top_secret

Just had my interview! Approved on the spot and in line for oath ceremony scheduling, though my online status says my application is in quality review.
 
We went through the civic questions first, then the writing and speaking test. After I passed the IO went through my application, confirming most of my basic information, then ran through the roster of "Yes/No" questions.
 
Civic questions that I was asked:
- Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
- Why does the flag have 50 stars?
- Who is the Chief Justice?
- If the President and Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
- What are two ways that American citizens can participate in their democracy?
- What ocean is on the East Coast?
 
They did not ask me for any additional evidence, though I brought a boatload. Maybe the appearance of my big file box was enough, haha. I opted out of my name change, so they had me sign off on the change on my application, then once more on a form confirming that I was willing to take the oath of allegiance. After that, she printed a piece of paper that showed instructions while waiting for my oath ceremony to be scheduled.

Not an issue.  Don't worry about it.

The OP's zip code is not a serious issue at all.  It's a very small typo on the marriage certificate.  

I attended my oath ceremony and received my certificate of citizenship today. This site has been of great help. Thank you!

Congratulations!
They certainly might need to talk to the US Citizen spouse so good that you were available.  But he probably just felt the I-751 submission was strong enough on it's own so interviewing you was unnecessary.

I think a lot of that is due to CR cases all converting to IR cases by the time any visas are issued because the embassy is taking so long.  CR cases are becoming an endangered species in Manila.

So, a very strange interview.  My wife, daughter and I went to her N-400 interview.  When we arrived we presented her appointment letter and I explained that we anticipated a combo interview for I-751 and N-400.  The first guy had no idea what we were talking about but the other guy overheard and said to let us all go in.  After 30 minutes or so the interviewer called her.  I went up with her and asked if the files were there and could we get a combo interview.  He said yes, he had the files, but he could adjudicate the I-751 and N-400 with my wife only.  They didn't need me.  I asked again and he said I wasn't needed.  So, my daughter and I just sat in the waiting room.  Twenty minutes later she came out and the interviewer told me that she passed.  I asked him if that meant the N-400 or the I-751 and he said both.  I was a bit worried because I put together the packet and knew where everything was.  He indicated that he needed to check a few things and watch the USICS site for her oath appointment letter.  She later told me he asked her if she had any additional documents to submit.  She didn't know what submit meant when he said documents since we filed I-751.  Finally she figured out what he wanted and showed him copies of the bank statements and last IRS filing report.  He glanced at them, didn't ask for any copies and said she was fine.  He asked her about employment.  She said she was a stay-at home mom.  He asked how old her daughter was.  When she said 17 he asked why she needed to be a stay-at-home mom for a 17 year old.  She laughed and said "I have an 8 month old baby."  We had uploaded his birth certificate with the N-400 but it was after we submitted the I-751 so he must have just glossed over the files.  Just a bit strange all around but at least we are done!

My wife just had her N-400 interview today and it turned out to be a combo interview, even though we received no notification that it would be a combo interview. I think they have to conduct the I-751 interview as a technicality before doing the N-400, in the event that you are not approved for the N-400 you could still have conditions removed for the green card. But I could be wrong about that.
 
When my wife was called back at the field office, she went alone because we thought it was only for the N-400. The officer then asked if I was there and that she needed to go get me for the I-751 interview. So it was a good thing that I was there. I had seen on here that there were some cases of having the combo interview without notice, so I was at least somewhat prepared for that possibility. It was a short interview, just some questions about the timeline of our relationship and how we met. Then the I-751 was approved and I was asked to go back to the waiting room. This was at the Nashville field office.

No, the receipt numbers from when you paid their GC fees. The same receipt numbers you should use to track production and mailing of the cards. 
 
On the email receipt, it will say 'your payment was applied to the following cases', and then list them (assuming you paid all three fees in one go). They'll start with IOE. 
 
 

Is it the best possible scan of the paper document you have from from PSA?  The old handwritten part may be what it is but is the modern PSA seal and security features on the paper the best possible scan and is it from a crisp brand new copy from PSA.  You can order another one from PSA and try your luck.  If it is "almost" legible you could try playing around with contrast and darkness with your scan.  Some people have had success getting a copy from the Local Civil Record Office (LCRO) and submitting it as reference along with the PSA copy.  If it is truly illegible and there is nothing that can be done to fix it then the final resolution would be to go to the LCRO and have them re-endorse a legible copy to PSA.  It would be initiated at the LCRO and there is a nominal fee.  Plus pay the expedite fee.

