NSC / St. Paul ( MN) timeline

Hi ISN

Any updates regarding your wife's oath date change request? I too did not receive anything so my oath will likely be in January, in line with my original request.


Did anyone contact the local Minnesota field office, my wife wants to reschedule her oath date; if anyone has the local contact number it will be very helpful.
 
Hi ISN

Any updates regarding your wife's oath date change request? I too did not receive anything so my oath will likely be in January, in line with my original request.

I was hoping that she will get the Nov 21st oath date, but haven’t received any letter, lets see if she can make it to the Dec 19th Ceremony.
 
Isn't 19 December cutting it too close? Getting a passport and an Indian visa all in less than a month not counting the holiday period.

I was hoping that she will get the Nov 21st oath date, but haven’t received any letter, lets see if she can make it to the Dec 19th Ceremony.
 
Isn't 19 December cutting it too close? Getting a passport and an Indian visa all in less than a month not counting the holiday period.

It is difficult, but you can get a passport in 4 days and Indian visa in 5 days. I would rather get this thing done, even if it is going to cost me a few dollars more.
 
I agree. I had done some research on this earlier, in case I had got a November ceremony. Since I am busy at work, I had planned these two services for passport and visa.

http://urgentpassport.com/index.cfm

http://www.passportsplus.com/visa_india_tour.html

Now that there are no more dates in November, I am pretty sure my request to have an interview in January has been accepted. It will mean I can just do a direct passport and visa with the consulate rather than pay big money for rush passport and rush visa.


It is difficult, but you can get a passport in 4 days and Indian visa in 5 days. I would rather get this thing done, even if it is going to cost me a few dollars more.
 
I agree. I had done some research on this earlier, in case I had got a November ceremony. Since I am busy at work, I had planned these two services for passport and visa.

http://urgentpassport.com/index.cfm

http://www.passportsplus.com/visa_india_tour.html

Now that there are no more dates in November, I am pretty sure my request to have an interview in January has been accepted. It will mean I can just do a direct passport and visa with the consulate rather than pay big money for rush passport and rush visa.

Thank you for those links. Since urgentpassport.com's office is located in Chicago it will be fast.
 
Basic Question

Thank you for those links. Since urgentpassport.com's office is located in Chicago it will be fast.

Hello,
Where should N-400 application be sent to? local st.paul District office or NSC? is immihelp.com provides complete help for citizenship process? Or is there any other source?
Thanks
Ravi
 
Hello,
Where should N-400 application be sent to? local st.paul District office or NSC? is immihelp.com provides complete help for citizenship process? Or is there any other source?
Thanks
Ravi
The application should always be sent to NSC, they do the routing to St.Paul DO. Immihelp is a good resource besides, the N-400 application material on USCIS site, has all the information, it is pretty straightforward, not many documents needed for the application.
 
I agree. I had done some research on this earlier, in case I had got a November ceremony. Since I am busy at work, I had planned these two services for passport and visa.

http://urgentpassport.com/index.cfm

http://www.passportsplus.com/visa_india_tour.html

Now that there are no more dates in November, I am pretty sure my request to have an interview in January has been accepted. It will mean I can just do a direct passport and visa with the consulate rather than pay big money for rush passport and rush visa.

My wife received a letter yesterday, and she was asked to report for the oath on January 26 2008, she sent it back for rescheduling. Let’s see what happens.
 
ISN, I too received a letter yesterday for an oath ceremony scheduled for the 26th of January - at the mall of America. I will be returning from India the previous week, so I should not have any problem attending. I am happy they sent a delayed oath for me as requested - a full 3.5 months after the interview. The delayed oath has saved me expenditures of an expedited passport and a new Indian expedited visa - all because I had a change of name as well.

Let me know how you go with your wife's request for a reschedule.


My wife received a letter yesterday, and she was asked to report for the oath on January 26 2008, she sent it back for rescheduling. Let’s see what happens.
 
Waiting for Oath

Hello,

I had my interview on 2nd Nov 07 and have not yet received my oath letter/date. Have others who had interviews around that date or after that date received their oath letter.

The time b/w my wife's interview and oath ceremony was around 2 months (her interview was in July 07 and oath Sep 07), so i am not sure if there is more of a rush now or there is something that I should follow up on.

My details
Appl: Early Apr 07
FP: Mid May 07
Interview: 11/2/07
 
Expect a February ceremony

They have a huge backlog for oath. The ceremonies in Minneapolis and St. Paul courts can accomodate only 70 and 250 people. The convention center ceremonies are used to clear the backlog. Here is the schedule for the 08 ceremony:

http://www.mnd.uscourts.gov/2008_naturalization.htm

I had requested a delayed Oath ceremony because I had an overseas visit in December/January. In October they were scheduling for December ceremonies. If you have not received the oath letter by now, I think you should get for February for sure. They have 4 dates and 2 ceremonies on each date and that should clear most of the backlog. Do post your experience for the benefit of others to follow.




Hello,

I had my interview on 2nd Nov 07 and have not yet received my oath letter/date. Have others who had interviews around that date or after that date received their oath letter.

