N-400 December filers

MsAnn · April 24, 2009

Just wondering, what do you need to do to apply your passport? and where did you go for that?
do you need to give them your naturalization certificate? How long it takes for you to get the passport?

Thanks

This site will tell you all you need about passports: State Dept

You will need your certificate and ID to apply, and 2 passport photos (you may be able to get these done at the same time but call ahead to be sure). You'll need to apply in person at a local acceptance facility unless you need it expedited, then you go to a passport agency.

It takes a couple weeks to receive the passport. Your passport and certificate arrive in separate mailings a few days apart.

Stella08 · April 24, 2009

You can apply for a passport at your local post office. Check USPS's website for details and locations:

www.usps.com

Or check here:

http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/

As far as I know, you also can apply directly at an U.S. Department of State Passport Office, if you have to travel within two weeks and can prove that. I think you need an appointment for that and you will receive your passport the same day (at an extra charge).

They will send in your Naturalization Certificate with your application, so make a copy before you give it out of your hands. We were told that currently regular applications take about 4 to 6 weeks, expedited service (at an extra charge) takes about 2 to 3 weeks.

Just wondering, what do you need to do to apply your passport? and where did you go for that?
do you need to give them your naturalization certificate? How long it takes for you to get the passport?

Thanks

Congratulations Stella.......we only had 61 at mine!

Congratulations to you, too!!!

I applied for my passport, but I didn't make it to the SSA before that. Have to wait now, until I get my naturalization certificate back.

Just wondering, what do you need to do to apply your passport? and where did you go for that?
do you need to give them your naturalization certificate? How long it takes for you to get the passport?

Thanks

This site will tell you all you need about passports: State Dept

You will need your certificate and ID to apply, and 2 passport photos (you may be able to get these done at the same time but call ahead to be sure). You'll need to apply in person at a local acceptance facility unless you need it expedited, then you go to a passport agency.

It takes a couple weeks to receive the passport. Your passport and certificate arrive in separate mailings a few days apart.

I just wanted to add that I applied for expedited service at our local post office.

maimai · April 25, 2009

Congratulations to all of those who had their interviews and oath takings!

Im celebrating my first day as a US Citizen today! :dance: :dance: :dance: Finally a naturalization certificate in my hand!

It had been a wonderful and memorable occasion for me. The processing of all the paperwork and the ceremony were all good. Good work AZ USCIS!

Next project--passport! Yeay! Social Security people were there after the ceremony to file and update our immigration status (as US Citizens now). That saved us a trip to the SSA offices. Hopefully in 3 weeks I would get my new SSCard (same info and # of course) and be able to apply for a passport :thumbs:

broma25...........12/01/08....12/15/08...01/03/09...04/10/09....04/24/09...VSC....Philadelphia....12/12/08

maimai............12/02/08....12/08/08...12/31/08...03/18/09....04/24/09...CSC....Phoenix.........12/12/08

maz...............12/03/08....12/13/08...12/30/08...04/09/09....04/21/09...NBC....Chicago.........12/11/08

Stella08..........12/10/08....12/19/08...01/13/09...03/17/09....04/24/09...NBC....Washington,DC...12/22/08

skoopie...........12/24/08....12/29/08...01/24/09...04/21/09....xx/xx/xx...VSC....Newark,NJ.......01/06/09

edandying.........12/27/08....01/07/09...01/29/09...04/20/09....xx/xx/xx...NSC....Chicago.........01/08/09

jamieswith........12/29/08....01/02/09...xx/xx/xx...04/06/09....04/22/09...TSC....Houston.........01/06/09

Aizi..............12/29/08....01/05/09...02/03/09...04/23/09....xx/xx/xx...VSC....Newark,NJ.......01/12/09

We got quiet a bit of activity going on this week.

Interviews:

edandying, skoopie, Aizi: Good luck for your interviews.

Oaths:

broma25, maimai, maz, Stella08 (the Only Stella!! ), and my buddy Jamiesmith: Good Luck for your Oath taking ceremonies.

Good Luck to All!

radacos · April 25, 2009

Next project--passport! Yeay! Social Security people were there after the ceremony to file and update our immigration status (as US Citizens now). That saved us a trip to the SSA offices. Hopefully in 3 weeks I would get my new SSCard (same info and # of course) and be able to apply for a passport

Congratulations Maimai and all the other new citizens! I hope everyone's journey ends successfully and soon!

