted 5-6 minutes and I had to wait 30 minutes in the oath room before it started. It was very quick. 

     

    I'll write a full report when I have a chance to get some rest - emotions are draining! 

    N-400 Filers @ New York City, Queens and Long Island Field Offices

    in US Citizenship Case Filing and Progress Reports

    Posted · Edited by simsim2

    4 hours ago, Gijo12 said:

    Hi SimSim - Thank you so much. My interview date is getting close next Tuesday. couple final questions - Did you bring or did the officer asked for supporting like update joint banking statement, or tax return or any supporting showing joint financial? Did you get any update on your Oath?

    Hey, anytime. 

    I came to my interview with a lot of documents: 

    • Bank Statements covering the period from when I filed for Naturalization to interview 
    • 2019 Taxes 
    • New lease for my apt 
    • New medical insurance showing my husband and me 
    • New assets acquired since filing for naturalization 
    • Letters sent to both of us as recently as the week before my interview 
    • Photos 
    • Travel Receipts 
    • Original of my marriage certificate 
    • Original of my Selective Service Registration 
    • And a bunch of other documents covering rom the date we got married 

    I offered these documents to the Officer but he said that he did not need them - I had sent a bunch of documents as part of my N-400, and a lot as part of my I-751 which was approved just 2 months before my interview. As I said previously, he just took my Drivers' License, my Social Security Card, my passport, my green card, he kept my original SS Card. I am a worrier so I would rather be over-prepared than take the chance of the officer asking me for something that would have been readily available at home, but that I just didnt take with me. The whole process is long enough in NY to not take any chances to make it even longer. Also, with the pandemic going on, who knows if the offices wont shut down again... Better be safe than sorry! 

     

    I did hear back about my oath. My interview was 08/31/2020 and I was given the notice saying that I was recommended by approval, official approval came on 09/01/2020 online, and I was scheduled for my oath 14 days later on 09/15/2020, and my oath will be on 10/07/2020 in Manhattan. 

     

    Let me know if you have any other questions! 

    N-400 Filers @ New York City, Queens and Long Island Field Offices

    in US Citizenship Case Filing and Progress Reports

    Posted

    3 hours ago, vic2016 said:

    I just got done with my interview today ( Manhattan office). The officer mentioned that they are trying to speed up the things in general, and hopefully get my oath before October 9th ( last day to register to vote in NY ). I'm surprised that you are still waiting for a notification, it's been 10 days already :(

    I'm kind of surprised as well to be honest... I would've thought that it was going to take a week at most. Let's hope that I hear something tomorrow or next week. I am hoping to be able to vote this year as well. 

    N-400 Filers @ New York City, Queens and Long Island Field Offices

    in US Citizenship Case Filing and Progress Reports

    Posted

    6 hours ago, MrT said:

    Thank you for this, it's definitely helpful for my upcoming interview. I got caught on a speed camera twice and wouldn't have considered to bring that with me without reading your post. Would you mind letting us know when your oath ceremony gets scheduled and for what date? Curious to find out the time between interview and ceremony right now!

    Will do :) nothing so far. 

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    N-400 Filers @ New York City, Queens and Long Island Field Offices

    in US Citizenship Case Filing and Progress Reports

    Posted · Edited by simsim2

    Hi everyone,  just to add a datapoint, especially for the people that are still waiting on their rescheduled interview. 

     

    Field Office: New York (7th Fl), Manhattan Office (I am a resident of Manhattan) 

    Receipt Date: 06/09/2019

    Based on: 3-YR Rule

    Biometrics: 06/24/2019

    Original Interview: 03/31/2020 - Cancelled due to COVID 

    Rescheduled Interview: 08/31/2020 - Was scheduled on 08/12/2020

    Result: Approved 

    In Line for Oath: 09/01/2020 

     

    Let me give you all a bit of details about my interview and situation, as I am sure someone will find it helpful. 

     

    My receipt notice had an issue with the date. It stated that the receipt date was 06/08/2020 and not 06/09/2020, which would get me out of the allowed filing window. This was due to the fact that in my excitement to file for my N-400, I did not consider that their website would not be on Eastern Time (yes, I saw after the fact that there is already a post by @Hypnos about it). A word of advise: if you are in a hurry to file, file at 12:01AM Hawaiian Time!!! (this is the timezone the website goes by). Anyway, when I saw the issue, I called USCIS right away and they responded 5 months later that I would need to address it at my interview. With that being said, the rep on the phone was very helpful and she confirmed that she saw both dates depending on which system she was looking at. 

