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I submitted the application in August 2015. Had the biometrics done by late September 2015. Had my interview at fairfax field office in early March, and I got the oath notice in mail around 2 weeks after that. I had my oath ceremony at Alexandria courthouse since I requested for a name change. Would like to share my experience here.
Time printed on the oath ceremony notice is 1:00pm. We arrived at 12:15pm, and parked at Elizabeth street public garage (don't park at street meter as you may not be able to get back in time to pick up your car). We got to the court house, then passed the security check (a friend told me that no cellphone allowed so I left it in the car). There were a lot of people arrived before me.
We waited at the lobby outside the courtroom until 1:00pm sharp, the officers came out and told us to line up. We have to make sure the questions on the back of the oath notice were answered, and make sure to put the location as "Alexandria, VA". Then we went into the court room, and gave the oath notice and the green card to the officer. The officer handed me a packet, with my seat number on it. I found my seat and sit down. Another officer handed all of us a vote registration form. We had enough time to fill it in while waiting.
The representative at courthouse came in and briefed us the procedure. Since all of us there requested a name change, before the oath, he would read our name out loud one by one, and we needed to stand up and say our country of origin when we hear our name. Then the judge came into the court room, and the representative read our names and we said our country of origin. There were around 70 of us. Then the judge grant us approval for name change. Then another representative led us to say the oath of allegiance. We finally became American citizens!
At the end of the ceremony, we went to the officer in line, one by one we got the certificate of citizenship and 2 copies of court order of our name change. We also got an American flag, and handed in our voter registration form.
We stepped out of the courtroom by around 2:30pm.
I went to SSA today to change my record, and also DMV to get a new driver license with my new name. Have made an appointment at post office and will apply for a passport soon.
My journey is over. Good luck to you all.
Time printed on the oath ceremony notice is 1:00pm. We arrived at 12:15pm, and parked at Elizabeth street public garage (don't park at street meter as you may not be able to get back in time to pick up your car). We got to the court house, then passed the security check (a friend told me that no cellphone allowed so I left it in the car). There were a lot of people arrived before me.
We waited at the lobby outside the courtroom until 1:00pm sharp, the officers came out and told us to line up. We have to make sure the questions on the back of the oath notice were answered, and make sure to put the location as "Alexandria, VA". Then we went into the court room, and gave the oath notice and the green card to the officer. The officer handed me a packet, with my seat number on it. I found my seat and sit down. Another officer handed all of us a vote registration form. We had enough time to fill it in while waiting.
The representative at courthouse came in and briefed us the procedure. Since all of us there requested a name change, before the oath, he would read our name out loud one by one, and we needed to stand up and say our country of origin when we hear our name. Then the judge came into the court room, and the representative read our names and we said our country of origin. There were around 70 of us. Then the judge grant us approval for name change. Then another representative led us to say the oath of allegiance. We finally became American citizens!
At the end of the ceremony, we went to the officer in line, one by one we got the certificate of citizenship and 2 copies of court order of our name change. We also got an American flag, and handed in our voter registration form.
We stepped out of the courtroom by around 2:30pm.
I went to SSA today to change my record, and also DMV to get a new driver license with my new name. Have made an appointment at post office and will apply for a passport soon.
My journey is over. Good luck to you all.
