My interview was scheduled 3/22 at 10:45 am. I got there about 30 mins early and was called by a lady IO around 10:35. I was asked to raise my hand and to swear to tell truth which I did. She poured into my file asking me for my DL, GC and passport. She checked a few items and noticed that my address was different from DL. Told her I moved in Nov 2006, I did an AR-11 and called the USCIS about that.
She continued to look into the file and asked me if I had other passports now that she was looking into my travel. Told her I have my old passport (I am Canadian BTW), gave that to her. She noticed that I have a trip in June 2003 that wasn't listed. I found that hard to believe, I said that to myself, but I knew it was a trip to the Philippines for 2 weeks which I told her. She noted that down and then asked me if I travelled after I filed and told her a day trip to Canada on Sept 19th 2006. She told me that my middle name is spelled different by one letter on my birth cert and I was asked if I want a name change or just dropped it altogether on the natz cert since my passport, GC, DL and other docs don't list my middle name anyway. I said we can just drop it. Middle names in the Phils are typically the maiden name of the mother. Asked me copies of my divorce decree, copy of marriage cert and about my wife and children. She then asked me if I was arrested which I said no. No mention of traffic tickets which I did have but did not list on the N-400. BTW, I took the pain of getting a driving record abstract and all court dispositions for the traffic tickets just in case.
She then proceeded to ask me to write a sentence "I want to be a US Citizen". Asked me to sign a few more papers and then QA on civic questions ensued. I passed everything and was asked to sign a piece of paper stating that. Finally, she gave me back my IDs and asked me if I wanted to come back at 3:30pm for the oath taking which I said "Yes". I stood up, I coudnt help but give out a big smile and then I asked her if I could shake her hand and thanked her as I walked out.
So as of 4:00pm yesterday, I became a new US citizen. I wish all of you would have the same experience I did. The process was not that long for me, 9 months in total, and the experience relatively painless. I'm sure and I have seen that not everyone's experience has been as fortunate and as smooth sailing as mine.
I wish you all the luck and now that this journey has ended, starts a new one for me and my wife now. I married her when I was still a PR and she is a B1 overstay. That came out during my natz interview but it didnt seem to faze the IO. I am hoping that it will be the same painless experience. Her AOS will be filed on Monday 3/26.
