DEK

She can go to any SS office, she will need all her paperwork though (welcome letter and greencard, and her passport with the visa in it) at the office with her.

Thank you, that is what I was trying to find out. Finding a SSA office (at whatever location) is not the issue, I just wanted to be sure it didn't have to be her local one.

www.ssa,gov use the search engine for office locator.

I've done that. I know which is her local office. However, she is going to be in another state visiting friends, and was wondering if she could go the SSA office there.

Hello all,

My mother recently got her permanent residency through my sponsorship. Within 2-3 weeks of her entry into the US, she was sent the welcome letter and the greencard. However, it has now been over 4 months and still no SS card. I have called both the USCIS and the SSA multiple times with no success. The SSA refuses to look her up without a SS number, and the USCIS tells me to call the SSA or set up an infopass appointment. At this point we've accepted that she probably needs to go to a SSA office to apply for a card. My question is does the location matter? Can she go to any convenient SSA office, or does it have to be the one serving the area she lives in?

Thanks!

Thank you both for the information. It seems like they shouldn't need her marriage certificate since she isn't currently married, but I'll have her include it just in case.

I do have another unrelated question. My mother has a "British subject" nationality as well as her Lebanese one (because she was born in a country that at the time was under British rule). She is worried about being asked if she has any other nationalities at her interview. I shouldn't think this would have any impact on her immigration, but has anyone come across this situation before? (My understanding of the "British subject" category is that it's a lower category than a "regular" British nationality). Thanks in advance!

Dima

Hello all,

I am currently in the process of sponsoring my mother for an immigrant visa. We have completed the I-864 and DS-3032, and now we're up to the DS-230. I was reading over the documents she would need to submit and I had a question. For the marriage certificate, would she still need to submit that if she is divorced? Obviously she should send her divorce documents, but it wasn't clear to me if they still need her marriage certificate if she is no longer married. Thank you in advance for your help!

Dima

Congratulations! We had a roadblock today. The IO I guess took ill or something and someone else took over and denied the case because we had not provided evidence that we are scheduled to leave within 45 days. We told the interviewing officer that our flight was for March 29, however, and he didn't ask for proof. He said, all looks good, congrats, come back next week for the oath. But then someone else got the case and said, "where is the proof of travel," but they never called or did a request for evidence. Just denied and now we are paying $605 and filing an N-336 for a hearing. I have already put together my response. It seems pretty up front. The law says we have to show that we are leaving the country within 45 days of naturalization to qualify for 319b. Our flight, March 29, is 45 days after the interview, and clearly less than 45 after naturalization, given the fact that naturalization hasn't even happened yet!

I am delivering the request for hearing on Monday morning and will let you guys know how it goes. It is a very unexpected and frustrating turn of events. And I hope they can get it fixed before we have to leave the country.

How weird, no? They say, "You don't qualify b/c you aren't leaving the country soon enough," and our response is, "Dude, if you don't hurry up there is no way we will even be able to get passport in time we are leaving so soon."

From what the other 319b people say, this is a clear case of an officer not fully understanding a pretty obscure section of Immigration law. This is costing us $605 but hopefully it will be reversed. I mean we are really kind of freaking out, but somewhat hopeful.

Oh no, I'm really sorry to hear about this. Hopefully you're right and it will be rectified at the hearing, but what an (additional) waste of your time and money. Please keep us updated on how things go, and I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and your wife.

Dima

Hi all,

Well, it's officially over! I had my oath ceremony today. It was at a court house, and there were 60 people at that ceremony getting naturalized. We were told to arrive at 12:30, the ceremony started at 1:30, and took one hour. Family and friends were allowed into the courtroom and sat towards the back. They gave people lots of opportunities to take pictures, both during the ceremony and afterward with the judge.

I want to wish everyone here the best of luck with whatever remains of your journey. I have found this site to be very helpful and I am glad that such a resource exists for those of us going through the immigration process.

Thanks,

Dima

Congratulations everyone on your successful interviews and oath ceremonies! I just got my oath ceremony notice in the mail today, it will be on March 6. The end is in sight

Dima

Hello all,

Well, it's over! I had my interview this morning and it went fine. The officer was friendly and I had no difficulties. The interview was scheduled at 9 am and the officer called me around 9:15 - we went to his office, and he asked to see my ID, greencard and passport (I had brought lots of other stuff but he never asked for them). He had me swear to tell the truth and then reviewed some demographics and questions from the N-400. Then he printed out a randomly generated civics test and asked me the 10 questions. Then we did the English test - I had to read and then write a sentence. And that was it! He gave me a form stating I had passed and that my "application has been recommended for approval". They don't do same-day oaths here, so he said I'd get a notice in the mail regarding the oath ceremony. Almost done! I really appreciate the information and help available on this site, as it helped me know better what to expect. Oh by the way, I did bring my poor husband along but they ignored him Oh well, better to be over-prepared than under I guess. Good luck to everyone else!

