TastyCake

Hey team! I am officially an American Citizen!
 
Just a quick piece of advice for anyone going through the process: even if you already have your ten-year Green Card, be prepared for an I751 interview. During the N-400 interview, the officer took my husband for an I751 and asked my husband and me a question we always disagree on. He kept trying to get me to give the answer my husband had given him, but I stood my ground and gave my own answer. It was a bit of a funny situation (my husband told the officer, this is the answer, but my wife will tell you this), and I was a bit upset at the time, but it went well. I passed all the civics and English tests. Finally, the officer asked me to take the oath today and become a citizen!
 
I am so happy, relieved to have completed the process, and proud to be an American.
 
Thank you all for being here for me throughout the almost six years it has taken to get to this point!
 
Hugs,
Cata

Everyone at the office was confused with the split scheduling of I-751 and N-400. I showed up at 7am when the I-751 interview was scheduled as per the notice (but the notice did not have my A-Number or my case number), and everyone was super kind in trying to accommodate me. In the end the officer hurriedly prep’d for a combo interview at 7:30. He waived my I-751 (his words were “I see your kid is napping on you, don’t need more proof, just get their birth certificate with you”). By 9:15 we were out of the building with my certificate of naturalization.

I did 18 months of bank statements, 12 months utility bills. Quite frankly I think that was as far back as I could go at this time because I was not meticulously printing statements month-by-month over a two and a half year period. A lot of places only save your statements so far back.
 
I think I had four or five years of tax returns (some overlap there from when we submitted the I-751). I went back four or five rental contracts when we had an apartment (again some overlap).
 
I'm surprised I didn't get a hernia lugging that all over the city yesterday. Against a cold wind no less.
 

I did 18 months of bank statements, 12 months utility bills. Quite frankly I think that was as far back as I could go at this time because I was not meticulously printing statements month-by-month over a two and a half year period. A lot of places only save your statements so far back.
 
I think I had four or five years of tax returns (some overlap there from when we submitted the I-751). I went back four or five rental contracts when we had an apartment (again some overlap).
 
I'm surprised I didn't get a hernia lugging that all over the city yesterday. Against a cold wind no less.
 

I did 18 months of bank statements, 12 months utility bills. Quite frankly I think that was as far back as I could go at this time because I was not meticulously printing statements month-by-month over a two and a half year period. A lot of places only save your statements so far back.
 
I think I had four or five years of tax returns (some overlap there from when we submitted the I-751). I went back four or five rental contracts when we had an apartment (again some overlap).
 
I'm surprised I didn't get a hernia lugging that all over the city yesterday. Against a cold wind no less.
 

We had our combo interview today. We checked in, waited maybe 10-15 minutes and were called in.
 
The officer never asked a question or looked at a document we brought for the I-751. Went straight into the citizenship interview.
 
My wife nailed the reading and writing tests and then it was time for the civics test. 6 questions asked, 6 unwavering (and correct) answers provided and we were done.
 
Just the usual questions after that and then the officer gave us some GREAT news. Even though my wife was doing a small name change, they could accommodate that TODAY because they were doing oaths in the building.
 
After an hour or so my wife took the oath, got her naturalization document with her new name on it and moments later we were out celebrating!
 
We made an appointment with the USPS for tomorrow morning to send out the passport application.
 
WE'RE DONE !!!!! Good luck to everyone out there!
 

We had our combo interview today. We checked in, waited maybe 10-15 minutes and were called in.
 
The officer never asked a question or looked at a document we brought for the I-751. Went straight into the citizenship interview.
 
My wife nailed the reading and writing tests and then it was time for the civics test. 6 questions asked, 6 unwavering (and correct) answers provided and we were done.
 
Just the usual questions after that and then the officer gave us some GREAT news. Even though my wife was doing a small name change, they could accommodate that TODAY because they were doing oaths in the building.
 
After an hour or so my wife took the oath, got her naturalization document with her new name on it and moments later we were out celebrating!
 
We made an appointment with the USPS for tomorrow morning to send out the passport application.
 
WE'RE DONE !!!!! Good luck to everyone out there!
 

Three cheers! hip, Hip, hooray! 
Congratulations to both of you!! 🥳🥳🥳🥳
A big hug from Cata
 
 
 
 

We had our combo interview today. We checked in, waited maybe 10-15 minutes and were called in.
 
The officer never asked a question or looked at a document we brought for the I-751. Went straight into the citizenship interview.
 
My wife nailed the reading and writing tests and then it was time for the civics test. 6 questions asked, 6 unwavering (and correct) answers provided and we were done.
 
Just the usual questions after that and then the officer gave us some GREAT news. Even though my wife was doing a small name change, they could accommodate that TODAY because they were doing oaths in the building.
 
