Before I forget the details of my Interview yesterday...
Got to USCIS about 20 minutes before my interview time of 9:15 am, checked in on the 2nd floor and was asked to take a seat in section 'F' and await my turn. (For those yet to be interviewed, the section letters are written up close to the ceiling. I mention this as I saw plenty of people walking around looking for their section).
Got called in about 9:50.
Was asked to swear that I'd be telling the truth before I got seated etc.
IO: Passport, DL and GC please
Me: Here they are
IO: so how many trips have you taken outside the US since becoming an LPR
Me: 1.
(IO looks through my passport)
Me: It was to Canada for work and isn't stamped in my passport - but here are the boarding passes (pulled them off my expense report copy)
IO: I didn't ask for an explanation... So why did you write 5 trips and how come only 4 days on 'this' line?
Me: Because one question asks how many trips in the last 5 years (5 trips) and the other question asks for days outside the US since becoming LPR (4 days)
IO: (Looks at me funny, crosses out the 5 trips makes it 1 )
IO: Can I also see your Marriage Certificate. Where's your wife.
Me: Here it is... I didn't thing she was needed for this Interview.
IO: What is she doing? At home taking care of the kid.
Me: Well, she's actually at Toddler Soccer... (I did swear to tell the truth...)
IO: So she's at home taking care of the kid.
Me: Actually she's not at home at this instant...
IO: Answer with a Yes or No! Is she at home...
Me: Yes!
IO: (Looking at the Marriage Cert) We need a Certified Copy!
Me: (Puzzled) Er.. it is a certified copy.
(IO pointed to some verbiage at the top of the certificate but I told her to flip it over to see the raised seal and stamp)
IO: Why didn't you send us a copy of the Back of the certificate. That's what tells us that it is certified!
Me: (Puzzled again as I was pretty sure I had copied both sides but I wasn't going to argue. Told her that I didn't have a copy of the back...)
IO: (Flipping through the file...) Here it is. You did send it to us...
Moral of the Story: DO NOT SEND DOUBLE SIDED COPIES. IOs DON'T TURN THEM OVER TO CHECK THE BACK.
Asked me a whole bunch of Rapid Fire Questions going over the entire N400
What's your full name... Wife's name... Marriage Date... Son's full name, etc...
...Communist?.. terrorist?... any other organizations other than the ones listed?...etc.
(she did ask for and write down my work history back to 1995 even though this was a marriage based application)
IO: Have you ever been arrested...
Me: No
IO: But you said that you were arrested
Me: That was for Traffic citations
(Asks me for details on each of the traffic citations, how many for speeding, any DUI (no), Any proof of payment (no but I have my DMV record - asked for copy)
IO marks the check box as NO, then writes 'See attached' for the paper with the list of my citations (5 over last 20 yrs) and my DMV record.
IO: Is your wife a US citizen
Me: Yes. Do you want to see the birth cert?
IO: No. Do you have your tax transcripts
Me: Yes
IO: Hold On. I think you alsready sent them in. (spends about 30 seconds looking for something)
IO: OK, Now onto the civics test:
1. Who Wrote Declaration of Independence
2. Who is the Commander in Chief
3. What is the President's Party
4. Name the two Polical parties
5. Name 3 of the original 13 states
6. Name one state bordering Mexico.
IO: OK, can you please read this sentence...
IO: Now write down 'There are 50 States'
IO: Spell out 50. This is a writing test. (I crossed out 50 and wrote FIFTY. She asked me to initial the change)
IO: OK, you've passed the tests. Can you take the Oath as written here? If so, please sign in these two places as you'd sign a check and Print your name here.
IO: Sign these photographs please (you have to sign them along one side)
IO: Hands me the the form with 'No decision can be made at this time' with the reason of 'Not Oath eligible until 01-30-2010' and said that if there are no changes between now and the 30th, I'll be approved and should get a Oath notice within 2-3 weeks after that.
IO: Have a nice Day. Bye.
Me: What if I don't get a letter by that time...
IO: Make an Infopass appointment. Have a Nice Day.
I collected my things and walked out. Looked at my watch, it was 10:05.
Edit 1:
(While the IO didn't really check much of my Documentation, she did see that I had two folders with me. One marked 'Originals' and the other marked 'Copies' nicely categorized with post-its . The first thing I did was to open both of them up - ready to serve up whatever document she needed.)
Edit 2:
I did get the year of my marriage wrong by one year. She offered up the correct year, I corrected my answer and we moved on...
