Los Angeles, CA - N-400 Timeline

9-11-08 Oath

Took the oath yesterday at the LACC. Everything went about as smoothly as can be expected, what with three ceremonies of 6,000 new citizens per ceremony. Got to my ceremony about 45 minutes before the time on the letter and was herded into Hall G of the Tom Bradley section of the LACC. Stood in a very large line which moved quite quickly once they started letting people in. The final queue for this incredibly long process. Had the an oath ceremony at a different time than my wife's so I went in my own.

Went into the main auditorium and walked to the tables where I was checked in. Officer took my GC and then checked my appointment letter. Wrote "OK" and the table number where I was to pick up my Natz Certificate after the ceremony. Was directed to my seat and then the waiting started. The ceremony will start about 45 minutes after the time on your appt letter - it takes that long to process everybody. Court is declared in session, government petitions for naturalization and judge grants the motion. Applicants stand and take the oath. Then a lot of cheering and flag waving. Judge gives a short speech. Sing the national anthem, say the pledge of allegiance, watch a few short videos and then dismissed. Dismissed by row number and it only takes about 20 minutes to get through everybody. Go to the table, show them the letter and collect your certificate.

CHECK YOUR CERTIFICATE IN THE HALL. If there are mistakes, you can have them corrected there for free. Once you have the certificate and it is correct, you can leave. I double checked my certificate and then got out of there as fast as my legs would carry me. On the way out, I dropped off my voter registration card.

Overall, a long day but it was well worth it to finally be done with this process. I still can't believe that I am a US citizen, but I guess it will sink in soon. I am leaving in a few minutes to go apply for a passport (didn't do this at the ceremony since I wanted to make a copy of the certificate).

Best of luck to everybody in this process, and hope that your cases move forward quickly now. I will stick around here for a while so please ask if you have any questions. Thanks to everybody for their assistance and support over the past 13 months!
 
Congratulations, yummyk! I understand exactly what you're saying about the feeling not having sunk in yet. This is my 3rd day as a USC and it still hasn't hit me. Maybe it'll change when I receive my passport!
 
cllin123 said:
I acutally got a letter from FBI in early Aug that my NC is finalized and sent to USCIS, and then I made infopass and was told that NC seems to be cleared and I am in queue for interview.
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Ok, so you out of NC and in queue for interview. That's good.
Now, the bad part: when I was in your situation and at Infopass in Los Angeles office tried to ask IO how long could I be in this "queue" he told me "could be 2-3 months, could be 6 months, could be 12 months" http://boards.immigration.com/showpost.php?p=1927154&postcount=1395 - sure I got it sooner, but I read about other people who waited more than 6 months before - that's where contacting your Congressman helps.
 
My oath letter was also on plain paper and not on the usual "green" paper.

I485Waiter, my ceremony is the 12pm one. I guess I was slightly ahead in the queue than you ;)
 
LuckyMe_LA said:
I initially got a letter a week back called I-797c Notice of Action asking me and my wife to appear for interview on Oct 14th 2008 at LA Field Office 300 North Los Angeles Field Office. This letter looks proper like light green with light black lines like H1B, Green card paper material

Yesterday, I got a letter both me and my wife from US Dept of Homeland Security, US Citienship and Immigration Service asking to appear for interview on Sep 15th with Adjudication officer at 1241 S Soto Street. This letter is on plain A4 paper coming out of HP printer I guess (Not on light green paper)

From what I see before, It looks like my interview has been preponed.

1. Anybody out there with similar experience as I mentioned above.
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Hi LuckyMe_LA,

I was also initially scheduled for interview on Oct 14 at LA field office, then re-scheduled for Oct 10, at 1241 S Soto St. (didn't even know that office exists), also received it on a plain "suspicious" paper. Hope that they are just in a rush and trying to push our interviews more quickly.
Good luck on your interview on Monday. Please, let us all know how it goes.
 
POCTOB, new civics is exam is easier then old one, for example it requires only 3 original colonies not 13, and generally the new questions make more sense to me.

my interview is in 14 hours, making final preparations, I will take my phone with me and hopefully will post a short message soon after.

PS a lot of people on the forum called me "dude" and "man", just wanted to clarify that I am a girl :rolleyes:
 
Feliz-LA,
you mentioned of July 15, 08- IL (called 800 Jul 17>IL sent, received Jul 18), I wonder how you reached the people in CSC to get the interview letter sent information. I know if you get hold of a 1st level 1800 customer support, they really know nothing and can not tell you any thing useful. I have expreienced this many times. can you share how to be able to talk to the CSC immigration officer? thanks


Feliz-LA said:
POCTOB, new civics is exam is easier then old one, for example it requires only 3 original colonies not 13, and generally the new questions make more sense to me.

my interview is in 14 hours, making final preparations, I will take my phone with me and hopefully will post a short message soon after.

