My journey that has taken over 11 years was completed on Monday. I apologize for the delay in posting my experience. Although everything has gone better than I could have ever hoped for, it was still stressful so I wanted a day or two off.
My oath was scheduled for September 28th at the Fresno Convention Center. The oath letter stated that people should report at 10am, elderly and invalids should report at 10:30am, and doors opened at 9:30am.
We arrived in Fresno at 8:30am and went to Starbucks, after that, around 9am, we drove by the front of the convention center and saw 60 people already gathered, so we decided to park and go stand in line. Only applicants could stand in line at the front of the building, guests were told to go around to the rear of the building and enter through an entrance there.
While waiting in line, a gentlemen came up and down selling oath covers for $10. It was getting pretty warm outside and so the wait was pretty uncomfortable. However, about 10am the line started to move. The lady on the front of the door checked we had an oath letter and looked at the line number written on it. We were instructed to go in, walk around the back of the chairs and go to our line #. Previously, people had been coming around checking we had filled out our oath letters and asking if anyone had said yes to anything. The IOs clearly did not want people to say yes to any of the questions on the rear. They repeatedly yelled "If you haven't left the country since your interview, all your answers should be no."
While waiting in line, of course the "am I on the list" and "will be certificate be correct" worries went through my head. After checking in with my line #, the lady looked at my oath letter, wrote Ok, and took my green card. She then gave back my oath letter and highlighted my name on a list. My worries eased somewhat. We were then given a little flag and told to sit down (we were not given a choice of where to sit) where there was an envelope with a voter registration form, some books from USCIS, a social security update application, a list of local post offices, and a one page guide on how to sign your certificate. .
It took another 45 minutes or so for everyone else to come in and get seated. Unfortunately, the AC was not turned on until they opened up so it was even hotter than outside. While waiting, instructions were continually given regarding signing your certificate, social security (they would be in the building until 230pm), voting, passports etc.
As soon as everyone was seated, a lady read a list of all the countries represented. Then, we were ready to be begin.
At 11am ish, a Federal Judge from the Eastern District of California did the ceremony. First we said the pledge of allegiance, then a gentlemen sang the national anthem. After that, a USCIS supervisor, who happened to be my interviewing IO, brought a motion to the court, asking to grant 617 motions for citizenship and to continue 6 (i think they were no shows). That was granted subject to the oath. We stood up and repeated the oath back to the judge. After that, he gave a brief speech about responsibilities of citizenship, especially voting. Then we were done. The ceremony took 15-20 minutes. We then were led back to the lines we checked in. I handed over my oath letter and received my certificate - all was correct. As I arrived pretty early the social security table had only a short line so I update my information there and then left, after buying a cover. I was out by 11:30am
They stated if there were any errors on your certificate you should go to the DO at 1:30pm, or if you lived locally you could go the next day.
And that was it!
Later on that day I made an appointment at the LA passport office for Wednesday 9/30.
Passport Office
On Monday I asked for the next appointment. They gave me 8am on Wednesday. I arrived at 745am, went through security and stood in line. A gentlemen checked my documents and gave me a ticket. Wait time was 37 minutes.
1 hours and 30 minutes later..... I was called to the window, was asked to swear that everything in my application was correct. I paid the fee and was given a receipt to return to the will call window on Friday at 9am.
I wasn't pleased about having to come back, I thought it was going to be ready the same day. The officer said they only do same day if it's an emergency or same day travel. My ticket was for Monday so Friday was my pickup day.
On Friday I arrived at 8:20am ish. I figured if it's going to be ready at 9, it should be done at 8:20am - Wrong! They hadn't made it yet. They said come back at 9:30. When I returned it was still not done - 15 more minutes. Then it was done.
The passport office is like a federal DMV. Lots of people there, few windows open. Some people who arrived after me had estimated wait times of 90 minutes or more, which would be ok but considering my wait time was three times longer than projected, it makes for a long day. Also, no cell phones, not even for games....
