Citizenship Application Approved - 23 Feb 2010 - Lawrence, MA
Hi All
I am extremely happy to state that my Citizenship Application was approved yesterday (23 Feb 2010) @ Lawrence, MA USCIS District Office.
Firstly, sorry for the delay in posting this experience as I was a bit busy with the work.
Secondly, I thank each and every one (Members, Moderators etc) in this Forum as it immensely helped me throughout my GC and Citizenship Experience. This
Forum is one wonderful tool providing lots of information helping you in preparation throughout your Application Journey
USCIS District Office: Lawrence, MA
Actual Appointment: 14 Jan 2010 (9:30 AM) - Postponed as it was scheduled earlier than my 5 yr GC Anniversary (18 Jan 2010)
Re-Scheduled Appointment: 23 Feb 2010 (8 AM) - Reached @ 7:20 AM
Parking: Museum Parking Garage ($1.50 per hour) - Paid $3 as it was 1hr 20 min by the time I left.
Security Check-In: Airport Type/Courteous Staff (Shoes need not be removed - The Security guy joked that they do not want any smell when I asked him about removing of shoes). Did not check ID
Reception: The Appointment Letter was taken (did not check ID) and was offered to be seated in the waiting area
Waiting Area: About 15 people already waiting (around 7:35 AM).
Waited for 30 min before being called in @ 8:05 AM (My Wife was with me)
A White Male USCIS Officer called my Name. I walked to him and was greeted courteously and I inturn greeted him. He gave me the way to walk inside the first door and had to swipe his card to open the second security door (back to back doors).
We walked thru a corridor (with rooms on both sides) till we reached his room and was asked to enter and stand for a brief moment. He came inside with me, closed the door behind me.
Interview: I was asked to raise my right hand for swearing. Once done, was offered a seat
He was checking/printing etc in his computer constantly throughout the interview. (I couldn't get a glimpse of it as the computer was facing him).
He asked me if I had any trouble finding their office (I said no) and offered me an apology for rescheduling my appointment to a later date and said that they have been scheduling few appointments earlier than the GC anniversaries and had been calling people about the cancellations and re-booking.
Documents: He asked me for Green Card, Passport(s) and Driver's License/State ID (No other document was asked for though I had a bunch of documentation)
He verified the GC and Driver's License (Front & Back of both) and kept them aside (did not touch the Passports)
He then told me that he would be administering the English/History/Civics/Geography Exams first to get them out of the way.
English Test: (Printed questions from the computer)
Reading Test: What do we pay the Government (The sheet had 3 questions and I was asked to read the 1st)
After reading it, he asked me whether I knew the answer. I said "Taxes". He added "and speeding fines also" (It threw me off at this point as I had 4 speeding tickets on my N400 and immediately knew that he might give me a tough time when the Citations question came up.)
Writing Test: He then handed me a different paper to write "We pay Taxes"
Checked off with a red ballpoint pen to indicate that the answers were correct and proceeded to administer the History/Civics/Geography Test.
History/Civics/Geography Test: (Printed questions from the computer)
He asked me the following Questions and was recording my answers using a red ballpoint pen
1. What is Freedom of Religion? (Question# 10)
2. How many U.S. Senators are there? (Question# 18)
3. When must all men register for the Selective Service? (Question# 57)
4. When was the Constitution written? (Question# 66)
5. Name one state that borders Canada? (Question# 92)
6. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States? (Question# 90)
Once completed, he told me that I passed the Test and proceeded with my N-400 Application Review
N-400 Application Review: (My N-400 Application was neatly filed along with my GC papers in a thick file infront of him all this while)
Details: He then reviewed each and every question/section in the N-400 (even details like SSN, Wife's Name, Wife's DOB, Marriage Date, Her Status etc). All the details in part 3, 4, 8 & 9 of N-400)
Addresses/Employers: He asked me all the addresses that I stayed at and all employers I worked for (He was helping me with the details when I was trying to recollect in between)
As he was validating my addresses, I told him that there was a typing mistake in the year for one of the addresses (2009 instead of 2007).