Maimai, I just wanted to make sure you know that you don't have to wait for the Social Security update to apply for a passport -- you can do it right away!

Stella08 · April 25, 2009

Next project--passport! Yeay! Social Security people were there after the ceremony to file and update our immigration status (as US Citizens now). That saved us a trip to the SSA offices. Hopefully in 3 weeks I would get my new SSCard (same info and # of course) and be able to apply for a passport

Congratulations Maimai and all the other new citizens! I hope everyone's journey ends successfully and soon!

Maimai, I just wanted to make sure you know that you don't have to wait for the Social Security update to apply for a passport -- you can do it right away!

Yep, that's what I did. I even didn't stop by the Social Security Office first. Since I want to travel this summer, the passport was the most important thing on my agenda right now. I wish they had people from the SSA and passport office at the court after our oath ceremony. That would have made things a lot easier, since the two offices are at opposite ends in our town. And the poor clerk at the post office was overwhelmed by new citizens plus regular applicants for passports.

broma25 · April 25, 2009

I did my SSA visit because I cant get there normally due the hours I work, the passport I can take to the Post Office near where I work and can do this in my lunch hour so thats on my to do list for next week. I have no firm plans to travel but dont want to get caught with an emergency so going to apply regardless.

Cargo · April 25, 2009

Yay received my Oath letter today. Ceremony on May 21st. Can one of you update for me. Thanks!!!

Stella08 · April 25, 2009

Congratulations to Cargo!!! :dance:

Name..............SentDate....NOA1.......Biodate....Interview...Oath.... Center..LocalOffice.....CheckCashed

shadow_dog........12/01/08....12/05/08...12/31/08...04/13/09....xx/xx/xx...NBC....Chicago.........??/??/??

samsbs............12/01/08....12/23/08...01/14/09...03/20/09....05/05/09...CSC....San_Francisco...12/24/08

broma25...........12/01/08....12/15/08...01/03/09...04/10/09....04/24/09...VSC....Philadelphia....12/12/08

farah2005.........12/01/08....12/12/08...04/13/09. .xx/xx/xx....xx/xx/xx...TSC....Miami...........12/09/08

so2008............12/02/08....12/16/08...01/03/09...xx/xx/xx....xx/xx/xx...TSC....Tampa...........12/15/08

maimai............12/02/08....12/08/08...12/31/08...03/18/09....04/24/09...CSC....Phoenix.........12/12/08

sheepnfish........12/03/08....12/29/08...02/12/09...04/09/09....xx/xx/xx...VSC....St_Albans.......????????

maz...............12/03/08....12/13/08...12/30/08...04/09/09....04/21/09...NBC....Chicago.........12/11/08

Cargo.............12/06/08....12/22/08...01/20/09...04/06/09....05/21/09...CSC....San_Jose........12/23/08

Poppinslp.........12/10/08....12/22/08...01/23/09...04/06/09....xx/xx/xx...TSC....Fort Lauderdale.12/23/08

blessings2us......12/10/08....12/22/08...01/21/09...03/12/09....03/16/09...NBC....Portland........12/22/08

Stella08..........12/10/08....12/19/08...01/13/09...03/17/09....04/24/09...NBC....Washington,DC...12/22/08

ChinaBabe.........12/12/08....12/23/08...01/14/09...04/27/09....xx/xx/xx...TSC....Atlanta,GA......12/24/08

Coquette..........12/12/08....12/30/09...01/30/09...04/28/09....xx/xx/xx...VSC....Norfolk, VA.....01/08/09

Nigerla...........12/13/08....12/23/08...01/07/09...04/07/09....xx/xx/xx...VSC....NYC.............12/22/08

rilian............12/16/08....01/09/09...01/27/09...03/20/09....05/05/09...CSC....San_Francisco...01/08/09

