Hi everyone, I recently had the naturalization interview and asked to add a middle name (I only have First and Last name right now), now I am waiting for the oath ceremony letter.

My question is, since I just added middle name to my legal name, what documents do I need to change? I know SSN, Driver's license for sure will need to be changed, also the middle name will show up on the new passport.

But what about other things such as credit card, health insurance, auto insurance, doctor's office...? The reason I only added middle name instead of changing my first name was I heard you don't need to change a lot of things if first/last name was the same, but recently I heard different stories from different ppl. Anyone has the same issue?

Thank you!

3 hours ago, himanshu.7710 said:

Jan-8th it is.

 

File Date: May 1 2018 

Oath Ceremony: Jan-8 2019

Total time : 8 months 7 days!

Great news! When did you have the naturalization interview?

Hey guys, I had my I-751 and N-400 combo interview today, it went very well and much faster than I thought, the whole interview was less than 30 minutes! They didn't even ask my husband to get interviewed with me. Basic questions such as where and how we met, when I came to the U.S. the first time and why, when was the last time I entered America were asked, the interviewer was very professional. Then they asked the naturalization questions such as who was the first president, who is the current state governor, where is the Statue of Liberty and so on. At last I got a notification that the N-400 application was recommended to approve and submitted for quality review. The next step is to wait for letter of Oath Ceremony schedule! The interviewer did mention I may have to wait for 3 to 4 weeks till I receive the letter since they will close for one week due to holidays.

I submitted my I-751 early May 2017, and N-400 mid of May 2018, got interview schedule notice in early November.

For all of you who are still waiting, good luck and don't worry too much! I also want to thank everyone who shared their case update, asked questions or answered questions. Happy holidays to all of you!

25 minutes ago, raintintin said:

I had my oath ceremony today and I am now officially a citizen of the United States! 

 

Looking back , this was the easiest thing I have done, completely painless and stress free (I stressed anyway cuz I like stress lol) 

 

to all of you wondering if you should file for the N400 - I recommend doing that as soon as you are eligible. USCIS is extremely professional and accommodating.. everything is extremely easy and simple. The wait and all the noise from different cases and weird updates makes it feel daunting and scary. IT’S NOT.

 

after my oath ceremony I registered to vote right there, and got my sticker! I will go ahead and apply for my passport next week. 

 

I wish you all the very best, and thank you for making the wait fun(lol) and thank you for being part of the journey  , I really appreciate it.

congratulations!!!

11 hours ago, Jose V said:

Congratulations! That was fast! The green card right after the approval letter. Nice!

 

So, I also wanted to give a proper update on my end. I had a N-400 and i751 combo interview a week ago. Both of my cases were approved and my status changed to "placed in line for my oath ceremony". So I am really happy that I am almost done and hopefully I will become a citizen before xmas. Thank you all for your support and sharing your experiences all this time! 

Congratulations!

On 11/19/2018 at 7:09 AM, Lu & Soso said:

Thanks @ssmhty, that's very kind of you! This process can be very frustrating because it hasn't been definite, and other members' experiences going through the same, is not only can be calming but brings a glimpse of hope. Nothing as excruciating as a process that you can only do your part, and have to wait indefinitely for others to decide your fate. I, however, do believe that this process has started shaping up. For instance, it has taken you exactly 7 months to get your N-400 interview in Chicago, that's what happened to me and a number of Chicago filers. Your I-751, although pending, chances are, shall be adjudicated with your N-400. Make sure to bring your spouse with,  updated documents, latest shared (taxes (last 3 years including 2017), bank statements, insurance, photos together (with friends, family), utility bills) and whatever updated from your last I-751 and N-400 submission. Make copies, because you don't want to have a decision delayed because you only brought originals, not all copies (like me, no tax and recent joint account bank statements copies). If you are missing something that you can retrieve from a computer and print it out, ask to submit it the same day (within an hour). There is a UPS not far from Immigration offices, and can log on to their computers and print whatever is needed. Go back and submit it, and in my case, status changed within an hour. I believe that you'll have everything handy and won't have to go through that.  You'll do just fine, nothing to panic about, just be ready with your documentation. You'll probably have your oath, late December or early January 2019! I wish your the best in this final lap of your immigration journey! Happy holidays!

Thank you so much @Lu & Soso like always!

On 11/18/2018 at 9:16 PM, Greencardchicago said:

Hello ssmhty, when did you apply for N400? 

I applied I751 in early May 2017, applied N400 in early May 2018.