He then corrected it with the red pen but then I offered him an updated Page 3 with the correct info. He gladly took it, thanked me and said that it helps. He then took out the earlier corrected paper and put it in the trash can behind him and filed the new updated page I gave him back in the file
Note: Since I left my GC Employer in 1.5 months after receiving GC, I was worried if he would bring up the issue but he never even mentioned about it. He was just verifying all the names of employers only
Trips: I did not have any trips outside US (I never went out of US since I came here 13 years ago. Not even for 1 day). He was surprised that I did not have any trips and asked me if I have been to Canada and after I said No, he verified my 2 Passports (Old & New) for any trips.
Part 10: He validated each and every question and I answered as was documented in the N-400 earlier. He checked off each and every question with the red pen as I gave him the answers
Part 10 D: Once he reached the Citation section, he asked me the following question:
Have You ever been Arrested, Cited, Detained? for which I answered "Cited for speeding". (As expected earlier, he started probing more in regards to my Traffic Tickets)
I had documented 4 Speeding tickets: 2 in 2001 in PA (about $150 fine each), 1 in 2003 in NJ ($212 fine), 1 in 2008 in MA ($300 fine)
For the NJ ticket, I documented as FINE PAID (LESS THAN $500) as I couldn't recollect the amount of fine paid at the time of my application, but later found as $212 from the court documents faxed to me days before the Interview.
I had the following docs related to citations:
Original Citations and the Cheques for the amounts paid for both the PA tickets.
Original Citation and the Court Disposition (Proof of payment) for the NJ ticket.
Letter (proof of payment) from the Merit Rating Board for the fine paid along with a copy of the citation in MA.
Official Certified Driving Record from MA RMV
He started off saying that I had traffic citations and the one in MA has $300 fine and asked me how fast I was going. I answered that I was doing somewhere in 70s but he said that I should have been speeding much higher as he said that in MA, for every 1 mile, it's $10 fine. He went on to say that I was driving recklessly, for which I said no and did not agree with him.
He went on to say that he drives the same roads that I drive and he doesn't want his family to get hit by me
He also said that I paid $500 fine for the NJ citation and went on to say that I had a problem (In my mind, I was thinking, that he will definitely not approve my Application and I have a long road ahead of me for proving my innocence). I clarified that the fine I paid for the NJ citation was less than $500 and it was about $200 and further added "$212 to be exact". At this time he asked me whether I had ever been to court for which I replied NO and he further asked me if I had ever appeared before a Judge for which I also answered NO
He did not ask me for any documentation (proof of payments, court dispositions etc)
He then proceeded with the rest of the questions.
Suddenly, he asked me when I came to US and tried to search the date in his paperwork but I answered him as August 1997, then he verified my GC Resident Since" date on the GC (I was worried at this time as I thought that he started to review my whole immigration history since when I entered the country).
Actually he was trying to validate my age to see if I was eligible for Selective Service Registration. ( I heaved a sigh of relief)
After completing all the questions including the Oath Requirements, he asked me to sign the N-400 and the 2 photos that I sent in along with the Application.
Once completed he did not say anything and was calmly filing his paperwork (He was filing the Tests paperwork along with the N-400, the photos and the Interview Appmt Letter etc). I was just watching him do this
He then stamped my paperwork in the file with the big red lettered "Approved" stamp. (That's when I was a bit relaxed)
He then asked me if I was nervous for which I answered "Yes, A Little Bit". He then comforted me saying that I need not be worried.
Finally, he told me that I was Recommending my Application for Approval and congratulated me and shook my hand.
He then handed over the N-652 paper (marked Recommended for Approval) and said that my Oath was scheduled for 21 April 2010 (10 AM) @ Worcester, MA (Mechanics Hall). He also told me that I had to wait in the waiting room and someone will be handing over me the Oath Letter
He then escorted me back to the waiting room (He was saying that he hoped that I will take care of my speeding) for which I replied that I will and I learnt my lesson.
Waiting Room: After wating for 5 minutes, a lady announced my name and handed over the Oath Letter instructing me what to do.
Thanked her and left the USCIS Office around 8:35 AM
Don't worry, my interview was not this long. It was 15 minutes only. My Wife who was in the waiting room timed it (She said I went in @ 8:05 AM and came back @ 8:20 AM)
Conclusion:
Sorry for the long post.Just wanted to provide as much info as possible for the people who are in the Citizenship Queue. (This is the least I can do)
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Now Waiting for the Oath
The Journey is not yet finished for me as I have to file I-485/EAD/AP for my Wife once I get my Citizenship (I-130 already filed in Dec 2009 and pending in CSC)
