IloveUSCIS

Break out the red ink. My nail biting, nerve wracking, frustrating journey is finally over. And my process from start to finish was completely by the book. Still, it felt gruelling.

For everyone still in the process, all I can say is keep being inspired and encouraged by all the people on here, they are great. You never feel alone. It just takes a lot of time. (More than it should). But you will finally swear that Oath and relax. (Until you need to fork over a bunch of $$$ at the Post Office for your passport)

Cheers Everyone! (Hang in there)

Your Friendly, neighborhood, US Citizen.

FInally got my rescheduled Oath date... this Friday 9/29/2017. 

Almost there...

2 hours ago, IloveUSCIS said:

Just received my Oath letter today. The Oath is on Monday (9/11). I hope Irma doesn't try to crash the party. 

 

Can one of you kind fellows with a working "fixed width font" update my timeline please?  Thx.

 

 

Uh... scrub that. Irma has indeed foiled my plans to become a US Citizen on Monday. I was just contacted by USCIS Tampa to tell me that they will be closed tomorrow and Monday, and they will reschedule my oath ceremony.

Bummer. 

Just received my Oath letter today. The Oath is on Monday (9/11). I hope Irma doesn't try to crash the party. 

Can one of you kind fellows with a working "fixed width font" update my timeline please?  Thx.

6 hours ago, Joe&LuMa said:

Sorry  mea culpa 

 

Here  is my old post,  from Aug15. Is this sufficition for what you need ? or you need more details??

 

" Hi, 

just short description of my interview yesterday in Tampa.

 

Questions:

1. who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

2. What is the political party of the President now?

3. What are the two major political parties in the United States?

4. Name one state that borders Mexico

5. There were 13 original states. Name three.

6. Whi wrote the Declaration of Independence?

 

We   veryfied  my personal information and a few questions from NO, but all questions from YES.

Finally I received the Naturaliation Interview Result with information that my application is recommended for aproval.

The officer was nice and  generally it was  really pleasant experience ( whole interview lasted abt 20 min) 

 

Good luck to all of you, still waiting "

Ah, ditto. (I can't remember all the questions, but it was just six out of the possible 100. Nothing tricky) My interviewer was very pleasant, but business like and ran through my application at a break-neck speed. I just had to confirm all basic personal info, and the NO questions, and I think all of the YES questions too. Also, as I had mentioned in an earlier post, she asked me for passport photos, and had me sign them on the FRONT. (weird). My wife was being interviewed at the exact same time in another room but her interviewer never asked for photos. I'm not sure what would have happened if I didn't have the photos with me. Maybe place my application on hold? Good thing I had them! (So I would recommend popping into CVS or Walgreens and getting your photos done.)

Overall, the interview seems to be the easiest part of the whole process. I too was quite nervous, but I don't know why. In just 15 minutes it was all over, and my interviewer gave me a form that showed I was "recommended for Approval".  

It looks like Tampa is speeding up its Interview -> Oath times. Both my wife and I were "recommended for approval" at our interview on 8/29, and then just two days later my wife got the "Oath has been scheduled" emailed to her, and mine came just two days after that. (yesterday). I don't know why the oath notifications were two days apart when our interviews were at the exact same date / time, but I won't complain. Hopefully we should receive our letters next week with the oath date. (Please warm up the red paint and put it on stand-by!)

On 9/1/2017 at 6:33 PM, Joe&LuMa said:

Please paint me RED ! I am a citizen of the United States!

You can now start addressing people as "My fellow Americans..."  Congrats! 

On 8/28/2017 at 6:25 PM, Joe&LuMa said:

Oh yes, It is such a nice feeling that I cooked a 3 course dinner for my husband :-)

Thank you MyJourney  , I am sure you will feel the same way soon !

Congrats! I had my interview today in Tampa, and both myself and the missus were approved! Whoo hoo! I did find it a bit odd though; my interviewer requested two passport photos (which, based on advice on this forum, I had brought with me) but my wife's interviewer did not ask her for photos. Oh well. All's well that ends well. 

Just received my interview date letter. I have updated the table, but I cannot format it correctly. How do you select "fixed width"? (It is already Courier New 12pt, but it is not fixed width.)

N-400: January 2017 Applicants

16 hours ago, Sakura13 said:

FInally my status changed. My interview has been scheduled. Tampa is moving... slow but moving. I'll be updating the table once I get my interview notice on the mail. 

Whoo whooooo! I am right with you there Sakura! I got that long awaited txt yesterday also. As soon as I get the letter, I'll update the table with my interview date. Looks like we're on the same schedule. Let's see if we have the same interview date.

2 minutes ago, jane78 said:

On the jobs pages she only asked me about my current job, whether I still work there or if my job has changed since I submitted the application.

 

On the address page she also only asked me about my current address, whether I still live there. She also asked me if my husband and I lived at the same address and I said yes.

 

For all past jobs and past addresses, she just visually scanned them and did not ask me any questions. She didn't read them out to me, she just looked at them. Maybe if she'd seen something concerning she would have asked me about it. 

 

On the travel page she didn't ask me the dates of travel I'd listed, she only asked me if I had traveled outside of the country any time after the last trip I listed on the form. When I said "No" she wrote on the form in pen something like "Claims no further travel". Also, although I gave her my passport at the beginning of the interview which had all the entrance and exit stamps in them for the trips I listed on the form, she didn't look in my passport to verify the dates of those trips.

