New York City - N-400 Timeline - Naturalization Experiences

[stefpix]

Congratulations!


I am waiting for my interview date. I most likely will have to go to Cadman plaza Brooklyn NY.

As a freelance photographer / journalist for local media I am wondering about the camera restrictions. I usually travel with my laptop + camera. If cameras / cell phones are not allowed, is there a facility to store them at the federal building or I would have to go back home?

Also is reading material allowed to kill time? would a black and white ereader like Nook / Kindle with no camera allowed?

What is the average wait time between the notification that the interview has been scheduled and the actual interview (waiting for the letter in the mail).

Thanks

stefano

N400 application mailed on Dec 24 2013
Fingerprints/ Biometrics Jan 28 2014
SMS / email notification that interview date is in the mail March 26 2014

I arrived courthouse at 7:15am by car. I did not spend any time looking for street parking and went directly into a parking lot which costs me $14. Not bad!

I went in at 7:40am because the security guy did not allow people to go in before 7:40. I'm one of the first 15 early birds so I've been assigned one of the confortable seats. Today there were more than 280 new citizens to be naturalized!!! The process took 4 hours and I was out on 11:40am. The Judge actually came in at 11:15am and we spent about 15 minutes to take the oath and listen to his speech. I don't want to repeat all the details as Dselek already described it very well. Just those administrative works. Just one thing to remind everyone who's going to take oath here: they will take your cell phone and camera. So don't try to keep your smartphone to kill time when you're waiting.

Overall it's a good experience. I feel it's good to drive there honestly. Because at noon time traffic is super good and it took me only 20 minutes to go home. If I take subway it will waste me one extra hour and I must be exhausted! I had a big lunch and then applied my passport at my local post office. Everything's done by 2:00PM. I'm a happy citizen now.