Baltimore N-400 Timeline

I just got home from the Washington Passport Agency, with my brand spanking new US passport. They actually do a pretty good job of expediting the passport and getting it back to me in a few hours. Since I'm traveling next week, I made my appointment last week when I got my oath letter. My appointment was at 9AM, but by the time you get there, you'll realize that they tell about 50 other people that their appointment is at 9AM. So you end up with a room full of people by 8:30! Anyways, I finally got to the counter at about 10:30 and the lady there looked at my airline tickets to verify that I was traveling soon and asked me to come back at 2pm. For some reason the same day passports got delayed and I didn't get my passport until about 3:30pm.

For those of you who are getting expedited passports, I would really recommend going directly to the Washington Passport Agency. It cost me only $160 for the 4-hr passport delivery. If I had done it through a private agent, the cost is usually $200-300 + $160 = $360-460!!.

Anyways, I'll definitely be around and looking to give some help to those of you as you go through the process... at least for a few more months. :)
 
rwickra...ooops excuse me,i meant to say sir mr. citizen, what are your plans? travel the world?
lucky you. and congrats to you. can't wait to be in your shoes.
soon, soon.
 
Thanks, Vlorak!

Yeah, I can't tell you how happy I am to have the US passport in my possession. I've traveled extensively before, and with my old country's passport, no matter where I stand socially and economically (and I'm a professional), somehow the fact that I carry a passport from a country perceived by many nations as a potential immigration threat has haunted me with the indignity that it brings for the last twenty years...

I'm gonna start with Europe... that's where I've endured most of the attitude from immigration officials.
 
I went to Baltimore today for my interview, I got there around 9.10am, my appointment was at 9.40am and was called around 10.10am. Young mid thirties African American girl was the one that interviewed me, she was very nice and talked very quite. I did passed all the test and was schedule for an oath ceremony next Friday which is the 23nd of May at 11am.
I was kinda disappointed that it didn't happen same day and have to drive back there next week. but at the same time I was just glad that it's almost over. Thanks for sharing your experiences on this website, it definitely help me getting ready for the test.
 
Can someone tell me :
1. how do I follow up on oath letter (they told me they would have to wait for my file from another state with my Green card to be merged with this file)

2. is there a separate thread on this board for Virginia processing? My friend will be doing her citizenship there

Thanks
 
mayfletcher said:
Can someone tell me :
1. how do I follow up on oath letter (they told me they would have to wait for my file from another state with my Green card to be merged with this file)

2. is there a separate thread on this board for Virginia processing? My friend will be doing her citizenship there

Thanks
Click to expand...

1. You may want to directly call the Baltimore DO or setup an INFOPASS with the Baltimore office to follow the progress of your case. Make sure you keep them on their toes; otherwise it's easy to get behind.

2. Yes, the processing in VA is done by the Washington DC/Arlington VA district office (I don't think there's a Richmond VA office). See the link on the signature for Koolvik7 for the VA processing thread. You can find it at the top of this page.
 
Oath letter

I had my interview on May 13th at 2.30 PM and passed, and was told that the oath ceremony was full and I would not be able to take the oath the same day. When I asked when I would be able to take the oath, they told me atleast 4-6 weeks. I left expecting the oath letter to come in the mail. I am now reading that people are able to schedule for the oath at the reception. Is this true. I was not told that I could do this. Now I am worried, was I supposed to stay and schedule at the reception. What should I do? Please help.
 
That's the first time I heard Baltimore DO was "sending out oath letters by mail". For the last few weeks, they've been scheduling the oath right after the interview; I'm surprised that they would revert to methods employed by many other DOs.

You might want to pay Baltimore DO a visit through an INFOPASS appt in a week or two and ask about scheduling an oath ceremony. I think one of our posters did that -- I can't remember who, but I think his wife got a letter and he didn't, and then he ended up walking into Baltimore DO and asking for an oath and they scheduled him for one.
 
Thank You very much for the reply. I made an info pass for may 30th, which was the only available date. I wish they had told me to schedule. I feel so stupid for not asking how I would get the oath date. I had no name change or any other problems.

Do anyone have the phone number to the baltimore office? Do you think I can walk in without info pass? I don't want to wait till may 30th.

I regards to my interview, based on 5 year residency rule, they just went through my application form and updated my address change which they already had. Asked 6 questions (how many stars, color of the stars, what do they stand for, who is the president, where does he live and one more) and write a simple sentence. They did not ask for any documents. The officer was pleasant. It was about 10minutes.

