cutie bear

3 minutes ago, AlienCupcake said:

At the interview or at the naturalization (oath) ceremony? If it's at the oath ceremony, the way the Buffalo office's been moving, I will have returned by the time they schedule it.

oath-taking ceremony.

1 minute ago, AlienCupcake said:

I heard from another applicant that you have to surrender your green card at the naturalization interview. Is this true? If so, what do you do if you need to travel out of the country in the meantime? Advance parole? I know it's not ideal, but my tickets are booked, so this may happen.

Yes you will surrender your Green card. During my oath-taking an old lady ask the USCIS employee if she can keep the GC for souvenir  and she was declined.

After the oath-taking ceremony, you will receive an envelope that includes a greeting from the President and passport application form. you can fill-up this form and go to the nearest Post office.

You can expedite your passport application and pay a higher fees.

I just wanted to give everyone an update on my MIL's application. She was interviewed in Chicago last March 2nd and today we check her online account her oath ceremony is on April 11.

We are able to download the letter online and we will wait for the actual letter in the mail.

the wait is almost over!

My MIL had her interview last March 2nd and her online status says she was placed in line for your oath ceremony. We have not receive a letter yet as of yesterday.

On 1/23/2017 at 11:12 AM, Tuftufwang said:

Hi! When did she file and what was NOA date? Can you share her timeline? My NOA is 7/22, Fingerprints on 8/18

she filed her application July 8th and her fingerprint was August 2nd.

Hello!

We check the application status of my mother-in-law and her interview will be on March 2nd, Chicago office.

5 hours ago, KrystelKyle said:

Hey Guys! Glad to see everyone's progress!

I have a question to those who had their interview recently (Marriage Based). My interview date is Feb 13 and I'm wondering if I have to bring all paperwork with me (e.g lease, utility bill, proof of joint account, leases, tax transcript and marriage cert) if so do I have to request for the most recent tax transcript then? I have the old one I used when I sent my N-400 application. Any input will be appreciated.

 

Thank you!

I brought copies of the docs that I sent when I applied for citizenship. they didn't ask for it but doesn't hurt if you bring them.

2 minutes ago, hkl said:

Answering my own question: it took 2 days for the pdf to be available.

did you get your interview schedule already?

Hi enoughwait -  i found it in another thread, i didnt get to see it here. I will look for it.

Hi Zippydoodah - my mother-in-law submitted her application last July and she only got the biometrics. Still waiting for her interview date.

I was reading one of the threads here and I found this link:

https://judiciary.house.gov/press-release/house-judiciary-committee-uncovers-uscis-fails-conduct-background-checks-immigration-applicants/

if I understood the entire thread and the article, IOE applicants are affected. but it did not say what month was affected plus this was a month ago. I dont know if there are any improvements done already on the ELIS or name check. 

I apologized for being the bearer of bad news.

does this affect application that was submitted back in July? there are 2 people who applied for citizenship in our household. one was submitted like around april or may and he had his oath taking last August. the 2nd application for my mom-in-law was submitted July 2016 and until now we are still waiting for her interview letter. we submitted her application to the Phoenix Lockbox and our field office is Chicago, IL.

I am not sure if this will help.

I came in with K1 visa and applied for citizenship after being married for 3 years. After our wedding I immediately took my husband's last name but I have a very long maiden name that I could not change during that time.

When I applied for citizenship, I change my name but kept my husband's last name. there is no additional cost to change my name, I just indicated it in the application.

Chicago field office's processing times has been updated, they are now processing application submitted last April 20, 2016.

If my assumptions are correct since this was as of October 31, 2016, they should be processing applications that was submitted last June.

My mother-in-law is getting so anxious about her application.

can you please add her in the timeline?

She submitted her application last July 13, 2016 to the Phoenix, Arizona address. Her application is IOE and field office is Chicago, IL.

She had her fingerprints last August 12, 2016.

