Just wanted to share mine and my wife's experience at NYC since often I have come to this forum to gain from other people's experiences.
I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT OUR EXPERIENCE WITH USCIS, DOS and INDIAN CONSULATE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY PLEASING AS YOU WOULD NOTICE FROM VERY SHORT PROCESSING TIMELINES BELOW FOR EACH OF THE STAGES
Green Card:
GC obtained under Employment Preference One (EB1 - Multinational Manager) in Jan 2002. The process from start (filing of application by employer) to obtaining physical GCs took less than 9 months.
I continue to work for a major investment bank that had transferred me to the USA on an L1-A visa about 6 months before I had requested my firm to file for the GC in Mid 2001. The firm's lawyer had opted for councillor processing from the major Asian Financial Center office that I was transferred from.
Son's plastic GC had error in one of the fields. Filed a I90 for correction. Were told that the new card may take 12-18 months. Were given I551 stamp on his pp. The new GC was actually recevied in less than 3 months
Citizenship:
N400 sent around mid Nov 2006 (75~80 days before completion of 5 year GC annversary that was due by end Jan 2007)
Finger printed within 20-25 days of filing N400
Interview letter received within 40 days after filing N400
Interview 80 days after filing N400 - 40 days after interview letter
=>>>just 5 & 6 days respectively after our GC's 5th anneversary
Oath options given at the time of inteview take the next week or the week after. My wife went the following Friday and I the Friday after hers to become US citizens.
Interview - Self.
Nothing at all to highlight. The officer who seemed fairly senior was friendly, had seen that I continue to work for the same multinational investment bank and often travel to financial centers worldwide. Said, he sometimes wished he could travel around the world as well, as their options are currently limited to travelling to Georgia for training. I asked him about overseas postings, mentioned USCIS has attaches to consulates. Said that may be one option - all this in light vein. Asked the mandatory civics and english questions, the y/n from the form. Asked when the spouse was due for interview, I said early next morning and so requested that I could be given a oath date coinciding hers if that was possible. He suggested that I then get it in two weeks time and my wife could request the same or an earler date. The oath letters were given at the window outside - date 2 weeks after as I had requested.
My observation: The officer was motivated, meticulous and professional and pleasing - gave a warm hand shake and wished all the best for my wife's interview as I left.
All took about 8-10 minutes.
Took oath at Disrict Court, Brooklyn, NY - 2 Friday's after interview
Interview - wife
She had a speeding ticked so took the original ticket, payment receipt and also took a disposition letter from the muncipal court.
She also had all sorts of typos in her Birth certificate that she had obtained at the time of her GC but were not noted at the time. Her last name was made same as her father's last name - she has used a different last name all her life, mother's name was shortened, father's was abbreviated and father's nationality was noted as unknown - despite her father being a ranking Inidan Naval Officer at the time of her Birth and her Certificate bearing the fact that she was born at Indian Naval hospital and lived in Navy Nagar. All this thanks to Muncipal Corporation, Mumbai, who still igonre any such inquiry depite us sending so many notarised copies and affidavits, phone calls with upto 30 minutes wait and numerous faxes.
On some legal advice, she carried a joint affidavit from her parents (notarized here in US) and copies of a few of her education certs - all notarized. She told the officer that this is the case and our efforts with Muncipal Corp, Mumbai are getting nowhere (She had also carried all the stuff we had sent to MC, Mumbai just in case). The officer said as long as you have not used another name in USA, there is no problem. Kept the affidavit and the notarized secondary evidence for her file.
On her speeding ticket the lady officer said in light vein that we all get them and took the original and the receipt. Said the court disposition paper is not required in such cases. My wife said that she could keep the orginal of that too.
My wife also had the officer correct some minor typos on her her N400. Checked with her that as she has also worked voluntarily as medical researcher associate in the USA and weather she should include such work or experience. The officer said this was not required only her employment (including medical residency in USA) and school records were required.
The officer also saw that our son was foreign born and so reminded my wife that he should become an automatic citizen once she became a citizen to which my wife jokingly replied that he takes oath of alligance to the flag everyday in his school anyway.
And that was it - about 15 minutes
Took the oath the following Friday at USCIS, Federal Plaza, NYC
US Passport
Applied for expedited passport and received within a week including for our son who automatically acquired citizenship under child citizenship act. Mine, my wife's and son's application were submitted together. Original naturalization certs, original BC and GC of our son were taken. All docs except GC were returned
Indian OCI
Applied for Indian OCI - received cards in 28 days at NYC Consulate including cancelled Indian PPs
N600 Cert of Citizenship
Once son's pp obtained, filed n600 at NYC. Our lawyer submmited certified copies BC, MC, mom's, dad's and son's pp, mortage statement, utility statement and tax papers along with app, copy of GC and I551 stamps from the old pp, original employment/ length of employment letter
Interview date 4 months from filing. Interview was simple verification of original naturalization certs both parents, marriage certificate, Birth certficate, Son's US passport. The officer made dad sign an affidavit that GC was submitted to DOS when US passport was obtained and was not returned. No oath (like naturalization) was required. Printed Cert given in 30 mins. Wait about 2 hours. Interview itself 5 mins
I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT OUR EXPERIENCE WITH USCIS, DOS and INDIAN CONSULATE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY PLEASING AS YOU WOULD NOTICE FROM VERY SHORT PROCESSING TIMELINES BELOW FOR EACH OF THE STAGES
Green Card:
GC obtained under Employment Preference One (EB1 - Multinational Manager) in Jan 2002. The process from start (filing of application by employer) to obtaining physical GCs took less than 9 months.
