Philadelphia PA - N-400 Timeline

I have read on the forum that according to the USCIS agents at Oath Ceremonies, Black and White Photocopies are OK, since they cannot be mistaken for originals. A photocopy Services store (UPS Store for example) often has a Notary Public able to make the BW photocopy and notarize it. The notarized copy is accepted to cross borders where the original Naturalization Certificate would be accepted (for example Mexico and Canada).

The CBP website indicates:
Travel by Land or Sea - If a U.S. citizen does not have a passport or a certified copy of a birth certificate, the following may be accepted as proof of citizenship: - A U.S. state or federal government-issued birth record (note: hospital-issued birth certificates are not acceptable) or baptismal record. If a U.S. citizen child was recently born, and no copy of the birth certificate is available, bring whatever paperwork the hospital has given you as a record of the birth. If you do not have a certified copy of your birth certificate, one can be requested from the Vital Records office in the State where you were born.

Laminated Birth Certificates are not useful for purposes of establishing citizenship because it is impossible to determine they are certified. A Certificate of Citizenship, or Certificate of Naturalization are also excepted [note: notarized photocopies or notarized fax copies of such certificates are acceptable, but affidavits of citizenship and voter registrations are not).
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Thanks for tip!

McMahon said:
I have read on the forum that according to the USCIS agents at Oath Ceremonies, Black and White Photocopies are OK, since they cannot be mistaken for originals. A photocopy Services store (UPS Store for example) often has a Notary Public able to make the BW photocopy and notarize it. The notarized copy is accepted to cross borders where the original Naturalization Certificate would be accepted (for example Mexico and Canada).
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Could it be that you got the "first line of defense" since you have actually crossed the "365 days" standard mark with a priority date of June 9, 2006?

Anyhow, whatever works! As usual with the immigration, there is no guaranteed trick that could work, you just have to push your luck everytime and hope for the best, no harm should come out of that.

Best of luck again to all!


MichaelDE said:
Finally got an Oath Letter today for September 6th ceremony in Wilmington DE. It was sent last Thursday, took it 6 days to get to me.

Still cannot get over the fact that it took 4 months since my interview to the Oath Ceremony while in NJ and MD they do same day as interview... however I was warned about "slow Delaware" phenomenon when I moved here.

I would respectfully disagree with Golden Rabbit on the phone consults though. Last two times I called (including yesterday) after talking to a first level person, I requested and got transfered to a next level person, who I believe was an actual IO, who was able to read my actual file as opposed to just webpage available to myself. The trick is to get through the first level of defense. I am not sure if there are rules they use or it is just depends on whether you have a real convincing need for a answer.

Good luck to everyone, especially folks in DE.
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Finally got an Oath Letter today for September 6th ceremony in Wilmington DE. It was sent last Thursday, took it 6 days to get to me.
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Finally !! Congratulations MichaelDE ! Too bad your wait turned out to be much longer than that of the rest of us (including those from DE who interviewed around the same time as you but made it to the June ceremony) but as they say better late than never. Hope everything goes smoothly with the oath and you get a permanent and well-deserved break from what must surely have been a long and frustrating journey.

Also congratulations to goldenrabbit. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

-KM
 
goldenrabbit said:
Could it be that you got the "first line of defense" since you have actually crossed the "365 days" standard mark with a priority date of June 9, 2006?

Anyhow, whatever works! As usual with the immigration, there is no guaranteed trick that could work, you just have to push your luck everytime and hope for the best, no harm should come out of that.

Best of luck again to all!
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Goldenrabbit, maybe, who knows, as you said just try everything and anything to get precious little information available to us.

However, when I talked to a first service person, she did not suggest a transfer just based on 365 days or anything. She was not really impressed by my timeline. Instead she typed everything I told her dilligently in her computer (about Oath being next week and me not receiving a letter yet etc) and gave me a ref. number and told me that they will investigate and I will get a reply in 45 days. This would have not worked for me, so I pushed more and she transferred. You right though, I did have legitimate urgency.

Kagemusha, thanks, better later than never. Turned out that I did not have to travel this summer, so it was relatively painless.
 