After an hour or so my wife took the oath, got her naturalization document with her new name on it and moments later we were out celebrating!
 
We made an appointment with the USPS for tomorrow morning to send out the passport application.
 
WE'RE DONE !!!!! Good luck to everyone out there!
 

We had our combo interview today. We checked in, waited maybe 10-15 minutes and were called in.
 
The officer never asked a question or looked at a document we brought for the I-751. Went straight into the citizenship interview.
 
My wife nailed the reading and writing tests and then it was time for the civics test. 6 questions asked, 6 unwavering (and correct) answers provided and we were done.
 
Just the usual questions after that and then the officer gave us some GREAT news. Even though my wife was doing a small name change, they could accommodate that TODAY because they were doing oaths in the building.
 
After an hour or so my wife took the oath, got her naturalization document with her new name on it and moments later we were out celebrating!
 
We made an appointment with the USPS for tomorrow morning to send out the passport application.
 
WE'RE DONE !!!!! Good luck to everyone out there!
 

And for the second one I hope you have ample discretionary cash in your bank account or you're going to be eating tuna casserole for the next 6 months to fund that option.
 

Question to those who have recently taken the civics test (as part of the N-400 interview) at the downtown Boston USCIS office (JFK Federal Building across from City Hall).
 
How is the civics test administered? Do they hand you an iPad to take the test interactively? Does the officer read the questions off verbally and you reply with your answer(s)? Other?
 
Any information and guidance you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
 

That's exactly it. You're writing paragraphs in perfect English, there's nothing that will trip you up. The sentences are similar to the questions on the civis test, as you will have to read " who was the first president" and write "the first president was George Washington". Don't overthink it, it's one phrase each.

I hope we get your officer. 😉

Yes, no IPad. You have to answer verbally.  Our officer was nice, when my hubby answered one question wrong, but then asked a clarifying question, and then answered correctly- the officer accepted the right answer. 

So, was this guy being nice about it but he just had some general concerns about some inconsistencies he felt he saw?
 
Or was he cantankerous and just being a world class pr!ck?
 
Was your interview yesterday or today? No change in I-751 status yet?
 
I hope we don't get him in a couple of weeks.
 

My minor trepidation yesterday seems unwarranted as I was scheduled today for an oath ceremony at the end of March. Hopefully nearing the end!

The first thing I did after reading your post was dive for our I-751 interview letter and check the A and receipt numbers. Both are correct on the letter.
 
Your situation is a first for me. I agree with the advice to bring all documents to the N-400 interview and let the Rhodes scholars at the USCIS sort it all out during the interview.
 

Make sure to show up to the first morning appointment no matter what. It's best to be there early than to skip it and discover it was indeed for you at N-400 interview.

At least at our stage... in 2024... I don't think calling gets you anywhere. At the K1/I-129f level 4-5 years ago you used to be able to get to an agent easier and could even request a Tier 2 at the outset of the call and they would put you through.
 
Ask for a Tier 2 today and they won't do it if your question is something they are already equipped to address.
 
It's also a bit tricky to get to a live person now. I find saying Infopass at the first prompt and then indicating you don't have your case # is the most consistent way to getting an actual human being these days.
 
Still, the agents don't help a whole lot when you actually get to them.
 
Maybe others have a different, less pessimistic view regarding calling the USCIS.
 

We officially received the letter confirming we will have a combo interview.

If your I-751 is still pending, go to the interview prepared for a combo interview.....regardless of what they tell you. 

Hi team! I am excited to share that I received my interview letter today! I have been scheduled for the interview on March 27th. It has been quite a journey to get here!

Happy to report that my hubby successfully passed his naturalization interview! It was a combo interview for us, I-751 and N-400. We quickly showed some evidence for I-751, she asked a couple of questions and said that she is approving our I-751. After that I was allowed to stay in the room for the N-400 part, just had to move to the back of the room, so that I don't help him with the questions.
Then she started asking questions, who is MA governor, one war in the 1900s, what is an amendment, name of the vice president, one thing only the federal government can do, and why does the flag has 50 stars.
one sentence to read and one to write. was very quick.
And then she went over several sections on his form like if he has started working, which he started just last year.. So she needed the address and phone number of his employer etc. Then she checked some entries on the form about how many times we have been married, and how many kids he has. read him the oath questions and asked if he was willing to take it. and that's it! She gave him his approval paper and said he would be scheduled for the oath on February 21. We got the scheduling confirmation right after. And then on the way home I got text messages that our cases' status had changed. When I checked for updates, I-751 said that the card is being produced, which I doubt:D. and N-400 said that an oath scheduling notice is being sent. So relieved to be almost done! And big thank you to all VisaJourney community! Couldnt have done it without all the information shared here!

Received both a text and email today. N-400 interview has been scheduled for March 19.