Interview was a smooth affair:
Applied: Early Nov, 2007
Fingerprints: Early Feb 2008
Interview: 27 May 2008
Cell Phones: Permitted, can be used in the hallway but not in the waiting area. You need to mute the ringer in the waiting area and need to turn off during oath.
Parking: Central Parking accross from 970 Broad Street - $10 full day parking.
Got to the window and handed over the interview letter. Name was called within 45 minutes of appointed time and the officer takes you to his office cube. Your entire file from the day you came to this country is with the officer who has obviously studied the file to some extent. First he will ask you to raise your right hand and ask you whether you intend to speak the truth. After saying "yes" the officer went through the N400 and asked for any changes to the form & asked some basic information from the form for e.g. marital status, where I work, what I do, children information etc. I was asked about nature of traffic tickets and proof of payment which I was able to provide. (They are probably concerned only about bigger offences which result in arrests). I was asked to sign the N400 in a few places, sign on the 2 photographs.
I was then quizzed about US history -got 6 out of 6 questions correct and the quiz stopped. The quiz is system generated random questions so I wont bother to describe the questions.
I was then asked to write a sentence in English on the same quiz printed sheet and asked to sign the sheet. (Signature can be cursive or you can write your name in bold letter on the forms, pictures and certificate, however it has to be a legible signature with your full name)
At the end of the interview they give you 2 forms (a) proof that you passed the test (b) letter scheduling you for oath which you need to sign at the back and check off all the "No" boxes since the oath is immediately after the interview and none of the information that you provided on your N400 form since your interview changed between the interview and the oath. The officer will walk you through this form and make sure you enter it correctly and will then escort you back to the waiting room.
Basically at Newark there are 2 interview offices 13th floor and 15th floor.
Persons interviewing on the 13th floor (me) after successful completion are asked to wait at the 13th floor waiting room/reception and after sometime are called again to the window and then informed to proceed to the interview room on the 15th floor to sign our naturalization certificates and then wait for the oath.
Once you are done with the interview (on the 15th floor or arrive from the 13th floor) you need to wait for them to call you back to the window on 15th floor to sign the Naturalization Certificate. They will take the oath scheduling letter and green card once you sign the certificate and hand you a Red Book which has interesting snippets of US history. They keep the certificate with them at that time.
They keep you waiting in the same room until there is a sufficient mass and the lady then announced "All those with Red Books please join us for the oath". They walk you to the auditorium down the hall accross on the 15th floor where an officer first informs you about applying for a passport, voting (forms provided) by them. Thereafter it is the oath and the pledge of alleigance followed by a video from President Bush. On completion they hand you the certificates in the auditorium and you are free to go.
The officer told us that the Naturalization certificate can be copied although it states on the certificate it cannot be copied. She also mentioned that it costs $400 approximately to replace one if we ever lost it. Note for your US Passport you need to hand-off the original certificate which they will mail back to you with the passport.
On other item to note: The waiting area on the 15th floor is very very busy. People waiting to be interviewed, people waiting to sign their certificates and others who have signed the certificate and waiting for oath. Besides all these there are people who come for inquiries and spouses who completed their oath and waiting for the other spouse to complete their interviews,sign-offs and oath.
BE PATIENT AS THIS CAN TAKE THE ENTIRE MORNING OR AFTERNOON. (If you have kids going to school and day care please make sure you have made alternative arrangements as you may be delayed).
Hope you find this information useful. Good luck and best wishes.
"Alldone"
Applied: Early Nov, 2007
Fingerprints: Early Feb 2008
Interview: 27 May 2008
Cell Phones: Permitted, can be used in the hallway but not in the waiting area. You need to mute the ringer in the waiting area and need to turn off during oath.
Parking: Central Parking accross from 970 Broad Street - $10 full day parking.
Got to the window and handed over the interview letter. Name was called within 45 minutes of appointed time and the officer takes you to his office cube. Your entire file from the day you came to this country is with the officer who has obviously studied the file to some extent. First he will ask you to raise your right hand and ask you whether you intend to speak the truth. After saying "yes" the officer went through the N400 and asked for any changes to the form & asked some basic information from the form for e.g. marital status, where I work, what I do, children information etc. I was asked about nature of traffic tickets and proof of payment which I was able to provide. (They are probably concerned only about bigger offences which result in arrests). I was asked to sign the N400 in a few places, sign on the 2 photographs.
I was then quizzed about US history -got 6 out of 6 questions correct and the quiz stopped. The quiz is system generated random questions so I wont bother to describe the questions.
I was then asked to write a sentence in English on the same quiz printed sheet and asked to sign the sheet. (Signature can be cursive or you can write your name in bold letter on the forms, pictures and certificate, however it has to be a legible signature with your full name)
At the end of the interview they give you 2 forms (a) proof that you passed the test (b) letter scheduling you for oath which you need to sign at the back and check off all the "No" boxes since the oath is immediately after the interview and none of the information that you provided on your N400 form since your interview changed between the interview and the oath. The officer will walk you through this form and make sure you enter it correctly and will then escort you back to the waiting room.
Basically at Newark there are 2 interview offices 13th floor and 15th floor.
Persons interviewing on the 13th floor (me) after successful completion are asked to wait at the 13th floor waiting room/reception and after sometime are called again to the window and then informed to proceed to the interview room on the 15th floor to sign our naturalization certificates and then wait for the oath.
Once you are done with the interview (on the 15th floor or arrive from the 13th floor) you need to wait for them to call you back to the window on 15th floor to sign the Naturalization Certificate. They will take the oath scheduling letter and green card once you sign the certificate and hand you a Red Book which has interesting snippets of US history. They keep the certificate with them at that time.
They keep you waiting in the same room until there is a sufficient mass and the lady then announced "All those with Red Books please join us for the oath". They walk you to the auditorium down the hall accross on the 15th floor where an officer first informs you about applying for a passport, voting (forms provided) by them. Thereafter it is the oath and the pledge of alleigance followed by a video from President Bush. On completion they hand you the certificates in the auditorium and you are free to go.
The officer told us that the Naturalization certificate can be copied although it states on the certificate it cannot be copied. She also mentioned that it costs $400 approximately to replace one if we ever lost it. Note for your US Passport you need to hand-off the original certificate which they will mail back to you with the passport.
On other item to note: The waiting area on the 15th floor is very very busy. People waiting to be interviewed, people waiting to sign their certificates and others who have signed the certificate and waiting for oath. Besides all these there are people who come for inquiries and spouses who completed their oath and waiting for the other spouse to complete their interviews,sign-offs and oath.
BE PATIENT AS THIS CAN TAKE THE ENTIRE MORNING OR AFTERNOON. (If you have kids going to school and day care please make sure you have made alternative arrangements as you may be delayed).
Hope you find this information useful. Good luck and best wishes.
"Alldone"
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