The time b/w my wife's interview and oath ceremony was around 2 months (her interview was in July 07 and oath Sep 07), so i am not sure if there is more of a rush now or there is something that I should follow up on.

My details
Appl: Early Apr 07
FP: Mid May 07
Interview: 11/2/07
 
St. Paul (MN) Times

Thanks for the information on past St. Paul MN timelines. Here are our processing times so far. Any recent experience in St. Paul regarding latest times between interview and oath? Oath to passport?
 
Oath experience in Mall of America

Since there has been no MOA oath ceremony experience posted here, I thought I would post mine here for benefit of others.

Oath letter required that applicants check in "by 8.00 AM". So I reached there at 7.55 AM. The east side enterance to the Mall was closed so I went in from the south side and then internally went to the east side parking. Parked at level 5, and got in to the lift and came to level 1 (Rotunda) as was required. The lights were switched off and there was no one is sight. I went around the various government department exhibition stands and found some one with a batch and asked about the naturalization ceremony. I was told that if I went to the enterance of the building I would see a USCIS officer. Since I had entered from level 5, I missed this on my way in. I found a line of people and with the oath letter in their hands. I joined the line and the line inched its way forward. A USCIS officer was letting 5 people be taken downstairs to an office where they "checked in". The delay I understood later was because a large number of people had not fillled and brought in the forms and some could not read or write English (so much for the English "test":)). Anyway my turn came and I went in a group downstairs handed in my green card, was asked to check my naturalization certificate and was given a seat number and sent upstairs with the same lady that brought us downstairs. After being ushered in to our seats (40 people) and there were around 15 seats for guests. My spouse was in her seat before hand itself because we figured there would be no sitting place for guests. The lights were still not switched on and it was kind of dark.

There were packets for each to be citizen. A lady from the women's league of voters helped people fill the forms and halfway through the process the lights were switched on (!). At 9.05 AM we were all asked to rise and Judge Paul Magnuson came on the dais and declared this a "court" and started the proceedings. He was quite impressive and really gave meaning to what becoming an American was about. Till then the naturalization process was becoming a bit of a mechnical process, but he really brought out peoples emotion. He said if a Frenchman becomes a German citizen, he will always remain a Frenchman in the German's eyes. But he said any one who becomes an American is instantly an American and accepted as such. And then he talked about how immigrants have made American what it is.

Out of the 40 or so people there were around 30 or nationalities and he asked everyone to stand up when their country name was called and to remain standing. My turn was first (Australia), and then followed the rest. I was amazed at the diversity of the people being naturalized. There was even one person from Iraq and everyone strained to seek him out!

We had the usual photographic session with the Judge who was more than happy to stand and oblige every person/family who wanted a photograph with him. All in all a very well managed and solemn ceremony by USCIS officers. The USCIS officer who interviewed me was there too and all of them very polite and professional.

Good luck to everyone waiting for their naturalization.
 
Hello all,
Thanks for all the information on this post, it has helped me get ready to file my papers next week. One question here - Can i mail in my and my spouse's N-400 applications in the same mailing package or do i need to send them in separate envelopes to NSC? Does this determine whether both of us will get the same interview dates?

It will also be nice to know if there are any folks just beginning their journey on the road to citizenship. Thanks!
 
The probability that you and your husband will have the same interview date is very low. It is highly likely you will have your interview because more often women's name check is very quick. If your husband is of Middle eastern, Indian, Slavic/Russian, Arab or Chinese origin, you can expect delays in name check.

Sending in the same envelope will save you some postage charge nothing more. Each application stands on its own unlike green card process where it is tied to the primary applicant.

Good luck!

Please post your experience for benefit of others.

Hello all,
Thanks for all the information on this post, it has helped me get ready to file my papers next week. One question here - Can i mail in my and my spouse's N-400 applications in the same mailing package or do i need to send them in separate envelopes to NSC? Does this determine whether both of us will get the same interview dates?

It will also be nice to know if there are any folks just beginning their journey on the road to citizenship. Thanks!
 
Thanks brb2; One additional question: If i do not check the box indicating a planned name change on N-400 when filing, but later went ahead and changed it prior the interview, is the new name still acceptable?

Like a lot of folks from India my official first and last name are switched and i am debating if i should reverse it;

I will definitely post my regular updates once i file my papers next week.
 
Yes, you can definitely request a name change at the interview. In order to do that reprint your application page which contains that option and hand it to the interviewing officer who will replace the new one with the old page(s).

It is much easier to do name change through naturalization ceremony. If you change your name, make sure that at the ceremony you get an extra sheet of paper in your packet that contains the court order authorizing name change as part of the naturalization ceremony.


Thanks brb2; One additional question: If i do not check the box indicating a planned name change on N-400 when filing, but later went ahead and changed it prior the interview, is the new name still acceptable?

Like a lot of folks from India my official first and last name are switched and i am debating if i should reverse it;

I will definitely post my regular updates once i file my papers next week.
 
received passport

Received Oath on Saturday 1/26. Applied for expedited passport on Monday 1/28. I received my passport and naturalization certificate in the same envelope, exactly a week later (today -Monday 2/4). My USC journey has ended, but will stay on to respond to any queries.
 
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