Help! Need advice, Apply for Schengen visa or not?

[robotina]

Hi Everyone!

I need some advice as far as what to do. I have my citizenship interview on March 8th at the Philadelphia location. I am meant to visit my boyfriend to italy in May, and one of my best friends to spain in July. I have both plane tickets bought already, but I have a bit of a situation. I was born in Colombia, so the entry to those european countries is not permited for me without a visa. I won't have a problem passing my interview, but what I'm worried about is not making it to the oath ontime.

My questions are

1. Should I apply for the Schengen Visa? To enter europe, so like that I don't have to worry about my oath being too late.

2. Will applying for this visa hurt my citizenship process?

3. Should I just wait for the oath faithfully and see what happens?

I'm stressing out! I really don't know what to do.
Any help would be appreciated

Thanks in advance for any help!

Robotina

 

[Superstring]

Hi Everyone!

I need some advice as far as what to do. I have my citizenship interview on March 8th at the Philadelphia location. I am meant to visit my boyfriend to italy in May, and one of my best friends to spain in July. I have both plane tickets bought already, but I have a bit of a situation. I was born in Colombia, so the entry to those european countries is not permited for me without a visa. I won't have a problem passing my interview, but what I'm worried about is not making it to the oath ontime.

My questions are

1. Should I apply for the Schengen Visa? To enter europe, so like that I don't have to worry about my oath being too late.

2. Will applying for this visa hurt my citizenship process?

3. Should I just wait for the oath faithfully and see what happens?

I'm stressing out! I really don't know what to do.
Any help would be appreciated

Thanks in advance for any help!

Robotina

It depends on timing

First of all, let me state this: Your application for Schengen visa WILL NOT affect your citizenship. You are seeking only tourist visa, which is ok.

Moreover, your question is just question of convinience, time and money. It has no impact on your status or processing. So, cheer up

If you go ahead and get Schengen Visa, then you have to invest $$$ + time in acquiring it. At the end of game, you might not need it.

So, if you get naturalized and have your Schengen Visa, you still must get US Passport, because you will not be able to return to US. USICS will take your green card. Therefore, all these efforts, time and $$$ in securing visa will be wasted....no harm done...but just waste...Because you will need to leave behind your Columbian passport and travel on US Passport.

I'm not sure of Italian Embassy processing times, but I assume they can issue visas pretty much within 1-2 days. Under that assumption, you can still wait until few days before the travel. But, double check it...

You can get your new US passport at the Passport office very quick if you have a legitimate need for it to be processed so fast. So, do not worry about that...as long as you have naturalization certificate in your hands.

As fas as I am concerned...from March to May.....there is a lot of time.....So why do not you....

a) Check to see if PA office is doing the same day oath ceremony
b) Check with other applicants to see how long did it take them between interview and oath ceremony

Maybe, timing will work out!

If I were you, I would closely monitor timing (oath cermony, italian embassy processing etc) and then make my decision. My first option would be to go on US Passport. I would leave getting visa just as a last resort (if I run out of the time).

Good luck! Enjoy Italy

P.S.: I'm not an expert or lawyer. I am just an ordinary guy. You are soley responsible for your actions.

 

[CTZEN2B]

In January someone wrote about their interview experience in Philly. At the end of the interview he asked about the oath and the I/O said something about a mega oath ceremony in early April. I checked it out and the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services have April 4th booked at the convention center (so I'm guessing oath ceremony). I'm particularly interested because like you I have my interview on 3/8 in Philly and I hope to make the April ceremony. If I were you I'd wait and see if the April oath ceremony materializes then get an expedited passport but of course it's up to you.

 

[aabbcc11]

I would suggest you wait till the interview and then decide depending on the oath ceremony date. In the mean time start tracking interview to oath timelines for your DO.
You can get the Schengen visa by mail in 7-10 days. We did for France and Italians may take a little longer.
If you take the oath then you can travel with the US passport and be freee of visa worries.

 

[goldenrabbit]

hi robotina

hi robotina

ive been reading your post. first of all congratulations on finally getting your interview date.

i was wondering how did you know that in August your FP and name check was cleared? what is the way to find this out.

I'm really getting worried sick here, I had my FP sometime November prior to Thanksgiving and here I am now 3 months later and I still see my case status online! I'm really not falling into most people's timeline and makes me really worry about this.

Please advice

 

[Caillie]

3. Should I just wait for the oath faithfully and see what happens?

I have no comment about the visa, but other people have already covered that anyway. What I didn't see was a comment regarding your oath ceremony. From everything I have read here in this forum, it's definitely not a good idea to miss your oath. So if you do have to travel prior to being sworn in, make sure that you a) have someone checking your mail, and b) that you can make it back home (US) in time for the oath.
Hopefully this won't be an issue and you'll make that ceremony in early April that CTZEN2B spoke about. But I thought I'd mention the above, just in case you don't make the cut off for that particular oath ceremony.