do they keep the passport at the interview? can you travel after interview?

[ManuNSam 1]

my husband has an interview nov 15.

but we have plans to travel to india during thanksgiving.

im concerned because it says on the interview letter to bring his passport. will they need to keep it? is he able to travel after the interview?

thanks

sam

[ELW 5]

Hey, nice to "see" you again! Congrats on your hubby's interview next month!

Nagu had his interview on Oct 15. No, they don't keep the passport. I'm not sure about travel after the interview and before the Oath, but I think it is OK for him to travel on his Indian passport and green card. He officially becomes a citizen after the Oath and after that, he can't use his passport any more because they will invalidate it. He will need to get a US Passport and preferably a OCI card, which takes time.

I would research your own local office to see how long till they schedule the Oath, some offices do it same day and some offices may say wait for a letter and the wait can be one or two months long! They gave the Oath letter to Nagu right there at the interview, so immediately we knew the date. Definitely ask about it at the interview (traveling after interview but before the Oath). Hopefully others with more experience or knowledge will add advice.

[RICARDO4EVA2 194]

my husband has an interview nov 15.

but we have plans to travel to india during thanksgiving.

im concerned because it says on the interview letter to bring his passport. will they need to keep it? is he able to travel after the interview?

thanks

sam

This a local interview or at a consulate... in the usa they dont keep the passport at most consuate they send the applicant to the dhl drop off counter

Edited October 21, 2010 by RICARDO4EVA2

[JA Tam 7]

I had to share, when I got my citizenship, on my oath date I had a flight to Jamaica. This was before the passport rules, I traveled to Kingston on my naturalization certificate in 2005. Of course, this won't work today.

He can definitely travel on his passport and greencard until he has his oath. Congrats on getting the interview date!

[NickD 202]

Simple rule to follow, you walk out with everything single document you walked into with. If they want more information from a document, including your passport, they should copy it and return it to you.

Even heard about some cases where the IO insisted on keeping their green card, that is positively crazy, you need that green card to be here legally.

My wife's IO insisted on keeping my original tax returns, wife did let her have those, I was really teed off, but no big deal, I had other copies at home. But wife did have enough sense when her IO wanted our original divorce papers, now that would cost a fortune to replace, wife said no way, and kept them. That didn't make any difference in her interview, she passed any way. Her IO also wanted to see our latest certificate of deposit, but told me she just made a copy of it, she already has a copy of it I said, but made damn sure it was returned to her, that is the only proof we have that, that money is ours.

Took about twenty minutes in the car making sure all of our original evidence was there before leaving, was tempted to go back in and get my original tax returns, but said the heck with it as I have copies of those.

Ironically during our AOS as the same office, IO didn't want to see any of our original evidence, so was tempted not to even bring that for my wife's N-400 interview, but good thing we did, or would have had a long delay and another long trip. Never know what you are going to run into, many here have reported their IO's never wanted to see that original evidence. We must be lucky or just got an AH for an interviewer.

[v333k 59]

The passport is required only to verify exit/entry stamps in and out of the US. They will not keep your passport.

Keep in mind, that until the oath is taken, your husband is a permanent resident, even if he passes the interview. Once the oath is taken, then he becomes a USC and that's the only time when he can claim it, and that's when he is required to exit/enter the US with a US passort.

If he does get offered to take the oath the same day, then you need to request an expedited passport to get it in time before you leave... once you apply for a US passport, you need to provide them evidence that you had travel plans prior to your naturalization.

HTH

[ManuNSam 1]

Thanks for the info everybody. i did some reasearch and it looks like for Indianapolis it will be a few months after the interview for the oath. so we are safe.

ELW its nice to see you on here. I remember you guys too. Glad to see others from so long ago!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Your husband can also let his interviewer know that he has travel plans for Thanksgiving and request that any oath ceremony be scheduled for after his return. They seem quite good about such matters so it will not be a problem. At the actual oath ceremony they will ask him if he has travelled outside of the US since his interview so he will update the amount of time he has spent out of the country then. Unless he is already close to the limits a few days/weeks more will not be an issue on getting his citizenship. Good luck to him at the interview .

Edited October 24, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

The passport is the property of a foreign Government. Do you really think an I.O. would want to go to lose his job and jail for that?

[venusfire503 54]

Thanks for the info everybody. i did some reasearch and it looks like for Indianapolis it will be a few months after the interview for the oath. so we are safe.

ELW its nice to see you on here. I remember you guys too. Glad to see others from so long ago!

Hi!

How/where did you find out about the oath? I've been trying to find out which places sometimes offer same day ceremonies and which never do. If there's any chance my husband will get a same day ceremony, I'll take off work. If there's no chance, then I'll wait to take off.

Thanks!

venusfire

[Saddle Bronc 124]

If he is not sworn-in immediately after the interview, he may be able to travel depending on oath-schedule (if same-day, excellent for OP's case).

The GC will be taken by USCIS at the oath ceremony and exchanged for Naturalisation Certificate--with which he could get a US passport as little as 24 hours from swear-in (show the Cert at the passport application centre--probably Post Office--along with a completed form, another ID and moneys).