tom&tanya

Got a text message that they have scheduled Tanya's oath ceremony and we will get a letter with the date, time and place. She is getting a judicial ceremony. West Palm Beach FL holds them once a month. I hope she is a citizen before the end of the year.

Make sure you bring the items listed on the appointment letter as well as the items on the yellow notice. For certain bring your Green Card, other photo ID and the appointment letter.

And bring your Passport!

Also, you can get a complete overview and instructions as to what to do next at the US Embassy of Ukraine web site and the K1 guides here. I think there is no need to hire an immigration lawyer at this point since you've already done 90% of the work. If you get a denial, then you might consider hiring one.

Why is the police clearance a major hurdle? It's a pretty simple process in Ukraine. I think Christmas is really out of the question at this point. Also remember that everything closes down in Ukraine for the first two weeks in January. So you are most likely looking at the end of January or even February to get the visa in hand if all goes well.

http://london.usembassy.gov/immigrant-visas.html

Received a text and email today saying Tanya was put into the cue for her oath ceremony and to expect a letter with the date, time and place. I can almost see the end of this journey!

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can,

And wisdom to know the difference.

The interview itself is part of the test. During the conversation the IO is assessing the applicants understanding of the English language. There is a great video on Youtube from USCIS that simulates the interview process. Have your grandmother watch it. Also, they will ask her all the questions she answered on the N-400 so make sure you study it and the answers she gave so she doesn't get tripped up. Good luck!

I had received the yellow letter. It's from the field office. Mine had the same items asked for on the interview letter. They had no interest in it at the check-in desk. They only wanted to see the interview letter.

I agree, you cannot use the certificate as a travel document and you can get an expedited passport in a little as a day.

At what point do they actually take your green card away? We are trying to figure out our travel plans for January and know it might be in the middle of everything...

They take the green card at the Oath Ceremony and hand you the certificate of citizenship at that time.

Congrats, during interview no papers were asked? like proofs or anything?

We brought divorce certificates from previous marriage, present marriage certificate, my birth certificate, and her birth certificate as was requested in our letter, but they only asked to see her passport, green card and drivers license.

We arrived about 15 minutes before our interview time. Tanya was called almost immediately. She came out a few minutes later and said the fingerprint machine was not working and they would call her back in. She asked how long and the guy said " I hope you brought a pillow, because it might take a while.". About an hour later they called her back in. She was brought to an office. The case worker swore her in and then told her to sit. He started to ask her the civics questions right away. She got the first six correct. She could only remember 4 of the questions he asked. " What is the party of the president right now". "Name the two main political parties in the U.S." What are three of the original States". Who was the first President". He told her to read: " The United States has 50 States". Then he told her to write: "We have 50 States". Then after the test, he took out a very thick file he had for her. He went over every question on the N-400. After this he told her congratulations and gave her a form which said she passed. then he told her she was done and she would get a notice in the mail for the oath ceremony. Because of the fingerprint snafu, it took about 2 hours total. (BTW, they never did fingerprint her.)

In our preparations we went over her N-400 a few times so she was ready for this part of the interview. There is also a great USCIS video on you tube about the whole interview process. It a simulated interview and was a great help to her. Good luck everyone!

OK, Tanya passed her interview and test! Last stop ... Oath.

Tanya's Interview is tomorrow morning. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Ditto

Check out USCIS web site and the guides here and file form N-400. It's easy and you could be a citizen in a matter of months.

You are better off paying with a regular check.

Make sure she brings a certified copy of your marriage license with her to show the name change.

Interview Letter received!

