N400 Timelines, San francisco - Sept 08 thread

Process that I went thru including questions asked

All,

Here are the steps that I went thru today.

* Appt. was of 7.30 a.m.
* Reached 630 Sansome Street at 7.00 a.m.
* Parked on street (Take lots of quarters with you). There are paid garages too, but no need if your interview is in early morning half, you will find lots of parking on street.
* On the front door, you will be asked to show appt. letter, drivers license. Make sure you don't have cell phones with camera, they will ask you take that back to your car or there are vendors who will hold camera phone for you for small fee.
* At the second floor, there is reception area. Give them the appt. letter. They will give you form for passport and you will be asked to wait. The waiting area is huge like a bus terminus. Mind you, only you and your attorney are allowed.
* Sharp on dot, IO will call your name. My IO took to me third floor and asked me to wait for few more minutes.
* IO then will escort you to his office.

Interview process
==============

* I was asked to take oath that I will saying truth.
* IO asked me to show license, passport and green card.
* He then asked questions I had filled on N400 and would tick them off as I answer. He asked all the questions that I had filled, including my day of marriage.
* I was asked to produce birth certificate of my daughter, of which he made a copy.
* Then I was asked to sign N400 form and one more document.
* Later on he gave me a piece of paper with simple english sentence to read.
* He asked to write "He went to post office".
* He asked following six questions :-
1) Colors of stars in the flag
2) three branches of govt.
3) Who becomes President if he dies
4) Who advises president
5) How many senators
6) nos of years a representative can serve.
* After that he made sign another document
* He told me I passed and he will recommend me to become citizen.
* I should expect oath letter soon, december date is gone, I will be sworn in January.

The whole interview process lasted about 15 minutes.
 
Congrats PKHONA ... good writeup.

I did my FP in San Francisco mid Nov so obviously wondering if anyone else is seeing the one month from FP to IL timeline??

That would be very nice compared to some of the long waits identified in other threads!
 
Phil : SF is pretty fast

Expect your IL to arrive any day now. Usually it is month from FP to IL. Generally it is month from IL to interview and if you lucky oath can happen in the same month or next.
 
Is there a way to find out when is the ceremony for Jan in mascone center

All,

Anyone having idea when is the jan ceremony ? I am still waiting for my oath letter. IO had told I will receive it in a week or two for Jan ceremony, its two weeks and still waiting for it. I suppose ceremony will be in end of jan, so probably letter will arrive in early jan.

Any ideas how to find the dates ?

-
 
National Benefit Center

My N400 was filed in late Nov with RD Nov 28, 2008. The receipt letter said that my case was forwarded to National Benefit Center. Does anyone else has similar situation. I thought it should go to SF field office.

What is the impact? So far no FP notice yet.
 
The case first gets forwarded to NBC and then to the DO when FP and namecheck have cleared and interview date is available.
 
I am officially no longer an Alien!!!!!!

SF field office looks to be meeting the USCIS goals of 5 months. All the people I dealt with throughout the process were very friendly and respectful. I know that the experience of waiting from initial application to the Oath Ceremony day can bring a lot of anxiety from the wait. Therefore, I wish everyone an expeditious process and the best.

I must say it felt great to return my "Green Card" in return for the Certificate of Naturalization.

Oath Ceremonies appear to be held twice a month at the Masonic Center on California Ave.

You can check when they are scheduling Oath Ceremonies here....http://www.masonicauditorium.com/calendar/index.html



Submitted N-400 Application: 7/27/08
Priority Date 8/04/08 Letter: 8/06/08
Fingerprint Letter: 8/13/08
Fingerprint Date: 8/28/08
Interview Letter: 10/08/08
Interview Date: 11/18/08
Received N-652 (Passed and recommended for approval): 11/18/08
Oath Letter: 11/28/08
Oath Date: 12/17/08
 
Update ... getting there Not quite the one month from FD to IL .. but Thanksgiving and Christmas didn't help I guess. Silly document item on the IL to bring any Selective Service Info ... Don't know why they do this to just confuse people. I was 28 when I became a Perm Res.