Dima

Hello all,

Well, it's over! I had my interview this morning and it went fine. The officer was friendly and I had no difficulties. The interview was scheduled at 9 am and the officer called me around 9:15 - we went to his office, and he asked to see my ID, greencard and passport (I had brought lots of other stuff but he never asked for them). He had me swear to tell the truth and then reviewed some demographics and questions from the N-400. Then he printed out a randomly generated civics test and asked me the 10 questions. Then we did the English test - I had to read and then write a sentence. And that was it! He gave me a form stating I had passed and that my "application has been recommended for approval". They don't do same-day oaths here, so he said I'd get a notice in the mail regarding the oath ceremony. Almost done! I really appreciate the information and help available on this site, as it helped me know better what to expect. Oh by the way, I did bring my poor husband along but they ignored him Oh well, better to be over-prepared than under I guess. Good luck to everyone else!

Dima

Hi all,

I was just reading a different topic on this board, and some people were saying that your spouse should come along to the citizenship interview, even though they won't be allowed in. I was planning to go by myself as that would be easier - should I ask my husband to come with me? I had gotten the impression before that that wasn't necessary.

Thanks,

Dima

brother of a USC will be F4 (Family 4th) and is about 11 years

For a USC, parents will have an immediate visa number upon petition approval

http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin...letin_4406.html

Thanks for the information payxibka. I had come across the website you mentioned, however I found it somewhat difficult to understand. So 11 years seems to be pretty much the average, it just seems incredibly long to me. By the way, do you know how long it takes for a petition approval for the parents?

Thanks,

Dima

Hello all,

I am due to (hopefully) get my citizenship soon, and I was trying to plan ahead. I would like to sponsor my brother (he's over 21), but in reading this forum and the uscis website I'm still not sure what the time-frame is. I saw somewhere that it's 11 years?! Also, I read that the time is much shorter for a parent, could you please tell me the time-frame for that also? Thanks!

Dima

Hi everyone,

I got my interview letter today! They are really moving. It'll be on 1/29/09. The end is in sight... hope everyone else hears soon!

Dima

Hello all,

I'm a little late posting this, I appologize - life just got in the way! I got my biometrics letter on 11/16 and got fingerprinted on 11/21 at the Indianapolis ASC. Now I'm just waiting on the interview letter!

Dima

Got my NOA yesterday (it was mailed on 10/31), so I've updated the timeline:

UserName........ Sent...........NOA1......... Biometrics..... Interview......Oath........ Office

Avvypudge........10/10/08...10/30/08...11/21/08...............................................VSC/Newark

bgbirl...........10/10/08.......10/20/08..................................................CSC

thea.............10/11/08.......10/24/08..................................................VSC/Washington DC

TX101............10/15/08.................................................................TSC

Dima.............10/23/08.......11/7/08

Thomas F.........10/23/08......11/3/08......xx/xx/08..........................................Atlanta

tmman............10/23/08

kokobearus.......10/27/08

I had the same notification that my application has been transferred to the NBC. So I guess I just wait for the biometrics now. When do you all think is a good time to begin studying for the civics exam? And what's a good resource for that? Thanks!

Dima

Hello all,

I just mailed my N-400 last week (10/23) to the NSC. I hope it all goes smoothly! By the way, what's the current consensus on wait times for that center? Good luck to all!

Dima

Yay! I just got an e-mail today from CRIS stating that card production was ordered. From what I've seen on here, that means I'm approved right? I'm so glad this is almost over. Good luck to everyone else!

Dima

Well, I had my biometrics appointment last week, and it went quite smoothly. The only thing I'd mention (and I've seen others on this board say it as well) is to take your greencard with you, as they did ask to see it, and that wasn't specifically mentioned on the appointment notice. So now I guess we wait!

Dima

Well, I just received my ASC appointment notice today. They have scheduled my biometrics appointment for 10/9. At least things are finally moving! And, I can use the application number on this notice to check my case status online. Lisa, your schedule seems similar to mine, so hopefully you'll be getting yours soon.

Dima

Hi everyone,

I wanted to update you that I have finally received my NOA today! My check was cashed on Friday (9/7). And the NOA was mailed from the CSC, so I'm guessing my case got transferred, good news. Now the NOA states that I should be receiving an ASC appointment notice soon, and that once I get that I can check my case status online. I tried checking it with the receipt number listed on this NOA, but that didn't work. Is that everyone else's experience as well?

Thanks,

Dima

We mailed our I751 packet on August 7, 2007 received August 8, 2007. They have yet to cash the check as of today. Its been over 3 weeks just for that! Going to be a long process I think! We thought we would have our NOA1 by now!

Hi, I mailed in my I-751 on August 10, received August 11 (just after you). I also have not had my check cashed yet - still waiting! I did hope it would be a little faster than this, but oh well. Fortunately I don't need to travel out of the country anytime soon!

Thanks for the information everyone, that makes me feel better. I'm hoping my case does get transferred to another SC or it will take ages! Good luck to everyone else too, and I'll keep you updated.

Hello everyone,

First of all, thank you for the helpful forums you have here, they were a great help in preparing my I-751 application. I mailed it off with all the supporting documents on 8/10, received by the NSC on 8/11. Is it still too early for me to have heard anything? As of today they haven't even cashed my check. From what I've read on here the NSC has been experiencing some delays, so I guess I shouldn't be worried yet. Did anyone else file to the NSC this month? Also, it seems I can't check my case status online until I receive a case application number, correct?

Thanks,

Dima