Naturalization and Children Question

noginoypi

Registered Users (C)
Can somebody tell me if there is someone out there who brought their kid(s) to the naturalization interview ?
My daughter is 16 years old and she will become US citizen because of my wife and I. My lawyer told me to bring her along with us ( to be safe)when we have the interview and oath taking at Newark. Any thought on this ?
You know how teenage kids are, she might get bored to death!
 
It depends, if they let her in the building in the first place for your interview. Most place will not let anyone else in except for legal representation. You should check ahead of time who will be allowed in the building.
Second, she will not be allowed with you for your interview. Only the person who is applying will be allowed back there. So she will have to sit outside and wait for you with the other applicants...

She can be there for the oath taking cermony, but you're right she may get bored....coz the ceremoniescan take from an hour and half to 4 hours depending on where you go.
 
Some places people reported they are allowing kids inside the interview room. I think someone from San Francisco reported this.
 
I don't think it matters one bit whether your child is with your or not, unless you have to prove marriage ties with your wife.
 
I don't think it matters one bit whether your child is with your or not, unless you have to prove marriage ties with your wife.

Are you questioning his lawyer's intent to bring the kid?

His lawyer may be right. noginoypi wants to know whether he can bring the kid or not and I am answering in that context.
 
Are you questioning his lawyer's intent to bring the kid?

His lawyer may be right. noginoypi wants to know whether he can bring the kid or not and I am answering in that context.

I'm not questioning anything, just stating my opinion. Hence the "I... think..."
 
Are you questioning his lawyer's intent to bring the kid?

I'll question the attorney's intent. There's no possible advantage to bringing the child, although if they'll let her in, it's worth it. The child might learn a thing or two about citizenship.

"To be safe"? That sounds like lawyerspeak for "I have no idea".
 
I think the real canadian has hit the nail on the head. Worse comes to worse the teenager is old enough to wait outside of the building if they don't let her in. I doubt they will let her in the interview but they might let her wait in the waiting room. Perhaps the lawyer thinks that if she goes that would somewhat prove to USCIS that she is physically in the US and therefore getting automatic citizenship at the same time the parents naturalize? In any case it doesn't seem to be necessary at all.
 
Here is the post from experience.

"6) Comments: Hey Guys,
Quick summary: Interview passed/recommended for approval;
They ran out of slots for the 10/30 oath about 7 people before me, so after that all of us got the N652 with "civics test/English passed" and "congratulations; it seems you are eligible...etc etc" checked off, and when they handed it to to us they said our oath letters will be in the mail soon. (my IO also said everything's fine with my application and that he's recommending approval, and that the only reason i'm getting the N-652 instead of OL is that the remaining oath slots for 10/28 and 10/30 were filled a few people before me...it was really good to hear him say that, and I think i'm pretty happy, especially with how the interview went, and I'm hopeful that I'll get the oath letter soon, as I was about the 7th or 8th person interviewed after the last slot for 10/30 oath was filled).

Here's detailed version:

They were running behind due to computer trouble; I was scheduled for 10:30 but got called around 12:00.

My wife was with me, and when my name was called and I got up she gave me a quick hug, and the IO saw this I think and as soon as i walked in he asked " is that your wife?" I said yes, and he said "tell her to step in for a second if you don't mind" and I gestured to my wife and she came in and he greeted her very nicely and smiling, asked "how are you, and are you guys still happily married, everything ok"? and we both said "yes" (this is in the hallway now, not even in the room) and then he asked, "has anything changed since I became a PR?", and we both said no and he thanked Gail very nicely and said to her "I'll have your husband out in a few minutes" and took me to the room and asked me for my GC, and made me swear to tell the truth and said (this really surprised me now: " you know, you guys are a very nice young couple, and as you know I talked to Gail your wife, she's really nice, and I have no doubts at all about your case/application, which I have reviewed, and gone over already, and i see no problems, so I don't need to check anything" and just asked me for the 2 passport photos... he did not check a single thing/document that I brought !!! the only thing he asked for was the 2 photos !!!!

Then he went over my N400 really fast, and checked everything off, made me sign the 2 pp photos, and had a quick chat with me about how annoying computers can be, and said he knows the town in which I live and asked me 6 civic questions:
1st president, name of the ship (of pilgrims), which country did we fight against in revol. war, how many stars on the flag, I forget the other one...
then asked me to read "it is a good job to start with"
and write "they came to the united states"

Then he said he's recommending approval of my N400 and that everything looks great, and that he's sorry they ran out of slots for the 10/30 oath a few applicants before and said someone will come out and give me the N652 after he shows my application to another officer (he said he just has to do that because he doesn't normally work in Durham DO...today was his 1st day at THIS DO, and he will be working there for the next 2 months only, and going back to his regular DO; But I'm 100% sure he was NOT a junior IO, he seemed VERY experienced and a junior officer would have never recommended a N400 for approval without checking a single document that I brought...it still seems so bizarre to me that he was so "trusting" and didn't even check my passport or anything).

The whole thing took exactly 10 minutes !!!
I think my wife being present made a very good impression on him, and it looked like he almost replaced the "checking" of all the "proof" with the mini interview he had with her...(but then, i know that our past applications like GC went flawlessly, so I was confident of the same this time, too...but still one is relieved when it's going this well in an interview)

Then I waited another 20 min, and a lady came out and handed out N652 (to me and a few others) as described above in the beginning, and said that "we can expect our OLs in the mail pretty soon"

Like I said, I was pretty early in the group that got interviewed after the slots were filled for the 10/30 oath, so I'm hopeful I would be included in one of the oaths soon to be held...

anyway, despite not getting the OL today, I feel very happy with how the IO treated me and how easy and straightforward and SHORT the interview was and most of all, how trusted I felt; I think I just have to wait for the OL now..can't really imagine anything weird would happen except delays etc, which no one is safe from, but like I said earlier...I "should" be early in the line....

I highly recommend taking your spouses to the interview if it's marriage based; as you can see, it does make a good impression.
I feel like the worst is over, and can relax, knowing that I only have to wait for the OL.

Many thanks for all the good wishes, attention and help/advise from many members here...I truly value it, and will do my best to do the same for others...
Now, the waiting for OL begins, but it's a lot more relaxing than the wait for the IL/actual interview, I feel.

Name: washburn
Location: NC, United States
Posted on: Jan 1, 2009 "
 
Seems like the case you quoted was a 3-year marriage based one. In such cases the presence of the spouse (and children if any) may help.

But apparently the OP's case is the regular 5-year rule.
 
I have an upcoming interview and a teenager also and I see absolutely no purpose to pull him out of school for my interview. His citizenship will be automatic, same day I'll become one and no need for my son to go, or do anything.
However, I am planning to take him with me to the oath ceremony. Only because I want him to experience and remember this big day, and that’s the only reason.
 
I have an upcoming interview and a teenager also and I see absolutely no purpose to pull him out of school for my interview. His citizenship will be automatic, same day I'll become one and no need for my son to go, or do anything.
However, I am planning to take him with me to the oath ceremony. Only because I want him to experience and remember this big day, and that’s the only reason.

Wow ! I never expect much comments on my posting. I was thinking of bringing along our daughter(11th grader) so she will remember this experience and as someone said a good civic lesson for her.
Since she is an avid photography student we might as well tag her along with us. Thank you for your comments !
 
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