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New York City - N-400 Timeline - Naturalization Experiences
- Thread starter JohnnyCash
- Start date
Question about final disposition of a traffic violation:
I just contacted a county clerk in Florida where I got a ticket, and they said that they don't issue any official final dispositions. Instead, they said that I can obtain (via a friend who lives in the area) a printout of a screen saying I paid for it, for 15 cents a page, and for $2 more, have it certified by someone in the clerk's office.
Is this sufficient?
I just contacted a county clerk in Florida where I got a ticket, and they said that they don't issue any official final dispositions. Instead, they said that I can obtain (via a friend who lives in the area) a printout of a screen saying I paid for it, for 15 cents a page, and for $2 more, have it certified by someone in the clerk's office.
Is this sufficient?
No documentation is required for minor traffic tickets, but a certified copy of printout is more than sufficient to prove it was paid.Question about final disposition of a traffic violation:
I just contacted a county clerk in Florida where I got a ticket, and they said that they don't issue any official final dispositions. Instead, they said that I can obtain (via a friend who lives in the area) a printout of a screen saying I paid for it, for 15 cents a page, and for $2 more, have it certified by someone in the clerk's office.
Is this sufficient?
Isn't Garden City a Federal Building>? how can you use laptops? serious?
Prior to my interview back in 2008, I had a couple of InfoPass apppointments at 26 Federal Plaza. Not only are you not allowed to use any electronic devices there, the security guards make you turn off cell phones in front of them. Garden City, on the other hand is entirely different. When I went there for my interview, I specifically asked the guards if I was allowed to bring in my cell phone. The response was "not only are you allowed to bring it in, you are allowed to use it". I guess the same went for laptops, as people were using them and no one said a word.
Oath ceremony experience and process
Hi Shoshie
Hope you have completed your Oath. Congrats. Can u please post your personal experience at the oath:
1) What all documents they all expect and to be carried
2) Do they have any further pre-oath interview etc; if yes, what type of questions
3) How much time all this takes
4) Which sub ways connect to Brooklyn Court house (oath place) from Penn station
5) Where did you file your Passport application;
5) Any guidance
My wife is scheduled for interview at Brooklyn on Aug 6 at 8.30 am and letter says to reach by 7.30 am. What time we will be free.
Thanks for your help
nri107
Hi Washeightsguy,
Well I did make an appointment for July 23rd, but I got my letter today. I will be sworn in on July 30th at the Federal Plaza. I hope you got your letter too? I know we were interviewed on the same day, so maybe we might be sworn in on the same day. I would go and get some advice from a lawyer, I don't think it would hurt.
I have a lawyer but he is based in Midtown. Try up in Washington Heights, but I doubt your find an immigration lawyer up there. See if you can get a free consultation somewhere. Doesn't have to be the very best, they just have to know their stuff.
Keep me posted and in the mean-time I shall cross my fingers for you.
Shoshie
Hi Shoshie
Hope you have completed your Oath. Congrats. Can u please post your personal experience at the oath:
1) What all documents they all expect and to be carried
2) Do they have any further pre-oath interview etc; if yes, what type of questions
3) How much time all this takes
4) Which sub ways connect to Brooklyn Court house (oath place) from Penn station
5) Where did you file your Passport application;
5) Any guidance
My wife is scheduled for interview at Brooklyn on Aug 6 at 8.30 am and letter says to reach by 7.30 am. What time we will be free.
Thanks for your help
nri107
No documentation is required for minor traffic tickets, but a certified copy of printout is more than sufficient to prove it was paid.
Thanks for the info, Bobsmyth.
cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
Good to hear about Garden City's relaxed policies. I decided to get a ZipCar instead of taking the train there, so I can leave stuff in the car if need be. What would traffic be like from Brooklyn to Garden City at around 10 am? My appointment's at 11:20, so I figure I'd get there around 10:50? 30 minutes before the appointment, right? Is parking easy to find there? I've booked the car from 9-2. Would that be enough? Sorry for all the questions.
cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
No I'd take the BQE to the LIE I think, or Jackie Robinson to the LIE.
By the way, I don't know if this was answered when I last asked, but do they give you your oath letter on the day of the interview if you are approved? Nevermind, I saw that upandwaiting was given his OL the same day. Nice.
By the way, I don't know if this was answered when I last asked, but do they give you your oath letter on the day of the interview if you are approved? Nevermind, I saw that upandwaiting was given his OL the same day. Nice.
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi Cafeconleche,
It depends I think. I was interviewed in Federal Plaza on july 23rd, I didnt get anything, IO wasnt even enough courteous to tell me if I wan denied or approved. I might get something in mail this week. I hope you ll get it in your hand.
Anyone had experience getting decision in mail? How long does it normally take?
