Anyone got oath letter lately?

Hi, Durgum
Sorry, didn't mean to scare or discourage anyone. I had applied for naturaliation in March 2001 after 3 years of being married to a USC. Little did I know at the time that the 3 months exception only applies to the continuos residnece requirement, not the time one must be married to a USC. I applied 2 months before the 3 cont. residence req, and it was 2 month before the 3 year time req of being married to a USC. I was fingerprinted, intervied and recommended for naturalization the day of the interview, exactly a year ago, on Jan 14 2002. 5 min before the Oath ceremony an INS officer pulled me out of the waiting room and told me that I didn't qualify because at the time I applied for natz I was only married to a USC for 2 years and 10 months, not for 3 years. Even though at the time of the Oath I had been married to the same USC for more than 3 years - it doesn't count. Anyway, I had to reapply and start all over again. I applied again on Jan 15, 2002. Got fingerprinted in April 2002, interviewed on 10/28/02, got an Oath letter for Dec. 4, 2002, then got a letter telling me my Oath was canceled. Now waiting for a new letter. So that's what happened to me, that's why I've been waiting for two years. Just my luck. With the latest natz application it will be only a year, PD is January 22 2002.
SV
 
sv. your story is amazing. just look at the bright side. you are quite experienced and you are almost there. i guess everyone has his own story. if i told you my story, i could write a book. it should be bestsell. my blood pressure goes up every time i hear INS.
 
just try to revive this link. sorry.

i have never heard anyone except Jennie and JNM who got oath letter since December. JNM's oath is 1/10. but he seems disappeared after his announcement. Jennie, are you sure you got oath letter? you are very lucky.
 
It didn't seem that Jenny had a case of a canceled cermony, like you and I did, EMC. I have not gotten anything yet from the INS after they descheduled my oath almost 2 months ago. They are just taking their time, I'm sure, as usual
 
Hi emc1234,

Yes, so far I haven't had a cancellation letter sine the oath notice.
I'll let you know ASAP if something happens.

Good luck!
Jennie
 
sv303,
it seems that backlog at NJ is cleared up. hopefully they are cleared up here. i expect oath letter would come at any time from now on. btw, do you hear anything from your lawyer? what if oath letter is lost in mail?
 
Hi, EMC
No, I have not heard anything new from my lawyer. In fact, he just received my A file from the INS that we requested under FOIA to may be find out what the hold up is about, and there is nothing there at all about the fact that i had a ceremony scehduled and then de-scheduled. I'm eagerly waiting, checking my mail box every day...
Which DO are you in, btw? I'm in Seattle...
SV
 
thx. sv. i am at Dallas.
FOIA is new to me. From you file, could you see your earlier applications, such as I-485, H1, B2, and any other visa applications? And any decisions they made on you on anything? In a word, what is exactly in FOIA? Thanks.
 
Hi, EMC
FOIA= Freedom of Information Act. It's a law that allows one to obtain the documents from a goverenment agency that is not classigfied that pertains to one's file, i.e. it allows you to request all your paperwork from the INS, your entire A file or parts of it. You can find more info on the law on the INS' website. You need to file a special form (I think it's G-639 or something like that, it's on the INS website). Usually there is no fee, unless your file is very large. There you can find the copies of all the documents that the INS keeps on you in your A file. All the documents you submitted along with the FBI clearences, worksheets the INS had used to process your adjudications etc. There would be no non-immigrant visa info in there because those visas are handled by the Dept. of State, but if you had an H1B, everything on H1B should be there. As you can see, the INS is not very good at making sure all your documents are properly stored, as evidenced by the mess in my file (they are missing the documentation related to my latest de-scheduled ceremony). But maybe you'll be luckier and find out what the problem is with your file, altough don't hold your breath. It is a good idea to request it anyways just to make sure all the info on your immigration papers is accurate, as far as you can tell.
It takes about a month from the request to the time you actually receive your file. When you fill out the form, wirte "Entire A file" on the line where it says what informations you want them to send to you
Hope this helps
SV
 
RECIEpT DATe to Oath Letter 10months

Reciept dat apr 25th 2002
sent wrong amount of money extended by 1 month
fingerprint dat aug 2002
interview dec 11th 2002
oath letter recieved on 30th dec for Feb 28 2003
Baltimore MD
Vermont processing center
India
 
sv303. are you still checking mailbox everyday? I start on once a week to decrease the depression :) i am afriad that my case just overlooked by mistake. have you talked with your lawyer to see if any of his clients got oath letter? so far, i only heard people from Newark. I wish i was at neward also :)
 
