Attending Oath Ceremony Without Appointment Letter

M

minstrel

Registered Users (C)
My wife and I were interviewed last Monday (March 13th) in Houston for
our N-400 application. I had no trouble and got the appointment letter
for the oath ceremony on March 29th. However, they did not have her
file for the interview. They did go ahead and interview her since she
had copies/originals of almost everything we ever sent to INS/USCIS.
She got the letter declaring that she passed the interview and her
application has been recommended for approval. However, she did not get
an appointment letter. The immigration officer told her that she was
cleared for the oath, that they will mail the appointment letter, and
that she should go for the oath even if she does not get the letter via
mail.

Has anyone run into such a situation before? Should we just take the
immigration officer at his word if we do not get the letter in time (if
at all)? How do I check the status of the case...the online status does
not show anything?

Any thoughts and suggestions would be highly appreciated.

By the way, here are the case details:

App submitted: 1/7/06
Fingerprinting: 2/8/06
Interview: 3/13/06
Oath Scheduled: 3/29/06

As you can see, the process is moving pretty fast in Houston.
 
minstrel said:
My wife and I were interviewed last Monday (March 13th) in Houston for
our N-400 application. I had no trouble and got the appointment letter
for the oath ceremony on March 29th. However, they did not have her
file for the interview. They did go ahead and interview her since she
had copies/originals of almost everything we ever sent to INS/USCIS.
She got the letter declaring that she passed the interview and her
application has been recommended for approval. However, she did not get
an appointment letter. The immigration officer told her that she was
cleared for the oath, that they will mail the appointment letter, and
that she should go for the oath even if she does not get the letter via
mail.

Has anyone run into such a situation before? Should we just take the
immigration officer at his word if we do not get the letter in time (if
at all)? How do I check the status of the case...the online status does
not show anything?

Any thoughts and suggestions would be highly appreciated.

By the way, here are the case details:

App submitted: 1/7/06
Fingerprinting: 2/8/06
Interview: 3/13/06
Oath Scheduled: 3/29/06

As you can see, the process is moving pretty fast in Houston.
Click to expand...


At the Oath Ceremony they ask for two things: Green Card and invitation letter.
I think you should schedule an InfoPass and ask for a letter, otherwise you may have the surprise that is no Naturalization Cerificate issued for her.
If you were to be Naturalized in LA, 5,000 in one shoot, I'll say for sure don't go without an Invitation.
I don't know how it works at your DO.
 
Thanks. She intends to go for the oath and if they do not let her go through the ceremony that day, we will schedule an Infopass appointment, talk to the congressman, etc.
We also called the USCIS 800 number. They were no help.
Any other advice? Anyone within a similar experience?
 
sounds like a "rare' uscis screw-up.

just when you think are couldn't be more incompetent, they surprise us all.
 
Well, it is a government agency which are the same in every country. Bureaucracy, inefficiency and red-tape.
 
minstrel said:
Well, it is a government agency which are the same in every country. Bureaucracy, inefficiency and red-tape.
Click to expand...

looks like governmental incompetency is trans-gender, culture, race, political structure, and continental.

How did they manage to do that?

:)
 
Just wanted to post an update. We went today for the oath. Needless to say, I got my certificate....she did not. They will try to schedule her for June or August.
The saga continues ....
 
i received a email from DHS regarding my oath date/time and place. It mentioned I should still appear to the oath if i did not receive the oath letter on time. however, i received the oath letter on the same day as i recieved the oath email. interesting.
 
minstrel said:
Just wanted to post an update. We went today for the oath. Needless to say, I got my certificate....she did not. They will try to schedule her for June or August.
The saga continues ....
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that, about your wife (CONGRATULATION to you though :) )

I've told you previously, to try to get an InfoPass and get an Oath invitation, without invitation it's a waste of time to go there.
 
If u are in hurray, Talk to Congressman's office. They can contact liasion office directly and can ask them what is going on.

It happened to me, but mine was struck boz of supervisor approval (once in while it goes like this in random). I contacted SanDiego congressman's office and they talked to to DO people directly and I got my interview letter at the time, whatever they promised to office of congressman
 
The immigration officer who interviewed her and his supervisor were both at the oath ceremony this morning. They tried to make a few calls to figure out what is going on. Apparently her file has been found, just not in time for today's oath. Hence the June/August delay. We are in no hurry. Will call them again in early June if there is no appointment letter by then.

I must say that INS/USCIS gets a lot of flak for incompetence, but in spite of today's events I have been impressed by the helpfulness of the local personnel. I have no reasons to complain...after all I got done from application to oath in under 3 months.

Thanks to all of you for all your help, support and words of wisdom.
 
I am in a similiar boat. After the interview the officer told me & my wife that we are scheduled for oath on 04/19 and we will be receiving our appointment letters. I received mine a few days ago but my wife is still waiting for her's. Every other letter we recieved together except this.

We still have three weeks to go so hopefully we can get hers before 04/19
 
Get the Infopass Appointment

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,

In the past I visited USCIS Office to enquire about Oath letter and another issue. The officer looked into the computer and told me that I am schedule for the Oath on XXXXXX date.

He specifically mentioned that if I donot get the Oath letter, when I get very close to date ( I guess 5 days left in Oath date), please get an Infopass Appointment and visit him. He will issue the Oath Letter.

I got Oath letter in the mail and i don't have to visit USCIS office.

Regards,

Mridul
 
I think I need to clarify something. All you folks are in a different boat. They did not have her file at the interview which I believe is not the case with any of you. From what I understand, they could have sent her back and re-scheduled the interview. They did not do that but the missing file ended up delaying the oath. That is why I do not believe the Infopass would not have produced an appointment letter right now. Since they have now found the file, I do intend to pursue the Infopass channel for the next oath.
 
minstrel said:
I think I need to clarify something. All you folks are in a different boat. They did not have her file at the interview which I believe is not the case with any of you. From what I understand, they could have sent her back and re-scheduled the interview. They did not do that but the missing file ended up delaying the oath. That is why I do not believe the Infopass would not have produced an appointment letter right now. Since they have now found the file, I do intend to pursue the Infopass channel for the next oath.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification.
Better later than never ;)
 
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