It depends I think. I was interviewed in Federal Plaza on july 23rd, I didnt get anything, IO wasnt even enough courteous to tell me if I wan denied or approved. I might get something in mail this week. I hope you ll get it in your hand.
Anyone had experience getting decision in mail? How long does it normally take?
Good to hear about Garden City's relaxed policies. I decided to get a ZipCar instead of taking the train there, so I can leave stuff in the car if need be. What would traffic be like from Brooklyn to Garden City at around 10 am? My appointment's at 11:20, so I figure I'd get there around 10:50? 30 minutes before the appointment, right? Is parking easy to find there? I've booked the car from 9-2. Would that be enough? Sorry for all the questions.
The best way to get there would be to take the Northern State Parkway to Meadowbrook Parkway South and exit at Stewart Avenue. The building that houses the DO has a huge free parking lot, so you won't have any issues. 30 minutes before your appointment is more than enough time. In fact, I arrived about 45 minutes before my interview, and was asked to wait outside for 15 minutes.
upandwaiting
Registered Users (C)
cafeconleche, good luck with the interview. I hope traffic won't be a problem. Parking was very easy for me as the office has free parking on site. I hope you get the same-day oath letter. The officer will tell you to wait if you are getting one.
I didn't have to wait for too long for the oath letter maybe because my interview time was in the afternoon. It was not very busy then. Morning could be busy.
Let us know it goes!!
I didn't have to wait for too long for the oath letter maybe because my interview time was in the afternoon. It was not very busy then. Morning could be busy.
Let us know it goes!!
No I'd take the BQE to the LIE I think, or Jackie Robinson to the LIE.
By the way, I don't know if this was answered when I last asked, but do they give you your oath letter on the day of the interview if you are approved? Nevermind, I saw that upandwaiting was given his OL the same day. Nice.
You may or may not get a decision on the same day. It depends on the complexity of your case, how busy they are and the seniority level of the officer.
cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
Yeah, my case is complicated, and I hope I have all the paperwork I will need. Then again, I might get lucky and be asked for none of it. My family tends to have worse luck and we are usually grilled about things when others breeze through, so I am nervous.
So, Jackie Robinson to Northern State to Meadowbrook? I might try that. Just worried about the traffic at 9:30. Google Maps says it might take me an hour and a half from downtown Brooklyn.
So, Jackie Robinson to Northern State to Meadowbrook? I might try that. Just worried about the traffic at 9:30. Google Maps says it might take me an hour and a half from downtown Brooklyn.
cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
Ok guys, sorry for the delay in posting, but I've been busy. My interview wasn't that great, in short. They have yet to make a decision due to my physical presence, which is 907 days outside the US, and they are suspicious about me saying I didn't work abroad while I studied there because they want to know how I paid for my master's degree, so they will let me know their decision after review or ask for more evidence.
Long story. I got a Zip Car to go to my 11:20 appointment in Garden City. I picked it up at 9:00 in Park Slope and got there at 10, so I was around for a while. What a dump Garden City is. There's NOTHING there. Anyway, I was looking for a place to eat but there really isn't much so I had a McDonald's breakfast (yuck) and then entered the building at 10:40. There were so many people, and I eventually got called at 2! My Zip Car was rented until 2:30, so I had a late fee. What a waste. Officer Lawrence escorted me to her room, and I tried a little chit-chat to test her demeanor, and it was ok, but still a bit official. She was a caucasian (I think) woman with a Caribbean English accent. In the office, I took the oath, and then sat down in a tiny chair that set the mood for the whole interview. I was way lower than she was sitting, and it didn't feel good. She started with the speaking, writing and history tests. All perfect. Then we started with the application. For changes in address and jobs, she didn't want the new printouts I had, and just made changes. Then we came to travel, and she said that's a lot of days. She asked if I was studying abroad, and I said I did, but I was not back for good and didn't need to return there. She thought the cut-off was 900 days, and I said that I calculated 5 years' worth of days and divided it by 2 and got 913. I said it WAS close, which is why I retained all my boarding passes. I only had my most recent RP, but I had scanned my older ones and provided her with printouts of the entry and exit stamps that were there as well, but she said they didn't have my older RTDs, which surprised me. There were some kinds of copies in her file of some older RTDs, but they might have been copies I sent them. I don't know what the deal was. Then I spent 15 minutes explaining why I studied abroad (I am an International Relations major) and she asked for proof of everything to the point it was ridiculous. For example, I said that my professors at university here encouraged me to go abroad as it would be an asset for me back here, and she wanted proof that they said this. Unbelievable. I said I would do my best to contact them to see if they would vouch for me (I did this yesterday and my advisor sent me a letter immediately!). Then she asked how I could afford all this, and I said my family helped me pay for it. She might have found that hard to believe. I should have mentioned that I'm Indian, and we do support each other no matter how old one gets, am I right? Anyway, I said she was free to call my mom, who had written a notarized letter saying I was her dependent the whole time I was abroad. I also said I would send her some of my mom's bank statements showing she had enough saved