Apply Passport at Oath or Later?

[Gladius]

I have a quick question based on experience of fellow members of this forum. Is is it advisable to apply for passport right after oath or wait to mail in afterwards?

What are general wait times for the passport if applied at oath vs. afterwards through mail/ in person. All comments are appreciated.

 

[nkm-oct23]

I have a quick question based on experience of fellow members of this forum. Is is it advisable to apply for passport right after oath or wait to mail in afterwards?

What are general wait times for the passport if applied at oath vs. afterwards through mail/ in person. All comments are appreciated.

It depends on your travel plans. It takes around 3-4 weeks for routine processing for a new passport, whether applied at the oath ceremony or applied later at a accepting facility (you cannot apply for your first passport by mail).

Applying it a day or two after oath is advisable since it allows you sufficient time to sign the certificate, make backup copies and generally admire that piece of paper.

If you have urgent travel plans, it is advisable to get an appointment at the nearest passport agency and apply there.

 

[-me-]

I have a quick question based on experience of fellow members of this forum. Is is it advisable to apply for passport right after oath or wait to mail in afterwards?

What are general wait times for the passport if applied at oath vs. afterwards through mail/ in person. All comments are appreciated.

Current processing time 4-6 week for regular processing, 2-3 weeks for expedited. Applying at the oath ceremony is pretty much same as doing so at USPS. If you need passport within a few days, you need to go to one of the Passport Agencies.

 

[Gladius]

Thanks guys for the replies. I read somewhere in the forum that if you apply at the oath ceremony (location), you don't have to submit your original naturalization certificate along with application. Is that true?

If that's not true then I might as well do at USPS location or passport agency.

 

[cafeconleche]

You have to send in your naturalisation certificate even at the oath ceremony. Really, the only advantage of applying there is that you don't have to go to a post office and waste time dealing with them. The disadvantage is that you will not be able to make a copy of your naturalisation certificate, but that's really not a big deal, IMO.

 

[madgu-gc2005]

Your input is appreciated.

In the passport application the place of birth (#4) is asked. Do I need to write the city and the country of birth?

 

[cafeconleche]

Write down both. If you look at the online application, you can see that they ask for city and country. Only the country will be printed.

 

[madgu-gc2005]

Western desimse

Write down both. If you look at the online application, you can see that they ask for city and country. Only the country will be printed.

Even if we write both city (in online application) and country only country will be printed out. Is it correct?

 

[Gladius]

Your input is appreciated.

In the passport application the place of birth (#4) is asked. Do I need to write the city and the country of birth?

it says on the application - (City & State if in the U.S., or City & Country as it is presently known.)

so you need to write both.

 

[lk1508]

Passport application

Thanks guys for the replies. I read somewhere in the forum that if you apply at the oath ceremony (location), you don't have to submit your original naturalization certificate along with application. Is that true?

If that's not true then I might as well do at USPS location or passport agency.

It depends upon your location. In Detroit, the Passport Agency is just across the street from the courthouse where the oath ceremony took place and you can apply immediately after the oath. If you are applying at the Passport Agency, you need not submit the original Naturalization certificate. They will verify the original one and make a copy. However if you are applying at the Post Office, you will need to submit the original certificate.

 

[daniyatom]

It depends upon your location. In Detroit, the Passport Agency is just across the street from the courthouse where the oath ceremony took place and you can apply immediately after the oath. If you are applying at the Passport Agency, you need not submit the original Naturalization certificate. They will verify the original one and make a copy. However if you are applying at the Post Office, you will need to submit the original certificate.

I understand that under normal processing we will have to submit the naturalization certificate together with the passport application. We will then get the passport and naturalization certificate back via mail. However, what happens if the cert gets lost in the mail? What will happen then? Any regulations that will require USCIS to reissue for free? Please advise.

 

[baikal3]

We will then get the passport and naturalization certificate back via mail. However, what happens if the cert gets lost in the mail? What will happen then? Any regulations that will require USCIS to reissue for free?

As far as I understand, no. If the naturalization certificate is lost (in whatever way), you'll have to submit form N-565 to USCIS requesting a replacement certificate, and to pay an application fee (currently $345).
See http://www.uscis.gov/n-565
The N-565 instructions do not mention any possibility of a fee waiver if the original certificate is lost by another U.S. government agency such as the State Department of USPS.

However, as with any USCIS form, depending on your income, you might qualify for a fee waiver based on inability to pay; see http://www.uscis.gov/i-912

 

[-me-]

However, what happens if the cert gets lost in the mail? What will happen then? Any regulations that will require USCIS to reissue for free? Please advise.

The sender may be eligible for some insurance compensation up to the set limits if applicable to the mail type/service. However, even the commercial carriers do not insure a document mail up to what you think it will cost you to replace it. I guess you would hardly expect that USPS exceeds this level.