When to surrender passport?

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chiranjp

Registered Users (C)
Hi,

I received a letter for my oath ceremony. In the list of the documents that I was asked to bring, passport was not listed. Do I have to surrender my existing passport to apply for a US passport?

Thanks.
 
No

It depends on your home country. If it allows you dual citizenship then you only need to turn in your Plastic GC. If your home country does not allow for dual citizenship, then you will have to give it up. But you don\'t turn in your passport in either cases. This is between you and your embassy. So I suggest you find out from them if you can have dual.
 
Chiranjp

Congrats man ! Now you will be an American citizen.

Please briefly advise us your timeline till oath ceremony and what type of questions they asked you at the Interview.

Thanks,
SanjayH
 
No Title

Here is the time line. Citizenship is based on marriage to a US Citizen.

Date of N 400 : July 2001
Receipt: October 25, 2001 (I had to send a reminder asking about it).
Finger Prints (Electronic): Originally scheduled for Dec. 24, 2001 but later recheduled to Jan. 21, 2001 since our local INS office was closed on Dec. 24, 2001).
Interview Letter date: March 21, 2002
Interview Date: May 3, 2002
Oath Letter date: May 21, 2002
Oath Scheduled for: June 14, 2002

The questions asked were: where does congress meet, What does the Supreme Court do, Who is the head of the state government, Why did Piligrims come to the US? In what month do we elect the President etc.
As soon as I answered six of them right, he did not ask any more.

Thanks.
 
to Chiranjp: English test

Besides the US history and government test, what did the "English test" look like? How long did your interview last?
 
English Test

English Test was simple. I was asked to read a sentence - His wife is at work right now - and write a sentence that he dictated. The interview lasted for less than 15 minutes. He also read out and asked my response to each of the questions given on the last page of the N 400 (involving crime, gambling, arrests, willingness to bear arms etc.). Since I was also changing my name, the officer prepared the necessary papers during the interview itself.

The only thing that I did not like was that I was asked to produce documents that I was not told to bring, to prove my marital/joint living status. I took copies of our joint tax returns for 3 years (which I was not specifically told to bring in the interview letter). The INS officer took them but asked for additional proof like latest bank statements, home ownership documents. I had to mail these after coming home.

Hope the above helps.
 
To Chinajp

Hey,

Oh my god! The same thing exactly happened to me with my case. On my interview day last week, I did all the paperwork to change my name and then the officer asked the same questions on page 2 of the N-400 application. Then I did the US/History test followed by the English test (very silly). After that, he asked me if I have any kids and then for tax returns, so I answered "I only have with me what I was asked to bring with me in the interview letter". So he gave me Form N-14 and he said to mail them in within one month. I mailed them in the next day.

So how did he tell you to mail the other stuff without giving you the list of them (Form N-14)? N-14 is a one page that basically contains a list of things the officer marks for you to mail. It only applies to applicants filed based on marriage to US citizen. The officer added the tax returns for the past 3 years paragraph on mine.

I am hoping to hear from them about my oath soon.
 
Dear Chiranjp and Immig2002

Guys congratulations ! you\'ll soon will be naturalised citizens.

Do please post once you hear back from INS for the Oath ceremony. I am in a similar situation and my interview date is in July, just trying to organise everything for the interview, its rather overkill will paperwork than underkill. So please post your outcome.

Thanks,
SanjayH
 
To IMMIG2002 - Form N 14

Hey,

He did give me an N-14, indicating the documents he wanted. So, where are you located?

I got the oath letter fast. I asked the INS officer at the end of the interview how much longer it was going to be for me to attend the oath ceremony in the court. He said they already had one scheduled (for others)on June 14th and that if I send the documents that he asked for immediately, I could be added to the list of people taking oath. I sent my documents the very next day by priority mail.

Thanks.
 
to Chiranjp: supporting documents

thanks for the info, Chiranjp.
For tax returns, marriage license, etc. , did they just check them and return back to you or they kept the copies there ? If it is the latter case, I think it is better for me to make the photo copies beforehand.
Also are there any OTHER documents requested by the officer during interview which were not list on interview letter? In my letter, they asked for
1.passport 2. Green card 3. photo ID 4. interview letter 5.selective service letter.

Good luck!
 
No Title

Newcitizen, can you please explain the circumstances surrounding the need for you to bring the letter from the selective service. I have been requested to bring it too. Right now, I do not have a Lawyer and for this reason, I am contemplating wheather to get one. I entered the country while I was 24 years old and I did not register with selective service. Two years into my arrival into this country I applied for selective service number but I was told I was too old to register. I have my interview slated for August 23rd. I will appreciate you sharing your story too. I will like to know if you are using a lawyer and when are you having your interview?
Thanks
Oluyi
 
selective Services

You will need either the registration card or a letter from the selective services stating that you were not required or that you are execused from registering. In my case, the timing helped me a lot. I came to the US when I was 25. But by the time I became Perm. Res. I was older than 26. Given the fact that I was on a student visa (F1), the Selective Services execused me when I explained to them my case with a letter. They sent me a letter stating that I was NOT required to regiser. On my interview date, the officer did ask me for the letter and he made a copy to. So YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT as my advice to you. To the INS, it\'s an execure to reject your case if you ask me. You have just enough time to work with it. I do not think a lawyer will help you there unless he/she has a good idea on how to convince the Selective Service to execuse you in a written letter.

Good luck.
 
Documents Needed at the Interview

I took copies of my last 3 years tax documents (I took tax transcripts that i requested from IRS wherever copies of my tax returns are not available).

He also requested for copies of joint bank accounts, home ownership documents (since I told him that we own a home, when he asked for it), home owner\'s policy etc.
 
CHINAJP

I am located in Detroit, MI. On my interview day, the officer basically said that I have up to a month to send in the documents he asked for on the N-14. I know for a fact on that day that people who had their citizenship interview and passed everything they got the oath letter on the same day. Actually the interviewing officers told them to wait outside to give them the oath letter. My wife heard some of them say "our oath is on June xxx". She couldn\'t head what day nor she asked :(

So when went home, we sent them the papers via the Extremely Urgent service of the USPS. It cost lot more but it\'s worth it. I know that they got it the next day because I checked on-line.

We are hoping I get my oath letter sometime early June if I meant to be with those people scheduled that month.

Thanks!
 
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