I continue to work for a major investment bank that had transferred me to the USA on an L1-A visa about 6 months before I had requested my firm to file for the GC in Mid 2001. The firm's lawyer had opted for councillor processing from the major Asian Financial Center office that I was transferred from.
Son's plastic GC had error in one of the fields. Filed a I90 for correction. Were told that the new card may take 12-18 months. Were given I551 stamp on his pp. The new GC was actually recevied in less than 3 months
Citizenship:
N400 sent around mid Nov 2006 (75~80 days before completion of 5 year GC annversary that was due by end Jan 2007)
Finger printed within 20-25 days of filing N400
Interview letter received within 40 days after filing N400
Interview 80 days after filing N400 - 40 days after interview letter
=>>>just 5 & 6 days respectively after our GC's 5th anneversary
Oath options given at the time of inteview take the next week or the week after. My wife went the following Friday and I the Friday after hers to become US citizens.
Interview - Self.
Nothing at all to highlight. The officer who seemed fairly senior was friendly, had seen that I continue to work for the same multinational investment bank and often travel to financial centers worldwide. Said, he sometimes wished he could travel around the world as well, as their options are currently limited to travelling to Georgia for training. I asked him about overseas postings, mentioned USCIS has attaches to consulates. Said that may be one option - all this in light vein. Asked the mandatory civics and english questions, the y/n from the form. Asked when the spouse was due for interview, I said early next morning and so requested that I could be given a oath date coinciding hers if that was possible. He suggested that I then get it in two weeks time and my wife could request the same or an earler date. The oath letters were given at the window outside - date 2 weeks after as I had requested.
My observation: The officer was motivated, meticulous and professional and pleasing - gave a warm hand shake and wished all the best for my wife's interview as I left.
All took about 8-10 minutes.
Took oath at Disrict Court, Brooklyn, NY - 2 Friday's after interview
Interview - wife
She had a speeding ticked so took the original ticket, payment receipt and also took a disposition letter from the muncipal court.
She also had all sorts of typos in her Birth certificate that she had obtained at the time of her GC but were not noted at the time. Her last name was made same as her father's last name - she has used a different last name all her life, mother's name was shortened, father's was abbreviated and father's nationality was noted as unknown - despite her father being a ranking Inidan Naval Officer at the time of her Birth and her Certificate bearing the fact that she was born at Indian Naval hospital and lived in Navy Nagar. All this thanks to Muncipal Corporation, Mumbai, who still igonre any such inquiry depite us sending so many notarised copies and affidavits, phone calls with upto 30 minutes wait and numerous faxes.
On some legal advice, she carried a joint affidavit from her parents (notarized here in US) and copies of a few of her education certs - all notarized. She told the officer that this is the case and our efforts with Muncipal Corp, Mumbai are getting nowhere (She had also carried all the stuff we had sent to MC, Mumbai just in case). The officer said as long as you have not used another name in USA, there is no problem. Kept the affidavit and the notarized secondary evidence for her file.
On her speeding ticket the lady officer said in light vein that we all get them and took the original and the receipt. Said the court disposition paper is not required in such cases. My wife said that she could keep the orginal of that too.
My wife also had the officer correct some minor typos on her her N400. Checked with her that as she has also worked voluntarily as medical researcher associate in the USA and weather she should include such work or experience. The officer said this was not required only her employment (including medical residency in USA) and school records were required.
The officer also saw that our son was foreign born and so reminded my wife that he should become an automatic citizen once she became a citizen to which my wife jokingly replied that he takes oath of alligance to the flag everyday in his school anyway.
And that was it - about 15 minutes
Took the oath the following Friday at USCIS, Federal Plaza, NYC
US Passport
Applied for expedited passport and received within a week including for our son who automatically acquired citizenship under child citizenship act. Mine, my wife's and son's application were submitted together. Original naturalization certs, original BC and GC of our son were taken. All docs except GC were returned
Indian OCI
Applied for Indian OCI - received cards in 28 days at NYC Consulate including cancelled Indian PPs
N600 Cert of Citizenship
Once son's pp obtained, filed n600 at NYC. Our lawyer submmited certified copies BC, MC, mom's, dad's and son's pp, mortage statement, utility statement and tax papers along with app, copy of GC and I551 stamps from the old pp, original employment/ length of employment letter
Interview date 4 months from filing. Interview was simple verification of original naturalization certs both parents, marriage certificate, Birth certficate, Son's US passport. The officer made dad sign an affidavit that GC was submitted to DOS when US passport was obtained and was not returned. No oath (like naturalization) was required. Printed Cert given in 30 mins. Wait about 2 hours. Interview itself 5 mins