up to help me. I will also get her to write another letter stating that my parents financed my education. Anyway, she was also asking me questions about where I went to high school and college here, and she wrote those down. She asked what I want to do for work, and we talked a bit about that. There was a hint of a smile when she spoke, but that came and went and it was in and out between a serious and a slightly casual tone. I felt I was being scrutinised no matter what. Anyway, I did my best to explain that I had checked with CIS before going, and that I complied with what they said I should do if I wanted to naturalise in 2010. Officer Lawrence wanted to verify things, including entry and exit records I guess. One thing I forgot to mention (and she didn't ask because we were so focused on other things) was that I had 2 trips to Canada adding up to just 2 days after I had submitted my application, and after my 5 year GC anniversary. So technically I'm at 909 days, but still, I completely forgot about it, so I'm worried about that. So, she said she'd have to verify things and let me know. I asked her to please contact me or my family if she needed information and before making a decision, and that I would do my best to send her some more documents based on what she said. I asked her flat out if she thought that I didn't qualify for citizenship at this point, but she didn't say I didn't. She said she just needed to go over this a little more, and she wasn't sure how long it would take because she had a lot of work to do. Finally, she went over the rest of the application, made me sign and date it and my photos, and gave me the form showing I was there, that I had passed everything, but that a decision could not be made. Huge bummer. I even forgot to remember her first name and title (something Adjudicator) and I should have asked her for a direct way to send her stuff or contact her. I left feeling really low, and I'm still down.
I'm not entirely surprised this was the way things went, though. I was a very close case, and I knew from the start that depending on who interviewed me, I could be in for a difficult ride, and there it was. I don't think she mentioned my continuous residence, though, which was interesting. Either that was ok, or there were other issues with my application that made mentioning my continuous residence unnecessary. By the way, I wrote a long letter explaining my reasoning behind studying abroad and had it notarised and I gave her that, which she gladly took. I am gathering documents now, including my mom's bank statements showing her savings, and her tax transcripts. I am also having her write that letter I mentioned. I will also include the letter from my professor saying he encouraged me to study abroad, and he is an ex-Ambassador of the US, and his letterhead says so, so maybe that's a plus? I don't know. I tried getting information from the Dutch Tax Service saying I never worked there and that I don't have a record with them, but contacting them is so damn hard. I'm thinking about contacting a lawyer and telling them my case to have them give me official advice on paper saying my reasoning was sound. I can send that to her too. I will also write another letter to do my best to convince her that I did my homework before doing all that I did.
In the end, I'm not sure where things stand with this. I'm frustrated, but it's both due to chance and my own actions, and I have to accept that responsibility and blame. I hope the IO was just being extra hard on me at the interview to catch me at something, and that she will review my case and a favourable outcome will result, but I don't know. I will send her more stuff (I gave her lots already, including all my financial ties to the US) and just hope for the best, and if it comes down to it, I might consult a lawyer and appeal later if necessary.
So there you have it. By the way, does anyone know a fax# or other details for Garden City? And, did anyone have Officer Lawrence? What is her first name? Dana?
Long story. I got a Zip Car to go to my 11:20 appointment in Garden City. I picked it up at 9:00 in Park Slope and got there at 10, so I was around for a while. What a dump Garden City is. There's NOTHING there. Anyway, I was looking for a place to eat but there really isn't much so I had a McDonald's breakfast (yuck) and then entered the building at 10:40. There were so many people, and I eventually got called at 2! My Zip Car was rented until 2:30, so I had a late fee. What a waste. Officer Lawrence escorted me to her room, and I tried a little chit-chat to test her demeanor, and it was ok, but still a bit official. She was a caucasian (I think) woman with a Caribbean English accent. In the office, I took the oath, and then sat down in a tiny chair that set the mood for the whole interview. I was way lower than she was sitting, and it didn't feel good. She started with the speaking, writing and history tests. All perfect. Then we started with the application. For changes in address and jobs, she didn't want the new printouts I had, and just made changes. Then we came to travel, and she said that's a lot of days. She asked if I was studying abroad, and I said I did, but I was not back for good and didn't need to return there. She thought the cut-off was 900 days, and I said that I calculated 5 years' worth of days and divided it by 2 and got 913. I said it WAS close, which is why I retained all my boarding passes. I only had my most recent RP, but I had scanned my older ones and provided her with printouts of the entry and exit stamps that were there as well, but she said they didn't have my older RTDs, which surprised me. There were some kinds of copies in her file of some older RTDs, but they might have been copies I sent them. I don't know what the deal was. Then I spent 15 minutes explaining why I studied abroad (I am an International Relations major) and she asked for proof of everything to the point it was ridiculous. For example, I said that my professors at university here encouraged me to go abroad as it would be an asset for me back here, and she wanted proof