Neal851

Thank you walshy and Jamericanlove! We're back from Portland and done with the oath ceremony. It all went well.
Here's a summary of our experience for the oath ceremony at the Portland immigration office.
We left Eugene just after 11:00 AM and arrived in Portland around 1:00 PM. This time we parked right in front of the immigration office on NW Overton St. and paid for the maximum 3 hours of parking which was $4.80. Then we went inside and presented our letter to security for the oath ceremony and security checked us through. We proceeded to the second floor to sit in the waiting area. We checked in at the reception desk #4 just encase and they looked over the paperwork and said we had to fill out the questions and sign and date the form for the oath ceremony and then wait until someone comes to get us around 1:30 PM.
In the waiting room it became very crowded. This time we waited closer to the stairs instead of in the back of the room. A woman came out and asked for our attention around 1:20 PM and instructed everyone who was doing the oath ceremony today to please fill out their forums by answering the questions and putting Portland, Oregon and sign and date it. She told us there was a very large group today taking the oath and she would be back around 1:40 PM with further instructions. Then she came back at 1:40 PM and asked for everyone's attention again. She stood in the middle of the room and asked the people having the oath ceremony today to please follow her, along with any of their interpreters, and for the rest of the friends and family to please keep waiting in the waiting room upstairs until they're called overhead to join them. She told those naturalizing to have their papers ready and their green cards out because they will be turning them in today. Then a huge group of people got up and followed her downstairs and most of the room cleared out. There wasn't as many friends and family left behind.
Around 2:15 PM came the announcement over head for friends and family to please come downstairs and join the rest of them for the oath ceremony. The room was packed with just a few chairs on the other side of the room for people to sit down and the rest were standing. We were told the ceremony lasts around an hour if everything goes smoothly and depending on the size of the group. They said to please take as many pictures as we wanted. My digital camera wasn't working well but I did get some on my cell phone.
Everyone was sitting in rows of chairs. We were told that there were over 50 people taking the oath today from 26 countries. Then they had each person stand up when their name was called and announce what country they were from. There were people from all over the world. Then they played a short video with historical pictures and locations of the United States. Then they gave another speech welcoming them and explained what it means to be an American and take the oath. Then they were asked to raise their right hand and take the oath. After that there was a video of President Barak Obama welcoming them to America as new citizens. Then they were asked to sing the national anthem and the words were projected on the screen. Then came a music video "I'm Proud to Be an American" with pictures of patriotic shots throughout. After that a boy was called to the stage to lead the pledge of allegiance. His parents and other relatives were all becoming citizens today and he was proud of them. Then we all said the pledge of allegiance. Then another speech and they directed every citizen to stand when they called their name. As they stood they were presented with their naturalization certificate and an American Flag and shook hands.
They told us to keep our naturalization certificates safe because it costs around $600 to replace them. After that came the people in matching yellow shirts giving their announcement on the civic duty of voting and they passed out pens and voter registration cards. Then it was over and everyone was allowed to take pictures on the stage in front of the flags or with anyone there. We were done by 3:00 PM sharp. Afterwards we went outside and took pictures in front of the immigration sign on the building and then we went downtown in the Pearl District and walked around and ate a small celebration meal before heading back to Eugene. Portland is really beautiful and they're already getting set up with Christmas decorations downtown. Also on the drive home we saw many shopping places already set up with Christmas lights.
We're very thankful for this day to come and to finally have the immigration journey behind us for good!
Sending our congratulations and best wishes to everyone before us that became citizens, and to everyone after us who have upcoming interviews and oath ceremonies!
Happy Thanksgiving!! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! AND Happy Holidays!

Hi All,
I had my citizenship interview based on 3 year marriage in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, CA on 11/20/13 and thought I would share my experience.
Preparation:
I created a massive binder with tabs and table of contents for all of the documentation that could possibly be asked for by the immigration officer: copy of N400, copy of green card, marriage license, my husband's birth certificate, tax transcripts, bank statements, utilities statements, medical insurance, life insurance, paystubs with "married" as filing status, trips together, pictures, mail to both of us, credit card statemetns, and other evidence. I also put all of our bank cards, credit cards (with the same number), my id, greend card and my passport in a separate envelop to have it ready when asked.
I also took an additional small binder that contained all the forms ever issued to me by uscis, plus my birth certificate and SSN card.
I know, it was an overkill but I like to be over-prepared:)
Interview:
We got to Chatsworth 2 hours before the interview because i could not sit at home and wait any longer. To kill time we had lunch. My husband quizzed me on the history questions and 40 mins before the appointment time we entered the building. Side note: the parking is conviniently located accross the street from the immigration building and it is free.
The security check point did not have any line, so we went through it very quickly.
In the waiitng room I was called to a window for my finger prints and the picture to be taken and then I went back to waiting.
I was called in at around 2:30. So the wait was pretty long considering we got there at 1pm.
My immigration officer was a japanese lady. She was neither super friendly nor mean or rude by any means. She asked me 6 questions which I answered correctly: Why does the US flag have 13 stripes? Which ocean is on the west coast? What is the rule of law? - and the rest I do not remember unfortunately. She asked me to read: How many senators do we have? And write: We have a hundred senatros. Then she said I passed, made me put my alien number on a few pieces of paper and on my name change application.
Then she moved onto asking some questions about my marriage, where my husband works, how old he is, where we met. She asked for the most recent bank statements, medical insurance and car insurance.
Then she crossed referenced my trips outside of the US (I only had 5 - totalling 93 days) using information from the immigration database. She tried to check the stamps in my passport, but I renewed it a year earlier, so not all of the entrance stamps were there.
After that she printed the paper where she checked the box "recommended for approvaL" and said I would have my oath ceremony in December or January. She took a copy of my ID and that was it.
I think I was in her office for about 25-30 min.
I hope this is helpfull.
Good luck to all of you who are still waiting. Dreams do come true! Everything will be good in the end, if it's not good, it's not the end:))

