Citizenship

Here is my timeline for the Baltimore office.

August 22nd 2018 Application N-400 sent Electronically

August 24th 2018 Biometrics Appointment letter received via USCIS

August 26th 2018 Biometrics letter received via snail mail

September 12th 2018 receive/done

June 26th 2019 Status changed to "We schedule your interview"

June 28th 2019 Interview letter appeared on USCIS online

June 30th 2019 Receive Interview letter via snail mail

August 2nd 2019 Interview at Immigration Baltimore at 11AM

August 2nd 2019 at 12:20pm Form 652 was " A decision can not be made yet about your application

August 9th 2019 You application as been approved via USCIS online.

Now, I wait for Oat Ceremony Letter., which should be in 2-3 weeks. At this point I am just glad I have been approved, I can wait a few more weeks, right?

Good Luck to Everyone, and be patient I know how it can be overwhelming and stressful. I have been thru it myself, I can relate.

I used this site after my interview a d was going to help someone else. So here's my timeline:

Applied 8/13/18
Biometrics 9/16/18
Interview 7/29/19 (decision cannot be made)
Oath letter mailed 7/31/19
Oath letter received 8/5/19
Oath ceremony 8/9/19

After my interview I was freaking out because of the stories I had read on here of people having to wait for long periods of time so I kept checking my online account for updates. I also used the check status tool on the USCIS website which just needs receipt number to look up your case. The check status tool updates faster than logging into your account. I checked my status on 7/31 and it said Oath Letter Mailed but my account did not update until following morning on 8/1 and the oath letter was updated under my documents that same day in the afternoon. I'm glad everything went smooth as I was anticipating the worst.

I had my interview on August 7th, 2019, when I went into the USCIS building, I went straight to the window and told the lady that I was scheduled for an interview today. She asked for the interview notice and told me that she's going to put my information in the system and will call me again.

After 20 minutes a guy called my name and asked me to come to Door 1. The guy was my interviewer he asked me to follow him in the room and told me to keep standing.

I took an oath and sat down. After that he asked me civics questions those were:

1. Who is the senator of your State?
2. What's the capital of your state?
3. What war did the US fight in 1900?
4. If the President no longer serves who becomes a president?
5. Why did colonists come to the US?
6. Why did colonists fight the British?

I answered all correctly and then he asked me to write a sentence which was:

"Citizens can vote."

I pass that one too but he didn't ask me to read anything and he then went over my application with me and didn't ask me any questions related to my family, tax papers or any kind of proof. He was so nice that it only took him 2 minutes to go over my N-400 application.

After that, he said, "Congratulations you have passed the interview". He gave me a printed paper where it mentioned that I've passed the interview and after 1 minute he gave me another paper and told me to fill that form and wait outside for you name to be called.

I waited for my name to be called and when the lady called my name she asked for the filled form and my Green Card asked me to sign my Citizenship certificate and told me to wait for the oath ceremony.

After 30 minutes the Oath ceremony started and I became US citizen the same day. :)

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Hello, I just wanted to give y'all an overview of how I became a US Citizen. These are just keypoint because I cannot remember all of it anymore. You can ask me specific questions and I will try my best to answer it for you.

Anyway here it goes:

I had my Tourist visa since 2000 (acquired it together with the rest of my family) We were given 10 years validity.

Travelled to US 2009 - Met Brian and he became my boyfriend.

2010 - (January) I went back home to the Philippines. We had a long distance relationship. He also visited Philippines during this year.

2011 - (May) I went back to the US for another tour. I couldn't find a job that can sponsor me. My Tourist visa will expire on November 11, 2011. So, We got married October 15. Filed all the papers to convert my tourist visa to immigrant by October 28. Did the biometrics, interview within the year.

** Even though my tourist visa was already expired in November, I stayed in the US cos my papers were already filled and it's in the process. So, technically I did not overstayed nor violated any immigration rules.

2012 - (January) I was granted with my Green Card.

