Going to Naturalization interview without country of citizenship passport?

T

taimoor37

New Member
Hello all,

I am a U.S. permanent resident and got Greencard via family immigration visa category F43.

I have my naturalization interview scheduled for Sep 3rd 2015. I am eligible for citizenship under the 4 yr 1 day rule. I have a straight forward case, no long trips outside the U.S. for the last 4 and a half year. The only long trip I have ended 5 years ago with me being out of the U.S for more than 6 months but less than 1 year. I have tax returns, employment record and all supporting documents to prove my residency and status in the U.S throughout this time. I don't expect any issues with regards to my N-400 application.

This is where I am running into a problem:
My wife (a U.S. permanent resident) and I are all set to visit Switzerland in the middle of Sept for tourism purposes. We recently applied for visas. Our passports are with the Swiss consulate for visa processing. I have just learned that the Swiss consulate will mail us our passports back by Sept 7th (which is after my interview date). I don't have any other (expired) passports aswell. I understand that there are other documents like my greencard and state drivers license to prove my identity and get into USCIS office for my interview but I see that county of citizenship passport is a required document and can be asked by the USCIS officer. However when I was submitting my passport to Swiss consulate, I feared that they can delay the visa processing and I might run into this problem, so I made color scanned copies of all 32 pages of my passport so I have those with me.

Now what do you guys suggest:
1) Should I just call USCIS and reschedule my interview? I hate this option because that'll cause unnecessary delays in my citizenship application and God knows how far out will I get my next interview date.
2) Should I just show up for the interview on Sept 3rd with all my documents and passports scanned copies and tell the I/O about my original passport being with the Swiss consulate?
3) Or is there any other recommendation that you guys have for me?

I value your feedback and would love to hear if someone has run into a similar situation in the past by going to naturalization interview without country of citizenship passport.

Thank you and looking for a prompt response.
 
They typically only ever ask for your GC and DL.

The fact you actually have copies of your passport is great - your story is plausible, and while I'm not a IO, in the unlikely event they ask to see your passport, the fact that you have these should be adequate. At the very least they could make you come back after as an RFE but unlikely.

I wouldn't reschedule. I wouldn't alert them ahead of time or during the interview as they will most likely not ask for it. If they do, you can show the copies and give an explanation.

Don't worry and good luck.
 
Thank you for the reply.
Like you suggested, I'll keep my interview date and let the officer know in advance about my passport being with the Swiss Consulate.
 
My interview is on 9/16. This directly from the N659 form I received with the interview notice:

"At time of your scheduled interview, you are required to present the following documentation to the USCIS officer.

4 All valid and expired passports and travel documents issued to you by any government that document your absences from the United States since becoming a permanent resident."
 
taimoor37 said:
Hello all,

I am a U.S. permanent resident and got Greencard via family immigration visa category F43.

I have my naturalization interview scheduled for Sep 3rd 2015. I am eligible for citizenship under the 4 yr 1 day rule. I have a straight forward case, no long trips outside the U.S. for the last 4 and a half year. The only long trip I have ended 5 years ago with me being out of the U.S for more than 6 months but less than 1 year. I have tax returns, employment record and all supporting documents to prove my residency and status in the U.S throughout this time. I don't expect any issues with regards to my N-400 application.

This is where I am running into a problem:
My wife (a U.S. permanent resident) and I are all set to visit Switzerland in the middle of Sept for tourism purposes. We recently applied for visas. Our passports are with the Swiss consulate for visa processing. I have just learned that the Swiss consulate will mail us our passports back by Sept 7th (which is after my interview date). I don't have any other (expired) passports aswell. I understand that there are other documents like my greencard and state drivers license to prove my identity and get into USCIS office for my interview but I see that county of citizenship passport is a required document and can be asked by the USCIS officer. However when I was submitting my passport to Swiss consulate, I feared that they can delay the visa processing and I might run into this problem, so I made color scanned copies of all 32 pages of my passport so I have those with me.

Now what do you guys suggest:
1) Should I just call USCIS and reschedule my interview? I hate this option because that'll cause unnecessary delays in my citizenship application and God knows how far out will I get my next interview date.
2) Should I just show up for the interview on Sept 3rd with all my documents and passports scanned copies and tell the I/O about my original passport being with the Swiss consulate?
3) Or is there any other recommendation that you guys have for me?

I value your feedback and would love to hear if someone has run into a similar situation in the past by going to naturalization interview without country of citizenship passport.

Thank you and looking for a prompt response.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't go to the interview without a passport, based on what I've seen and my experience THEY WILL ask for it. What does your notice of interview say? Mine said specifically to bring my passport and any previous expired passports with Visa stamps. If your notice says bring a passport, then I would say you are running a big risk, if it was me I would reschedule. Since you have some time before the interview you might want to get a legal opinion.

Good Luck, hope it all works out.
 
I agree with Pierre, but I also agree with djh. They will ask to see your passport, they definitely asked for mine during the interview. However, I am with djh, just explain the situation and show them the copies (great that you had the idea to do that). I doubt you'd be denied for not having your passport. In the worse case scenario they will ask you to come back at a later date to show them your passport.
 