Hi All , After a long journey they have called us for ROC interview on 9/26. The result was APPROVED.
My appointment was scheduled on 9:45 am on 9/26. We reached the field office at 9 am. After security checking we went inside. Now this is the new office in Philadelphia. They switched here before 3 weeks. If you have ROC interview then go to second floor and do check in. We checked in at reception at 9:30 am. There was another couple who has the ROC interview too. There were lot of peoples in the waiting area. Most of them have the Citizenship interviews. The other couple was called at 9:50 by one IO lady. They went together and after 15 minutes our name was called by other Officer. So i think there was no STOKE interview for that couple. But after that i don't know what happened with them.
Our IO name was M Copestick. He welcomed us inside his office. So there was no STOKE interview for us. There was another associate in his office who was taking training of IO from him. We took oath. My original file + RFE file was there in a big folder. The IO was looking strict initially. Then he suddenly started asking questions.
IO has asked the following questions to my Wife (USC) :
How did u meet him ?
Whats your DOB ?
Have you ever been denied for VISA?
How did you become US Citizen ?
Was there any problem in your family to anybody for VISA denial ?
Do u have any children in anywhere in the world ?
What do u do for living ?
Is this your first marriage ?
IO has asked the following questions to me :
Do u have any children in anywhere in the world ?
Whats your DOB ?
Is this your first marriage ?
What is your current address ?
Have u ever been arrested ?
Do u know the mean of arrested ?
Then he asked us , "Do you guys want to submit anything else which u haven't submitted " ? . Then i gave him some bank statements. Then i asked him , can i give you other bank's statements and credit card statements? He smiled and said , "No that's okay, i have already enough."
After that he was very friendly. We talked some things about our Business and some religious talks. Then he said , "You guys are very nice , you are already APPROVED." Then he stamped my I-751 . "APPROVED". Woooohoooo.
Then i asked him , "Do you guys put stamp in passport?". He said , "No we don't do anymore". Then he told me you will get your GC in 8 weeks.
Then i told him , My Driving Licence is expiring on 10/22. What happen if i will not get my GC intime ? Then he told me, "Hummm u r right.". Then he called the Infopass lady and asked her to put stamp in my passport. But she was busy or something. Then he said as you guys are Nice so i will use my stamp last time. Then he got his his old I-551 stamp from his back office and he stamped my passport with I-551. Then i also told him that i have also already applied for N-400 . He said, yeah i see that in my system, but we need to first adjudicate your I-751 to process your N-400.
So overall my Interview experience was very good. The IO was very nice. Now i am waiting for my GC in mail. Also on ther other side i am waiting for Interview date of N-400.

Hi All , After a long journey they have called us for ROC interview on 9/26. The result was APPROVED.
My appointment was scheduled on 9:45 am on 9/26. We reached the field office at 9 am. After security checking we went inside. Now this is the new office in Philadelphia. They switched here before 3 weeks. If you have ROC interview then go to second floor and do check in. We checked in at reception at 9:30 am. There was another couple who has the ROC interview too. There were lot of peoples in the waiting area. Most of them have the Citizenship interviews. The other couple was called at 9:50 by one IO lady. They went together and after 15 minutes our name was called by other Officer. So i think there was no STOKE interview for that couple. But after that i don't know what happened with them.
Our IO name was M Copestick. He welcomed us inside his office. So there was no STOKE interview for us. There was another associate in his office who was taking training of IO from him. We took oath. My original file + RFE file was there in a big folder. The IO was looking strict initially. Then he suddenly started asking questions.
IO has asked the following questions to my Wife (USC) :
How did u meet him ?
Whats your DOB ?
Have you ever been denied for VISA?
How did you become US Citizen ?
Was there any problem in your family to anybody for VISA denial ?
Do u have any children in anywhere in the world ?
What do u do for living ?
Is this your first marriage ?
IO has asked the following questions to me :
Do u have any children in anywhere in the world ?
Whats your DOB ?
Is this your first marriage ?
What is your current address ?
Have u ever been arrested ?
Do u know the mean of arrested ?
Then he asked us , "Do you guys want to submit anything else which u haven't submitted " ? . Then i gave him some bank statements. Then i asked him , can i give you other bank's statements and credit card statements? He smiled and said , "No that's okay, i have already enough."
After that he was very friendly. We talked some things about our Business and some religious talks. Then he said , "You guys are very nice , you are already APPROVED." Then he stamped my I-751 . "APPROVED". Woooohoooo.
Then i asked him , "Do you guys put stamp in passport?". He said , "No we don't do anymore". Then he told me you will get your GC in 8 weeks.
Then i told him , My Driving Licence is expiring on 10/22. What happen if i will not get my GC intime ? Then he told me, "Hummm u r right.". Then he called the Infopass lady and asked her to put stamp in my passport. But she was busy or something. Then he said as you guys are Nice so i will use my stamp last time. Then he got his his old I-551 stamp from his back office and he stamped my passport with I-551. Then i also told him that i have also already applied for N-400 . He said, yeah i see that in my system, but we need to first adjudicate your I-751 to process your N-400.
So overall my Interview experience was very good. The IO was very nice. Now i am waiting for my GC in mail. Also on ther other side i am waiting for Interview date of N-400.

Visit Local IRS office in your area or call them to send you via Fax.

Use the total income figure on your 1040 which is line 22.
It's line 15 on your 1040A.
It's line 4 on your 1040EZ, (AGI).
Current annual individual income is whatever he's currently making or projected to make for the year 2010. You can back this up with an employment letter/paystubs.