N-400 Newark Timeline

Got my GC when was 25
Did not register because DID NOT KNOW!

Got a Status Letter from SS
Wrote them back saying I never received a notice to register
Got a reply saying they sent me a letter to first address in the US
Wrote them back saying 'never got a letter' since was already at a different addres AND was on F-1 and was not required to register anyway
Got a reply saying 'it is up to agence that administers the benefit bla bla'

Applied for Cit and had interview in Newark on Sep 14 2004
Passed the test, was told that my SS case will be 'investigated' and I will get a decision in 7 days
Still sitting here 3 month later and waiting for a decision
The InfoPass says there no available appointments
Should I write them? What are my chances? THANKS!
 
Quote:Originally Posted by waratah
I have a question about interview and oath in Newark. My N-400 application is based on marriage to a US citizen. My question is about family members wanting to attend the ceremony. The interview letter mentions that "waiting room capacity is limited." I assume this is just the interview waiting room. Is there enough room for family members in the area that the oath ceremony is held?
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At Newark, the Oath is on the 16th floor. There is no way your relative can be in the waiting room for interview and oath. The only place thaty can wait for you is in the cafetaria on the 2nd floor.

Good luck.
Ken
 
Jerseybuck said:
Here is my experience in Newark office:
Today, I went to Newark office, my appointment was at 1:00 pm. I arrived there around 12:00 pm. I parked my car at the parking lot next the immigration building (plenty of space). After passing the security check, I headed to the 13 floor, where the interview was. After waiting about 15 min. The security officer let us in to the big waiting room and told us to drop our appointment letters in to the box in front of the window and wait. Wait..Wait... Wait... and Wait..
Although my appointment was at 1:00 pm, literally I waited more than 3 hours. Around 3:30 pm my name was called. I was guided in to office and sworn before take the seat.
Then she told me that she doesnt have my A-file folder but just my temprorary file (naturalization application folder), since I moved recently and just had my condition(I-751) removed. So she told me she can not approve my application at this time. But she said we can proceed with the interview and wait until we recieved your a-file from the center. I asked her how long it will take to recive the folder, she said not that long and if I hadnt heard anything within 60 days, I should write an inquiry about my status.
Anyways, then she proceed with naturalization questions, current job, marital status, nationality etc. She took my passport and check for the travelings, and she told me that I should get my passport stamped if I plan to travel outside. She continued with the questions form the application form (have you been cited, been part of communist party and etc.).
Then she asked me few questions about history from 100 sample questions. They were easy and straight forward. She asked me to write a sentence "Nothing matters more than peace". And read a sentence which was very easy that I cant remember.
I signed few papers and photos. And that was it.
She checked the box "Decison can not be made at this time" and told me one more time that we should wait until she recieved my A-file from the center.
As I was thinking no more waiting but I guess waiting is my destiny..
Thank you all and best of luck to all of you..

PS. please let me know if anyone has gone through the same experience.
=================================
Timeline:
POD: 30 January 2004
FP: 26 March 2004
Interview letter received : 23 July 2004
Interview date: 20 October 2004
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I just wanted say that I have recieved my oath letter. I will be at Newark office at 2:00 pm on January 7th 2004.
Good luck to all..
 
Jerseybuck said:
I just wanted say that I have received my oath letter. I will be at Newark office at 2:00 pm on January 7th 2004.
Good luck to all..
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Finally, I am a proud USC. My appointment was at 2:00 pm at 970 Broad Street, room 1332 (13 floor). I was there around 1:30 pm, dropped my letter in the appointment box. The lady told me to move to window 4. I was there a little earlier, but that was not a problem. I checked and signed my certification and drop my GC. The officer handed me a pamphlet about oath ceremony with some yellow paper. Around 2:30 pm they told us to go to room 1625 on the 16th floor. I guess there were around 70-80 people in the room. And yes, you can bring your significants. The room was big enough to accommodate all of us. I think the number of people taking the oath is determining factor whether your significants can attend or not. You will need that yellow paper to get in to the room 1625.
After, everybody took a sit, an official showed up with all certificates. The rest was fun. She gave some info regarding the citizenship and citizenship rights etc. After the oath and some video she handed us our certificates. The entire ceremony took 15-20 mins.