PS a lot of people on the forum called me "dude" and "man", just wanted to clarify that I am a girl :rolleyes:
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please update your signature timelines!
PM me to take over my USCIS stats:
CSC-Los Angeles
Oct 30, 07 - PD, Nov 9 - check cashed, # 2 08 XXXX= WSC*002 08 XXXX
Nov 30 - NOA1 (425 days), Dec 28 - FP letter
Jan 18, 08 - FP done
July 15, 08- IL (called 800 Jul 17>IL sent, received Jul 18)
Sep 15, 08- ID
online status "received Nov 7", last touch Dec 4
 
PS a lot of people on the forum called me "dude" and "man", just wanted to clarify that I am a girl

Me too and I knew. Good luck to day. I am looking forward to hearing how it went and how long it will be to the oath ceremony.
 
Feliz-LA said:
new civics is exam is easier then old one, for example it requires only 3 original colonies not 13, and generally the new questions make more sense to me.
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Accoring to this page:
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/us...nnel=2de5bece24e7b110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD
only people who filed N-400 _BEFORE_ Oct 1, 2008 and have interview _AFTER_ Oct 1, 2008 have the choice you want.

But hey, if you can make same rapport you make with police officer who let you go without ticket - I think you can even convince IO to grant you citizenship right there and even give you passport within an hour :cool:

Feliz-LA said:
a lot of people on the forum called me "dude" and "man", just wanted to clarify that I am a girl :rolleyes:
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Hey, it's LA, you can be anyone you want (as long as you stay in West Hollywood!) :D
 
cllin123 said:
I wonder how you reached the people in CSC to get the interview letter sent information. I know if you get hold of a 1st level 1800 customer support, they really know nothing and can not tell you any thing useful. I have expreienced this many times. can you share how to be able to talk to the CSC immigration officer?
Click to expand...

This is generic knowledge, not specific to Los Angeles office and explained many times in this forum in other threads - please use search and read as much as you can before asking questions that have been asked and answered millions times. (nothing personal, we all have been noobs in Natz)
 
Felix_LA - Cannot believe your story

I was in SOTO street in same room with you. My wife and me cleared it. We had 11:00 AM as our interview time and didnot get in with Adj officer until 2:00 PM. It was brief 12 mins for me. With right hand right infront of shoulder, I swore to tell the truth and civis exam was a joke. It was one of 96 questions from civics book. All we need to know is the one line answer and not the details of it. My wife came out a minute earlier even though she was called in a minute after me. BY THE WAY, ARE YOU THE ONE WHO HAD A 5 YEAR OLD KID (GIRL) WITH YOUR WIFE BEING CALLED FIRST. I AM TRYING TO PLACE YOU. I HOPE YOU WERE NOT THE THAI MONK WHO WAS IN FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

I was the one cursing since I had sneaked out of work.

I cannot believe your statement that you came at 11:30 AM and got in at 12:30. Since the whole process was slow, I always counted the people before we came, since it was in the order the people gave in Window-1. Anyway discounting that statement, I am sad you were denied because you didn't stay for enough time.

Now I have a problem that needs to be addressed. I AM ALMOST INBETWEEN JOBS. MY WORRY IS WITH BACKGROUND, DRUG AND REFERENCE CHECK BEING MADE FOR NEW EMPLOYMENT, WILL IT CLASH WITH MY OATH. I WILL THEN HAVE MY GREEN CARD TAKEN AND WILL HAVE NO PASSPORT BUT ONLY NATURALIZATION CERTIFICATE. IS THAT OKAY FOR I9 FORM WHICH WE NEED TO FILL INFRONT OF NEW EMPLOYER. THE CURRENT I9 FORM DOES NOT ACCEPT NATURALIZATION CERTIFICATE AS A PROOF. IT SAYS UNEXPIRED PASSPORT OR GREEN CARD.

ANYBODY OUT THERE, PLEASE HELP

Thanks in advance
 
You said:
at about 12.40 officers started appearing (possibly after lunch break) behind windows and started calling the names, but people called would return back to seats, so I wasn't sure what's going on until my turn.