     

    Let's be real, we're dealing with USCIS here - so I was not going to wait for my interview to address this. I reached out to the Ombudsman, my Senator (Gillibrand), and my representative (Nadler) - as a side note, don't bother reaching out to Schumer, they never got back to me. All 3 reached out to the NY Field Office to ensure this was not going to be an issue during my interview and as a matter of fact it was not an issue at all. All that was done in Feb 2020 ahead of my originally scheduled interview.

     

    Now, fast forward to 08/31/2020. I arrived at the NY Field Office at 8:50AM for an interview at 9:20AM. The security downstairs was fast and let me through 30 minutes ahead of my appointment time, despite the notice stating that we should not arrive more than 15 minutes early. Another word of advise here - the 15 minute ahead may work for all offices in the United States but it does not work for the NY Office because they cover 3 different regions in the same building. I arrived on the 7th floor at 8:55AM and got in line to check in. That took 40 minutes. After that, I waited for my interview for 2 hours and was called in at 11AM. The NY office does allow you to have your computer and your phone - I did not know that and wish I had brought my laptop to get some work done during the 2 hours. Also, bring a snack and water as there is nothing in the building. 

     

    The office is organized to allow for social distancing, everyone has to wear a mask on at all times, and officers are protected by a plexiglass window. Makes it hard to heard the officers and I really do feel for people that are not very fluent in English. Everyone respected all rules but that may be because NY'ers are probably traumatized by how hard the city was hit with COVID. 

     

    I got into the Officer's office and as soon as I put my bag down he made me take the oath that I will only tell the truth and we dove right in. I was **stressed** to say the least. He pulled my A-file and it was fun to see everything I had ever sent to USCIS. Right away he asked me for the following: 

    • Green Card 
    • Passport 
    • Drivers' License (not mentioned on my interview letter) 
    • Social Security Card, if I had it on me (not mentioned on my interview letter) - thankfully, I had it 
    • Proof of Selective Service - weirdly, he took the original card and gave me a copy 

    At first, the officer wasn't very very warm but he warmed up throughout the interview and I had a good time overall - it will be a nice memory. We then went over my biometrics info (full name, address, DOB, employment, marriage info, history of travel, etc). I had changed jobs and had travelled quite a bit between filing and the interview so I had prepared two simple documents on Word: 

    • One table showing all my employment history with dates, address, employer, and job title 
    • One table showing all my travels, with dates and counties visited, as well as total number of days outside the US broken by year, and percentage of time spent abroad 

    He liked that I had put this together so I didnt have to dictate everything to him (remember my point about not hearing anything because of the mask and plexiglass) and he just added them to my A File. 

     

    He then asked me if I was ever arrested or convicted - I told him that between filing and the interview I had a traffic violation. He asked me for the ticket and proof of payment, which I gave to him. Without any warning, we got into the US History questions, I got asked 6 questions: 

    • How long is the President elected for? 
    • How many senators are there? 
    • How many years do senators serve for? 
    • Before being President, Eisenhower served in which war? 
    • What is one promise you make when you become a US Citizen?
    • I honestly cannot remember the last one

    Then we did the reading test on an iPad - I had to read "Who was George Washington?" and I had to write "Washington was the first President" . We then went over the 50 or so Y/N questions very quickly. Then I finally brought up the date issue and he told me "that has been resolved a very long time ago, it was good you reached out" so at that point I finally relaxed. I also asked him if he needed more evidence or my 2019 taxes (given that I filed in June 2019, I did not submit them) and he told me "trust me I know you're married" and laughed. At that point, I understood that the 260 pages of evidence that I had brought to my interview would not be needed. 

     

    Then I was asked to review the changes he made to my application and sign these changes, I was asked to give a new signature for my naturalization certificate, I had to sign that I was willing to take the oath of naturalization, and that was it! I was given a form recommending me for approval. I asked if I could have my oath scheduling notice during the interview and he told me NY was still too backlogged from COVID but I should get it online shortly after, and I was on my way. Finally, today my status updated to "In Line for Oath". 

     

    In regard to attire, I was dressed business casual, as was everyone else there. 

     

    I hope this helps calm someone's nerves ahead of the interview and that you guys will have a good time :)

     

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