Anyone with priority date feb1,2007

is there anyone with the priority date Feb, 2007 that has gotten any IL letter YET. I know A FRIEND OF MINE WHO HAS FILED IN APRIL AND HAS ALREADY GIVEN THE INTERVIEW. ALSO, LIKE I MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS THREAD, I HAVE 3 CASES FILED, MINE ALONG WITH MY 2 OTHER BROS WHO HAVE THE SAME PRIORITY DATE OF FEB 2, 2007 AND SAME LAST NAME. IS OUR NAME STUCK IN THE WEIRED UNEXPLAINABLE PHENOMENON CALLED NAME CHECK WHICH SEEMS TO BE A TIRESOME PROCESS FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS. MY OLDER BRO AND I HAVE TO FILE FOR OUR FIANCE VISA ASAP AND THERE SEEMS TO BE NO NEWS FROM USCIS.
ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, IS IT SAFE ENOUGH TO FILE I-129F PETITION FOR FIANCE ON YOUR OWN? OR ARE YOU BETTER OFF FILING THROUGH A LAWYER. THE LAWYER FEES CAN BE BACK-RECKONING FOR STUDENTS LIKE MYSELF. ANY COMMENTS OR HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED. THANKS
 
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My wife-to-be (a US citizen) and I filed the paperwork on our own for my fiance visa. We filed around April 1998. The only small setback was when the Nebraska Service Center sent an I-797 about "Missing Evidence" proving that we had met in person at a certain date. We initially had submitted a picture of both of us with a dated newspaper; we thought it was considered OK. The USCIS requested instead affidavitds from friends and family saying that they testify that we have met in person. Once we submitted these affidavits the NSC had no issue and approved the petition.

Long story short, I then applied for the visa in July 1998, it was delivered in August 1998. I entered into the USA on September 28, 1998. We got married on December 19, 1998 and I filed for Adjustment of Status on December 24, 1998.

I got the GC interview on March 19, 2001 and received the GC in March 2003. I hope this helps.
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Detroit DO - NSC
03/16/07 N-400 sent to NSC
03/20/07 Priority Date
03/23/07 Notice of Action letter received
03/23/07 FP letter received
04/12/07 FP done
09/19/07 Interview Appointment :) (Notice date July 13)
 
Sharing experience of my Oath Ceremony in Wilmington Delaware. The notice directed me to be at the Court House at 9am. Actual ceremony did not start untill 11 am. There was some paperwork process in between, but mostly just wait. Ceremony itself lasted for about 45 minutes.

For those who do not go to the Court House too often (like myself), you and your guests have to have IDs, no-cellphones allowed (although they let you check it in at a security gate so I did not have to go back to my car).

Getting there was a little hasstle since 9am is a rush hour in Wilmington. The best parking, I found, was on a right side of 9th street, between King St and Walnut Street (more specifically between French St and Walnut street). Did cost me $8.50, but relative to Philadelphia, it does not look too painful.

I am all done - got my Certificate, registerred to vote and applied for Passport (expedited of course).

Good luck to everyone. Over and out.
 
Sharing experience of my Oath Ceremony in Wilmington Delaware. The notice directed me to be at the Court House at 9am. Actual ceremony did not start untill 11 am. There was some paperwork process in between, but mostly just wait. Ceremony itself lasted for about 45 minutes.
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Congratulations MichaelDE ! So you finally made it to the end of this long and frustrating (especially for you) journey !

-KM
 
HopeGives_faith said:
is there anyone with the priority date Feb, 2007 that has gotten any IL letter YET. I know A FRIEND OF MINE WHO HAS FILED IN APRIL AND HAS ALREADY GIVEN THE INTERVIEW. ALSO, LIKE I MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS THREAD, I HAVE 3 CASES FILED, MINE ALONG WITH MY 2 OTHER BROS WHO HAVE THE SAME PRIORITY DATE OF FEB 2, 2007 AND SAME LAST NAME. IS OUR NAME STUCK IN THE WEIRED UNEXPLAINABLE PHENOMENON CALLED NAME CHECK WHICH SEEMS TO BE A TIRESOME PROCESS FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS. MY OLDER BRO AND I HAVE TO FILE FOR OUR FIANCE VISA ASAP AND THERE SEEMS TO BE NO NEWS FROM USCIS.
ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, IS IT SAFE ENOUGH TO FILE I-129F PETITION FOR FIANCE ON YOUR OWN? OR ARE YOU BETTER OFF FILING THROUGH A LAWYER. THE LAWYER FEES CAN BE BACK-RECKONING FOR STUDENTS LIKE MYSELF. ANY COMMENTS OR HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED. THANKS
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I had applied in Feb. I am still waiting.