Her online status says they will mail her a letter of when her appointment will be..

my mother in law applied and mailed her application July 13, 2016 to Arizona, her online status still says they have scheduled her appointment and mailed the letter. That was the status since October I think. She's done with biometrics and still waiting for her interview schedule.

my mom-in-law applied for her citizenship around July 13, 2016 as well and her online status says "your interview has been scheduled, your letter is in the mail" something like that. That status has been like that since October if I remember correctly. Her office is Phoenix, AZ. According to the USCIS processing times N-400 in Chicago field office is still processing application submitted as of March 28, 2016. We are still waiting

I am gathering from what you say is that he did not have to get the NBI clearance as part of the petition that i filed when i returned from Cebu in March. Is that correct? Given our petition is at TSC and 7 months have gone buy, he should probably get another one, wouldn't you think?

Thank you very much.

I was enjoying reading your wife's blog about how the two of you met. Long distance relationships are very hard indeed.

-Timothy

Mine was both 1 year. We didnt include NBI clearance in our K1 petition. When we receive our approval that's when she started getting the NBI clearance and CENOMAR. Upon her interview, they didnt ask for it but still bring it.

NBI clearance will expire after a year. it is preferable to get a clearance once you are scheduled for an interview in the embassy, that way it is "pretty fresh". The certificate of No Marriage (singleness) I think has no expiration. I remember getting both of these documents before my interview. I may be wrong, I will try to check the certificate of No Marriage (singleness) when i get home.

Wow. I lot of really judgemental and racist reply there.

First of all, I am not going to the US to find a job as my life here in the PH is completely going well. Why would I give up being a well off entrepreneur and be someone else's babysitter for a freaking green card? My cousin's in the US doesn't need babysitting, THEY'RE GROWN UP PEOPLE.

Second, as I have said, I wouldn't bring my daughter and husband along because (1) My kid can get really grumpy, would I bring a 3 year old child with small little feet to walk around the New York streets with me? Especially if it was my first time in the city? I don't think so. Would you bring a 3 year old child to the world's tallest roller coaster? Nope. (2) My husband runs a family business that he can just leave whenever he wants to. And he's gonna take in charge of my business while I'm out. He's not a sea farer, btw he has his own US visa if that gives you the satisfaction. Thus, gives you the fact that someone will take care of my daughter, aside from the grandparents, while I'm gone.

Third, this trip is supposedly to be a gift to me from my father. We will cut the expenses in half. Now shoot me in the head because I have supportive parents who wants to help me cross one thing on my bucket list. I wouldn't be asking for this tour if I couldn't afford it.

Fourth, just because the people of the PH has a reputation of marrying a US citizen for a freaking green card doesn't mean every Filipino has the intention to do so. (but thanks to those freaking nutjob for blowing it up for everybody else) I don't need a green card. I just want to freaking see and experience the place I've been dreaming of since I was a kid.

Fifth, somebody told me that there are lots of non visa countries I could visit instead of going to the US. Yeah countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Hongkong and other Asian countries that exactly looks like the Philippines. Japan, Korea and Australia needs visa. If I'm getting a visa and if I'm gonna go all through the hassle, better make it worth it and get the one I've been really dreaming of which is VISIT the US.

If I was from a different country, say I was from the UK, France or Italy, would you give me the same judgemental answers? I guess not.

Beautiful blessings to all of you.

These are the cold, hard facts and some of them might be speaking from their own experience. You came to this forum and website to get an input. In this forum, people try to provide inputs and the bitter realities of going thru K1 petition, green card application, naturalization, etc.

You get easily offended or upset on the fact that nobody can tell you that you have 100% chance of getting a visa. Try going thru other forums, people from Kenya, China, Italy, etc are also asking the same inputs as you are. The situations that they are in may be different from you but they never came back and say that the people who answered their post are very judgmental or racist.

Travelling to "few non-visa" countries does not guarantee a US tourist visa. being an entrepreneur or a business owner would probably help but (would like to emphasize) it is not a guarantee. Good luck with your application and keep us posted!

Not sure for your country. MIL just approved 2days ago in philippines. So many have warned about not saying anything about grand kids, visiting children married and living abroad, not enough money in the bank, showing property deeds, etc etc etc. my MIL has no property, makes 3000php every 3 months, gave the reason for the visit is to see her newly born granddaughter and her daughter. She is a midwife by profession. Approved.