On 11/17/2018 at 6:51 PM, Lu & Soso said:

HI @Greencardchicago! To avoid stressing yourself up, if I were you, I would expect an interview in May 2019. You might have a combo interview, for both your I-751 and N-400 applications. It looks like Chicago has been doing combos lately. Maybe, like in my case, I applied for I-751 in August 2016, and only got an interview July 2018,  got approved 2 weeks before N-400 interview that was held October 24, 2018. I had applied for N-400 in March 2018, with a pending I-751 like you. Again, I know that it is easy for me to say, "don't stress yourself" after completing this protracted journey, but Chicago IOs are working hard to catch up. If anything, use my timeline and other members' to gauge yourself. You are on track, give yourself a little time not panicking.

I am going to have my N400 interview in early December with I751 pending, not sure if it's going to be a combo interview or not. I just wanna say, I have been checking the online forum very frequently and you are always so helpful. Just wanted to express my appreciation to you! @Lu & Soso

Just got an update today from the USCIS website that my N400 interview has been scheduled in early December, however my I751 is still pending, not sure if it's going to be a combo interview.

I applied I751 in early May 2017 (CSA), N400 in early May 2018. Located in Chicago area.

8 hours ago, qiaoxiaopang said:

The N400 interview appointment notice should show the date for your interview. I looked for it in the documents tab but didn't see it the first time I logged on. I logged off and after logging on a second time after maybe a half hour or so, the document showed up out of no where and I was able to check my wife's interview day. Hope that helps.

Thanks a lot, I have the similar timeline with you and I just checked and found my interview was scheduled as well!

20 hours ago, Jose V said:

I wouldn't go by the estimated months they give you. When applied for N-400 in early May 2018, I had 19 months processing time. A couple of weeks ago I received my interview letter for mid November (in 3 weeks). So in reality it was less than 6 months. I know it depends on each state but that seems to be the norm. They are extremely conservative when they give you the estimated waiting time. 

That's great news, thanks for sharing, hopefully I will get the letter soon!

On 10/25/2018 at 8:52 PM, Dan904 said:

Don’t worry, you will receive soon combinated I751-N400 interview. I don’t think think your file is yet at local office. I also got notice on February 26 file transferred but it’s still in Cali

Is there any source we can check? I have almost the same timeline with you guys, but I am not sure if we will receive the interview letter this year.

23 hours ago, Lu & Soso said:

I just found this forum, "N-400 Chicago Filers" and let me share my interview experience since I'm a Chicago filer. My interview was on October, 24. Things didn't start good, and it was my fault. I arrived 20 minutes after my scheduled appointment. When my IO called me, which is apparent that she had tried before, she was not happy at all. I decided, at that time not to request to be joined by my wife and newborn because I did want to subject them to any tension. While walking to her office, she asked why I was late and firstly, I apologized and explained . She is one of the most consummate professionals I have encountered. She didn't waste no time, advised me of every step she was about to take. We went through the civic test, and here are the questions she asked; What is the national anthem called?, What took place on September, 11, 2001?, What ocean is on the west coast of USA?, Which war did Dwight Eisenhower fight on?, Who does a US Senator represent? We went through sentence reading and writing. She went through everything that I filled in my N-400 application; and verified, I mean, name, birth date, address, work, international visits to those YES or NO questions. When she finished, she asked for additional updated information since my last interview, which was in July, for I-751. I submitted my current (2017) taxes, recent auto insurance, life policy I took last year which we never requested in my last interview. She asked for updated bank statements, and unfortunately I didn't bring. My other mistake was to bring the original taxes without making copies. She advised me that she couldn't make a decision about my case until she receives copies of my taxes, bank statements, and I was given a month to mail or a possibility of my case being dismissed. I requested to submit them within an hour and she liked the idea. That's the first time I sensed her warm nature, because we went through the interview so fast after my late arrival and she was just all professional.  She told me to submit those documents with the receptionist. We left and I asked the security guard for the nearest printing business, and  was directed to UPS which was not far. I made copies and accessed my banks online and made copies of current statements. My online case status was already showing that RFE (needed more information). 

We need more information from you

View your letter on your documents tab for more information. You must respond with your document(s) on or before the date in your letter or your application may be denied.

I submitted those documents and was given a receipt by the receptionist. When I got home, my USCIS App notified me that:

Oath Ceremony Will Be Scheduled

We placed you in line for your oath ceremony and will send you a notice for Receipt Number IOEXXXXXXXXXX, with the date, time, and location of your oath ceremony. You should receive your notice within 30 days of its mailing date. 

