Today, I had my marriage based N-400 interview.
We arrived at the DO about 45 minutes prior to the my appointment time. The security guard reviewed my appointment letter and after passing through security he took us up the elevator to a room that resembled the all white room from Men In Black. No color, no clock, just chairs and a few magazines, with a door to enter the office area. There were less than 10 people waiting by the time I arrived. The guard put my letter in a basket and then went back down stairs.
After waiting about 20-30 minutes (no watch with me and phone left in the car), an officer called me into a room to do the Civics/English test. First he asked me to read a sentence out loud: "What do we pay to the government?". Then I had to write: "We pay taxes." After completing that, I had to answer the following questions:
1) What group of people were brought to America and sold as slaves?
2) How many amendments are there to the constitution?
3) What is the name of the current Vice President?
4) What is the name of the highest court in the United States?
5) Who makes the laws?
6) What did we fight the British?
After answering those questions, he commented about high taxes now just like the revolutionary war. He also asked about the military relationship between Canada, Australia, & the UK being that the former were UK colonies. I had no idea what he was talking about and just said I don't know.
After that I went back to the waiting room and he said don't go anywhere, you'll be called in again to go over your application.
About 20 minutes later, a lady came and called my name. I went back to her office, swore to tell the truth and sat down. I saw my whole A-file on her desk, it was 4-5 inches high. Line by line, she went through my N-400 application verifying the information. Sometimes she would tell me what I put, other times she would ask me the question again.
We got to traffic tickets (I've had three) and she "so you went to traffic school and paid the fines?". I said yes. Then she asked if any were drug or alcohol related, no, and then continued. No documentation was asked for. I had a certified disposition for one and a copy of my DMV printout.
After she asked all the yes/no questions she got out my photographs and handed the last page of my application to me to sign. While I was doing that she said that then I'll get information on the oath ceremony.
While waiting outside before the interview, I heard the lady who was before me (not interviewed by the same officer) talking with the guard about an oath ceremony that was in an hour. So while I was signing the photographs and papers I asked about same day oaths. She said they are only for special reasons (someone later told me military who are deploying) and those who live a long way away. I asked if I lived far enough, she said no. She told me the date of the ceremony and said if I can't make that there's one the following month, I said I'll be sure to make the next one.
Then she printed out an address label with my info on it, stuck it to a preprinted oath letter and circled items such as the date, address etc. She then showed me the back and told me to fill that out the day of or night before. Then I was given a piece of paper with the boxes for passed test and recommended for approval ticked off.
The IO then asked if I had any questions, I just asked if this is everything or will something else come in the mail. The IO said no, that's it so I thanked her and left.
Although my application was marriage based, she asked no questions other than confirming my spouse's address and that we are still married. She did ask if we had anything with our current address on (I had submitted a deed, bills, taxes, bank accounts - 200 pages worth). The IO didn't want to go through the file so I pulled out a couple of tax transcripts that the IRS just sent me and that was fine.
I was out within 30 minutes of my appointment time. The IO was very friendly and professional. It was a nice experience.
We arrived at the DO about 45 minutes prior to the my appointment time. The security guard reviewed my appointment letter and after passing through security he took us up the elevator to a room that resembled the all white room from Men In Black. No color, no clock, just chairs and a few magazines, with a door to enter the office area. There were less than 10 people waiting by the time I arrived. The guard put my letter in a basket and then went back down stairs.
After waiting about 20-30 minutes (no watch with me and phone left in the car), an officer called me into a room to do the Civics/English test. First he asked me to read a sentence out loud: "What do we pay to the government?". Then I had to write: "We pay taxes." After completing that, I had to answer the following questions:
1) What group of people were brought to America and sold as slaves?
2) How many amendments are there to the constitution?
3) What is the name of the current Vice President?
4) What is the name of the highest court in the United States?
5) Who makes the laws?
6) What did we fight the British?
After answering those questions, he commented about high taxes now just like the revolutionary war. He also asked about the military relationship between Canada, Australia, & the UK being that the former were UK colonies. I had no idea what he was talking about and just said I don't know.
After that I went back to the waiting room and he said don't go anywhere, you'll be called in again to go over your application.
About 20 minutes later, a lady came and called my name. I went back to her office, swore to tell the truth and sat down. I saw my whole A-file on her desk, it was 4-5 inches high. Line by line, she went through my N-400 application verifying the information. Sometimes she would tell me what I put, other times she would ask me the question again.
We got to traffic tickets (I've had three) and she "so you went to traffic school and paid the fines?". I said yes. Then she asked if any were drug or alcohol related, no, and then continued. No documentation was asked for. I had a certified disposition for one and a copy of my DMV printout.
After she asked all the yes/no questions she got out my photographs and handed the last page of my application to me to sign. While I was doing that she said that then I'll get information on the oath ceremony.
While waiting outside before the interview, I heard the lady who was before me (not interviewed by the same officer) talking with the guard about an oath ceremony that was in an hour. So while I was signing the photographs and papers I asked about same day oaths. She said they are only for special reasons (someone later told me military who are deploying) and those who live a long way away. I asked if I lived far enough, she said no. She told me the date of the ceremony and said if I can't make that there's one the following month, I said I'll be sure to make the next one.
Then she printed out an address label with my info on it, stuck it to a preprinted oath letter and circled items such as the date, address etc. She then showed me the back and told me to fill that out the day of or night before. Then I was given a piece of paper with the boxes for passed test and recommended for approval ticked off.
The IO then asked if I had any questions, I just asked if this is everything or will something else come in the mail. The IO said no, that's it so I thanked her and left.
Although my application was marriage based, she asked no questions other than confirming my spouse's address and that we are still married. She did ask if we had anything with our current address on (I had submitted a deed, bills, taxes, bank accounts - 200 pages worth). The IO didn't want to go through the file so I pulled out a couple of tax transcripts that the IRS just sent me and that was fine.
I was out within 30 minutes of my appointment time. The IO was very friendly and professional. It was a nice experience.