Because I acquired my green card through marrying a US Citizen, I am eligible to apply for US Citizenship after 3 years.

2018 - I am pregnant with my second child. I quit my job to be a stay at home mom. Since my husband is a full time student and only works part time. Me and my kids qualified for Medicare. -- Since we are on a very tight budget at that moment, we filed form I-912 Request for fee waiver. I have a medicare insurance because of my pregnancy so it's what they call a "Means-Tested benefits"

2018 - (March) Filed N400 & I-912 together.

2018 - (May) Did my Biometrics

2019 - (January) Left the country so that I could give my husband a time to concentrate on his studies. I also needed help with my two kids. My parents back home offered help so we had to flew away.

2019 - (March) They scheduled me for interview. I was still out of the country so I sent them a letter requesting for a rescheduled interview. I requested for a May interview.

2019 - (April) I was rescheduled April 20. I don't know if they did not received my request to reschedule my interview or they just did not considered the date I requested. On the letter I received -- it said that I missed my interview last March and they are did not receive any notice from me. so they rescheduled me for April 20. Anyway, good thing is that I rebooked my flight a week before the interview.

2019 (April) Interview done -- they were requesting for a passport picture which I don't have and they never requested it from me. So the consul gave me an option to use my old pictures on file or send them a new one. I opted to send them a new one. In that case, my oath taking got delayed.

2019 (July) Oath Taking day :) https://youtu.be/e1tQMPUiPXM . Please watch the video for a glimpse of oath taking held at Houston Texas.

Again, if you have any specific questions regarding about any process involved. I will try my best to help and answer. I'll try. Thanks. Good luck and Congratulations in advance!

Hello all,
I have just finished my interview today 8/8/2019 it was great and super smooth, i had requested my name change on the N400 form and did confirmed it with USCIS Officer today. He did not give me any estimates time of when i will get my oath ceremony at the courthouse. I do live in North Dallas and would like to know if someone have same situation. I have heard from one friend that there is someone who did change his name before ceremony Since more than YEAR ago Is that correct. Please advise

Thanks

Hi guys,

I noticed a lot of people posting about long waits and wait times. Well I had to wait for 2 years after my interview before I got my oath ceremony, and was able to Naturalize last year. I will detail below my journey:

* May 2012 - Received my 10 year green card after filing a VAWA petition in November 2010.

* September 2013 - Falsely arrested and charged. All charges were eventually dropped in September of 2015.

* April 2016 - Filed for citizenship (couldn't file in May 2015 because my case was still open)

* August 2016 - Had my interview, passed civics and English test. No decision made because I had a conditional discharge that wasn't up yet (conditional discharge was finished Sept 21st 2016)

* September 2016 - Went to Federal Plaza with an updated disposition to show that my conditional discharge was up.Later that day status updated to " Supervisor review of your case was completed, will inform you once a decision is made".

* May 2017 - RFE from USCIS for an updated disposition (even though I walked one physically in to them). Mailed the disposition out. And the waiting continued.

*August 2017 - Called to find out about my case ( one year since interview).

* September 2017 - Email stating that my case was still under review, and no definitive timeline for completion could be given.

* August 13th 2018 - Checked my status like I had been doing all year. It still said Supervisor review.....but this time it stated that the Supervisior review was completed on August 11th 2018!!! Finally after 2 years they looked at my case again!!!

* August 14th 2018 - At work, decided to check the status again to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. This time my status said " My Oath Ceremony Notice was Mailed". I almost fainted. From nothing for two years to having my notice mailed!!!

* August 17th 2018 - Received my notice in the mail.

* August 30th 2018 - Oath Ceremony - became a citizen of the United States of America!!!

* October 26th 2018 - Received my US passport.

* November 2018 - Voted in the mid term elections!!

* February 2019 - Traveled to my home country for the first time in 18 1/2 years ( never traveled on my green card ).

* March 2019 - Returned to US, first time through immigration since arriving here in 2000. It was a breeze!!! Having a US passport makes a HUGE difference!!!