Good Luck to you all..
 
Jerseybuck, congratulations on your citizenship!

gbhutani, kenmw and Jerseybuck, thanks for your replies. My interview/oath is on Thursday. I am going to take my family and have them wait in the cafeteria as kenmw suggested. I will post my experiences when it's over. Good luck to all.
 
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I went to the Newark office last Thursday. My appointment time was for 2:06pm. At 3:30pm they started calling out names to collect forms and hand out oath booklets. My name was called at 3:40pm. The officer made me swear to tell the truth before I sat down. He then went over my application and asked me if I am prepared to bear arms for the country if need be. He checked my passport and green card. While looking over my file more he looked puzzled. He asked me if I attended college in the US (this was all on written on my application.)

While in college I was married to my US citizen husband. I then applied for and was granted a green card. We left the US before I received my green card. After being out of the country for 9yrs we reapplied for a green card in my home country. I entered the US after being approved for my green card.

The USCIS officer then told me he does not have the file from the Omaha DO. At this point he tells me that he can not make a decision until he has that file. Although, he did continue the interview. He asked me the 10 history and questions. Some of my questions were, "What color are the stars on the flag? What do the stripes stand for? What color are the stripes? What is the legislative branch of the government? Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? What does the UN do?" I can't recall the other four question but as you can see they are easy if you study the 100 sample questions.

Now I'm waiting for my file from Omaha to be delivered to the Newark DO. Does anyone know a way that I can speed up the transfer of files?
 
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kenmw said:
At Newark, the Oath is on the 16th floor. There is no way your relative can be in the waiting room for interview and oath. The only place thaty can wait for you is in the cafetaria on the 2nd floor.

Good luck.
Ken
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Strangely I went with my wife for her Interview on the 18th and wasn't stopped from being in the waiting room for the interview or going to the 16th floor for the oath. Got lucky I guess... The cafeteria definitely was useful info (that was my backup plan) :)

Now I have to file for my I-130 and 485/765/131. Don't know yet if I should send in the I-693 (medical exam) now or later when assigned a date.

~P
 
waratah said:
I went to the Newark office last Thursday. My appointment time was for 2:06pm. At 3:30pm they started handing calling out names to collect forms and hand out oath booklets. My name was called at 3:40pm. The officer made me swear to tell the truth before I sat down. He then went over my application and asked me if I am prepared to bear arms for the country if need be. He checked my passport and green card. While looking over my file more he looked puzzled. He asked me if I attended college in the US (this was all on written on my application.)

While in college I was married to my US citizen husband. I then applied for and was granted a green card. We left the US before I received my green card. After being out of the country for 9yrs we reapplied for a green card in my home country. I entered the US after being approved for my green card.

The USCIS officer then told me he does not have the file from the Omaha DO. At this point he tells me that he can not make a decision until he has that file. Although, he did continue the interview. He asked me the 10 history and questions. Some of my questions were, "What color are the stars on the flag? What do the stripes stand for? What color are the stripes? What is the legislative branch of the government? Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? What does the UN do?" I can't recall the other four question but as you can see they are easy if you study the 100 sample questions.

Now I'm waiting for my file from Omaha to be delivered to the Newark DO. Does anyone know a way that I can speed up the transfer of files?
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waratah,
I had similar problem, the officer told me that she doesnt have my A-file and based on that she could not approve my application at that time, but she did told me that I passed the Civic and Language tests. I received the oath letter 1.5 months after my interview. I thought that was fast particularly for USCIS. So just hang in there, I hope you will receive your oath letter soon.
If you dont receive it within 60 days, contact the officer who interviewed you.
Best of luck
 
dimmsimm said:
Waratah .. congrats to u ... the timeline for Newark looks very good ..
seems like 8-9 months is what it usually takes from app to interview for Newark natz applicants ...
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Hi Newark filers ... just got my interview letter day before yesterday ..

