Boston MA - N-400 TimeLine

DMV Report

The Mass DMV report shows payments for the last 7 years of tickets I think. There is an incident date and a resolution date. Paid tickets have an R right next to it. The officer seemed to know about it. I also got a letter from the Mass DMV and from the West Virginia DMV (after several calls and supervisor escalations) which stated that they do not keep records for over 7 years and that it was all paid and settled up and my license was valid (in Mass) until 2007. The officer did not ask for that letter. The driving license sufficed. Seemed as if he did not care for much stuff prior to the 485...

-- Gaude
 
cannot see my case information

Ok, its really strange. My fingerprinting date is not until nov 22. But today when I just happened to go see my file status online, I got the red message saying

Validation Error(s)
You must correct the following error(s) before proceeding:
Status for this Receipt Number cannot be found at this time in this automated system. Please check your case receipt number to see if it is correct. If you have questions or concerns about your case status, please contact the service center where you submitted your application.

Well, I saw the 365 day message earlier. Although I checked only once since I got my 1st notice on Oct 14. I did not check since then. Is it not strange that the case information has vanished even before finger print?
Any input?

Timeline:
VSC
DO - Boston
priority date: 10/5/2005
finger printing date : 11/22/2005
 
1 Step to Go

This morning I had an interview for my US citizenship application. The appointment time is 10:00 AM. I got there at 9:30 AM, handed in the appointment letter, sat down, and waited to be called. There were about 50 seats with 10 empty. I could have come at 9:15 AM. The immigration interviewers came and called out for their interviewees. There were at least 5 interviewers.

After waiting for about 40 minutes, I was called. I went to an office with the interviewer. She asked me to raise right hand and swear to tell the truth. Then she asked me each question in the N-400 form. I told her that I had 1 trip outside US after I submitted the application in August. I had brought with me a new N-400 form filled out, and I gave her the page with the travel information. With the form in Adobe Acrobat format with the editable fields, it was easy to just add the extra travel date and print the form out. She asked me about the Selective Service. I told her that I was 28 years old when I got the green card. When she asked me about the citation, I told her that I had 2 speeding tickets 10 years ago when I was in college. She asked me how I took care of the tickets. I told her that I mailed in the fine. She didn't ask me for the driving records.

She put a check mark next to each question after I gave her an answer. I brought with me many documentation suggested by the posting, http://www.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=197782 . But she never asked me for any, and I was not going to tell her about the documentation unless she asked for them.

She asked me to print my name on the side of the 2 photos that I included with the original application form. Then she asked me to print my name in 3 places on some form, although the form asked for 1 printed name and 2 signatures.

After that, she gave me a piece of paper with 10 civic questions to answer. They were all from the 100 sample questions on the USCIS web site, http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/100q.pdf . The questions were 12, 37, 45, 47, 48, 51, 68, 77, 80, 93. For question 47, it just asked the 49th state instead of the 49th and the 50th states. I guessed Hawaii. I told the interviewer that I was not sure which of ones of Hawaii and Alaska was the correct answer. She hesitated a bit and put a check mark next to the answer. I got all of the questions right.

She gave me a blank piece of paper and asked me to write "I love America". She put all of the papers together, punch holes through them, and put them in my file. Then she gave me a piece of paper and told me that I had passed the interview and to wait outside for the oath date.

After about 5 minutes of waiting, I was called and given 2 pieces of paper with an oath date of Feburary 9th, 2006. My priority date was Auguest 8th, 2005. So the total duration of my application would be exactly 6 months. When I left the interview area, it was 10:30 AM.

Here is my timeline.

Boston, MA
N400 mailed - 08/05/05 (Friday)
Priority date - 08/08/05 (Monday)
Check cashed - 08/15/05
N400 Receipt - 08/22/05
FP notice date - 09/08/05
FP appointment date - 10/11/05
FP sent to USCIS by FBI - 10/12/05 (Called FBI to check)
Interview notice date - 10/20/05
Online status change - 10/22/05
Interview notice received - 10/26/05
Interview appointment - 12/07/05
Oath letter received - 12/07/05
Oath appointment - 02/09/06
Passport applied - ???
Passport received - ???
 
