Interview preparation

J

jefkorn

Registered Users (C)
Have interview in few days, would appreciate if anyone can share their thoughts on these:

1. Do I need to memorize the exact dates, A# etc that I filled up on the form N-400? I understand that I need to know the basic/core information but is it a memory test of what I filled up on the form too?

2. During the interview, is it ok to be looking at a copy of the form N-400 that I mailed to USCIS? Kinda like have same resume that the interviewer is looking at in a job interview?

3. How about taking some hand written notes on a piece of paper to refer to during the interview?

4. Spouse's case is simple, she was only asked to bring DL, GC. Should she carry any other documents as well? She is stay at home mom. Should she also carry hte tax transcripts that I ordered for last five years? This is not a marriage based case but primary is employment based GC and wife got her GC as a derivative beneficiary.

I know that one should know the exatc answers to the test questions. One should also know other applicant related "important" information by heart but some of the information on the form is filled up by either looking through old records/passport stamps and to remember that will need extra memorization efforts.


Would love to hear your thougths and any other tid bits for the interview. Thanks
 
You don't need to memorize anything except the knowledge for the civics test (however it might look bad if you haven't memorized fundamental facts like your own birthday or how many children you have). You are allowed to look at a copy of your N-400, your passport, other documents and statements, and your own notes. I looked in my passport when asked about trips taken since filing the application.

Spouse's case is simple, she was only asked to bring DL, GC. Should she carry any other documents as well?
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Her passport, and the previous passport if it expired less than 5 years ago.

Since she does not work, she might be asked about how she is financially supported. So it would be a good idea for her to bring the tax transcripts to the interview if they are joint returns, as the transcripts would show your income. But she should not show them unless asked for proof of her financial support, or otherwise is specifically asked for them.
 
If there is something on your n400 that you are not very familiar with, then you better start memorizing. I cannot even think of what that would be on mine unless I answered something dishonestly, and even still…

Except for exact travel date, moves dates, and A#, there was nothing on my app that I wasn't intimately familiar with because it was, well, my life
 
Your wife should go with a copy of the same documents that you carry, just in case. Better to be prepared and carry more, than less. However, there is no need to volunteer anything unless she is asked
 
I being the primary (although it doesn't really apply here, my wife and I both applies for GC when I was on H1 and she was on H4) plan to carry five years of tax transcripts (not asked but in case), proof of payments of any traffic tickets, court documents if the ticket was dismissed, GC, driver's license, passport (all, current and expired), photos that I sent original with the application, an exact of the application that was mailed and birth Certificates of kids.

As for as wife is concerned, here's what I was thinking that she should carry:

1. Her passports (expired and current)
2. Photos
3. DL and GC
4. Copy of her N-400
5. Birth Certificates of kids

I could also have her take my tax returns (they are all joint for lat five years or since we got married).

I agree that applicants needs to know the core info but exact travel dates or move date may be difficult to remember.

On a related note, found this one page PDF for interview prep, found it to be very useful and handy: http://tomadams.com/naturalization-interview-study-guide/

Her interview is at 11:45 and mine is at 1:00, not sure if they call both together or probably it will be conducted separately and at different times as per the interview letter.
 
Update after the interview:

1. No memorization needed of the information you provided on the N-400 form. The interviewing officer pretty much read all items aloud and was looking for a quick yes or no from the applicant.

2. Didn't ask to see any of the documents I had carried with me except GC, Passport and Drivers license.

3. Asked if I was arrested (I had answered yes to the "have you ever been arrested, cited..." question), Replies no it was traffic violations and all tickets are paid. Asked if I went to the court. this tripped me up little bit. I did go t othe court in person but it wasn't that I was being prosecuted etc but to deal with the ticket. I told that IO that I have a printout from the court (it was a printout with court seal embossed on it). He asked if he could keep the original, to which I said sure.

4. He checked with his supervisor and later gave me printout and congratulated me for approval. Now waiting for the oath.

Here's the kicker though: My wife's case was given "a decision can't be made yet". She had her interview before me same day. Apparently her IO said she needs to do "background check" or see "internal files" and she doesn't need to come again and will hear in the mail about her case.

I was expecting that my case will be scrutinized if at all and not my wife's. Hers is pretty plain vanilla, no traffic tickets, no oversesas travels over six months.

Anyone had similar experience about their spouses or their own cases and what happened? How it progressed?
 
Sometimes when the green card was obtained as a derivative, they want to do some cross-checking of the primary's file because if something was wrong with the primary's GC (fraudulent, or issued by mistake) that could mean BOTH are ineligible for naturalization.
 
Thanks Jackolantern!

Well in this case, at least primary (mine) was recommended for approval and GC has been more than 5 years so I would think my GC is safe against any "issued by mistake" unless there's an egregious mistake.

I'm planning to get an infopass in a week or so to see if I can get some "real" status.

Hoping it may get resolved by itself after they check the primary's case.
 
jefkorn said:
Thanks Jackolantern!

Well in this case, at least primary (mine) was recommended for approval and GC has been more than 5 years so I would think my GC is safe against any "issued by mistake" unless there's an egregious mistake.
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According to your post above, her interview was over an hour before yours. Maybe if your interview was first, her interviewer may have been able to quickly find out that yours was already recommended for approval.
 
That's a valid point. That's one silver lining, hoping that either they may synch up/cross check their files after mine shows up as "recommended for approval" in their system.

Don't have much trust in USCIS's ability to figure things out on its own or their automated systems. May be too early to freak out. Will see how it unfolds.

Jackolantern said:
According to your post above, her interview was over an hour before yours. Maybe if your interview was first, her interviewer may have been able to quickly find out that yours was already recommended for approval.
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Jackolantern said:
According to your post above, her interview was over an hour before yours. Maybe if your interview was first, her interviewer may have been able to quickly find out that yours was already recommended for approval.
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This actually does help. In my case, I had a thick travel file and the IO wanted to verify the dates in their system after my interview and told me no issues, but I will hear in the mail. Then I told him my wife is here and here travel file is simple so she will likely get approved. Since she was there and oath was same day, he agreed to spend a few minutes after the interview and approve me. That was really great!

Jeffkorn - Congratulations, you are almost done
 
jefkorn said:
Anyone had similar experience about their spouses or their own cases and what happened? How it progressed?
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My wife had the easiest interview ever. She was in for about 45 minutes, and I was getting worried outside. Meanwhile, they were done with the interview in 15 minutes and spent the rest of the time shooting the shit and talking about food and kids. LOL
 
My wife's interview was the quickest..barely 15 minutes. In fact for some reason her IO had the recommended for approval checked on her form and then when my wife was leaving, IO looked at the form and said smilingly oh we need to do some background check, you don't need to come in again here and will hear from us in the mail.

Sitting tight and fingers crossed.

My IO was friendly and I asked him about my wife's case but he was swamped with other applicants so he didn't offer to look into it. Simply said he doesn't have her file (may be he mean physical folder) in front of him so he couldn't say why she was not approved. I did have her A# if my IO had gone to that step of asking me or offered to look her up via A#.

I didn't want to hassle him anymore at that point.
 
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