It was interesting, whenever she asked a question and I answered (eg. "Have you filed for divorce since submitting this application?") I would answer and she would hand write the answer on the form but it always started with "Claims..." eg. "Claims no divorce" in other words, she's just recording my statements, not that they are verified fact. Very interesting. 

 

Hope this helps!

Excellent, thanks. I had visions of juggling all my job dates, and travel dates etc.. in my head. I appreciate the comprehensive response.

Cheers.

10 hours ago, jane78 said:

I had mine at the Los Angeles field office today too! Maybe we were in the waiting room at the same time!

 

Will give a brief rundown and put this review on my Immigration Timeline too.

Pre-Interview:

The LA field office is on the 8th floor of the federal building at 300 N. Los Angeles. I'd been to the federal building once before and the last time I went there was no waiting for the security screening area in the lobby. This time I had to wait for a couple of minutes (truly, just a minute or two) in a short line outside the building, before they let me in the door into the security screening area. I took the elevator to the 8th floor and gave my appointment notice to the security guard in front of the door to the field office who said "thank you <jane78>, please wait in this room" and pointed me to a large waiting room behind him. I arrived pretty much exactly 30 minutes before my appointment and my name was called pretty much exactly at my appointment time.

 

Interview:

The field officer who interviewed me was very professional and friendly. This was the procedure as I remember it:

1. As soon as I walked in the door of her office she had me swear that I would answer all questions truthfully

2. Had me give her my greencard, driver license and passport

2. English reading test (gave me one printed sentence to read aloud)

3. English writing test (spoke a sentence and had me write it down)

4. US Civics/History (asked 6 out of 10 questions and then stopped as I had gotten them all correct). I don't remember every one of the questions but they included:

Who is in charge of the Executive branch? (the President)

Name one reason why colonists came to America? (religious freedom)

What was the main concern of the U.S. during the Cold War? (communism)

5. Went through my N-400 pretty much item by item. She didn't dwell on anything for too long but just systematically went through each page. I had made a couple of typing errors eg. I put my greencard date as 02/07/2012 when it was actually 02/07/2013. She simply corrected it on the form with her pen. She was understanding about it, not suspicious or critical. Notably, although I had brought the originals of my husband's birth certificate to prove his citizenship and of our marriage certificate to prove our marriage, along with tax transcripts for the past 3 years, she did not ask to see any of these documents. Of course, I would not recommend to anyone that they leave such documents at home based on my experience, as she certainly had the right to ask for them.

6. When we got to the question about the oath I asked for modified language (removal of "so help me God"). She crossed that wording out on the oath page, explained what I would do during the oath ceremony (when the judge gets to that part, replace with with "I so affirm"), then had me sign the oath page. Just want to say she was completely neutral and respectful of this request, no judgement or negativity.

7. Printed out a sheet of paper with my details on it and and had me review them for my certificate of citizenship (A#, name, height, city of residence, country of original citizenship etc.)

8.  Gave me my "Naturalization Interview Results" (N-652) form that said I had passed the tests of English and U.S. history and government and that my application had been recommended for approval. It was stapled to a sheet giving general information about what to expect at the oath ceremony.  She let me know that I should receive an oath ceremony notification with 30-45 days.

8. Took a xerox of my greencard, driver license and passport.

9. Asked if I had any final questions and said congratulations!

 

Such a relief. My best wishes to all waiting for their interview to be scheduled or with interviews coming up. And my congratulations to those with oath ceremonies coming up or who have taken the oath!

 

When she went over your N400 page by page, did she ask you the dates of all jobs and home addresses and travel dates, or did she just ask you to confirm them after she read them out to you? 

Just now, Naplez1985 said:

Thanks For the Reply Pal

Yeah, this site does make the whole process a bit less mysterious. It's great to see everyone's progress, and I'm pretty sure we all have the same concerns. (Has USCIS forgotten me? What happens next? When should it happen? What should I do?) 

Misery loves company. (Okay, that's a bit harsh, but you get the idea.)

2 minutes ago, Naplez1985 said:

Questions to whom have USCIS account for Status check.

I just checked my CASE STATUS and its still says in line for Interview. Its been over 3 months. However, on the Right site of the page where it says NEXT STEPS

its says "We will issue our decision and mail it to you. Any action or step you may need to take will be on your decision notice".

 

I am wondering if this is normal or my interview is getting scheduled??

 

Next Steps
 

• 

  We will issue our decision and mail it to you.  Any action or step you may need to take will be on your decision notice

Mine says the exact same. I have been "In Line for an Interview" since 3/24/2017.  But things appear to be moving. Slowly, of course, but they are moving. 

2 hours ago, Joe&LuMa said:

This is the day !!....... maybe not exactly but.. I have just received an email saying:

On July 5, 2017, we scheduled an interview for your N-400......we will mail you an  interview notice.."

Now I am really stressesd 

 

 

 

 

Good for you! I think the longest part of the wait is over. Now, for the other Tampa filers... Come on Tampa!

32 minutes ago, Sakura13 said:

Exactly! In my case I haven't gotten any update since I was put in line for an interview more than three months ago. 

Ditto.

(btw Sakura, what date did you get put "in Line for an Interview"? I don't see it on the list, and you had your fingerprints one day before me.)

Go Team Tampa!