Please be patient. I used a immigration group to help me prepare my N 400 because of my arrest, but did every thing else myself. I waited two years in limbo, but I got the greatest gift for my patience!!! Good luck, and best wishes to everyone that is going through this process now...

Hi everyone,

In 2012 I married a The U.S. citizen and in July 2013 I got my CRC after 2 years I got my PRC without an interview, in October 2016 I applied N400 base on 3 years rule but I did not pass because of the officer said that me and my spouse did not live together for less 30 months. I lived in NYC from 2012 to 2015, after August 2015 I moved to Socal to open my own company in October 2015. From August 2015 to August 2018, during the 3 years my ex-spouse and I we visited each other a lot, like 2 or 3 months I came back to NYC for stayed 2 or 3 weeks, or my ex-spouse visited me 2 or 3 months, stayed in CA for 2 or 3 weeks, however in August 2018 my spouse divorced with me, I was very sad, hopeless. She said I did not have much time to be with her, I always was busy at my work.
In February 2019, I submitted my N400 form again, I got my fingerprint in March, the first interview was in June, and the officer said my English was poor, could not approve my case this time, and rescheduled next interview, and I had my interview yesterday. During my interview, the officer did not test me the civic questions and write a sentence, because I passed it on the first interview, the officer only asked me about my ex-spouse during August 2015 to August 2018, have you lived with you ex-spouse lived with you, I said no. However, I told the officer we visited each other a lot, like 2 or 3 months I came to her for stayed 2 or 3 weeks or my ex-spouse came to me 2 or 3 months, stayed for 2 or 3 weeks. The officer said it made him very confused why she did not came to CA live with you, I said she does not like CA weather, it is too hot, she likes NYC. The officer continues asked that question how often did she came to you or I came to her, I repeated my answer again and again. Then the officer asked me how much was the rent fees and did you help her to pay it, I said yes, some times she came to CA, I gave to her some cash, or I back to NYC helped her to pay for it, the officer asked me why did you not wire the $ to her, I said where we lived that some of the restaurants only received cash, and the homeowner also accepted cash. Thus, I gave her the cash, not to wire. The officer still said that made him very confused, I had to repeat my answers again after the officer asked me in the first time when you applied the CRC who was your sponsor because your wife she did not have much income, I said I do not remember the person's name, and the officer said how come did you forget it? who helped in financial, and you should grateful the name who helped you, I said it was 6 or 7 years ago, I can not remember. (In fact, I have ever received any financial from someone or the government, only my parents sometimes wire some $ to me.) and I said I only meet her a couple of times, she was my spouse friend I did not remember. After the officer typed some information on the computer then ask me about the n400 form, it was not difficult. At the end of my interview, the officer gave me N652, and he gave me (B) decision can not be made this time, the officer said, for now, I do not need any documents, you should receive a decision in 3 months if you were approved we will send your oath letter or required evidence documents. The officer did not ask for my tax return and my divorce decrees, and the officer made me feel he questioned about my marriage.

Hi everyone,
My mother's (70 years) interview is in next September after completing 5 years on PR. She can read and write English and can more or less speak as well. We have shifted 4 apartments and cannot remember the addresses or A- no or SSN no. Can she reply these questions looking at the respective documents? I, feel, interview is not a test of memory.
Regards.

Hi everyone
How long did it took your application to be approved by USCIS after interview? I did my interview on June 17 2019 still pending please share your experience

Thanks

Hello! just a little update about my case. I posted here 2 weeks ago that my interview was scheduled on 8/23. But I had to de-scheduled it due to my trip abroad. I followed up with the immigration office in Des Moines, IA and requested a new interview date and on 8/1 I was notified that my interview was cancelled. 2 days later I got a new notification informing me that my interview was rescheduled the second week of September, one week after my return in the USA. I am so relieved and I can travel and enjoy my trip and my wedding. I will keep you updated.