that they said this. Unbelievable. I said I would do my best to contact them to see if they would vouch for me (I did this yesterday and my advisor sent me a letter immediately!). Then she asked how I could afford all this, and I said my family helped me pay for it. She might have found that hard to believe. I should have mentioned that I'm Indian, and we do support each other no matter how old one gets, am I right? Anyway, I said she was free to call my mom, who had written a notarized letter saying I was her dependent the whole time I was abroad. I also said I would send her some of my mom's bank statements showing she had enough saved up to help me. I will also get her to write another letter stating that my parents financed my education. Anyway, she was also asking me questions about where I went to high school and college here, and she wrote those down. She asked what I want to do for work, and we talked a bit about that. There was a hint of a smile when she spoke, but that came and went and it was in and out between a serious and a slightly casual tone. I felt I was being scrutinised no matter what. Anyway, I did my best to explain that I had checked with CIS before going, and that I complied with what they said I should do if I wanted to naturalise in 2010. Officer Lawrence wanted to verify things, including entry and exit records I guess. One thing I forgot to mention (and she didn't ask because we were so focused on other things) was that I had 2 trips to Canada adding up to just 2 days after I had submitted my application, and after my 5 year GC anniversary. So technically I'm at 909 days, but still, I completely forgot about it, so I'm worried about that. So, she said she'd have to verify things and let me know. I asked her to please contact me or my family if she needed information and before making a decision, and that I would do my best to send her some more documents based on what she said. I asked her flat out if she thought that I didn't qualify for citizenship at this point, but she didn't say I didn't. She said she just needed to go over this a little more, and she wasn't sure how long it would take because she had a lot of work to do. Finally, she went over the rest of the application, made me sign and date it and my photos, and gave me the form showing I was there, that I had passed everything, but that a decision could not be made. Huge bummer. I even forgot to remember her first name and title (something Adjudicator) and I should have asked her for a direct way to send her stuff or contact her. I left feeling really low, and I'm still down.
I'm not entirely surprised this was the way things went, though. I was a very close case, and I knew from the start that depending on who interviewed me, I could be in for a difficult ride, and there it was. I don't think she mentioned my continuous residence, though, which was interesting. Either that was ok, or there were other issues with my application that made mentioning my continuous residence unnecessary. By the way, I wrote a long letter explaining my reasoning behind studying abroad and had it notarised and I gave her that, which she gladly took. I am gathering documents now, including my mom's bank statements showing her savings, and her tax transcripts. I am also having her write that letter I mentioned. I will also include the letter from my professor saying he encouraged me to study abroad, and he is an ex-Ambassador of the US, and his letterhead says so, so maybe that's a plus? I don't know. I tried getting information from the Dutch Tax Service saying I never worked there and that I don't have a record with them, but contacting them is so damn hard. I'm thinking about contacting a lawyer and telling them my case to have them give me official advice on paper saying my reasoning was sound. I can send that to her too. I will also write another letter to do my best to convince her that I did my homework before doing all that I did.
In the end, I'm not sure where things stand with this. I'm frustrated, but it's both due to chance and my own actions, and I have to accept that responsibility and blame. I hope the IO was just being extra hard on me at the interview to catch me at something, and that she will review my case and a favourable outcome will result, but I don't know. I will send her more stuff (I gave her lots already, including all my financial ties to the US) and just hope for the best, and if it comes down to it, I might consult a lawyer and appeal later if necessary.
So there you have it. By the way, does anyone know a fax# or other details for Garden City? And, did anyone have Officer Lawrence? What is her first name? Dana?
Bro I think you made the IO interested in you too much by "cutting it too close with 900 something days"..They may think you are taking advantage of the law which I think as well you did..Paperwork is easy to generate, but intent to good faith hard to come by..dont be surprised if you get denied. I think you are also so lucky that IO let you explain things for 15 minutes. I wish you didnt explain that much.. The more you explain the more questions you create in her mind..Technically though you should get it, I hope you ll get it..
upandwaiting
Registered Users (C)
Sorry to hear your unpleasant experience. Since your case is not clearcut, perhaps the IO does need some time to determine your case. I do hope that whatever time it takes, the outcome will be in your favor and there will be a good news to come!!
She thought that because 5 years is 60 months, half is 30 months and if USCIS considers 1 month=30 days, then 30 months=900 days.She thought the cut-off was 900 days
Physical presence requirement must be met only up until time you send in application. Your 2 days of travel to Canada don't count against physical presence since they occurred after USCIS received your application.I had 2 trips to Canada adding up to just 2 days after I had submitted my application, and after my 5 year GC anniversary. So technically I'm at 909 days,
Fax number to Garden City is (516) 228-9264By the way, does anyone know a fax# or other details for Garden City?