I think the biggest factor is the demeanor of the one being interviewed. The counselor has so much experience being able to read the smallest differences in someone telling the truth and one who is lying. I'm sure there have been and will be those who are good enough or lucky enough to get away with a lie, but usually for us normal people, they can read us.

My MIL is very open, very straightforward and singleminded. I'm sure that helped more than anything else during the questioning as that IS the reason she is coming to visit.

Good luck!!!

congrats typo808!

My mom said the same thing, that she wanted to visit her grandchild here in the US. she makes 10Kphp/mo and not enough savings in the bank. She does have a property and its a small piece of land where she wanted to be buried someday. She was approved and was given 10years tourist visa.

there really is no set of documents aside from the DS-160, passport, appointment confirmation and pictures that was stated in the US embassy website. in my previous blog (https://randomengineerblog.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/9/)%C2'> that i shared here a couple of days i made a list of documents for my mom and younger brother. they used this as reference in preparation of their interview. When they got to the US embassy for their interview they were asked 4 questions & the CO didn't ask for any supporting documents. they were granted a tourist visa.

My brother & his wife who works in SG used the same list, they too were not asked for any documents and was granted a tourist visa.

What I am trying to convey is that each applicant is different and the only way to find out if the documents you have will suffice is for you to go ahead and apply for a tourist visa.

So basically the message Im getting here is that, because i have a Philippine passport working overseas, i should not even sweat it and that as early as now its clear that I will get denied? And that no paperworks, nothing at all will help my case?

read their website http://bahrain.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant_visas.html

My brother got his US visa when he was working in SG. the least you can do is try.

There are many genuine applicants in every country who wish to come visit the US for real reasons and then return home.

It's the man who claims to want to spend 5 years' income on a 2-3 week US visit, or the gent with gigantic bank deposits two weeks before his interview who screw things up for others after them.

yes there are.

there are people in PI who applied for Shengen and US visa and they were granted visa. they didn't overstay. all they really want was to have a vacation and see European countries or Disneyland & Hollywood.

My mother was denied thrice and she had valid reasons for applying. On her first try, she was invited to attend a wedding, while on her second attempt it was due to our Lolo's (her Father) burial and her last try was to take care of their ailing mother. Her first and third interviews were done in Manila while the second was in Saipan while she was working there (with our Father). The denial on her second try was heartbreaking for her. Her family had to delay the funeral almost a month after our Lolo passed away for he to see him (even just his dead body) before he will be laid to rest. Our Lolo left in 1978 and visited home just once in 1985. He died (I think) last 1999. Our mom is the only one left in the Philippines. Our grandparents tried petitioning her (us) but (they said) they were duped by someone. Next year, I will be filing my N400 and getting her is my top priority this despite her non-interest (out of frustration I guess) of going here anymore.

In her case, I guess LUCK was never on her side.

Thanks for sharing your blog though and I hope it will help a lot of people who would want to see Disney and Hollywood (LOL).

Good luck with your N-400 application!

There are many genuine applicants in every country who wish to come visit the US for real reasons and then return home.

It's the man who claims to want to spend 5 years' income on a 2-3 week US visit, or the gent with gigantic bank deposits two weeks before his interview who screw things up for others after them.

I would agree! Some would think that having a huge amount of money sitting in your account for a month, a week or couple of days before your interview will help establish credibility that you have strong ties with your native country. My mom was thinking the same thing. My brother and I told her that it doesn't matter and it might even give them a negative result (denial of the visa).At least she listened and she came in with her bank account (and my younger brother's bank account) with what they really have in the bank.

One thing to learn from this review (which was quite good) is that there is no such thing as asking for a 'review' or 'reconsideration' of a denial...once the decision is made, the interview is over. An applicant can re-apply (however early they can get an apt), but otherwise there are no appeals nor reconsideration....as those who tried found out, all that will happen is that they will (eventually) be escorted from the embassy.

Thank you HFM181818!

It's my time to give back to this site! A lot of people/post here helped us with our K1 process up to the naturalization process. Any experiences or thoughts that I can share I will post it here.

As for your statement above, yes you can re-apply and pay another $165 but there will be no guarantee that the 2nd try or 3rd try will mean an approved visa application.