Hi, EMC
I just opened the browser to post my news and saw your post there :)
I actually got naturalized yesterday! I still cannot beleive it, that this nightmare is finally behind me!
Here is what happened. Two weeks ago my husband an I contacted a Congressman (by email), actually, his Immigration relations office, and asked them for help. We had contacted them last year as well, when the INS turned me down the first time, so we were not new to them (although I'm sure they didn't remember us anyways). We explained what had happened after the last time we exchanged emails with them, and asked him (the immigration relations person at the Congressman's office) to contact the INS on our behalf and ask them about what's going on. He replied the same day and said that he contacted the INS with my info (my A#, LIN#, DOB, my name and my address) and asked them to "simply schedule the ceremony" for me. About 10 days later, last Thursday, I got a phone call (!!!) from the INS. They called me at work, and asked me when is a good time for me to come to the ceremony. I said I could do it the same day, and they said they needed some time to prepare my natz certificate, and invited me for the Oath on Monday, 2/10, which was yesterday. Later that day we got an email from the Congressman's office which contained a reply from the INS telling them that they scheduled my ceremony for 2/10. So clearly the only reason they called me because the Congressman's office contacted them.
See, from my expirience of dealing with the INS - if anything at all gets out of sequence, your file gets delayed by many many months. I suspected that because my natz process got out of sequence, quite possibly they received all the clearances etc from the FBI and whoever else, but my file was out of sequence that is pushed ahead by computers. I suspected that my file just sat on a shelf somewhere gathering dust, and all that was needed was a little nudge to push it ahead. I'm almost a 100% certain that this is what's happenning to you too.
Obviously, my advice to you would be to go to your Congressman (I don't know if it's possible to get an appointment - that would be the best) and tell them your story. If you can't meet them in person, send them a letter and an email. Be brief and persuasive, and explain why it is so important to you to get naturalized (for example, you want to petition for your family is a good reason, everybody has a family and would be sympathetic to your cause). Each Congressperson office has a special immigration relations staff that does nothing but hassles the INS to help out folks like you and me. They don't go through regular channels like we do, there is a special Congressional Laison office in each INS DO, and they are far more responsive to congressional inquires. Do it. You have nothing to loose. There was another time when a US Senator helped my brother with his immigration stuff. Those folks are typically very responsive and sympathetic (but there are some that cannot care less also). If you run into someone at your Congressman's office who does not seem to be willing to take on the challenge and follow up and put the pressure on the INS - go to another Congressman's office, go to a Senator's office - somebody will help.
Good luck to you and I really feel for you. You just need some help to push the INS, and you'll be done!
SV
 
PD: 1/22/02
FP: 4/3/02
Interview: 10/28/02
Oath: 12/4/02 (appt letter received on 11/7/02)
Oath descheduled: 11/25/02
new oath appt (by phone): 2/6/03
Oath: 2/10/03

Seattle DO
 
sv303, I am really glad for you. I just came back from congressman office. To my surprise, I am the only visitor there and staff is very nice. He told me that three other peple talked with him on this. He called INS earlier and INS would send out oath letter during second half of Feb. So, I am not alone. hope INS keep its promise.

Also I need to do 130 and 485 for my wife after oath. How long will it take to start from scratch? if all takes time (like medical checkup, etc), i will start now. otherwise, i just wait till getting the letter.
 
SV303

Thanks

Ram

***********

emc1234



Is your wife in your country or is she is already in US? I need to apply for a k3 visa as my wife is in India.
 
why don't you talk with congressman office? They will help you. Or is it possible to get your wife here on a B2 visa? She does not have immigration intention (strictly speaking since there is no 130 on her)? In my wife's country (not mine), there are many people who marry to USC but live there and visit US on B2 as needed. It is a wrong assumption that people who marry USC always have immigration intention.

I just checked I-130 requirement. As to the photo part, it saies:

"a color photo of you and one of your husband or
wife, taken within 30 days of the date of this petition.
The photos must have a white background and be
glossy, unretouched and not mounted."

It means two 2inch regular INS photos? or one photo showing two people together? It is odd to have this post in one photo.

Also the filing address. Since I will do 485 and 130 and 131 together, should I send to local DO or Regional service center?

Anyway, these questions are not for this forum. If you know, please answer. Otherwise I will pose them at 485 section.

good luck.
 
For all experience persons:

Is it 'online' message changes before and after service center send the interview letter?

thx
 
idesi
the online message change after they send you the inteview letter ,so if at anytime you read something like "your file is not found " expect the letter to arrive anytime soon .good luck



durgum
i am on the same boat like you ,hopfully in a month i will be able to upgrade my i 130 from pr to uscitizen and file for k3if you have any question i will help you with what i know .

emc1234
since your wife is here ,you don't have much to do except filing all the papers together ( i130,i485,i 129, i131 etc ...)you gonna need you certificate of marriage and both birth cerificate from abroad everything else can be done here .good luck
one picture for each one of you ,one for you one for your wife (individual).
i cannot be 100% sure but i think you will have to send the whole package to the service center (vermont ,.....

sv303
i am happy its all over .congrat !!!!!!
 
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