July 2009 N-400 Filers
- Thread starter zombie2006
- Start date
USCIS surprise! today after noon I got a call from Baltimore DO asking me to pick up my oath letter and take an oath on Nov 10th when we go for my wife's oath on Tuesday(Nov10). This was being done because during my interview the officer felt that we had to make a separate trip for oath(if it is done on different days like our interview) so they combined our oath on same day.
_____________________________________
DO: Baltimore, MD
07/27/09: N-400 for self and wife mailed to Texas by certified first class mail.
07/30/09: N-400 Received
07/30/09: Priority Date
07/31/09: Checks cashed
08/06/09: NOA received
08/06/09: FP Notice Date
08/11/09: FP Notice (self and wife) received
08/21/09: FP done (self and wife)
08/28/09: IL Notice Date(wife)
08/31/09: Interview Letter received(wife)
09/02/09: IL Notice Date(self)
09/03/09: Case update "Case sent for interview...(self and wife)
09/08/09: Interview Letter received(self)
10/08/09: Interview Passed(wife)
10/13/09: Interview Passed (self)
10/30/09: Oath notice date(wife)
10/31/09: Oath letter(wife)
11/05/09: Oath day notice by cell phone(self)
11/10/09:Oath date (wife)
11/10/09:Oath date(self)
_____________________________________
DO: Baltimore, MD
07/27/09: N-400 for self and wife mailed to Texas by certified first class mail.
07/30/09: N-400 Received
07/30/09: Priority Date
07/31/09: Checks cashed
08/06/09: NOA received
08/06/09: FP Notice Date
08/11/09: FP Notice (self and wife) received
08/21/09: FP done (self and wife)
08/28/09: IL Notice Date(wife)
08/31/09: Interview Letter received(wife)
09/02/09: IL Notice Date(self)
09/03/09: Case update "Case sent for interview...(self and wife)
09/08/09: Interview Letter received(self)
10/08/09: Interview Passed(wife)
10/13/09: Interview Passed (self)
10/30/09: Oath notice date(wife)
10/31/09: Oath letter(wife)
11/05/09: Oath day notice by cell phone(self)
11/10/09:Oath date (wife)
11/10/09:Oath date(self)
oath letter received
got oath letter today.
July 8, 2009, Mailed N-400
July 13, 2009 Check cashed
July 17, 2009 Received Letter of Notice
July 9, 2009, PD
July 20, 2009, Received Finger Printing letter
August 5, 2009, Schedule for finger printing
August 5, 2009, Finger Printing Done.
August 25, 2009, Online status check, case sent for standard interview
August 29, 2009, received interview letter
November 2, 2009, interview done
November 9, 2009, oath letter
November 21, 2009, Oath done
got oath letter today.
July 8, 2009, Mailed N-400
July 13, 2009 Check cashed
July 17, 2009 Received Letter of Notice
July 9, 2009, PD
July 20, 2009, Received Finger Printing letter
August 5, 2009, Schedule for finger printing
August 5, 2009, Finger Printing Done.
August 25, 2009, Online status check, case sent for standard interview
August 29, 2009, received interview letter
November 2, 2009, interview done
November 9, 2009, oath letter
November 21, 2009, Oath done
Last edited by a moderator:
Nice, I just didn't know that Federal employees would work on Saturdays...
Got Our Citizenship as well
Self and wife were interviewed and sworn in y'day. T'was a long day. Our interviews were scheduled for 9:20 in the morning and we were there by 9:00. Wife was asked to go to the 14th floor for interview (due to name change request? may be?). Anyhow I was called in at 10:20 was sworn in and the civics test started right away. Got the 6 questions right
1)Who were the people sold as slaves (question paraphrased by me)? Africans
2) How many amendments to the constitution? 27
3) Who is the Vice President? Joe Biden
4) What is the capital of New Jersey? Trenton
5) How many years do we elect the Senators for? 6
6) How many members in the house? 435
Written test
Who can vote?
Citizens can vote.
Then a rapid fire question session based on the application. Sampler below
Are you a communist? No
Ever been Arrested/detained by police INS? No
Voted in a federal election? No
Asked me to sign papers and wait outside to be called. Done in 10 mins.
Waited for my wife outside she was done about 11:00, no biggie for her except a bunch of questions of the differences in her birth certificate name, passport name and the name she used right after marriage (she briefly used my first name as her last).
Her name was called out first she went and signed the certificate and indicated she'd wait for the next ceremony (at 2:00) so that we may be sworn together. I signed mine around 12:00. Went down to 2nd floor to get food. Went to the 10th floor to get the Social Security update forms and filled them out as we waited.
Ceremony started out late by about 5 mins. Movie, speech etc. and we were handed our certificates and in my wife's case the name change thingy. done by 2:45. Went down to the SS office took a number waited to be called. Had the lady at the window enter my name correctly after she made a mistake the first time, She made copies of the Naturalization cert. Done by 3:15.
Yet to apply for passport.