It's more an issue were you might rightfully be annoyed rather than worried. It's probably something simple like they randomly chose to verify some document with PSA.  Which would of course get verified according to Filipino time.  If the embassy asks for anything respond immediately.  Otherwise it is probably all good and will resolve on its own before long.  Even though it seems really long.

San Francisco consulate has been backlogged lately du to the large number of Utah online marriages lately.  I haven't heard of people having much success getting any updates out of the consulate prior to the stamped original ROM and documents getting returned and that has been reported to be taking two or three months lately.  As you have stated they don't seem to answer e-mail enquires about ROM progress.
 
But are you sure it's time critical?  Now that the travel ban is lifted, ROM filing is far less time critical since 9a visas are no longer required for US Citizens to enter the Philippines.  Other reasons you may need the ROM such as changing names on Philippine passports and such are frequently less time critical.  You can certainly file an I-130 without a ROM as long as you have met in person after an online marriage.
 
AFTER the SFO consulate returns the original stamped ROM to you, you can check the progress towards being sent to PSA by e-mailing oca.crd-us@dfa.gov.ph .  In the e-mail, ask if the "Transmittal Details" for you ROM are available yet and attach a PDF scan of the stamped ROM you received back from the consulate.  The people at oca.crd-us@dfa.gov.ph seem quite competent and helpful.
 
If they reply with the "Transmittal Details",
 
(1) REFERENCE NUMBER
(2) DISPATCH NUMBER
(3) DISPATCH DATE
(4) TRANSMITTAL DATE
 
You can attempt to order a PSA version of the ROM from https://www.psaserbilis.com.ph/
Just order a "Marriage Certificate".  They have a procedure for recently registered ROM's where you are supposed to first order the ROM and then e-mail the "Transmittal Details" to info@psaserbilis.com.ph .

We had uploaded our 2023 IRS tax return transcript about a month before our cases was approved.  I could not say if they even looked at that and I can't imagine it would have made any difference, but I can very affirmatively say that uploading additional evidence did not cause any kind of delay. 

You order a CENOMAR from PSA.  If PSA has you recorded as single you will receive a CENOMAR.  If PSA has you recorded as married you will receive an Advisory on Marriages.  Whatever you receive from PSA is what the embassy wants to see.

You order a CENOMAR from PSA.  If PSA has you recorded as single you will receive a CENOMAR.  If PSA has you recorded as married you will receive an Advisory on Marriages.  Whatever you receive from PSA is what the embassy wants to see.

We had uploaded our 2023 IRS tax return transcript about a month before our cases was approved.  I could not say if they even looked at that and I can't imagine it would have made any difference, but I can very affirmatively say that uploading additional evidence did not cause any kind of delay. 

Kids had their oath ceremony today. It would appear that Houston will do ceremonies that group under 18’s together, which was what happened today. The bulk of the group were kids with a handful or so of outliers. 
 
Pretty typical Gears Road ceremony. Enter the building, go through security. Check in with the agent, show the invite letter, be assigned a table number. Sit, and wait. Watch the room fill. They then called the kids by assigned table numbers where their certificates would be picked up and sat them in order. Once the tables were in and seated, parents filed to the back of the room. Everyone stood for the oath, with those taking it raising their right hand. After they agreed to the oath, they were called to their assigned table to sign the necessary paperwork and received their certificate. 
 
Kid2 turned 14 last week, so we let the agent know upon arrival and check in. Normally, they would have had Kid2 see an agent to pick up the certificate due to the under 14 thing. Since that changed from the ceremony invite to the actual ceremony, Kid2 was required to participate in the oath, so the agent had to pull the certificate and add it to a “secondary” pile. Kid2 wasn’t alone. There were 2 or 3 other kids who’d “aged up” in that letter to oath timeframe. 
 
Of note, only one parent per child allowed in. If you only have one child, only one parent will be allowed in. The security person was very pleasant and just paired a kid with each of us and sent us on our way. 
 
Celebratory lunch followed. NO MORE USCIS REQUIRED!!!

Hacking makes a good case for filing the N-600.  Without the N-600, USCIS thinks the person is still a legal resident.  USCIS is the agency which determines citizenship.   Hacking has a good, short video titled "Do I Need to Bother Filing an N-600?".

