Fairfax, VA Naturalization July 2013

[Boss_ai]

Hi,

Since there is no Fairfax thread and not many recent posts I am posting my recent experience. I submitted my application based on 5 yr rule. I submitted application in mid March, received the bio metric letter in 2 weeks. Did the biometric 3 weeks after receipt of the letter (at assigned date and time, 3rd week of April). Received Interview letter in 4 weeks. The interview was scheduled in second week July. 2 weeks before the interview recd the yellow letter asking to bring the Govt issued ID and certified letters of any arrests, traffic tickets,violations. Applied to DMV for certified traffic fines reports (available thru DMV website).

Interview process was pretty straight forward and took no more than 25 minutes. Had appointment in the morning, called for interview at the exact same time (so punctual). There were about 25-30 people at prosperity ave office- fairfax. Parking is next bldg garage ($5 for 4 hrs). Lady IO officer was very polite. She checked all the paper work first, asked name, add, SSN, employment details, and whatever on the form to make sure every thing is correct. She asked my if I had any arrests other than the traffic violations I mentioned on form, there are none. She did not asked for any certified copies from DMV/court about the traffic violations mentioned on the form.

Then she administered the test , I got first 6 questions right . Then I was asked to read a sentence and write a sentence (pretty easy). She did not asked for any paper work at all other than ID, passport and permanent res card.

IO then asked usual questions about ever being arrested or illegal activities. IO then congratulated me . She gave me a piece of paper which said I was recommended for approval. She said I would receive oath letter in few weeks.

I asked her if we are talking about month or just few weeks before I get oath letter , she said they are doing good and and so oath could be sooner . Either way I did not get a definite answer. She told they typically do it in fairfax county school with large group. You are allowed travel outside of country before the oath using your current passport/visa.

Hope this helps some one...

Any recent citizens the area know how long it takes to get the oath letter after interview?

 

[kmrl]

Boss_ai,
Very useful post. I am also in the same jurisdiction. Mine applied in early May. Still waiting for my interview to be scheduled. Hope to have it soon.

Please update us with the oath updates.

-kmrl.

 

[sodena]

I did my interview in Fairfax on the 17 of June I am still waiting on my oath letter.. according to the only uscis website I am and have been on oath Que since the 24 I was told the earliest I might take the oath is september.

 

[Boss_ai]

Update ...

My interview was done on July 8, 13 with my wife. Both of us passed and given paper of approval. Within one week, my wife received oath que email and one week after, the oath ceremony letter. For me though it took more than 3 weeks just to get the initial email about oath que. I am still waiting for my oath ceremony letter. I did received 'oath ceremony scheduled' email today. So it takes anywhere from 2-4 weeks to get the oath ceremony scheduled email, so be patient ( I know its not easy). Fairfax office rarely conducts same day oath ceremony (only when they have active military people coming for naturalization, so if your appointment is on same day and you pass, there is a chance you will get oath same day), they typically use Fairfax high schools and conducts oath ceremony once a month.

Thanks to the forum members for guidance and advice in the immigration journey, you guys are doing good work...

 

[kmrl]

Hi Boss,
What date is your wife's and your oath ceremony??

Do you know which day they normally have the oath? Like third Tuesday of every month or something like that?? Also any idea to know which day they have interviews for military people??

Good luck.
-Kmrl

 

[tadem]

My Interview experience at Fairfax

I hope this information will help somebody.

I had my interview on August 09 2013. My wife went though interview on Aug 06 and passed, Oath could not be scheduled, as she was told that Fairfax location does not do the same day oath unless there is a military personnel who will be taking the oath.

My interview was scheduled for 10:30am, but arrived there at 10am and got invited to the IO office at 10:10am. Don't know how it happened but my interview officer was the same lady that interviewed my wife few days before.

First we went thought every question of the application and she verified my passports date and asked me what countries I been visiting.
There was a lot of confusion when I was reading a forum about reporting traffic tickets. Here is my experience:

I have 1 traffic violation for driving on the shoulder, which I got the fine for 160 dollars and had it paid. I like to play it safe so I decided to drive to the court house and requested my court decision paper that proofed that I paid the fine. Also I requested a certified letter from DMV with my drivers record.