PD 10/15/08
FP notice date 10/28/08
FP Date 11/15/08 ... a saturday so easy to get to the city.
IL 12/29/08
ID 2/11/08
 
Tracker update

Tracker update :

08/30/08 : Mailed application
09/02/08 : Application received
09/04/08 : Check cashed
09/08/08 : Receipt date [date 09/02/08]
09/12/08 : Received FP notice [date 09/09/08] :
10/01/08 : FP
10/31/08 : IL Notice received
12/4/08 : IL Passed
12/30/08 : OL Received - dated 27th December 2008
1/21/09 : Oath date at 9.15 a.m.

Awaiting Oath,PP
 
Now that my citizenship interview date is scheduled, can I plan to travel international for 3 weeks immediately after the interview and before the oath ceremony? Can I request the IO who will interview me to schedule the oath on a date after my return? (provided of course if I am approved!)? Can someone on this forum advise, please?
------------------------------------
My Timeline:
N400 sent: 27th Sep.08 to CSC
N400 received: 29th Sep 08
Check cashed: 4th Oct 08
PD: 29th Sep 08
NOA received : 9th Oct 08
Notice date: 7th Oct 08- transferred to NBC
FP notice: not yet received
FP Date:?
-------------------------------------------------
(1st) FP for GC renewal: 25th January 2008
-------------------------------------------------
IL: 19th Dec 2008
ID: 27th Jan 2009
Oath:?
 
Oath Date ...

RSRK .. looks like you are just ahead of me in the queue ... my ID is Feb 11.

I'd ask to push it at end of the interview .. but I'm sure once the OL shows up there's a way of rescheduling it. Just have someone email a scan of it to you when it shows up and follow the instructions.

Probably not an issue anyway as most people seem to be at least a month from ID to OD.

I've got to say so far this has been a pretty efficient process so I'm sure they will accommodate you.

RSRK said:
Now that my citizenship interview date is scheduled, can I plan to travel international for 3 weeks immediately after the interview and before the oath ceremony? Can I request the IO who will interview me to schedule the oath on a date after my return? (provided of course if I am approved!)? Can someone on this forum advise, please?
------------------------------------
My Timeline:
N400 sent: 27th Sep.08 to CSC
N400 received: 29th Sep 08
Check cashed: 4th Oct 08
PD: 29th Sep 08
NOA received : 9th Oct 08
Notice date: 7th Oct 08- transferred to NBC
FP notice: not yet received
FP Date:?
-------------------------------------------------
(1st) FP for GC renewal: 25th January 2008
-------------------------------------------------
IL: 19th Dec 2008
ID: 27th Jan 2009
Oath:?
Click to expand...
 
I dont have all my dates but in case this is useful...

My Timeline:
N400 app received: 25th Sep 08
FP: October (Santa Rosa office)
IL: received December
ID: today :- 16th Jan 2009 (San Francisco)

I have been approved!

Oath:? My interviewer suggested Feb or March was likely for the oath ceremony.
 
Tracker update - am citizen now

Tracker update :

08/30/08 : Mailed application
09/02/08 : Application received
09/04/08 : Check cashed
09/08/08 : Receipt date [date 09/02/08]
09/12/08 : Received FP notice [date 09/09/08] :
10/01/08 : FP
10/31/08 : IL Notice received
12/4/08 : IL Passed
12/30/08 : OL Received - dated 27th December 2008
1/21/09 : Oath date at 9.15 a.m.
1/21/09 : Applied for passport expedite service
 
Oath process in oakland

All,

First time the oath was held at paramount theatre - oakland (2025 broadway).

I reached there 9.16 a.m. - hoped to find parking easily. To my dismay it took me 15 minutes to find parking and that too in some company's private parking. Took risk rather than getting booted out from oath ceremony.

Plan to reach 30 minutes ahead just to find safe parking - its a mad house in downtown oakland.

Make sure you don't have anything edible with you, they will ask to throw it out - happened to lady in front of me.

As soon as I entered, they checked my application and green card and I was asked to go to section 2. Sections are based on last name or WSC number - not sure.

At the entrance of section 2 gate, lady took away my GC and made an entry on the form. As soon as I entered, I sat down randomly, however was asked to sit keeping no seat vacant - reason was apparent only at the end.

