Citizenship Interview Questions

T

TheFlyer

New Member
Hi All,

I have my Citizenship interview in early January at Federal Palaza in NY and I'm wondering what should I take with me to be fully prepared and not have any delays. Some background information about my case:
I came to the States in 1990 on a tourist Visa when I was 19 yrs old with my family. We applied for and granted asylum in 1998 separately.
Also, I have a few questions please. The major one is about Selective Service since I never applied. I sent a letter with my N400 application explaining why I didn't apply. I basically said I didn't know and I'm very sorry. What do you think I should do about this issue since I'm over 26 now and can't apply now. Would this be a problem at the interview? Another issue is my birth certificate. I moved and I can't find my birth certificate. Is it needed? Finally, I have the passport I used to come to the States but it's expired now and I never applied to my embassy for renewal. Do I need a valid passport for the interview?
Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Manny.
 
Generally you need to show a valid passport, your GC and valid driver's license. If you supplied your birth certificate during the GC application, you probably will not be asked again for the birth certificate, assuming the above mentioned documents all have the same birth date.
 
Since you're 37 years old, you don't need to provide any information pertaining to selective service. Even if you didn't register just because you didn't feel like it, it's been outside of the 5 year good moral character window for 6 years already. You won't even be asked about it at the interview.
 
TheFlyer said:
Hi All,

I have my Citizenship interview in early January at Federal Palaza in NY and I'm wondering what should I take with me to be fully prepared and not have any delays. Some background information about my case:
I came to the States in 1990 on a tourist Visa when I was 19 yrs old with my family. We applied for and granted asylum in 1998 separately.
Also, I have a few questions please. The major one is about Selective Service since I never applied. I sent a letter with my N400 application explaining why I didn't apply. I basically said I didn't know and I'm very sorry. What do you think I should do about this issue since I'm over 26 now and can't apply now. Would this be a problem at the interview? Another issue is my birth certificate. I moved and I can't find my birth certificate. Is it needed? Finally, I have the passport I used to come to the States but it's expired now and I never applied to my embassy for renewal. Do I need a valid passport for the interview?
Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Manny.
Click to expand...

When you came her at the age of 19, did you get a driver license? Bcs if you did between the age of 18 and 26, you must have gotten several letters from the Selective Service.

And also, you did have to register bcs even though you came in as a lawful non-immigrant your status does change. When did that happen ?? It is not clear on your post.-

And yes, your required registration is beyond the 5 year window timeline as VORPAL states, but it does not mean that the IO will not take a look at it.

It will all depend on who gets your file... and the supervisor....

In reference to your birth certificate, you must provide original and copies as required on your N-400. Some people talk about a deposition of people who know you. If I were in front of you, it would seem logical to me to ask for an original birth certificate, bcs you must have been born somewhere and in every country there are services you contract or people who know people you know through which you can get one...

Remember, the people from USCIS Records have usually seen birth certificates from your country and some of them even know how many people before you, have gotten copies of the documents they need.... you are gonna have to do better than that.... as I said, it depends on the IO..... and supervisor.
 
<<And also, you did have to register bcs even though you came in as a lawful non-immigrant your status does change.>>

This is incorrect information. You do not have to register for SS if you are in USA (age 18 thru 26) with a status of lawful noimmigrant.

ncc
 
ncc said:
<<And also, you did have to register bcs even though you came in as a lawful non-immigrant your status does change.>>

This is incorrect information. You do not have to register for SS if you are in USA (age 18 thru 26) with a status of lawful noimmigrant.

ncc
Click to expand...

Nobody is saying he had to register as a lawful non-immigrant.

What is being said is : "if your status changed at any point in time from one of a lawful non-immigrant to one of a lawful immigrant between the age of 18 to 26 years of age, you should have registered"

and also: Anybody who lives in the US between the age of 18 to 26 as a lawful non-immigrant or lawful immigrant will be detected by the system and selective service letters will be sent to the address on file. And the person will get a nasty letter if no response is given to the authorities, such as: "if you do not respond this letter within XXX amount of time, prosecution and/or detention by federal authorities will take place" or something to that effect.

Anyway, as VORPAL stated, it is beyond the 5 year rule. So whatever action they want to take is completely dependent on the Immigration Officer.

I hope this clears my previous post.- :D:D:D
 
I'm a little confused guys. I came on a Tourist Visa when I was 19 in 1989 and stayed in the US past the 6 month. I applied for and granted asylum in 1998. I was over 26 by then. Should I have answered Yes or No to Question 33 in Section G for Selective Servise Registration "Are you a male who lived in the United States at any time between your 18th and 26th birthdays in any status except as a lawful nonimmigrant?"
I answered Yes because my Visa expired from the end of 1989 till I applied in 1998.... Am correct or wrong in answering Yes and should I have registred or not and finally, how to address it if it came up on the interview.

Thanks a lot and Happy New Year to all.
Manny
 
So you were here illegally for about 8 years. I don't know if that means you should have registered.

As for the passport, it doesn't have to be valid if you didn't take any trips abroad.
 
cafeconleche said:
So you were here illegally for about 8 years. I don't know if that means you should have registered.
Click to expand...

Yup. He needs to. The question indicates this - if he was present in the US in any status other than that of a lawful non-immigrant (ie. citizen, permanent resident, asylee, adjustee or out of status) between ages 18 and 26 he needs to have registered.
 
cafeconleche said:
So you were here illegally for about 8 years. I don't know if that means you should have registered.

As for the passport, it doesn't have to be valid if you didn't take any trips abroad.
Click to expand...

As an asylee, it is advisable not to renew the passport from the country from which you fleed. Therefore, to the original OP: do NOT renew your passport as this will only cause problems. A valid passport is not a requirement for a naturalization interview but only a valid green card and a state issued photo ID (usually a driver's license or a non-driver ID card).
 
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