Self and wife were interviewed and sworn in y'day. T'was a long day. Our interviews were scheduled for 9:20 in the morning and we were there by 9:00. Wife was asked to go to the 14th floor for interview (due to name change request? may be?). Anyhow I was called in at 10:20 was sworn in and the civics test started right away. Got the 6 questions right
1)Who were the people sold as slaves (question paraphrased by me)? Africans
2) How many amendments to the constitution? 27
3) Who is the Vice President? Joe Biden
4) What is the capital of New Jersey? Trenton
5) How many years do we elect the Senators for? 6
6) How many members in the house? 435
Written test
Who can vote?
Citizens can vote.
Then a rapid fire question session based on the application. Sampler below
Are you a communist? No
Ever been Arrested/detained by police INS? No
Voted in a federal election? No
Asked me to sign papers and wait outside to be called. Done in 10 mins.
Waited for my wife outside she was done about 11:00, no biggie for her except a bunch of questions of the differences in her birth certificate name, passport name and the name she used right after marriage (she briefly used my first name as her last).
Her name was called out first she went and signed the certificate and indicated she'd wait for the next ceremony (at 2:00) so that we may be sworn together. I signed mine around 12:00. Went down to 2nd floor to get food. Went to the 10th floor to get the Social Security update forms and filled them out as we waited.
Ceremony started out late by about 5 mins. Movie, speech etc. and we were handed our certificates and in my wife's case the name change thingy. done by 2:45. Went down to the SS office took a number waited to be called. Had the lady at the window enter my name correctly after she made a mistake the first time, She made copies of the Naturalization cert. Done by 3:15.
Yet to apply for passport.
Interview & Oath (Houston, TX)
I kept off the forum for a while. The last update was my interview being rescheduled for a week later; to match the 5 year completion date (Oct 28, 2009).
Interview Day (Oct 28, 2009)
Getting to the USCIS was a bigger deal than the interview itself. Battling the morning rush hour reached there at 8:29 AM (Interview was at 8:30 AM). Parked on the street and rushed inside the empty USCIS building. There was just one person waiting in the Naturalization Area. Later 2 more joined me. All of us were rescheduled, as we hadn’t completed 5 years on the actual interview date. USCIS seriously needs to take this into consideration when scheduling an interview. The interview was straightforward; the IO rapidly browsed thru the thick folder of documents, saw my transcripts, degree certificates, etc. Asked 6 questions (The Bill of Rights, 4 years - Presidents Term, Mississippi River, 1787, Native Americans, Nancy Pelosi, We the People). Asked to read “When is Columbus Day?”. Write “Columbus Day is in October”. Reviewed the application form once more. That’s it. Done. Waited back in the Naturalization area and picked up the oath letter in next 10 minutes. Oath was on Nov. 18th.
Oath Day (Nov 18, 2009)
Took the forum’s advice and reached MO Campbell Educational Center (Aldine ISD’s Basketball Stadium) 1 hour late at 8:00 AM! Good decision. There was no waiting in lines in bitter cold. And no queues at the booths. The booths were sorted based on the last 3 digits of your Alien #: 000-100, 101-200, and likewise. They are manned by eager volunteers. You eyeball your Naturalization Certificate for discrepancies and give it back. Entering the seating arena the volunteers hand out booklets: Declaration of Independence & the US Constitution, Passport Application forms, Voter Registration forms, etc. The place was packed and people were dozing off on the seats, walking about. Felt bored to sit, so stepped outside to go get Cappuccino at the corner McDonalds. The actual ceremony started at 10:00 AM; Boy Scouts parading the flags, the judicial proceedings, swearing the oath, pledge of allegiance to the US flag, national anthem, speech by guest speaker. Then people were called out (as per the color sheets they were given while entering) to pick-up their Naturalization Certificates. There were people waiting in lines to take picture with the judge and the guest speaker. The order they call people is Last in Last out. So, I was one of the last to get out! Went straight from there to the US Post Office and submitted my Passport application (Passport and Card, all for 120 bucks).
That’s it guys. Thanks for all your inputs, there is a wealth of information on these forums. And selfless gurus jumping to your aid. Thanks to Rajeev Khanna for making all this happen.
Some Tips:
Do early walkins for fingerprints only if necessary. Otherwise you might be triggering early interviews. And have to make two trips for the interview.
Name change doesn’t seem to add any extra time, at least at the Houston DO. Again that might vary on a case by case basis.
Just take the bare minimum documentation for the interview, if your case is straightforward.
Seems like you can get to Oath Ceremony even as until 9:00 AM.
If you insist on getting there at 7:00 AM, you have plenty time for breakfast and coffee at McDonalds on the corner. You can walk there.
When done you can also exit thru a back road, don’t crowd to get onto Aldine-Bender in the front.