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N-400: September 2013 Applicants
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USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox
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UserName.........|Eligible|Sent....|ChkCashd|NOA.....|Fprints.|In-line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
Cala Bel.........|06/20/13|08/26/13|--/--/--|09/04/13|10/01/13|09/17/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Hartford, CT
Tom&Tanya........|11/08/13|08/31/13|09/05/13|09/04/13|09/27/13|10/08/13|10/15/13|11/13/13|--/--/--|West Palm Beach, FL
Mav_1975.........|02/12/13|09/01/13|09/05/13|09/06/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Houston, TX
Lars-N-Yenia.....|09/30/11|09/04/13|09/10/13|09/05/13|09/19/13|09/23/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Newark, NJ
girimurthy.......|06/16/11|09/04/13|09/12/13|09/09/13|09/24/13|09/26/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Hialeah, FL
Elafito..........|01/15/13|09/06/13|09/13/13|09/19/13|10/04/13|10/08/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Boston, MA
raparap..........|11/14/13|09/07/13|09/16/13|09/20/13|10/07/13|10/09/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Newark, NJ
Justine+David....|--/--/--|09/09/13|09/19/13|09/17/13|10/29/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Baltimore, MD
Dpeter736........|--/--/--|09/13/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Oakland Park, FL
letmein..........|--/--/--|09/13/13|09/18/13|09/23/13|10/11/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Boston, MA
psiprez..........|09/02/11|09/13/13|09/25/13|09/20/13|10/21/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Newark, NJ
NatzG............|09/22/10|09/16/13|09/23/13|09/18/13|10/18/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Baltimore, MD
usagirl12........|09/15/13|09/21/13|09/27/13|09/30/13|10/18/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Louisville,KY
Read.............|--/--/--|09/23/13|09/30|13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Philadelphia,PA
Sachinky.........|02/20/13|09/23/13|09/26/13|09/25/13|10/16/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Albuquerque,NM
silkafi88........|09/28/13|09/25/13|10/04/13|09/30/13|10/24/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Louisville,KY



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USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox
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UserName.........|Eligible|Sent....|ChkCashd|NOA.....|Fprints.|In-line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
alex and astrid..|01/23/13|09/05/13|09/12/13|09/09/13|10/03/13|10/07/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Los Angeles, CA
Lasko12..........|--/--/--|09/06/13|09/11/13|09/16/13|10/11/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|San Jose
newlyweds2010....|12/07/13|09/07/13|09/13/13|09/10/13|10/04/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|San Francisco, CA
WindyCity22a.....|--/--/--|09/10/13|09/16/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Chicago, IL
RoamingTheNet....|12/02/13|09/03/13|09/09/13|09/11/13|09/25/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Santa Ana, CA
KaashParinda.....|12/06/13|09/23/13|09/28/13|10/03/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|San Jose, CA
OlegAndSveta.....|09/04/13|09/24/13|--/--/--|10/04/13|10/18/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Chicago, IL
Whtevr...........|11/26/13|09/03/13|--/--/--|09/05/13|09/17/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Chicago, IL

Carocaro.........|09/14/13|09/27/13|10/03/13|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Santa Ana, CA

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USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing Under 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA)
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UserName.........|Eligible|Sent....|ChkCashd|NOA.....|Fprints.|In-line |Int Ltr.|Intview.|Oath....|FieldOffice
Example..........|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|City, ST

No problems for my wife. My stepdaughter had a hard time with the extension letter and expired Green card when she tried to board in Moscow to NY. the gate attendant for Aeroflot was not familiar with the letter and almost refused to let her board. At the last minute, after being threatened on the phone by me, he let her on. That's why it might be a good idea to have the stamp if you can get it.

I agree with Dave. as long as she doesn't stay out of the country more than 6 months, you will be ok.

Well personally I don't agree with Obama on a lot of issues but in this case I think this tactic of government shutdown as a negotiating tool has got to be completely and forever discredited. To allow a minority of house members to do this is perilous to our democracy in my opinion. Factionalism is the downfall of all democracies.

"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism."

George Washington

You can do a walk-in biometrics appointment. I've done them every time without a problem.

You must bring the original extension paperwork with you when you travel to Ukraine.

If I remember correctly you lost her green card? If so, you will need to make an infopass and get her passport stamped if they will allow it. This might cause you a problem with the airlines however. Don't assume they know anything when it comes to immigration documents when it's outside the norm they are accustomed to seeing.

Gary,

Sounds like you had a great time! I just got back from 16 days in Ukraine myself. Tanya and I had a great time also. We spent 7 days in Crimea. Swam in the Black Sea, visited Lividia Palace where Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill met in WW2. Also visited Vorontsov Palace and the Swallow's Nest. All of it ... WOW! Then back to Tanya's village and her folks house. I understand and share your admiration for this country and it's people!