I am done with Oath!

[HBMD]

Hello everybody,

Today I am US citizen. With a name change I am done within four months and I am happy. Thank you all for making this site a very helpful site. Keep up the good work!!

I don't claim to know the immigration rules as some of you on this site seem to know. I thought I might drop few info from my oath experience.

1. I was not sure if I had to take my passport for them. The letter said greencard, travelling document, ..... and others. The lady who was preparing us for the formal oath ceremony told us that they don't take passports because (she said) we (USCIS) don't issue US passport and so we don't take other passports. Interesting! IS this line of thinking correct? they don't take passport at all?

2. As to applying for passport, she openly discouraged people from applying. Although they are giving out the application form for passport, she was telling everybody to take it easy, copy our naturalization certificate and apply in the next few days. I already decided on that after (of course) reading this forum. It made sense to me. Unless you are in a hurry, you shouldn't apply. guys comment on it.

3. The lady was encouraging to go to the social security office. I will go as soon as I can. Work is making me busy. I think that must be done fast. Is that right?

Thank you all and good luck for those who are going through the process!

 

[nkm-oct23]

Your non-US passport is the property of a foreign government - US authorities don't have a right to take it away from you.

Apply for a US passport after you are able to make a copy of your naturalization certificate - original certificate has to be sent over to dept of state for passport issuance.

GO to SSA office when you can. You have to go though and update your citizenship status with them.

 

[namecheckvictim]

If you are age 62 and over then go to SS right away, otherwise do it on your own pace.

 

[Huracan]

Yes, they don't take your passport. When the letter talks about travel documents it refers to advance parole document or any other travel document the US government might have provided you to allow you to travel and come back. It doesn't refer to your foreign passport.

Yes, make copies and color scans before you send your certificate for your US passport processing.

Go to the social security office, but don't kill yourself. I think it is better to let a few weeks pass between your naturalization and your visit to the social security office. That gives plenty of time for their records to have been updated with your citizenship. Things might be better now, but a few months or years ago, people got delayed in their processing if they went too early and SSA didn't have notice of your naturalization. This was particularly "painful" for people who were not just updating their status with SSA but requesting a new SS card without restrictions. I would suggest you wait for your US passport to arrive and then go with your passport to the SSA office to update your status.

 

[xxhwx]

Yes, they don't take your passport. When the letter talks about travel documents it refers to advance parole document or any other travel document the US government might have provided you to allow you to travel and come back. It doesn't refer to your foreign passport.

Yes, make copies and color scans before you send your certificate for your US passport processing.

Go to the social security office, but don't kill yourself. I think it is better to let a few weeks pass between your naturalization and your visit to the social security office. That gives plenty of time for their records to have been updated with your citizenship. Things might be better now, but a few months or years ago, people got delayed in their processing if they went too early and SSA didn't have notice of your naturalization. This was particularly "painful" for people who were not just updating their status with SSA but requesting a new SS card without restrictions. I would suggest you wait for your US passport to arrive and then go with your passport to the SSA office to update your status.

The SSA sent representatives to the court where I had my oath and processed the applications right then and there. My SS card was sent to me a few weeks later. So I am not so sure about the whole updating early would cause delay in your application. I thought the SSA is the agency that helps to update your legal status on the systems of other government agencies, not the USCIS.