TIMELINE
5 Year based N-400
GC Date: Oct 27, 2004
DO: Houston, TX
*****************
07/31/2009 (Day 01): N-400 Mailed to Lewisville, TX (Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation)
08/03/2009 (Day 04): N-400 Delivered @ Lewisville, TX
08/05/2009 (Day 06): Check Cleared
08/10/2009 (Day 11): NOA Received (Priority Date: 08/03/2009)
08/12/2009 (Day 13): Online Case Status changes to RFE (Finger Print Notice)
08/18/2009 (Day 19): FP Notice Received
08/25/2009 (Day 26): FP Done (Original Appointment Date: 09/04/2009)
09/05/2009 (Day 37): Online Case Status changes to CASE SENT to DO
10/03/2009 (Day 65): Missing Interview Letter arrives at the Door Step!
10/20/2009 (Day 82): Original Interview Date (Was rescheduled to later date for me to complete 5 Years)
10/28/2009 (Day 90): Rescheduled Interview Date (Done, Approved, Received Oath Letter)
11/18/2009 (Day 110): Oath Done
11/18/2009 (Day 110): Applied for the US Passport
I kept off the forum for a while. The last update was my interview being rescheduled for a week later; to match the 5 year completion date (Oct 28, 2009).
Interview Day (Oct 28, 2009)
Getting to the USCIS was a bigger deal than the interview itself. Battling the morning rush hour reached there at 8:29 AM (Interview was at 8:30 AM). Parked on the street and rushed inside the empty USCIS building. There was just one person waiting in the Naturalization Area. Later 2 more joined me. All of us were rescheduled, as we hadn’t completed 5 years on the actual interview date. USCIS seriously needs to take this into consideration when scheduling an interview. The interview was straightforward; the IO rapidly browsed thru the thick folder of documents, saw my transcripts, degree certificates, etc. Asked 6 questions (The Bill of Rights, 4 years - Presidents Term, Mississippi River, 1787, Native Americans, Nancy Pelosi, We the People). Asked to read “When is Columbus Day?”. Write “Columbus Day is in October”. Reviewed the application form once more. That’s it. Done. Waited back in the Naturalization area and picked up the oath letter in next 10 minutes. Oath was on Nov. 18th.
Oath Day (Nov 18, 2009)
Took the forum’s advice and reached MO Campbell Educational Center (Aldine ISD’s Basketball Stadium) 1 hour late at 8:00 AM! Good decision. There was no waiting in lines in bitter cold. And no queues at the booths. The booths were sorted based on the last 3 digits of your Alien #: 000-100, 101-200, and likewise. They are manned by eager volunteers. You eyeball your Naturalization Certificate for discrepancies and give it back. Entering the seating arena the volunteers hand out booklets: Declaration of Independence & the US Constitution, Passport Application forms, Voter Registration forms, etc. The place was packed and people were dozing off on the seats, walking about. Felt bored to sit, so stepped outside to go get Cappuccino at the corner McDonalds. The actual ceremony started at 10:00 AM; Boy Scouts parading the flags, the judicial proceedings, swearing the oath, pledge of allegiance to the US flag, national anthem, speech by guest speaker. Then people were called out (as per the color sheets they were given while entering) to pick-up their Naturalization Certificates. There were people waiting in lines to take picture with the judge and the guest speaker. The order they call people is Last in Last out. So, I was one of the last to get out! Went straight from there to the US Post Office and submitted my Passport application (Passport and Card, all for 120 bucks).
That’s it guys. Thanks for all your inputs, there is a wealth of information on these forums. And selfless gurus jumping to your aid. Thanks to Rajeev Khanna for making all this happen.
Some Tips:
Do early walkins for fingerprints only if necessary. Otherwise you might be triggering early interviews. And have to make two trips for the interview.
Name change doesn’t seem to add any extra time, at least at the Houston DO. Again that might vary on a case by case basis.
Just take the bare minimum documentation for the interview, if your case is straightforward.
Seems like you can get to Oath Ceremony even as until 9:00 AM.
If you insist on getting there at 7:00 AM, you have plenty time for breakfast and coffee at McDonalds on the corner. You can walk there.
When done you can also exit thru a back road, don’t crowd to get onto Aldine-Bender in the front.
TIMELINE
5 Year based N-400
GC Date: Oct 27, 2004
DO: Houston, TX
*****************
07/31/2009 (Day 01): N-400 Mailed to Lewisville, TX (Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation)
08/03/2009 (Day 04): N-400 Delivered @ Lewisville, TX
08/05/2009 (Day 06): Check Cleared
08/10/2009 (Day 11): NOA Received (Priority Date: 08/03/2009)
08/12/2009 (Day 13): Online Case Status changes to RFE (Finger Print Notice)
08/18/2009 (Day 19): FP Notice Received
08/25/2009 (Day 26): FP Done (Original Appointment Date: 09/04/2009)
09/05/2009 (Day 37): Online Case Status changes to CASE SENT to DO
10/03/2009 (Day 65): Missing Interview Letter arrives at the Door Step!
10/20/2009 (Day 82): Original Interview Date (Was rescheduled to later date for me to complete 5 Years)
10/28/2009 (Day 90): Rescheduled Interview Date (Done, Approved, Received Oath Letter)
11/18/2009 (Day 110): Oath Done
11/18/2009 (Day 110): Applied for the US Passport