Priority date: July 29, 2004
FP date: September 2, 2004
Interview letter received: January 25th, 2005
Interview date: April 7th, 2005

Lucky number 7 ..??

Hope to see some guys there from the forum ...
will keep you posted ...
 
bump!

bump!
guys pls. keep updating thread.
Nothing new to report, online status message unchanged.


>
>VSC/Newark DO
>N400 Appication mailed to VSC 10-11-2004
>Priority Date 10-14-2004
>Fingerprint Date 11-13-2004
>waiting for next step.....
>Thanks to all for the info 7-8 months timeline seems great and maybe they >will bring it down to their original target of 6-months :)
>
 
marina04 said:
PD: July 1, 2004
FD: Jan 29, 2005
Interview letter received for April 11, 2005.
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Hey Marina ..
you're 4 days after me, wish you good luck!
My interview's scheduled for the 7th.
 
Newark same day citizenship?

My wife has an interview date for citizenship at Newark office next month. I thought she will be citizen on the same day(I also got the same idea from other posted experience from this forum). But some people are telling me that she may have to wait 2 more months, Since in her letter its saying that "the proceeding will take about two hours."

People telling me that the whole ceremony takes almost all day. Because the letter asking only for 2 hours, which is not enough for the whole process.

I just want to know if this "the proceeding will take about two hours" is a common line or it really means something otherwise? I will appreciate if others who got their citizenship from Newark can help me with their letters from INS.

Thanks for your kind help.
 
Dimmsimm and Marina04, congratulations on your interview letters!

Sam 2005, Newark usually does interview and oath in the one day. Although, sometimes they might not have a complete file; this was the case in my situation. The immigration officer went through my file and realized at that time that they didn't have my complete file. He proceeded with the interview and handed me a letter saying that I passed the test of English and U.S. history but a decision can not yet be made about my application. He then wrote that they need related file.

I am now waiting on my letter resceduling my oath ceremony. Hopefully it will come soon!

Good luck to your wife, Sam 2005!
 
Waiting on Interview Letter

Newark DO ..

Priority Date: Nov 15, 2004
FP date: Dec 28, 2004.

1) Any Idea, when I can expect to get the interview letter?.

2) Also, in what case is the file not available (which results in oath not being conducted the same day). I have not moved since I got my GC from Newark DO 5yrs ago.

Waiting eagerly for this process to be over .....

Manoj
 
Is a lawyer beneficial

We are about to file for our citizenship. We have lived in NJ for the past 7 years. We are thinking of taking the services of a lawyer. People say that a lawyer is not really needed, but we want to make sure that we file right the first time. Does hiring a lawyer make the process longer? does INS percieve that as a complicated case and tend to scrutanize you more? any suggestion would be appreciated.
 
The lawyer will do exactly what any (intelligent) person would do. The lawyer adds nothing to the process and subtracts nothing too.

Unless you have some criminal/terrorist background or ties, you are getting nothing from a lawyer in return for a few thousand dolars that would be appreciated somewhere else (my pocket, for example :D ).

I have a number of friends with straight forward cases that applied thru lawyers. Only "advantage" they had on me after the fact was that they were short on money....

Yalag
 
Manojimm, from my experience it took about 6 months before I received my appointment letter.

Most people receive their oath the same day as interview in NJ. I did not; in fact, I'm still waiting for my oath letter. In my case I have lived in the US on two occasions with more than two years inbetween (if you leave the country for more than two years you lose your green card.) Also, I'm living in a different state than I was the first time around. Unfortunately, when I applied for my second green card (from my home country) the USCIS started a second file on me instead of adding to the first one. Therefore, I am waiting for NJ DO to receive my first file from Nebraska.

Hopefully, your case will be straight forward.
 
I was just reading over Jerseybuck's replies and it was suggested that I contact the interviewing officer if I haven't heard anything by 60 days. Well, it's past 60 days, does anyone know how I would contact my interviewing officer? TIA
 
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