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Since I have been reading the posts on this forum, I thought I would give back and let everyone know my timeline and experience for getting my US Citizenship.
I filled out my N-400 and submitted it in June 13, 2005 to the Nebraska Service Center, I received notification of receipt June 20.
I received the finger printing date July 5, with an appointment date of August 12, 2005 at the regional office. It was a very quick appointment. I just walked into the office, grabbed a ticket and waited about 5 minutes for them to call my number. They asked for my green card and took my fingerprints. In all, it took me about 30 minutes total. My drive to the regional office was much longer. However, there is a statement on the fingerprint notification that if I could not make the scheduled appointment, I could go any Wed. prior to November, 4. I am not sure if this is the same at all locations. Also, I had a friend also go through the same process, but he forgot his green card. They took his drivers license as verification and were able to look him up (which is good since the drive is about 1.5 hours to the regional office).
I received an interview notification Jan. 4, 2006 to appear at the regional office Jan. 18, 2006. I then started to study the civics and history information posted on the INS website. I arrived about 15 minutes early to my appointment and dropped my notification letter into the designated mail slot. I waited about 30 minutes before they called my name (very efficient since I arrived early).
Surprisingly, I was the only person dressed up in a suite and tie for my interview. I do not know if this affects the interview, but I believe it is a sign of respect for the person and the office interviewing you. Anyway, I was called into the office where we reviewed every single aspect of my application, most particularly the time out of country. I did travel for a long weekend to Canada to visit my wife during the N-400 process, so he noted that in the records. I also showed my proof of selective service card, we talked about a speeding ticket I received which I did not put down on the application. I told him I didn't know that I needed to put the ticket in the application, but he said it was best to put it in anyway so he wrote it into the application. I then answered about 12 civics questions which I answered correctly, and had to read and write a sentence in english. Although this seems like a long time, the whole process took about 15 minutes. The interviewer was extremely polite, explained everything that he was doing, and we even cracked a couple of jokes. He told me that everything looked OK, that my application was approved and that there was another level that needed to review who could still deny the application. He mentioned that the next oath ceremony was in a month (Feb.), but that they have a ceremony each month if there was no room. I then filled out a survey card and left.
After a month of not hearing anything, I called the National Service Center and asked if they could check the status of my application. They asked me the priority date (June 13, 2005) and said that the office was still processing June 30, 2005 and that if if went past July 13, 2005 to call them back. Sure enough, one week later I received the date of my Oath Ceremony, which is in a couple of days (Mar. 24)!
Hope this helps alleviate any anxiety you may be going through. The whole process was actually very easy and straightforward.
I filled out my N-400 and submitted it in June 13, 2005 to the Nebraska Service Center, I received notification of receipt June 20.
I received the finger printing date July 5, with an appointment date of August 12, 2005 at the regional office. It was a very quick appointment. I just walked into the office, grabbed a ticket and waited about 5 minutes for them to call my number. They asked for my green card and took my fingerprints. In all, it took me about 30 minutes total. My drive to the regional office was much longer. However, there is a statement on the fingerprint notification that if I could not make the scheduled appointment, I could go any Wed. prior to November, 4. I am not sure if this is the same at all locations. Also, I had a friend also go through the same process, but he forgot his green card. They took his drivers license as verification and were able to look him up (which is good since the drive is about 1.5 hours to the regional office).
I received an interview notification Jan. 4, 2006 to appear at the regional office Jan. 18, 2006. I then started to study the civics and history information posted on the INS website. I arrived about 15 minutes early to my appointment and dropped my notification letter into the designated mail slot. I waited about 30 minutes before they called my name (very efficient since I arrived early).
Surprisingly, I was the only person dressed up in a suite and tie for my interview. I do not know if this affects the interview, but I believe it is a sign of respect for the person and the office interviewing you. Anyway, I was called into the office where we reviewed every single aspect of my application, most particularly the time out of country. I did travel for a long weekend to Canada to visit my wife during the N-400 process, so he noted that in the records. I also showed my proof of selective service card, we talked about a speeding ticket I received which I did not put down on the application. I told him I didn't know that I needed to put the ticket in the application, but he said it was best to put it in anyway so he wrote it into the application. I then answered about 12 civics questions which I answered correctly, and had to read and write a sentence in english. Although this seems like a long time, the whole process took about 15 minutes. The interviewer was extremely polite, explained everything that he was doing, and we even cracked a couple of jokes. He told me that everything looked OK, that my application was approved and that there was another level that needed to review who could still deny the application. He mentioned that the next oath ceremony was in a month (Feb.), but that they have a ceremony each month if there was no room. I then filled out a survey card and left.
After a month of not hearing anything, I called the National Service Center and asked if they could check the status of my application. They asked me the priority date (June 13, 2005) and said that the office was still processing June 30, 2005 and that if if went past July 13, 2005 to call them back. Sure enough, one week later I received the date of my Oath Ceremony, which is in a couple of days (Mar. 24)!
Hope this helps alleviate any anxiety you may be going through. The whole process was actually very easy and straightforward.
