mattr

why do you have to update your info at SSA? Just curious as to what difference it makes to you being an immigrant or citizen?

It has to do with your work eligibility. If you apply for a new job, the social security will still think that you are on a green card (on my ss card it said "subject to INS authorization"). When you become a citizen you need to remove this restriction.

As for the passport times, it took me 6 weeks to get it. It's getting slower because of the deadline of June 1st to get a passport to travel in Mexico and Canada and they're getting a backlog.

Mattr.

Actually I would suggest that you DO call them and tell them there is an urgency to get this passport processed before the next two weeks. This will put your application on top of the list.

I FINALLY RECEIVED MY PASSPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now the social security update.. and the journey is finally over!

Mattr.

I applied for my passport on Feb 19th, and I received the certificate back yesterday, and my passport right now today, 10 minutes ago. The passport offices have been swamped and when I called the national passport agency they said they had the application, but it would take 6 to 8 weeks to get it processed. They also told me that if I had put a travel date on my application that was sooner than 6 to 8 weeks, they would have processed it faster. The website is NOT working, they know it, but they don't tell you on the website..

Be patient, wait two more weeks; you can always call them late (e.g. 9pm E.T.), they answer faster at that time; if they confirm they have your application then you're good to go.

Mattr.

I just received my certificate of citizenship back from the Los Angeles passport agency... I applied on Feb 19!! I expect my passport to come in the mail in the next week or so. I was so uncomfortable no having any proof of citizenship for all this time, I feel much better now.

First thing I'm going to do now is open a bank safe and put the certificate there.

Mattr.

Whether you think this arrest was fair or not is irrelevant. You should get a lawyer, and if possible get an immigration lawyer because they will know how this situation affects your immigrant status and your request for citizenship.

Mattr.

If you don't have a stamp on your passport for those return dates, then do what I did: add an accompanying letter to your N-400 where you say "I made 3 trips to Canada for less than 24h for <purpose>. Those trips may show on their database even though you don't have a stamp, so I would definitely mention them. When you go to the interview and the officer reviews your trip, mention them, tell him/her you added that information in an addedum to the N-400 and you'll be fine.

I scare the postman everyday.....

I did too!

The website was never updated, the only entry was that they received my N400, then nothing got updated. All I did was to wait for the mailman every morning and open the door as soon as he put the mail in the mailbox, which scared him all the time. I'm sure that he feels better now that everything is done!

The timelines showed on the website are inaccurate because they show what it was few months ago. What seems to be much more accurate is to look at the timelines from people on Visajourney that have filed to the same office as you, and make an average of them to set your expectations.

I got my fingerprints done faster than others, but I got my interview letter 2 or 3 weeks after most of the people, but then again I got my oath done faster, so it's really an average.

Mattr.

I know some of you will tell me that it shoud not matter to the adjudicator what you wear on the day of the interview. I just want to know from your own personal experience if it really didnt matter based on the outcome of the interview.

Thanks in advance for sharing

I wore a business casual suit & tie. Everyone in the waiting room was dressed nicely, not overdoing it. To me it was like a job interview. Although what you wear should have nothing to do with the outcome, i'm sure it shows respect and is appreciated. Remember you are going to swear to tell the truth, so this is a very official interview, not a chat.

I wonder how the other Sep filers are doing..Have not heard much of them lately.. B)

I'm still waiting for my passport I feel like I'm back to the USCIS waiting line AGAIN !!!!!

But other than that, everything is cool cool I'm trying to get used to saying that I'm American, or French-American, not just French, when people ask me, it's not as easy as I thought it would be!

Mattr.

I see that you just received your green card, congrats! The answer to your question is still no, but make sure you choose the correct forum next time, this one is for citizenship discussion. See you in 3 to 5 years

Mattr.

Thank you so much, AusCal... that clarified the matter.

Whew, that was a relief

I really appreciate your fast reply.

Chris

I confirm too, when I was living in DC i received numerous calls for Jury duty and always checked "not a citizen". If you did the same then you're fine.

Oddly I never received any request for Jury duty when I moved to California. I guess the CA DMV was more aware than DC that I was not a citizen!

Mattr.

Congrats!!!

Mattr.

I've applied for my passport on february 19th one day after getting my citizenship, and nothing came back yet. I called the agency they said they have my application, but it's still "in verification". What do they have to verify? I would have thought new citizens would be processed very quicly since we've gone through all those FBI checks to get naturalized! I'm getting nervous because I don't have my certificate of citizenship (they have it), and my roommate's application (he's a natural born citizen) only took 2 1/2 weeks for him to receive his passport and birth certificate back. We've both applied the same day at the same post office, and it's being processed in Los Angeles! How long did it take you to get your passport? I didn't ask for expedited and neither did he.

mattr.

Congratulations to you both!!!!!!!!!!!!

You'll have to contact the local office to find out what the situation is, but many (most? all?) allow some guests. In San Francisco, they hold the ceremony in a large auditorium. The new citizens all have seats on the floor of the auditorium, while the balcony is open for guests. Anybody can get into the balcony, there are no tickets or anything like that, so you can have as many guests as you want. Guests who want good seats need to arrive early.

But that was only our experience. There's quite a bit of variation from one office to another.

Same in San Diego. I came with 5 guests.

Mattr.

Congratulation Vega!! You are finally done with USCIS!!! no more I-751 or N400!!! And Hartford, CT got very fast now, good for you guys.

thank u doxATL. It was kind of a surprise to see my interview date come in 5 months. I was expecting a 10 month wait which would have made me go crazy!!. Just the oath left now. Hopefully it will go through without issues. Good luck to you!.

