Expedited Naturalization, request for change of venue for interview and testing

[peteysgurl 0]

Hello fellow Visa Journey members!

Me and my husband are currently overseas now. We applied for expedited naturalization since that is what we are told to do regarding my visa status since his work assigned him overseas. My records were sent to the local center in California, and I am pretty sure that is where they have to conduct the interview and civics exam. Is there a way for us to request a change of the venue for interview and testing in a US embassy overseas which would be more convenient for us timewise and financially? Thank you so much!

[milimelo 4,466]

Moving to US Citizenship forum - not AOS related.

[choir001 0]

Hi there,

You don't mention where you are living now, but I am under the impression that you cannot do the interview and oath outside the US. I have just started the 319b process and am living in China and will need to travel to the US in a few months to complete the application.

No matter that you are currently overseas, you will need to return to the US to do the interview and oath ceremony. Everything I have read here and elsewhere online says to request the interview and oath ceremony for the same day in Fairfax, VA. Do a search for 319b and you will find a lot of info.

I am sure you can contact the office you filed your application (do you have a receipt notice?) and ask them to move everything to Fairfax, VA. The other thing to consider is that once you have taken the oath ceremony, you need to leave the US on a new US passport within 45 days.

I hope this makes sense, I am learning all about this process too.

Kim

Where can the interview and naturalization take place?

As an applicant for naturalization under section 319(b), you may be interviewed at any USCIS office of your choice in the United States, including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If you choose to be interviewed at our office, you will be naturalized the same day as your interview, in most cases. Please note that, if you want to change your name, you cannot be naturalized by our office. You will be required to attend your oath ceremony at a Federal Court. Court ceremonies are held only one day each month and, depending upon when in the month you are interviewed, it may take at least two months to be scheduled for a ceremony.

[peteysgurl 0]

Hello Kim!

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my queries. We are currently in Japan. We asked USCIS already about our case and they say that we need to make a letter request to transfer the venue for interview to Guam and also for a same day oath. We are still waiting for their reply, since they already scheduled my interview to a local office in California. I am hoping that we get it soon.

About the leaving the US with a US passport within 45 days, is it required? If I have a same-day oath and interview in Guam, how will I get a passport if I have to leave and come back to Japan the next day?

Thanks again.

Hi there,

You don't mention where you are living now, but I am under the impression that you cannot do the interview and oath outside the US. I have just started the 319b process and am living in China and will need to travel to the US in a few months to complete the application.

No matter that you are currently overseas, you will need to return to the US to do the interview and oath ceremony. Everything I have read here and elsewhere online says to request the interview and oath ceremony for the same day in Fairfax, VA. Do a search for 319b and you will find a lot of info.

I am sure you can contact the office you filed your application (do you have a receipt notice?) and ask them to move everything to Fairfax, VA. The other thing to consider is that once you have taken the oath ceremony, you need to leave the US on a new US passport within 45 days.

I hope this makes sense, I am learning all about this process too.

Kim

Where can the interview and naturalization take place?

As an applicant for naturalization under section 319(b), you may be interviewed at any USCIS office of your choice in the United States, including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If you choose to be interviewed at our office, you will be naturalized the same day as your interview, in most cases. Please note that, if you want to change your name, you cannot be naturalized by our office. You will be required to attend your oath ceremony at a Federal Court. Court ceremonies are held only one day each month and, depending upon when in the month you are interviewed, it may take at least two months to be scheduled for a ceremony.

[choir001 0]

Hi again,

So funny that you are in Japan. Last night I was reading up on the info given by the US embassy in Japan and they recommended going via Honolulu for 319b. I discussed this possibility with my husband, since I have always wanted to see Hawaii.

The other coincidence is that I am literally searching online for a hotel in Osaka. My family and I are taking a short break away from China next month and are coming to Japan for a few days (Niseko, Sapporo & Osaka).

I am not sure on the passport availabilty in Guam (I do not think there is a passport agency there), but you can definitely get one processed in Honolulu in 2 days. And yes, you do need to get a passport before you leave. You must leave US as an American on an American passport once you have taken your oath.

For more info, check out this link:

Note from US Embassy Japan

see the 2nd from last paragraph on page 1 and last para on page 3 - for the info on passports

BTW: Which USCIS office told you to have the interview and oath in Guam?

Also, another VJ'er just replied to me regarding their 319b experience in Honolulu back in March of this year - here is the reply.

Hi,

about taking the oath, if you are not a local (over sea like me) you will be schedule to have an interview and taking the oath ceremony within the same week. The interview was pretty easy but they also check every information that you provided on the application also, if something is questionable they would ask you - in my case, was the last name. If you passed the interview, they will give you the paper to bring it back to them on Wednesday for the oath ceremony. The ceremony won't take long, I suggest you made the reservation for the U.S. Passport on that Wednesday after you finish the oath ceremony (the officer at the immigration will also tell you that too if you're over sea). The U.S. Passport office is within the walking distance, make sure you tell them that you want it expedite so you will get the passport around 2 p.m. on Friday.

Good luck and let's keep in touch.

Kim C

Hello Kim!

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my queries. We are currently in Japan. We asked USCIS already about our case and they say that we need to make a letter request to transfer the venue for interview to Guam and also for a same day oath. We are still waiting for their reply, since they already scheduled my interview to a local office in California. I am hoping that we get it soon.

About the leaving the US with a US passport within 45 days, is it required? If I have a same-day oath and interview in Guam, how will I get a passport if I have to leave and come back to Japan the next day?

Thanks again.

[me&me 0]

Hi there,

You don't mention where you are living now, but I am under the impression that you cannot do the interview and oath outside the US. I have just started the 319b process and am living in China and will need to travel to the US in a few months to complete the application.

No matter that you are currently overseas, you will need to return to the US to do the interview and oath ceremony. Everything I have read here and elsewhere online says to request the interview and oath ceremony for the same day in Fairfax, VA. Do a search for 319b and you will find a lot of info.

I am sure you can contact the office you filed your application (do you have a receipt notice?) and ask them to move everything to Fairfax, VA. The other thing to consider is that once you have taken the oath ceremony, you need to leave the US on a new US passport within 45 days.

I hope this makes sense, I am learning all about this process too.

Kim

Where can the interview and naturalization take place?

As an applicant for naturalization under section 319(b), you may be interviewed at any USCIS office of your choice in the United States, including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If you choose to be interviewed at our office, you will be naturalized the same day as your interview, in most cases. Please note that, if you want to change your name, you cannot be naturalized by our office. You will be required to attend your oath ceremony at a Federal Court. Court ceremonies are held only one day each month and, depending upon when in the month you are interviewed, it may take at least two months to be scheduled for a ceremony.

On a quick note, Fairfax has a very long waiting time as the load on that office is so huge, I have asked to be interviewed there, but on one of my phone calls with one of the nicest and professional USCIS officer I spoke to, she has suggested to get interviewed somewhere else, and the moment I said I am okay with that, they've scheduled me on the same day to the next available interview date in Atlanta, and provided me the date and the time of my interview over the phone. Atlanta office is familiar with the 319(b) cases and have a same day oath.

From my very own experience, it's better NOT to specify where you would like to be anterviewed at (unless you have some personal reasons for that), just ask for an office which is familiar with 319(b) cases, as they are a lot out there along Fairfax and Honolulu.

p.s Guam has a US passport Office, you can check it out on following web site. http://www.govguamdocs.com/passport/docs/PASSPORT_OFFICE_HOURS_04122010.pdf