Last edited by a moderator:
netuser00 said:
This morning I had an interview for my US citizenship application. The appointment time is 10:00 AM. I got there at 9:30 AM, handed in the appointment letter, sat down, and waited to be called. There were about 50 seats with 10 empty. I could have come at 9:15 AM. The immigration interviewers came and called out for their interviewees. There were at least 5 interviewers.

After waiting for about 40 minutes, I was called. I went to an office with the interviewer. She asked me to raise right hand and swear to tell the truth. Then she asked me each question in the N-400 form. I told her that I had 1 trip outside US after I submitted the application in August. I had brought with me a new N-400 form filled out, and I gave her the page with the travel information. With the form in Adobe Acrobat format with the editable fields, it was easy to just add the extra travel date and print the form out. She asked me about the Selective Service. I told her that I was 28 years old when I got the green card. When she asked me about the citation, I told her that I had 2 speeding tickets 10 years ago when I was in college. She asked me how I took care of the tickets. I told her that I mailed in the fine. She didn't ask me for the driving records.

She put a check mark next to each question after I gave her an answer. I brought with me many documentation suggested by the posting, http://www.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=197782 . But she never asked me for any, and I was not going to tell her about the documentation unless she asked for them.

She asked me to print my name on the side of the 2 photos that I included with the original application form. Then she asked me to print my name on 3 places in some form, although the form asked for 1 printed name and 2 signatures.

After that, she gave me a piece of paper with 10 civic questions to answer. They were all from the 100 sample questions on the USCIS web site, http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/100q.pdf . The questions were 12, 37, 45, 47, 48, 51, 68, 77, 80, 93. For question 47, it just asked the 49th state instead of the 49th and the 50th states. I guessed Hawaii. I told the interviewer that I was not sure which of ones of Hawaii and Alaska was the correct answer. She hesitated a bit and put a check mark next to the answer. I got all of the questions right.

She gave me a blank piece of paper and asked me to write "I love America". She put all of the papers together, punch holes through them, and put them in my file. Then she gave me a piece of paper and told me that I had passed the interview and to wait outside for the oath date.

After about 5 minutes of waiting, I was called and given 2 pieces of paper with an oath date of Feburary 9th, 2006. My priority date was Auguest 8th, 2005. So the total duration of my application would be exactly 6 months. When I left the interview area, it was 10:30 AM.

Here is my timeline.

Boston, MA
N400 mailed - 08/05/05 (Friday)
Priority date - 08/08/05 (Monday)
Check cashed - 08/15/05
N400 Receipt - 08/22/05
FP notice date - 09/08/05
FP appointment date - 10/11/05
FP sent to USCIS by FBI - 10/12/05 (Called FBI to check)
Interview notice date - 10/20/05
Online status change - 10/22/05
Interview notice received - 10/26/05
Interview appointment - 12/07/05
Oath letter received - 12/07/05
Oath appointment - 02/09/06
Passport applied - ???
Passport received - ???
Click to expand...

Congratulations man , you 've made it! :)
sOny
 
netuser00

Hey netuser00
Thanks for the details.

Did you ask for a name change? If not, do you know if a name change delays the oath date?
Thanks
 
backroady said:
Did you ask for a name change? If not, do you know if a name change delays the oath date?
Thanks
Click to expand...

I have an official Asian name. Passport, drive license, financial statements, W-4, etc show my official name. I use a English name in most of the non-official settings. I introduce myself with the English name. Email system at work, credit cards, utility bills, etc. show my English name. No one has had problem with either name because they are used in the appropriate settings.

I put the English alias in the N400 form. At the begining of the interview, she asked me if I wanted to change my name to the English alias. I said no.

I don't know if name change will delay the process.
 
We just received the interview notice, so wanted to post and share it with the group.
About the Oath is Boston, does anyone know how they schedule it? Does it happen only once in few months, or what is the frequency which makes it spread out that far from the interview itself (looking at other experiences and dates)?
Also, is there a way to find out about the name check status before the interview, or is that something we would find out only at interview time?
 
Nbi,

No one can say for sure, but anecdotal evidence from contributors to this forum who are processed through the Boston DO suggests that there is at least 1 oath ceremony per month. Certainly no more than 1 every 6 weeks. This means that if all goes well i.e. no name check issues, you should participate in the oath ceremony no longer than 6-8 weeks after the oath.