Anybody knows if I need to be prepared for something for the oath or is it just show up with your GC and the letter?. Thank you

Your green card and the letter. Don't forget to fill in the questions on the letter the day you are going to the ceremony (or the previous day). Don't fill it before just in case you get arrested for any reason between the date of the interview and the date of the ceremony.

Mattr.

Ok, so today I went to pick up my passport and I asked the clerk how should I sign my passport since my application for a passport was signed with my full name, just like my naturalization certificate ( i was told to do so) . She said it doesn't matter which signature I choose but she didn't seem so sure and I am not so sure .....

Do officers at POE make sure signatures match? do they have a copy of my signature in their computers and if it doesn't match my passport's is there going to be a problem???... I am so confused !!!! how do I sign my passport!!!???

They really should fix the whole "write your full name in the citizenship certificate" thing, I don't understand what they want, if what they want is consistency then they should let you do the gibberish you use for a signature during the whole process, I have consistently used my signature over and over throughout my life and now I am in this mess!, Help!.

LOL yes I agree this "full name" signature is crazy. But don't fret it. Sign your passport the way you want to sign it. Imagine american citizens that were born in the US, they didn't sign when they were born, so their first passport will be signed the way they want. Americans are used to legible signatures where your name can be read, so that's why they're asking for this. Use a signature on your passport that you will use all the time, so that when you sign a document or a check and the signature is compared with your passport then they match.

You will never have to get your naturalization certificate out ever again. Ever. Unless there is a major crisis. They don't compare certificate signatures with passport signatures at the border. You are an American citizen now, and if you ever have to prove your citizenship then it's not the signature that is going to make a difference.

Mattr.

I'm sorry to ask bluntly but if you are planning to move to Europe why do you want to be a US citizen?

Mattr.

My signature has always been some kind of gibberish. I have never ever signed a legible name in my life. I cannot change my signature so that it reads my name, i wouldn't be able to sign the same way without lots of new practice.

When I signed the photos that went on my certificate I used the signature I always used. When they told me to sign the certificate of citizenship I asked what signature I should use, if I should write my name or use my normal signature, the officer told me to use the exact same signature there was on the photographs, which is what I did. This is the same signature I will use for my passport. What is legible for some might not be for others, I can see my name in my signature even though it looks like #######!

I think what they want is consistency, all signatures in all documents should be the same.

Mattr.

As a US citizen you should keep this link on your boookmarks:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html

It will show entry requirements for every country. For Brazil it says:

U.S. citizens also possessing Brazilian nationality cannot be issued Brazilian visas and must obtain a Brazilian passport (from the Brazilian Embassy or Consulate nearest to their place of residence) to enter and depart Brazil. In addition to being subject to all Brazilian laws affecting U.S. citizens, dual nationals may also be subject to other laws that impose special obligations on Brazilian citizens. Note that children adopted from Brazil are still considered Brazilian citizens and must be documented as such should they return to Brazil.

For Mexico it says:

Travelers possessing both U.S. and Mexican nationalities must carry with them proof of their citizenship of both countries. Under Mexican law, dual nationals entering or departing Mexico must identify themselves as Mexican.

Mattr.

Congrats UpNorthGuy!

What kind of question did he ask that was not in the test????

Mattr.

i meant at the oath ceremony, i KNOW that i DONT get a passport on that same day, i was wanting to APPLY for one while at the oath ceremony, but i guess i'll have to do it during the week...

Even though US post office postmaster come out for accepting US Passport application, you don't want to do that.

At least, you want to make the copy of the certificate of naturalization before sending US passport application form with "original" certificate of naturalization.

US post office will use priority mail, but it may be lost in the mail.

At least, you want to have backup copy just in case.

You can have personal backup copy without a problem.

This is a VERY GOOD POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had planned to apply for my passport at the ceremony but the passport office was not there that day. I already had my two photos with me. But I'm glad I didn't apply because of what moon said: MAKE A COPY OF YOUR CERTIFICATE!!!!!!!! That's the FIRST thing I did when I went back home. Then I went to the post office and applied.

Mattr.

France ignores dual citizenship. You can renounce your French citizenship only if you have another proven citizenship (e.g. you cannot be a non-citizen of any country and live in France).

My plan is to use my American passport everytime I go to a country where it is not dangerous/illegal to travel there as an American. For example if I want to go to Cuba, I will use my American passport to fly to the country that has flights to Cuba, then use my French passport to fly to Cuba. When I go to France I will use my American passport.

In any case I will use my American passport when entering the USA, because I am an American citizen, not on a visa or on a green card anymore. When asked which countries I visited I would not say Cuba of course!

When asked if you are an American citizen on the US soil, say YES I am an American citizen. Don't mention dual citizenship. When asked if am I a French citizen on the US soil I will say YES I am a French citizen. When asked what citizen I am in another country I will say I am a citizen of the country corresponding to the passport I used to enter this particular country.

There are tax treaties between France and the US and as far as I am concerned, the fact that I'm a dual citizen doesn't change anything. This is not necessarily true for other countries, so check your embassy for tax information.

Mattr.

Your current SS card must say something like "contact INS (or USCIS) for work eligibility". This is because the SS still thinks you're on a work visa or green card. To change that you need to notify them. I'd do that as soon as you have your passport because it could cause you problems if you try to apply for a new job.

The DMV I believe is only necessary when you renew your ID card. You cannot get an ID if you don't have a green card or visa, so it's the same thing, you just show your passport and it's all good. For that one i'll wait until I have to renew.

Mattr.