I say, it was not until 1:00 PM they called, may be I am wrong it was 12:50


My name was called at about 1.40 and a young fast talking asian looking officer asked for my GC, DL and passport, went back and made copies, then he gave me written and reading test, I had to sign bottom of each paper.

My guess is, you were the one who was called just before me. I agree that we had to read and write and sign at the end of the page. I had to read one line and write one line. In each of the sheet, we need to sign at the end of the page where our name is written. My name is not only long, it had 2 initials too which was expanded and it was my father's full name in between my name. He told this is what will be in passport. I told okay. He said he cannot put the initials. The middle name didnot have enough space (30 chars max) I guess. It got cut some where in between. I told it is okay. I had no other choice.

Good Luck Felix. One more thing, park in SOTO street parking where you park right infront of second floor. It is $4 flat.
 
Vorpal said:
Congratulations, yummyk! I understand exactly what you're saying about the feeling not having sunk in yet. This is my 3rd day as a USC and it still hasn't hit me. Maybe it'll change when I receive my passport!
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Thanks for the congratulations and good wishes, Vorpal, Bobsmyth and others. Vorpal, congratulations on obtaining your citizenship and on getting married - all in the same week. Bobsmyth, I am sure that your oath letter will arrive before you know it - the hard part is done now, that's for sure.

FelizLA - very sorry to hear about your interview results yesterday. I was cheering for you from over here in Irvine! If it's any consolation to you (and it probably is not), I have been around this forum for a long time now, and I can tell you that your "problem" is one of the better ones to have. The reason I say this is that time alone will solve it for you, as long as you remain here. Once you meet the physical presence requirements, you can apply again. Many people with criminal or other problems can never realistically obtain citizenship, and my wife's IO informed her (when she inquired casually about rejection rates) that "many people who come in here are not citizenship material. I deport people all the time..."

That being said, try to look at it on the bright side: you are still a LPR and can work and reside here for as long as you wish. As well, when the time is right, you can re-apply and next time you will obtain it for sure. The backlog in processing is over, and they seem to be processing applications very very quickly now. When you do re-apply, I expect you will get through the process in about 5 months. Best of luck to you, and please keep the forum apprised of your progress.
 
Thank you for support YummyK and LuckyMe.

YummyK, since I was short only 20 days I am thinkng to apply a week after first 20 days of my first trip in Dec 2005 fall beyond 3 years which will happen January 2009 (Jan 2006-Jan 2009) .

I have another option to apply when I qualify for 5 year requrements in Nov 09, but I don't think it makes sense to wait so long.

Back when I appled in Oct 07 i had no idea about fee raise and backlog, I thought it would take 7 month and I would be done by May 08, there was nothng I could do about past trips but wait till Jan 09 + another 7 months, so my inital reason for risk was that I thought may be i get lucky and still get through and be done May 08 instead of July 09, I mean what is missing 20 days comparing to terrorism as a reason for denial? but my $670 bet was lost.

I hope they don't slow down or fire all additional staff soon after they naturalize all of July 07 backlog this September, but considerng how slow they hired them i imagne firing will take long time too.

at the interview i got a feeling that officers behind windows were newer ones and they only conducted english and civics exam, and older hires were actual adjudcators.

well at least my supporting documents binder is thick and ready, all I would need to do is make copies, fill new appilcation and mail it, and FBI supposedly moves faster too so I hope yummyk is right and I would be done by june 09.

and for now I think I will take a brake from USCIS worries .

I wonder if it makes sense to have mailng address with OC? would it qualfy me for interview in OC, Santa Ana seems so fast
 
name change

Hi All,
My first post here. My wife's naturalization ceremony is scheduled for sept. 26th at the LA sports arena. During the citizenship interview they asked if my wife i she wanted a name change. She said yes. She wanted her name just to be just the first, middle, and last. All other correspondence in the past had included her maiden name as part of her full name.
On the form N-445, the letter for the oath ceremony, her name still shows her maiden name.
My question is, will her naturalization certificate show her new, shortened name? If it doesn't, what do we do?
thanks.
 
Hello ddoubles,
My ceremony falls on the same day, same place.

I am also going thru my middle and last name change. My understanding is, the certificate will show the new name. I am supposed to get a 'notice' with court seal, approving the name change. I am not sure, if I will get that on the same day. But, since the ceremony itself is a court-activity, I believe, I should get it the same day. (can someone confirm this?)

If it isn't, I believe any correction could be requested at the same day/ same place, with no extra charge.

What I gather is, name changes are quite common during naturalization, so mistakes rarely happen.
 
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