Visa is valid at date of entry so CBP will determine the length of stay as always
 
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/frequently-asked-questions/about-basics.html
My visa will expire while I am in the United States. Is there a problem with that?
  No. If the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection Immigration Officer at the port-of-entry admitted you into the United States for a specific period of time, s/he will note your authorized period of stay on your admission stamp or paper Form I-94, called an Arrival/Departure Record. You will be able to remain in the United States during your authorized period of stay, even if your visa expires during the time you are in the United States. Since your admission stamp or paper Form I-94 documents your authorized stay and is the official record of your permission to be in the United States, it is very important to keep inside your passport.

At every point where USCIS, NVC or the embassy asks your name, they will follow up by asking ALL names you have ever used.  As long as your documents match one of "ALL names" it is fine.   They know people change their names during marriage.  It is not the slightest problem.  You could change at any time during the whole process up until the day of your interview.  The name on the passport you bring to your interview is the only one that really matters because it will go on your visa, green card, social security card and from those, all the new documents spawned during immigration to the US.  So it is highly preferable that it is the name you really want to use.  If you are married and choose to change to your spouses surname, filling the I-130 is as good a place as any to start using that name.  You can change your passport later as long as it's changed before your interview..

At every point where USCIS, NVC or the embassy asks your name, they will follow up by asking ALL names you have ever used.  As long as your documents match one of "ALL names" it is fine.   They know people change their names during marriage.  It is not the slightest problem.  You could change at any time during the whole process up until the day of your interview.  The name on the passport you bring to your interview is the only one that really matters because it will go on your visa, green card, social security card and from those, all the new documents spawned during immigration to the US.  So it is highly preferable that it is the name you really want to use.  If you are married and choose to change to your spouses surname, filling the I-130 is as good a place as any to start using that name.  You can change your passport later as long as it's changed before your interview..

For Manila, you do not have to wait for anything from the embassy to schedule your appointment.  Complete the DS-160 and pay the visa fee.  After payment is validated, you are free to schedule your interview appointment on ustraveldocs.  Once you know your interview date, schedule medical exam a week or so prior to interview date.
 
The "welcome letter" may or may not ever arrive.  It is not needed for any steps along the way.

This I could say the best response I got regarding my situation. Thank you so very much for taking the time shedding light on my inquiry. This made me feel much better and confident. 

I have read success stories posts from other people with the same situation as mine however wasn’t able to get a concrete explanation how they did it (NBI stuff) due to the post being outdated.
 
I was so worried about getting a 221g so I got the same NBI above and another with my married name as an AKA (thankfully staff was kind enough to give without 221g letter from USEM). Is it okay? In case consul didn’t like the other 😅

The US will accept the divorce decree without it being recognized in the Philippines.  If the Philippines still considers you married then your NBI Clearances will stay as married.  US Embassy Manila is known to accept incorrect marital status on a NBI Clearance with concrete proof of why it incorrect.  IE, divorce decree. Your former husband's surname on your NBI Clearance seemingly completes the list of possible name combinations you may have, so if there are no corrections, annotations, or any other alternate names on any of your documents you shouldn't need an AKA. The embassies website is not quite clear on why an AKA might be required.  The example above seems fine as is.  The embassy will also accept your Advisory on Marriages incorrectly showing you as married in combination with the US divorce decree.  They know about that marriage but they still want to see that there are no other marriages they don't know about.  CFO might or might not give you a hard time about it.  But the worst they can do hassle you or make up some extra requirements.  In the end they still  have to let you go.

The US will accept the divorce decree without it being recognized in the Philippines.  If the Philippines still considers you married then your NBI Clearances will stay as married.  US Embassy Manila is known to accept incorrect marital status on a NBI Clearance with concrete proof of why it incorrect.  IE, divorce decree. Your former husband's surname on your NBI Clearance seemingly completes the list of possible name combinations you may have, so if there are no corrections, annotations, or any other alternate names on any of your documents you shouldn't need an AKA. The embassies website is not quite clear on why an AKA might be required.  The example above seems fine as is.  The embassy will also accept your Advisory on Marriages incorrectly showing you as married in combination with the US divorce decree.  They know about that marriage but they still want to see that there are no other marriages they don't know about.  CFO might or might not give you a hard time about it.  But the worst they can do hassle you or make up some extra requirements.  In the end they still  have to let you go.