Atlanta GA - N-400 Timeline

Congratulations Sethumadhavan. i have a question for you. as you know the second question the IO asked you had more than one answers. just want to know if we need to answer all or one would be enough ?thank you!
 
Just became a US Citizen. Both interview and the oath process were great. I will post details late evening.
 
My interview was at 10.15 am and I was called in about 15 minutes late. When the IO was having difficulty with my long first name I walked towards him and identified myself by my last name. He greeted me and took me to his office. After the oath to tell the truth, he asked me to sit down. From a shelf on a side he pulled out a package of 4 or 5 papers. One of the papers had the Civics test questions, the first six Qs I was asked: What is freedom of religion?, How many US senators are there?, When must all men register for the Selective service?, When was the Constitution written?, What ocean is on the East Coast of the US?, Name one state that borders Canada. The IO noted down all my answers in red ink. The next paper had many sentences to read, and I was asked to read - What do we pay to the Government?. The next paper had many boxes, and he asked me to write in a box - We pay taxes. I asked him back - should I add to the Government, for which he said no need.

All this was done in less than five minutes. The next 5 minutes were spent the IO going through the file of records, flagging the 485 for GC, the DoB affidavits, my educational qualifications and such. He finally asked me a few details from N-400, like the phone number, address, employment history (I am currently self employed), my single trip outside US in the last five years, a few Qs from 10 D thru' H. The next 3-4 minutes he examined something on his computer while simultaneously talking with me about general things like religion, war, peace, his hiking trips, food, kids and family.

He then said that he was recommending my case for approval and congratulated me saying that he was sure that I would be a very successful American citizen. He also mentioned that I could take the oath at 2 pm.

I thanked him for the graceful conversation.

My wife also had a similar experience on her interview.

The oath ceremony was at 2 pm and started at 2.30 pm. There were 149 new citizens from 54 countries. A video message from the President, two patriotic songs (one was "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood), the Oath, a short message by a Section Manager who led the ceremony all took about 15 minutes. We were handed out the certificates by the numbers we were seated in. By 2.55 pm we were driving home happily.
 
Congrats msatl; Atlanta is going very smooth
Congrulats Setu
I am also in pipeline. Though I have not received my interview letter but hoping to get soon
I am collecting the documents as per your list Any recommandations for interview/documents.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Emno

Did you try to talk to any one at USCIS? You applied with me and started the April thread. It is a puzzle why you haven't received your Interview letter. Are you within the time frame of other NC applicants?
 
My interview experience

My Atlanta DO interview experience today was very similar to the recent descriptions by Sethumadhavan and msatl in regard to the time spent with the IO. My IO was very professional and efficient in manner. His demeanor was pleasant, even friendly, but there was no time for chit-chat. Our encounter was very businesslike. After swearing me in he went through my N-400 confirming my answers to every question. I'd taken a summer vacation trip out of the country since my filing, so I was asked to write in the info on that trip in the section of the N-400 about that. I wasn't asked for a single item from my extensive portfolio of extra evidence (passports, tax returns, etc.).

Since English is my first language and I previously learned basic US history and civics through helping my daughter study for tests at school, I had no trouble with the Civics and English tests. (Questions I recall were date of the Declaration of Independence, one of the longest rivers, name of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution).

At the end the IO said he was recommending my application for approval, congratulated me and asked if I would be able to attend an Oath Ceremony on August 27th. This is the part of my experience that's a bit different from recent posts. My interview appointment was in the afternoon, so I was expecting that it would be too late for a same day Oath. That was especially true by the time I was called for my interview, about an hour after my appointment time. It's not surprising that the office might start falling behind their appointment schedule by afternoon.

Despite the long wait in the waiting room (and then another, shorter wait for my file to be verified so that the OL could be issued to me), like everyone else, I'm really happy and content to have made it past this momentous step.

From my experience, I'd advise other forum members from Atlanta that if you get an afternoon appointment:

1. You may have a long wait in the waiting room. (I recommend bringing along something to read, to pass the time).

2. Don't assume your Oath Ceremony will be scheduled for the same day or even the same week. This might be important to know if you're making travel plans.

Good luck to all upcoming interviewees!
 
Top