Although I see what Pierre is saying and I am pretty sure they will ask for my passport however how I see it is: if I reschedule then I might get next the date after a month or so but If I go on my already scheduled date, I might get lucky and get approved. However if I am asked to come back with my passport as a RFE on a later date which might be the same time frame as if I would have reschedule, I can still know if they need something else as a proof for an entirely unrelated thing. Atleast by going now, i can be sure that they have no objection on anything else in my application and all need is to return back with my original passport. I believe I have a strong and genuine story to support why I dont have my original passport with me at the time of the interview. If I get a logical I/O (fingers crossed) I dont think i'll have an issue.

Thank you all for the replies and best wishes.
 
Well of course they ask for it in the interview letter and as such they always have the prerogative of asking for it. As some have stated here that is their experience of being asked for it and it's always the possibility. HOWEVER their experience is in the MINORITY if you've been on here for many years reading the written experience people have had at their interviews. Most people are ONLY asked for their DL & GC. Period. Just like Pierre has stated, I too can state that my experience was the opposite of his, i.e. I was just asked for my DL & GC, my wife which interviewed 2 years earlier, same thing. My 3 adult children interviewed on different days and by different IO's, again were NEVER asked for their passports.

So really it isn't normally asked for and will depend on where you interview, i.e. the normal actual practice of that office and the IO and their normal practice AND if there is something specific in the answers in your application that would cause the IO to want to look at your passport, i.e. excessive overseas travel or long absences from the country.

For what it's worth all of my family had a lot of travel and weren't asked.

So it's more random and not so likely, and yes you need to be prepared, BUT you will find that on this forum, over the years, many well meaning people tend to create needless worry in people who have asked questions. On the other hand, I'm not trying to dismiss that possibility and can't guarantee you won't be asked for your passport, but it is not a frequent request and you have copies and a plausible and understandable explanation - the worst that could happen is they reschedule you or just hold off on final decision until you provide that actual passport - AND that would be really RARE.

If you raise a flag, then you will cause them to look at it, needlessly - just my opinion. It's just like bringing copies of your tax returns. These too are rarely asked for, but if you want to push them in front of the IO's face or your passport when you sit down at their desk, chances are they will look at them. But if you follow advice on the sticky posts above regarding how to conduct yourself at the interview - the advice echoed by many people over the years is to have this stuff ready in your folder, BUT only give out what they specifically ask for. Don't volunteer it. Same goes with your passport. I have been reading this forum for 10+ years, and peoples interview experiences, and the passport is infrequently asked for - use the search field to check experiences for yourself and focus on the ones that are at your district office to see what the normal practice is. (because Pierre's experience is ONLY his experience and my family's experience is ONLY ours.)

Good luck and don't worry.
 
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I have to say for me getting my GC and then Citizenship, they only looked at my passport during the GC process. I took the passport with me for the US Citizenship interview and they never asked for it. Just GC and DL as they are not worried about the passport at this point. Same thing happened to my wife as well. Just take your photocopy of your passport and tell the I/O why you dont have the originals. Good luck on your interview.
 
taimoor37 said:
Although I see what Pierre is saying and I am pretty sure they will ask for my passport however how I see it is: if I reschedule then I might get next the date after a month or so but If I go on my already scheduled date, I might get lucky and get approved. However if I am asked to come back with my passport as a RFE on a later date which might be the same time frame as if I would have reschedule, I can still know if they need something else as a proof for an entirely unrelated thing. Atleast by going now, i can be sure that they have no objection on anything else in my application and all need is to return back with my original passport. I believe I have a strong and genuine story to support why I dont have my original passport with me at the time of the interview. If I get a logical I/O (fingers crossed) I dont think i'll have an issue.

Thank you all for the replies and best wishes.
Click to expand...

Totally agree with you. Let us know how it goes.
 
Taimoor 37 - Please let me know how did your interview go without the passport? My mother is in the same boat and her interview is scheduled on Monday, Sep 14th. Passport is sitting with UK embassy. Your reply will be greatly appreciated.
 
So I had my interview on Sept 3rd and I went in without the Original Country of Citizenship Passport however as my previous posts state that I had made color copies of each page in my Passport book. Furthermore, I got each page notarized by a Notary Public and obtained a letter from Swiss Embassy that my original Passport (number xxxxx) is with them with effect from data xxxx for Schengen visa processing etc. So I was ready but still I was hoping that the I/O wont ask for my Passport and I don't have to bring all of this up.

So after the initial questions, the first thing my I/O asked was 'I need to see your Permanent Resident Card, a State Issues Drivers License or ID and your Passport to verify your trips outside of the US'.
So I pull out my GC and DL and place it in front of her. As she is looking at me to take the passport out, I give her the document I obtained from Swiss Embassy stating that my Passport is with them, I told her the reason that why I don't have my passport while she is reading that document from Swiss embassy. She was looking a little hesitant at that point but then I said just to be on the safe side I had made copies of each page of my Passport book and each page is Notarized. She gladly accepted that and started looking at each Entry stamp to match it with the field in my Naturalization application where I had listed all trips taken outside the US in the last 5 yrs. She verified everything and was satisfied with it and handed me back my Passport copies and the Embassy letter. We moved on to other questions. After going through my entire application she asked me six questions from the Naturalization exam book, I got all of them right and she put an Approved stamp on my application, shook hands and told me that after her Supervisor reviews my application (routine procedure) my case will be advanced and I will receive an Oath ceremony notice.

That's it.

I hope my experience helps everyone who is going for a Naturalization interview without the Country of Citizenship passport.

Thanks
 
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