N400 Recvd date: 2/25/07
Fingerprint: 3/17 (FBI cleared on 3/18)
IL: still waiting patiently
 
Approved - Yay!

I had my interview today in Philadelphia. My priority date is 3/12/07.

My appointment was at 11:20 - I got there at 11:18 (note - it is hard to find parking - all of the lots around were full and we had to drive around hoping someone would leave so we could park on the street) and I was called back at 12:30pm. My IO was very apologetic for the long wait. He asked me to raise my right hand and swear that I would tell the truth - to which I said yes. My IO was actually very personable and put me at ease right away. He asked for my green card. We went through my application to note any changes. The first change was that I changed jobs since I sent in my application - he noted the new name and address and start date. The second change I mentioned that I had misunderstood the question regarding dates that I had left the US - I originally thought they only wanted the last 5 years but it should have been dates since I became a permanent resident. He asked if any of the dates were over 90 days and I told him it was 3 additional trips for a total of 14 days -he did not add that to the application. The third note was that I had remembered after I sent the app in that I had a speeding ticket 10 years ago. He asked if it involved DUI or drugs or if I had run over anyone - I said no, it was just a regular speeding ticket - he asked if I paid the fine to which I said yes. This was not added to the app either. He went through the rest of the application and asked the same questions that were on it and put check marks besides the answers. He then took out the test and told me that I needed to get 6 out of 10 correct. The questions were very easy - how many states are there - who is the president - who takes over if the president and vice president dies - who was the main writer of the declaration of independence - what was the 50th state added - what is the purpose of the United Nations - what is one benefit of becoming a US citizen - who was Martin Luther King Jr - - I can't remember the other 2. I got all 10 correct. He then took another paper out and check marked that I was approved. He told me that I was under the York,PA jurisdiction and that they do oaths twice a year. The next one is at the end of October but he did not know if I would be called for that one or not and said if they see the next one in York is too far away that I would come to Philly for it. He did not ask me for one piece of paper - I made sure I had just about everything that was posted on this forum - I even brought new pictures. Although I did not need them there was a gentleman who was called in and came out immediately and I over heard him tell his wife that he needed to get new pictures. I was in his office for approximately 25 minutes - at least 10 minutes if not more was small talk - I had a great experience because he was so nice. My husband and I left and went to get philly cheesesteaks at a place that the IO recommended - was very yummy!

I wish everyone good luck and a speedy process. I will post again when the oath letter is received. Also the online status never changed.
 
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IL received

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Posted from: Philadelphia Area
Posted: 1/30/2007
Finger Printing: 2/22/2007 (Cleared by FBI on the same day)
Interview letter received: 9/13/2007
Interview date: 10/30/2007
 
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Next Oath Date in Philladelphia

Hi,

I went to India in August during my interview I have requested not to schedule my oath in August due to which I think I was not scheduled for August 29th oath. I think I will be scheduled in next one. Can anyone let me know when is next oath scheduled in Philadelphia.


RD: 12/05/06
FD: 01/05/07
ID: 07/19/07
OL: ??
OD: ??
 
I went to India in August during my interview I have requested not to schedule my oath in August due to which I think I was not scheduled for August 29th oath. I think I will be scheduled in next one. Can anyone let me know when is next oath scheduled in Philadelphia.
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There was one on September 17 at the National Constitution Center (where I took my oath back in July). I think this was a smaller ceremony with about 100 people naturalized. I don't know when the next big one (at the Convention Center) is but they have these smaller ceremonies at the Callowhill office every month (multiple times in a month I think). Good luck !

-KM
 
Infopass

Hello everybody,

Can you please tell me the step for Infopass. How and where to schedule. My PD is 03/23/07 from philadelphia DO and nothing yet. I need to know is I'm stuck or not in name check. Please advise.

Thanks::confused:
 
Next Oath in Philadelphia

Thanks KM! I have received Oath Letter. My Oath is on 18th Oct.



RD: 12/05/06
FD: 01/05/07
ID: 07/19/07
OL: Received 09/26/07
OD: 10/18/07
 
Hello,

Any updated from Phili or Deleware area folks regarding the Citizenship timeline progress. This forum is quiet for a while.
 
Still waiting for IL in Philly area. PD was 04/16/
Has anyone with this date range received IL yet? It seems to be taking longer than usual.

TIA
 
I don't know what is going with Philly. My PD is 03/23/07. I am still waiting for IL. I went for info pass and my name and fingerprint cleared but waiting.
 
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