Originally in my application I checked off "arrested/cited etc" due to the fact that I did not know that cited means traffic ticket. So on interview day I did told the officer about this case and she change the box to YES. She also checked yes several other boxes just below it because in Virginia when you get pulled by police for traffic violation your record will show "released on summons" which by Virginia law means you been "arrested and released on a summons". My advise here is not to mark these boxes yourself as it you never know what officer you get. But to be trustful and tell about any problems that you had. She did not ask for the document from the court, but I offered her to look at it and she added it to the file.

Also SSS, I was not registered. I did requested a letter from SSS and wrote an affidavit explaining why I did not registered. IO did not ask any further questions. I did explained that it was not intentional and I did not registered for the reason of not knowing.

If your case is an asylum case and you been unlawfully detained in your country don't be a full and disclose it on the interview. (I did not put it on the application originally). My officer was very understanding of the situation and made few notes on application saying that it an asylum case.

After all of the questions she started civic test, asked my to write a simple question about 50 states, then asked me to write a similar sentence.
Been asked questions about:

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence
Who is a chief and commander of the military
Which state borders Mexico
3 original states
what major parties we have in USA
and one more easy that I cant remember.

OATH:
When I was done, she asked me if I am willing to take an Oath on 14 Aug, I asked if there is a chance that my wife can join in on that same oath ceremony. She checked something on the computer and said it will be possible, asked me to wait in the waiting room and few minutes later she come out with mine and my wife's Oath appointment letter. She definitely went though extra work to make it happen, and I am very gratefull to her for going that.

To sum up:
-the interview is went much easier that I though it will so no need to worry
-do report traffic violations
-and there is a Oath ceremony that can me scheduled with IO but it will depend on the luck

Good luck to everyone whos journey just starting, hopefully this information will help somebody.

I know it helped me to read this forum.

Thank you.

 

[Boss_ai]

Oath Ceremony Update

Thanks every one for sharing your experience for others in Virginia, Washington DC area and keeping this thread updated.

Here is update from me on my oath ceremony.

Three weeks after my interview I have received my oath ceremony scheduled email and 8-10 days after email, I have received my oath letter. Oath was scheduled 3 weeks after, so plenty of time. Fairfax office only conducts same day oath if there are other applicants who are on active duty. For this month oath ceremony was in one of the high schools in Fairfax. We were asked to bring Green card and ID for the ceremony along with appointment letter. It is also needed to bring past USCIS letters (Adv parole, EAD's, Asulum docs) and hand it over to USCIS officers there, since they will anyway ask it multiple times during the ceremony (it is USCIS property and not souvenirs, thats what they keep on telling). Its good idea to bring all those old docs and hand it over.

The ceremony was scheduled at 10 am and we were asked to report at 8.30 am. It was in school auditorium (1000 capacity). When we entered the school the USCIS officer checked our letter, took the Green card and handed over the packet of flyers, US flag, Passport form etc. There were 300+ people from 71 countries taking the oath plus their families and friends (the auditorium was full). It took 2 hrs to complete the whole process (oath, some videos, national anthem, your rights etc etc..). We came out and received citizenship letters from USCIS agents. There were voter registration booths, we did that too. There are people from passport office to answer any questions (they do not accept passport forms there). The overall ceremony was arranged very well and pleased with experience. You may see the USCIS agents who interviewed you in fairfax office.

Then we went to nearby Social security office to change the status from permanent res to citizen (took more than 3 hrs), long lines and very slow process. You can do it some other day and should not be on the same day as there is big rush when lot of new citizens visit the SSN office.

We then went to post office to apply passport and bummer, you will need appointment to apply for passport and all the appointments for next 2 weeks are full in the nearby post offices. So its good idea to book the appointment in advance after you get the oath ceremony date.

That's all for me. One journey is over. Thanks to the forum members for support and info during this process. Its a priceless resource for all immigrants to get the answers in their immigration process.

Good Luck..