Jackjack..........12/17/08....12/27/08...01/14/09...03/12/09....03/17/09...VSC....Boston..........12/26/08

ptrober...........12/17/08....12/31/08...01/22/09...03/10/09....04/16/09...NSC....Cincinnati......01/05/09

radacos...........12/17/08....12/30/08...02/23/09...05/05/09....xx/xx/xx...NSC....Seattle.........12/31/08

alwayswin.........12/18/08....12/31/08...01/23/09...04/15/09....06/17/09...VSC....Buffalo,NY......01/02/09

Debra&John........12/18/08....12/31/08...01/22/09...04/30/09....xx/xx/xx...NSC....Seattle.........01/06/09

DoxATL............12/23/08....12/29/08...xx/xx/xx...xx/xx/xx....xx/xx/xx...TSC....Atlanta.........01/06/09

skoopie...........12/24/08....12/29/08...01/24/09...04/21/09....04/21/09...VSC....Newark,NJ.......01/06/09

den_y2005.........12/24/08....01/05/09...xx/xx/xx...04/27/09....xx/xx/xx...CSC....Santa_Ana.......01/05/09

edandying.........12/27/08....01/07/09...01/29/09...04/20/09....xx/xx/xx...NSC....Chicago.........01/08/09

jamieswith........12/29/08....01/02/09...xx/xx/xx...04/06/09....04/22/09...TSC....Houston.........01/06/09

Kunjal27..........12/29/08....01/02/09...01/30/09...04/28/09....xx/xx/xx...TSC....Atlanta.........01/06/09

Aizi..............12/29/08....01/05/09...02/03/09...04/23/09....xx/xx/xx...VSC....Newark,NJ.......01/12/09

aizi · April 26, 2009

Yea!!! I got my citizenship!!! I am all done!

Here is my interview experience:

We arrived at 7:45 as my appointment was at 8:20. I was called in around 10:15. I was so nervous at this point because people that came in after me were being called and I felt like they were passing me over. The officer was very businesslike, did not exchange any pleasantries. When I entered her office, she told me to keep standing, raise my right hand and to swear to tell the truth. Then she asked for my passport, permanent residence card and driver's license. She immediatly stated that she was going to ask me the history questions. She asked the Sept 11 one, why there were 13 stripes on the flag, what the National Anthem was, What "rule of law" means, and two others that I don't remember. She had a piece of paper and wrote down the answers I was giving. Then she asked me to write " We have 100 hundred senators" and then read "How many senators do we have?" After that, she went over the application with me, check marking everything that I said yes to, and then she asked me several of the loyalty questions. Then she finally smiled and said Congratulation, your application has been approved. She gave me two pieces of paper. One was to be signed at the Oath Ceramony and the other stated was the Congratulations letter. She told me to go back in the waiting room and that I will be called.

After another hour of waiting, I was called to the window and another officer had me sign the certificate as well as a copy. She also took away my green card and gave me a "red book" that I had to keep with me. Told me that the ceremony will be at 2:00 ( it was about 12 at that time) and to take a break and come back at 1:30. My husband and I didn't really have breakfast in the morning, so we were really relieved to get a break. We went down to the Cafeteria and got some sandwiches. Went back up to the waiting room around 1:00. At 1:30, they announced that everyone with a "red book" can head over to the oath ceremony room. They lined the applicants together and the families on the other side. We filed in and then waited until 2:15 when an Officer came and made a presentation. We watched one video and then the Supervisor came in and stated that she would do the oath for us. We did the oath and then listened to "Proud to Be an American" by Lee Greenwood, and then they passed out the certificates!!

Some observations ( I had a lot of time to observe!!)

There were a lot of family members applying together. There were at leat 5 husband and wive that got the certificates together and 3 mother-father-child. There were a lot of people that came by themselves also. In the families section at the oath cermony, there were probably a total of 10 people, even though there were about 70 people getting their certificates.

They didn't use the passport pic I gave in as my pic on the certificate! They used the pic they took at the bio appt. That was weird. I never heard of them doing that. But cest la vie... I got my certificate, thats what matters.

So, that's my tale. Thanks to everyone here. I don't really post on the board but trust me, I have read everything. So to all those who have shared their experience, their worries, their troubles and their happy endings, thank so much for helping me get to my happy ending!!!!

Edited April 26, 2009 by aizi

Stella08 · April 26, 2009

Congratulations to aizi!!! :dance: :dance: :dance: