Oath Ceremony 7/16/08
Check-in at 8:45
For those of you not familiar with Teikyo Loretto Heights either, I'll add in extra directions that would've helped me:
My tips:
1. Don't come early! You do a lot of standing around waiting, and there's no advantage to being early, except maybe getting a slightly better parking spot. I'd say around check-in time or right after would work, and you'll still be waiting in your seat
2. Bring magazines (or a gameboy LOL)
3. At the theater, if you want to get out faster, it is actually better to be seated in the last few rows reserved for the naturalized citizens. So when entering the theater, let everyone else go first!
4. Go straight to the Social Security Card line downstairs after the ceremony (or passport app line if you want to do that). Skip the voter registration across the hallway since there are voter registration people walking around downstairs to collect your voter registration forms.
5. Bring a pen if you'll be filling any of the forms out at your seat while you're waiting. If applying for a passport, do it online prior to the ceremony so you won't have to fill it out there (and bring 2 pictures, and 2 checks)
6. Exit from the parking lots -- go the back way!
After coming into the main entrance from Federal, turn left at the first street (there are security guards directing people), the parking lots will be on your right. Attendants are there collecting $5 for parking. Theater is directly in front of the parking lots. Walk up the stairs, and theater is through the glass doors on your right.
I arrived at 8:25 and there were lots of people already waiting. We were allowed in the doors around 8:45, someone was checking letter and resident card at the door, another one down the aisle stapling them together. We were then directed to our section (Table 2 right in the middle section). They were doing something new this time (at least I think it is new), where they take your paperwork at your seat so they know where you're at, and they deliver the naturalization certificate right at your seat at the end of the ceremony.
We then waited in our seats until 10:05 am. I brought a couple of magazines and I still didn't have enough to read until 10:05 am. The actual ceremony lasted approximately 20 to 25 minutes -- Adjucating officer welcomed everyone, I think there was a brief video, then the immigration judge did the oath and pledge of allegiance with all the naturalized citizens, then there was a video message from the president and another brief video, closing words, and then we waited in our seats while the officers distributed the certificate (took 3 or 4 minutes).
We were instructed to wait until everyone had received the certificate but that didn't work. People just started standing and walking out. This is why people sitting in the last few rows were able to get out easier. I went to the Social Security card line downstairs (it is in front of you when you first enter, the passport application area is down the steps to the right). The voter registration applications could also be turned in to the people walking around in this area. The social security card people took the application, noted driver's license and naturalization certificate numbers, and that was it. I didn't do the passport application there since I wanted to have a copy of my certificate first. I dropped off my application at the post office in the afternoon.
I left around 11 am. The line of cars to the exit (toward the main entrance/exit off Federal) was already pretty long. From the parking lot, I went the other way (right instead of left, but if you're in the very last parking lot then you'll still be turning left), and turned left at the back street just before the road dead ends. This took me to the back towards Hampden (if you have a GPS, it guides you right out from here, I believe it was a right, then left on Hampden -- which brings you to I-25). If you don't have a GPS, you may want to check a map before you go.
That was it. Any questions, just let me know!