2011 February N-400 tracker

My interview is also next Thu. 04/28, same DO (Dallas). The documents I plan to take are only the ones mentioned in the N-659 form I received with the interview appointment letter (applied to my case: green card not obtained through marriage and no overdue taxes, citations etc. so points 2 through 14 of the Check list do not apply):

1A. Green Card
1B. Driver's license (also mentioned in Yellow Letter)
1C. Passports/travel documents

The N-659 form also mentions (1D) that it's advisable but not required to bring an extra pair of photos. Do people know how often they actually need the extra photos? The ones I submitted with the application appeared fine. Thanks.
 
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@soras: My application is not based on marriage either. But, I believe in the concept of "abundance of caution." :)

Anyhow, at what time of the day is your interview scheduled? And, is it in Irving?

Good luck to you.
 
I believe in "abundance of caution" as well, but I also have a problem if some government official feels he/she needs to "make law" by arbitrarily expanding the rules past published regulations. The second feeling won in this case. If they ask me for anything not in the published checklist as it applies to me, I will politely tell them that it was not required of me that I bring that particular document to the interview.

Sorry, I misspoke, my actual interview is not in Texas, I just sent the original application to the TX lockbox. My interview is in Albuquerque, NM.

Good luck to you too!

javacafe said:
@soras: My application is not based on marriage either. But, I believe in the concept of "abundance of caution." :)

Anyhow, at what time of the day is your interview scheduled? And, is it in Irving?

Good luck to you.
Click to expand...
 
@Soras: I have no philosophical quarrel with your perspective. It is the amount of discretion that the IOs have that makes me apprehensive.

Anyways, good luck to you. Remember to post your experience afterwards.
 
I think the point Java is trying to make is acting like a smart mouth (not saying you are please) can piss an IO off and they can decide to make your life hell. What will it cost them? Nothing. What will it cost you? A lot. Sure you will end up getting your pp, but they can delay it a whole lot.
I believe USCIS officers and immigration in general, are the worst people to show off how brilliant you are with. It's best to be humble and polite with them since, it seems no matter what, you are on the losing end.
That said, I completely agree with your philosophy too Soras.
Good luck to both Soras and Java!
 
Thanks folks for the feedback, I obviously see your point, as I said I was weighing the 2 sides.

Now I certainly plan on only being polite, a guy playing by the rules, so I don't see why they would get pissed off. They told me the rules and I obeyed them, by bringing absolutely everything they asked for. If they wanted more, they should have asked. Of course they have discretion and could delay me and all that, but I'm in no hurry. Yeah, it might cost me some wasted time (I don't think it will), but that's a small price to pay in my view. I don't want to sound too melodramatic, but a big part of the reason I'm going through the naturalization process is because I believe in due process and individual rights and all that.

Now I agree that some USCIS people are not the friendliest in the world, but these days they are not alone. TSA personnel come to mind. I don't believe in being obsequious with such types (not that I'm saying that anybody in particular is) and further I believe being obsequious with them only reinforces their behavior.

Thanks again folks. I'll post my experience come Thursday.

PS. Does anybody know about how important those extra photos are?

vimarket said:
I think the point Java is trying to make is acting like a smart mouth (not saying you are please) can piss an IO off and they can decide to make your life hell. What will it cost them? Nothing. What will it cost you? A lot. Sure you will end up getting your pp, but they can delay it a whole lot.
I believe USCIS officers and immigration in general, are the worst people to show off how brilliant you are with. It's best to be humble and polite with them since, it seems no matter what, you are on the losing end.
That said, I completely agree with your philosophy too Soras.
Good luck to both Soras and Java!
Click to expand...
 
Soras said:
Thanks folks for the feedback, I obviously see your point, as I said I was weighing the 2 sides.

Now I certainly plan on only being polite, a guy playing by the rules, so I don't see why they would get pissed off. They told me the rules and I obeyed them, by bringing absolutely everything they asked for. If they wanted more, they should have asked. Of course they have discretion and could delay me and all that, but I'm in no hurry. Yeah, it might cost me some wasted time (I don't think it will), but that's a small price to pay in my view. I don't want to sound too melodramatic, but a big part of the reason I'm going through the naturalization process is because I believe in due process and individual rights and all that.

Now I agree that some USCIS people are not the friendliest in the world, but these days they are not alone. TSA personnel come to mind. I don't believe in being obsequious with such types (not that I'm saying that anybody in particular is) and further I believe being obsequious with them only reinforces their behavior.

Thanks again folks. I'll post my experience come Thursday.

PS. Does anybody know about how important those extra photos are?
Click to expand...

To be honest, this is the first time I have heard of extra photos. Since they cost about ten bucks to take, just take them. Although, I frankly cant see what they will need them for. Maybe for people whose application have been pending a long time and they need more recent photos or something but that's obviously not your case.
 
Although I will be carrying the extra photos, I am 90% certain that they will not be needed. The biometrics appointment I had, involved finger printing and photo taking. My understanding is that they now use the photo that was taken at the biometric appointment, routinely. The instruction to bring along photos is, I believe, a vestige from when biometrics did not involve picture taking.

But, as I said before, even a 10% probability is significant for me in a case such as this. I am hoping that they will not ask for the photos. Because, if (and, this is a big IF) they give me an oath on the same day (which they do frequently at my DO), I could use one of the two extra photos I have, for my passport application. I do not intend to waste much (or any) time between receiving the Naturalization certificate and applying for the passport.
 
javacafe said:
Although I will be carrying the extra photos, I am 90% certain that they will not be needed. The biometrics appointment I had, involved finger printing and photo taking. My understanding is that they now use the photo that was taken at the biometric appointment, routinely. The instruction to bring along photos is, I believe, a vestige from when biometrics did not involve picture taking.

But, as I said before, even a 10% probability is significant for me in a case such as this. I am hoping that they will not ask for the photos. Because, if (and, this is a big IF) they give me an oath on the same day (which they do frequently at my DO), I could use one of the two extra photos I have, for my passport application. I do not intend to waste much (or any) time between receiving the Naturalization certificate and applying for the passport.
Click to expand...

Yes they have updated the naturalization certificate and the photo you took at the biometric appointment will be on it .
It's an added security , because the picture is blended with the certificate .
 
Thanks so much, eternal_labor. I did not know that, I thought they were going to use the photos I submitted. That being said, javacafe's comment (that unused extra photos could very well be used for passport application) makes a lot of sense, so I'll probably have an extra set made.
 
I finally got a text saying my status was updated and my case transferred to a local office and an interview will be scheduled. Looking forward to an actual date! ;)
 
Ok, I think I might be next to go. My interview is this Wednesday April 27 at 10 am in Baltimore. Wish me luck. Just re-reading the couple of previous posts in this thread, I remember to look for my travel docs. I had a couple of advance paroles and even EADs. Oh boy! Can't wait for it to be over. I am banking on same day oath and i think at this point I would be crushed if it didn't happen. My hubby is even taking the mere 8.something hours of leave he has left to go with me in case i get oath same day and he can be there with me and take pics. any advice or suggestions? especially for baltimore interview. THanks!
 
@regskins: Wish you the very best of luck. The interview will likely be a cakewalk, but the Oath on the same day . . . that is where you need the luck, and my best wishes to you. Anyhow, please remember to post your experiences afterward.
 
Thanks Javacafe. I have perused this forum and am pretty sure baltimore offers same day oath. Thanks for the good luck wishes. I will try and post my experience that same night so that you can read it before heading to your own interview the next day. Thanks again!
 
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