Ceremony started with speech interspersed with short videos. We were briefed by SSA officer that we need to update our records with SSA office. We were then briefed by voter registration administration followed by passport officer about the process of applying for passport.

Later on we were asked to take oath ,followed by a short speech a guest speaker and finally a pledge to the flag. After that certificates were disbursed. Amazingly they knew where I was sitting - based on when I entered and strict sitting oder.

After that I applied for passport and registered as voter and that was it.

Whole process is 2 hr. process. Take your family with you, they are fine with it.

-pkhona
 
I had my citizenship interview on 27th Jan 09. Went off quite well
I reached by Bart at SanFrancisco DO at about 8AM and people were already there in line. I had to keep my cell phone at a nearby photo shop. After getting in line , the security personnel verified my interview letter and ID. Then I went thru the usual security stuff and was directed to 2nd floor. At the reception, the lady after taking my appointment letter, gave me a passport form and signalled me to sit in D area ( in some designated areas like, A,B,C,D,E,F). I sat there for almost 40 minutes (8.30 to 9.10 AM) when the IO came out and called my name
After seating in his cabin, he started checking my passport (old and new), greencard and two re-entry permits. Then the officer started asking me about the information on my N400. At the travel section where u give all your travel particulars, he asked me why I was out for so long in 2003. I said I was on 2nd re-entry permit at that time and gave my reasons (basically property/ finance related in India) to him and he was ok with that. Then he asked about my stay in Houston/ NewOrleans. I explained him that I was with my brother in NewOrleans when Katrina hurricane had happened. So we all moved to Houston at that time and later I moved to California to live with my daughter which is where I am living till now. Then the officer went thru the rest of form’s regular questionnaire.
After this he asked me if I want to take old test or new test, asking if I have seen the new test on internet.( Because I had not gone for FP at this time -I had an old valid FP still on my file. I guess he knew that I will not have the booklet of the new test). Anyway I said, since it’s a new Govt.,I will take a new test He asked me about if I know who the president was in world war I. I said Woodrow Wilson. So he started questioning me on new test. Following were my questions:
1. What is the supreme law of the land?
2. What is an amendment?
3. Who signs bills to become law?
4. Who vetoes bills?
5. What is the Capital of California?
6. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
7. Who did the United States fight in World War II?

Then he told me to write a sentence and read a sentence in English ( I do not remember that) although there were three sentences written on that paper.
He said good. And then made me sign all the relevant papers etc and gave me form N 652 which basically mentions that I have passed the History, Civics and English test. He checked box A) Congratulations , you have been recommended for approval. I asked him if this means I am approved, he said well you should expect a letter in mail for oath ceremony. I think the final approval is done before sending the oath- maybe they will go over the file to verify what all I said, I do not know. My daughter and son in-law were interviewed in Oakland in 2007 and they were handed oath ceremony letter right away, even though the oath happened two weeks later. Maybe it is different in each district office. I told the IO that I need to travel international for some urgent occasion in the family before the oath, he said you can travel. Then I said if I receive the oath letter in mail when I am not there, then I cannot return it back to USCIS, to which he said he will make a note on my application that the person will be traveling abroad, so if they look at it, they can schedule it in March. I hope I get it in March as I have to travel now.
All in all it was a good experience and hope will smooth thru the oath finally. BTW, my IO was a Chinese guy I think, so I had to really focus on what he was asking. Also for everybody’s information, they do have restrooms and drinking water faucet, which if you are traveling by Bart, and walking long distance can be a problem in absence of one.
 
Received passport

Tracker update :

08/30/08 : Mailed application
09/02/08 : Application received
09/04/08 : Check cashed
09/08/08 : Receipt date [date 09/02/08]
09/12/08 : Received FP notice [date 09/09/08] :
10/01/08 : FP
10/31/08 : IL Notice received
12/4/08 : IL Passed
12/30/08 : OL Received - dated 27th December 2008
1/21/09 : Oath date at 9.15 a.m.
1/21/09 : Applied for passport expedite service
1/30/09 : Received passport
 
Whole process - end to end took 5 months

All,

Finally!!! end to end process took 5 months - posted N400 on 8/30/08. Received passport on 1/30/09

It took 3 yrs. of procrastination to file the papers!!!
 
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