Thanks.
 
i got a DUI last year n february, ins sent me a letter last april sayin that they need a letter of disposition of my case by may 15,which i dont have coz i havent been to court yet,my lawyer told me to pay another 500 on top of the 3000 i already paud in the begining so she can send in some documentation from my DUI lawyer,but told me that there is a chance they might still give it to me,i was once a name check victim so im in my 3rd year with no GC,anyone knows anything about a case like this n if there is any posibillity that they can still give it to me without a resolution pls let me know.
thx n all the best to all u guys havin INS issues.thx
 
donmunthali said:
i got a DUI last year n february, ins sent me a letter last april sayin that they need a letter of disposition of my case by may 15,which i dont have coz i havent been to court yet,my lawyer told me to pay another 500 on top of the 3000 i already paud in the begining so she can send in some documentation from my DUI lawyer,but told me that there is a chance they might still give it to me,i was once a name check victim so im in my 3rd year with no GC,anyone knows anything about a case like this n if there is any posibillity that they can still give it to me without a resolution pls let me know.
thx n all the best to all u guys havin INS issues.thx
Click to expand...

Without a court certified case disposition there is ZERO change of being approved, especially if the case hasn't even gone to trial yet. Even once you get the disposition, its rather dicey having a CIMT offense within the 5yr "good moral behavior" window.
 
donmunthali said:
i got a DUI last year n february, ins sent me a letter last april sayin that they need a letter of disposition of my case by may 15,which i dont have coz i havent been to court yet,my lawyer told me to pay another 500 on top of the 3000 i already paud in the begining so she can send in some documentation from my DUI lawyer,but told me that there is a chance they might still give it to me,i was once a name check victim so im in my 3rd year with no GC,anyone knows anything about a case like this n if there is any posibillity that they can still give it to me without a resolution pls let me know.
thx n all the best to all u guys havin INS issues.thx
Click to expand...

It was due by May 15th and you're asking on May 19th?
 
Rwickra said:
1. You may want to directly call the Baltimore DO or setup an INFOPASS with the Baltimore office to follow the progress of your case. Make sure you keep them on their toes; otherwise it's easy to get behind.

2. Yes, the processing in VA is done by the Washington DC/Arlington VA district office (I don't think there's a Richmond VA office). See the link on the signature for Koolvik7 for the VA processing thread. You can find it at the top of this page.
Click to expand...

Thanks I appreciate the info.
 
I went to Baltimore today for my interview, we got there around 12.40pm, and my appointment was at 1.20pm and was called around 1.45pm. Very sweet girl was the one that interviewed me, she was very nice. She went through the application and updated the appropriate information. I was not asked for any documents (Tax forms, birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.) The Interview was done in 10 minutes.

I was asked six questions and asked to write a simple sentence. I passed the test and was given option to take the oath same day at 3pm. Almost everyone who was in the waiting room with us was given option to take the oath at 3pm.

The oath ceremony process took total of 1hour and 15 minutes. The whole thing (interview and oath) took 3 hours.

Thanks everyone on this website for sharing your experiences, it definitely help me get ready for the test and get latest updates.
 
Got oath letter

I got my oath letter today. I guess I was worried for nothing. So I don't believe they schedule for oath there for people who couldn't take the oath the same day. Hope this helps for people still waiting for the interview.
 
Rwickra said:
I just got home from the Washington Passport Agency, with my brand spanking new US passport. They actually do a pretty good job of expediting the passport and getting it back to me in a few hours. Since I'm traveling next week, I made my appointment last week when I got my oath letter. My appointment was at 9AM, but by the time you get there, you'll realize that they tell about 50 other people that their appointment is at 9AM. So you end up with a room full of people by 8:30! Anyways, I finally got to the counter at about 10:30 and the lady there looked at my airline tickets to verify that I was traveling soon and asked me to come back at 2pm. For some reason the same day passports got delayed and I didn't get my passport until about 3:30pm.

For those of you who are getting expedited passports, I would really recommend going directly to the Washington Passport Agency. It cost me only $160 for the 4-hr passport delivery. If I had done it through a private agent, the cost is usually $200-300 + $160 = $360-460!!.

Anyways, I'll definitely be around and looking to give some help to those of you as you go through the process... at least for a few more months. :)
Click to expand...

Rwickra - Congrats on finishing the process ! I paid an agent $300 to get same day passport. But I was very busy and could not go to Washington Dc anyway. But nice to know that they really work efficiently.
 
Got IL

VSC (Baltimore DO)
02/07/08: Mailed N400 to VSC
02/11/08: Priority date
02/18/08: Check cashed
02/22/08: received notice letter
02/22/08: Fingerprint Notice
02/29/08: Fingerprint Date
05/20/08: IL
06/21/08: Interview Date
 
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