 

  What a surprise and joy because I was beating myself for everything that led to a delay in deciding my case. My story is a combination of PATIENCE, WHAT NOT TO DO, DETERMINATION TO MAKE UP FOR MISTAKES and RESILIENCE UNDER THE STORM. I want to take this opportunity to thank those contributing members of this community, because you have given me so much SUPPORT, HOPE and KNOWLEDGE, though your own stories and advice. I also want to extend APPRECIATION and THANKS for those professional IOs who have made this journey worth every step, especially in our anguish because of protracted delays in adjudication. It has been a long road, 2 years and 2 months, for I-751 and 7 months for N-400. I hope my story will help those facing similar challenges to keep your head because there is hope and this road will come to an end. This is my current online status:

We approved your application

Your final step to becoming a citizen is to attend your naturalization ceremony

We will mail you a letter when we schedule your naturalization ceremony.

 

This journey is finally over!

Wow, what a journey! Congratulations!

15 hours ago, flash9153 said:

Exactly 17 days since my wife's ROC and N400 combo interview. Just received two email updates from USCIS this morning:

1. I-751: A new card is being produced
2. N400: We scheduled your naturalization ceremony
   • Although when I check under documents, the actual oath ceremony letter has not yet been uploaded. I will update our timeline once the letter has been uploaded, or upon receiving the snail mail. 

At the rate which Chicago court houses are wrapping up ceremonies these days, my wife should be a citizen before Christmas! I don't know what we would do if it weren't for all the love and support we have received on these forums. Thank you all for sharing stories about your journey, and providing useful information along the way. For those of you still waiting, hang in there! 

Congratulations!

8 hours ago, himanshu.7710 said:

Interview Scheduled- Nov-21,

 

filing date May-1st 2018

Wow, I filed one week after you, hopefully my interview will be scheduled soon. Did you get notification via email or mail?

On 10/8/2018 at 3:13 PM, naazzaaniin said:

Well, I got it! My Oath Ceremony is 10/17/18 😃

Congrats!!!

On 9/18/2018 at 2:38 PM, Jane D said:

This is N400 chat. So I meant N400. But I am a combo filer. I am I-751 Filer May 2017, and N400 Filer May 2018.

Exactly same here, it's frustrating to wait...

23 hours ago, blove said:

just want to share my journey. this page has been a blessing to me and been following for a long time.

CSC filer May 11 2017

Biometrics done sometime in june 2017

Case Transferred to local office on feb 25 2018

case Transferred to local office on Feb 26 2018 

I never called uscis tier officer since i filed and didn't go for the stamp either my letter expired in june 2018. did not file for N400 yet wanted to wait for the 10yr card .

August 20th  2018 checked my dhs account and boom { we are producing your card and will mail it to you.........}

August 21 checked my dhs account and{ we approved your case.......} case number start with WAC17224......  hope this info is helpful,

am waiting on the card...........

I wish you all the best . its been a long journey but we are almost there. good luck to you all.

Congratulations!

53 minutes ago, gugoo said:

NOA date was May 17, 2017.

 

WAC17229

Wow, that's about the same with mine! Have you filed N400 yet?

7 hours ago, gugoo said:

Got notice  that GC is now in production! Hang in there guys, it's coming!

 

Congratulations! Do you mind sharing when you filed I751 and what's your first 6 case number?

I found a lot of filers are from Illinois (including myself) on the forum, isn't that kinda strange? lol

9 hours ago, Jamy2014 said:

Surprise, surprise!

This morning I got my usual text message update and first I wasn't paying attention to it, since I expected the same old story. BUT: it said "we have taken an action...". So I logged in my USCIS account and it said "Card is produced". YEAH! 4 months under the 19 months estimated process time of CSC. The case status USCIS page still does show "case received" but logging into "My USCIS" seems to be updated sooner. However, I don't care....I'll wait now for the GC in the mail...I might call to confirm...

 

Timeline:

05/03/2017 I-751 delivered CSC

08/14/2018 GC will be produced and emailed!

Congrats!!!

2 minutes ago, designbg said:

When was your last update from the DHS Account?

Exactly like yours, on Feb 26th it says we received your case.

Just now, designbg said:

CSC received my case on May 9, 2017.

Ahh, gotcha. My case was received on May 17th. Thank you!

34 minutes ago, designbg said:

Good news fellas...woke up at 4 am this morning (that’s another story) and decided to check my email, when I saw a communication from DHS stating that action has been taken on my case. I went and checked my status and found that my card was in production...see attached.

 

My case number is WAC17223XXXXX. As you can see my status went from “Case Received At Local Office” to “Card In Production”. No RFE or “Case Transferred To Another Office”. I have not applied for N-400.

 

 

Wow! More and more May filers from CSC have good news! May I know when you filed it? My case number is WAC17229xxxxx, but I still didn't get any update yet. Thank you!