Well after postponing my wife's Oath date by 2 weeks (tried first to prepone mine but that did not work) via an infopass to May 16 so that both of us could take oath together and won't need to make 2 trips, we finally took our oaths and pledged alligiance to the Star Spangled Banner and USA on May 16 aound 11 AM, and finally got done with this long journey that started some 12 years back.
Going back, i came to this country for the remaining 2.5 years on my H1B with my wife right after marriage, as a GC was just next to impossible in that duration when normal wait times were north of 4 years. But When Clinton changed the immigration laws about H1 max stay and GC, i guess i was one direct beneficiary, could stay beyond 6 years and also got my GC in less than 2 years after applying. And last Friday, i became a USC.
Oath ceremony was scheduled for Montery office at 10:30. Reached around 30 mins early, as usual, and after the security screening, went to the Suite 160 in the building. There were some folks there before us too.
The officials were very kind and courteous. They took away our Oath letter and GCs at the Hall entrance, looked up our Naturalization Certificates, put them in order and asked us to follow another official who was helping folks with the seating in the same order. This kept on going till 10:40-10:45 i believe till everyone who had to take oath was in. Then a Sr official came and asked all of us to take oath by repeating after her from the written material provided, and our right hand raised. After that, she asked one of the fellows who had come to take oath to read the pledge of allegiance to the flag while keeping our right hand across our heart. After that there was a short 10 min video of President Bush congratulating us on becoming US citizens, and then they distributed our Naturalization Certificate and asked us to verify it. They had also given us small American Flags that they said we could wave, and screaming with joy and whistling etc is all accepted as expression of happiness and jubilation.
The whole process took around 35-40 mins and we were done.
We took our 4 yr old with us as her preschool is closed on Fridays.
With this i am done with this thread, though i will still remain subscribed i guess. Now since i plan to visit India soon and can't wait for OCI, i will go the PIO way and pay extra for it.
Good luck to all of you waiting. Relax and have faith, it might take some time but will happen. Overall took us almost a year (when we applied, it was taking 6 months for the folks).