n400 timeline NYC & Interview details
Hi there,
Applied as a 5yr PR.
* Apr 20, 07 n400 received date
* Apr 30, 07 Notice date
First FP notice was for a weekday; mailed the letter back stating that we need a Sat. appnt. Dont remember the date scheduled though.
* May 22, 07 - Rescheduled FP notice date
* Jun 9, 07 - FP done; within an hour at New Rochelle location - we lived in Westchester, NY. Cell phones not allowed inside location.
I do not have photocopies of Interview dates, hence cannot provide you with notice date etc.
Also, we moved from Westchester to Long Island, after receiving the interview letter.
As PRs we were supposed to fill out a form called AR 11 for address change within 10 days of the move. We did that. Printed out copies of the form and also of the confirmation that comes up on the web. The web also pointed out that we should update any pending applications. Tried to enter our EAC number, but it could not pull up any pending application based upon our application number.
Called the 800 number on the form and the person at the other end said that we probably did not see anything as our files might have been sent to the local office, i.e., NYC. He said that he had to go into another system and update our address there - which he did. However, for my wife, the person who answered the phone transferred the call to someone else who updated the address.
* Aug 20, 07 - Interview date at 26 Federal Plaza, 9:10am for myself and 9:30am for my wife.
Drove from Long Island, tagged along our kids too. Van Wyck to GCP to BQE to Manhattan bridge to Bowrey St to Worth St was the intended plan. However, took Willamsburg bridge by mistake and ended up driving around for a while before finding Worth Street. There was a parking lot right in front of the entrance on Worth, the parking stub said that it was 9:11am when we pulled in. Not bad timing since we left our house around 7:45am. Very minimal traffic issues on Van Wyck (near Jamaica hospital), GCP (near LGA airport) and on BQE (near LIE and Kosciuszko bridge).
There was no line - the board said that it was the entrance for citizenship and other services with prior appointment.
We were directed to 7th floor (the letter did state that) by taking the C bank of elevators. Room 700 I believe. Once inside the security guard asked us to turn off our cell phones and go to window 52.
The lady behind window 52 took my interview letter and I also handed over my wife's interview letter. "So, you both have an interview today, uh? I will put it together. Wait and we will call you." Asked her how long it will take. She mentioned about half an hour to an hour.
At around 9.45am, my name was called to appear before door 2. Went to the door 2 and asked the lady who greeted me about my wife. Told her that I have all the originals and if they do call her, what to do. She replied that no one will call her. I guess she ment that she has her file too.
As soon as we entered her "room", she aksed to Swear that I would only tell the truth. Which I did. Asked me to sit down and asked for my drivers license, passport and greencard. Verified everything.
She then proceeded to verify the info. on N400. She did ask me if I still lived at our old address in Westchester. Replied negative and told her that we moved within the last couple of weeks, filled out AR11 on the web and gave her the new address. She wrote it down and checked something on her PC. The address on my passport and drivers liscense was my old one. However, we had already called the NYS Dept. of Motor Vehicles regd. new address.
Next she went thru everything on N400, just asked questions on what I had typed in.
My GC file was about half a feet thick compared to my wife's which was about an inch or so.
She constantly looked back and forth from my GC file and N400. I was pleasantly surprised when she asked me if I had ever worked for a xyz company. I said that I never did work for them, however, they did apply for my GC and their I140 got denied. Ironically, Mr. Khanna handled that particular case. She made sure that I repeated the answer and that I did not work for them or get paid by them. I did have a lot of issues with my GC at a time when there were no 1 yr extentions after 6 yr period and my second employer went bankrupt (subprime lender - gee its de ja vu again). That explains my GC file being half-a-feet thick!
Anyway, on N400, there is a spot where you list all the orgs./associations that you are a member of. I did list a cultural org. that I had become a member of. She asked me when did I become a member of that org. I said it was sometime in 1998 and she did ask me as to why I did NOT put it down on my GC application. I did not say anything. She asked me what kind of org. was it - and I explained that it was a cultural org. and they meet once a year with dances and cultural stuff from back home. She seemed not to care.