My situation was'nt so straightforward unfortunately. My interview was on July 25 and everything went as well as can be expected until the end. Typically, you get your oath letter after the interview. In my case, I was told that "my file from when I was on a student visa was still open" and that they needed see why this was so - whatever this means. Whether or not this is the same as a name check, only God knows. Anyhow, that process took 4 months, and I finally got my oath letter on Nov 23 stating that the oath ceremony is scheduled for Feb 9, 2006 (7 months after the interview). Now, I know for a fact that oath ceremonines in Boston are scheduled for December and January for folks who put in their N400 6 months after I did (see my timeline below). I can not even begin to guess why my case has not been straigtforward. By the time I take the oath, my application process would have taken exactly 1 year since my form N400 was submitted., and even then I count myself lucky (I dont need to tell you the length and attendant frustrations inherent in the name check process), I am just glad that it'll be over very soon.

Good luck

solasoy

DO: Boston
N400 submitted: Feb 2, 2005
PD: Feb 4, 2005
FP: Mar 12, 2005
Interview: July 25, 2005
Oath: Feb 9, 2006
 
nbi said:
About the Oath is Boston, does anyone know how they schedule it? Does it happen only once in few months, or what is the frequency which makes it spread out that far from the interview itself (looking at other experiences and dates)?
Click to expand...

gaude88's Boston TimeLine (total time: 6 1/2 months)
PD - Jul 15, 2005
Interview - Nov 3, 2005
Oath date - Feb 1, 2006

My Boston TimeLine (total time: 6 months)
PD - Aug 8, 2005
Interview - Dec 7, 2005
Oath date - Feb 9, 2006

It seems that there are more than 1 oath date in a month and the total time for a soomth process is about 6 to 7 months.
 
Here is my timeline in Boston to share with the board...

PD: September 7, 2005
FP: October 17, 2005
Interview: December 15, 2005
Oath Date: February 9, 2006 (at Hynes Convention Center)

Full 5 months from beginning to the end.. Pretty fast, in my opinion.

Good luck to all who are in the process.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I went to the Boston ASC today to get fingerprinted. Appointment was at 1 pm and thought showing up at 12.30 pm should be fine. Big mistake! Pretty much everyone has the appointment at 1 pm. So the earlier you get there, the better.

It is better to show up at 11 am for a 1 pm appointment at the Boston ASC. Anyways, I was called in for fingerprinting only at 2.45 pm. Wasted the whole day in that depressing office.

INS sucks.
 
I got finger printed today. I met bunch of N-400 applicant all of them having the same PD as mine. One person has ESC number very close to my mine. It looks VSC uses running number for it.
 
where did you file your application?

to vermont? or to boston district office??
thanks !
-pea
 
AFAIK, there is no extra delay due to name change

Hi,

I am going thru the name change - taking on a new last name.
there doesn't seem to be any additional delay due to that.
During the Interview - they verified the name change application....
- basically read out the spelling and I approved - and they stamped
the form for approval.

I believe, during Oath, I will get a official court order documenting
my name change - which i have to use as my official document for
all places where i have to effect this change - banks/RMV/work HR/utilities etc.
 
finally done !!

took my oath on Wed (along with 422 others.) at Fanueil Hall.
got my naturalization certificate along with the court order doc
approving my name change (there were 91 name changes on that day)

Most of the time was wasted - taking "attendence" at the beginning.
where each person shows their yellow or blue oath notice letter - and
surrender their green cards.. and they not it down, put a check mark on
the oath letter and you go back and sit in your seat.

Don't all the green cards already have a bar code - a simple bar code
reader when we enter - just like they do for boarding passes in airplanes -
would reduce the time drastically.
 
Hey happymister

congratulations! Did you do any namecheck investigations during your process? Did you ever call the FBI to check on namecheck status? Did you do a FOIPA request etc. etc.?

After fingerprinting, how long did it take for them to mail you the interview notice?

Thanks
 
I still haven't signed my Naturalization Certificate. I think they said that the signature should be the full name - including the middle name - similar to the one on the photograph. For me, thats 2 lines ;-) so its more like writing my name in cursive rather than an actual signature ;-) ;-)

I didn't do any namecheck investigations or call FBI or anything else..
I think both FP and Interview letters came to me one month in advance..
so by that timeline.. after fingerprinting, i had to wait 1 1/2 months before i got
the interview letter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top