Overall it was good experience, just don't expect things to go exactly on schedule.
I was grateful that they didn't mark my naturalization certificate.
My oath was scheduled for September 28th at the Fresno Convention Center. The oath letter stated that people should report at 10am, elderly and invalids should report at 10:30am, and doors opened at 9:30am.
We arrived in Fresno at 8:30am and went to Starbucks, after that, around 9am, we drove by the front of the convention center and saw 60 people already gathered, so we decided to park and go stand in line. Only applicants could stand in line at the front of the building, guests were told to go around to the rear of the building and enter through an entrance there.
While waiting in line, a gentlemen came up and down selling oath covers for $10. It was getting pretty warm outside and so the wait was pretty uncomfortable. However, about 10am the line started to move. The lady on the front of the door checked we had an oath letter and looked at the line number written on it. We were instructed to go in, walk around the back of the chairs and go to our line #. Previously, people had been coming around checking we had filled out our oath letters and asking if anyone had said yes to anything. The IOs clearly did not want people to say yes to any of the questions on the rear. They repeatedly yelled "If you haven't left the country since your interview, all your answers should be no."
While waiting in line, of course the "am I on the list" and "will be certificate be correct" worries went through my head. After checking in with my line #, the lady looked at my oath letter, wrote Ok, and took my green card. She then gave back my oath letter and highlighted my name on a list. My worries eased somewhat. We were then given a little flag and told to sit down (we were not given a choice of where to sit) where there was an envelope with a voter registration form, some books from USCIS, a social security update application, a list of local post offices, and a one page guide on how to sign your certificate. .
It took another 45 minutes or so for everyone else to come in and get seated. Unfortunately, the AC was not turned on until they opened up so it was even hotter than outside. While waiting, instructions were continually given regarding signing your certificate, social security (they would be in the building until 230pm), voting, passports etc.
As soon as everyone was seated, a lady read a list of all the countries represented. Then, we were ready to be begin.
At 11am ish, a Federal Judge from the Eastern District of California did the ceremony. First we said the pledge of allegiance, then a gentlemen sang the national anthem. After that, a USCIS supervisor, who happened to be my interviewing IO, brought a motion to the court, asking to grant 617 motions for citizenship and to continue 6 (i think they were no shows). That was granted subject to the oath. We stood up and repeated the oath back to the judge. After that, he gave a brief speech about responsibilities of citizenship, especially voting. Then we were done. The ceremony took 15-20 minutes. We then were led back to the lines we checked in. I handed over my oath letter and received my certificate - all was correct. As I arrived pretty early the social security table had only a short line so I update my information there and then left, after buying a cover. I was out by 11:30am
They stated if there were any errors on your certificate you should go to the DO at 1:30pm, or if you lived locally you could go the next day.
And that was it!
Later on that day I made an appointment at the LA passport office for Wednesday 9/30.
Passport Office
On Monday I asked for the next appointment. They gave me 8am on Wednesday. I arrived at 745am, went through security and stood in line. A gentlemen checked my documents and gave me a ticket. Wait time was 37 minutes.
1 hours and 30 minutes later..... I was called to the window, was asked to swear that everything in my application was correct. I paid the fee and was given a receipt to return to the will call window on Friday at 9am.
I wasn't pleased about having to come back, I thought it was going to be ready the same day. The officer said they only do same day if it's an emergency or same day travel. My ticket was for Monday so Friday was my pickup day.
On Friday I arrived at 8:20am ish. I figured if it's going to be ready at 9, it should be done at 8:20am - Wrong! They hadn't made it yet. They said come back at 9:30. When I returned it was still not done - 15 more minutes. Then it was done.
The passport office is like a federal DMV. Lots of people there, few windows open. Some people who arrived after me had estimated wait times of 90 minutes or more, which would be ok but considering my wait time was three times longer than projected, it makes for a long day. Also, no cell phones, not even for games....
Overall it was good experience, just don't expect things to go exactly on schedule.
I was grateful that they didn't mark my naturalization certificate.