I was asked about my employment - stated that I am a stay at home dad for now. She then wanted to know who supported me, I said my wife. Later on I found out that my wife was asked the same question and she responded that for the past 3 years she has been working and before that I supported her and the family.
She asked me if I ever went before a judge. I said Yes to get a parking ticket resolved (prior to sending in my N400, had checked my driving record on NYS website for $10/- it came clean). She then asked me if I owe any money to anyone, I said NO, all parking tks were taken care of. She wanted to know when, I told her that it might be sometime during winter 2004.
She then went thru the questions on N400, regarding upholding the US law and affiliation with other parties etc.
She asked me to sign my two photos (which she was a little bit concerned about being in the right format and told me that they might object to it, but did let it go) and the n400 app. She wanted to make sure that the entire name was spelled out - including initials on all 3 of them.
She then printed a set of papers which had 10 questions, asked me 5 (presidents name, how many states, who becomes president when both pres and vice pres is gone, who wrote constitution and who is MLK) - for the other 5 she just crossed off and said pass. She asked me to write "I drink too much coffee" which I did and sign the paper.
She gave me a letter stating that I had passed the interview and that I did very well. She congratulated me.
I asked her about the oath, and the wait time for that. She said that there is no oath anymore in NYC and that I should be getting a letter within the next 20 days with details on oath ceremony including location etc. I read somewhere on this fourm that if your interview is on a Friday, your oath will be on that day itself or that there will be no interviews on Friday and the same hall will be used for oath ceremony.
When I walked out, it was 10:15 and she did ask me to send in my wife. My best guess is that I was there for about 20 to 25 minutes.
My wife came out around 10.35 or so. She told me that the lady asked her the very same questions regd. cultural org. membership, financial support before she started working, court appearances (again she did say for parking tkts), any dues owed to any state/fed agency, same 5 US history questions and every question on N400 regarding moral character (such as being arrested etc.) and loyal to US (about being able to serve when called, etc.).
One more thing, for my wife, on her birth certificate, they only mentioned her first (given) name. It then goes to list the mother and father. Hence, the officer typed up a letter stating that full name and got it signed by my wife.
We were not asked to show SScard, Tax returns, marriage certificate or any other documents other than the 3 mentioned above (GC, Passport, drivers liscense).
One more thing, I understand that whatever I type here might be available for eternity. I believe that we would have been out of that place much soon if we could understand properly what the lady officer was asking. She had a heavy Russian (I believe) accent. Just to be sure, and not to make any mistake on my part, I had to ask her to repeat the questions slowly and clearly. I mean, I literally had to ask her a couple of times as to what she was saying. I really did not understand her when she asked me to write " I drink too much coffee". I had to ask her to repeat the last word. Finally after 3 tries, she signaled a mug and made drinking action and also said the word TEA. I am not saying anything against her, but it would have been better if we could have understood her, everytime, first time itself.
Note, it is important to answer all the questions truthfully and honestly. Hence, I had to confirm what she was asking and make sure that I understood her before I answered them. It is especially true when you answer questions like affiliation with communist party or whether or not you would support US... you get the picture.
Anyway, we trotted down... kids claimed they were hungry, took them to dunkin donuts for bagle and ice cream. I did pull out my car before 11:05am. So, I would say the we were there for less than 2 hrs - for 2 interviews. Parking was about $30.00.
Since we were out there, went to see Statue of Liberty, around noon, parked in a garage a couple of blocks away. Could not go inside the statue as all the tkts were sold out. Took the ferry to the island, $27.50, ate something at the cafe there, kids had ice cream - again. Came back to parking lot, it was about 4pm and cost $24.00.
Drove back to Long Island and was home by 5.30pm. Traffic was decent,
I have tried to include any and all the details - this way, it would help others. I have always referred to this fourm. Good luck with everyone. Will update after our oath ceremony.
