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Oath Ceremony in Fresno, CA

By ELW in US Citizenship General Discussion

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ELW Experienced

ELW   5

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: India
 Timeline
Posted

Yes it is official! Hubby is a real American Citizen as of November 15, 2010. :dance: :dance:

The notice said to come at 2pm to the Fresno Convention Center. At about 1:40 we arrived and hubby joined the line of hundreds of immigrants and us guests were told to go around the corner to another door. We were all seated in the back of the room with ribbon barriers dividing the front, where the immigrants were. They all filed in slowly after being pre-screened in the entrance area, then they were led to lines of sign-in desks (11 total) where they were checked again and handed over paperwork, after which they were shown where to sit.

At 2:30 everyone was seated and someone gave a short speech about this happy day and congratulated all of us for the hard work we put in to reach this point (including us family members that helped!). She announced all of us guests could come and take photos for exactly 5 minutes, which led to hundreds of guests hopping over and crawling under the ribbon barriers to go the immigrant section to take photos with them. As soon as time was up everyone returned to their own places. The lady then spoke again and mentioned different things, such as we should go to change the Social Security number only after 10 days so as to allow time for them to put it into the system. There was also the announcement that 582 people were there to get citizenship and they named the countries and how many from each country. Mexico (over 240) and India (78) as well as several others, drew hoots, cheers and applause from the friends and relatives. They also said the ceremony was held every month and due to so many people they had to hold it in the Convention center instead of in the courthouse where it used to be.

Then there was silence for 15 min while we waited for the judge to arrive, which was shortly after 3pm. We all rose to say the Pledge of Allegiance then a gentleman sang a beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. After which all the immigrants were asked to rise and take the Oath. After the oath, they were all asked to wave their little flags they got! Then line by line they were led out to the original sign-in desks and given their Citizenship Certificates, after that all was finished and we came out. The whole thing took nearly two hours from sign-in to walking out.

Next is going to the Social Security office, sending for a passport, informing the DMV, and applying for an Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card! :P

Thanks to Visa Journey for all the help, support and especially info, along the way! :thumbs:

***Nagaraju & Eileen***
K1 (Fiance Visa)
Oct 18, 2006: NOA1
Feb 8, 2007: NOA2
April 13, 2007: INTERVIEW in Chennai -Approved
May 25, 2007: USA Arrival! EAD at JFK
June 15, 2007: Married
AOS (Adjustment of Status)
June 21, 2007: AOS/EAD Submitted
Sept 18, 2007: AOS Interview - APPROVED!!
ROC (Removing of Conditions)
June 23, 2009: Sent in I-751 packet
Sept 11, 2009: APPROVED!!
Sept 18, 2009: Received 10-year Green Card!

Naturalization
July 15, 2010: Sent N-400 packet
July 23, 2010: NOA Notice date
Oct 15, 2010: Citizenship Interview - Passed!
Nov 15, 2010: Oath Ceremony in Fresno, CA
Nov 24, 2010: Did SSN and Applied for Passport
Dec 6, 2010: Passport Arrives
Dec 7, 2010: Sent for Indian Passport Surrender Certificate
Dec 27, 2010: Surrender Certificate Arrives
Jan 3, 2011: Sent for Overseas Citizenship of India Card
March 1, 2011: Received OCI card!

Divorce

Feb 2015:​ Found out he was cheating (prostitutes / escorts)

​May 2015: Divorce Final

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daphne2109 Collaborator

daphne2109   0

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Italy
 Timeline
Posted

Congrats!!!!! :)

K1 VISA: 07/25/06 GOT VISA!!!!!!

30th of September 2006 WEDDING

AOS:01/29/2007 received Permanent Resident Card (GC)

ROC:04/11/2009 received Permanent Resident Card (GC) expiring in 2019!!!!

N-400:

on 05/21/2010 Sent out docs to Arizona Lockbox Facility address via USPS

on 06/30/2010 Biometrics

on 09/24/2010 Interview Day - Passed the Test

on 10/19/2010 Oath - USA CITIZEN!!!!!

on 10/20/2010 I requested the US Passport

on 11/02/2010 the US Passport was received by Priority Mail

on 11/03/2010 @ the Social Security Office I changed my status from Resident to US Citizen

ON THE 3RD OF NOV.2010 MY JOURNEY ENDS, WHICH STARTED IN DEC. 2005!!!!!!!THANKS TO VJ & VJ PPL!!!!!!!!

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CVB Explorer

CVB   18

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Belgium
 Timeline
Posted

Yes it is official! Hubby is a real American Citizen as of November 15, 2010. :dance: :dance:

Congratulations !!! We started off at about the same date and you made it a week earlier :bonk: Just kidding...

Thanks for sharing ELW.. it was fun having you around... keep on posting. People here can use your help... Good luck with everything else in the future.

Carl.

Naturalization Journey

7/16/2010 N400 sent to Texas Lockbox

7/20/2010 Delivery Notification N400 Package

7/28/2010 Check Cashed

7/29/2010 NOA received per mail / Notice date = 7/26/2010

8/09/2010 NOA received per mail / FP / Notice date = 8/05/2010

9/03/2010 Fingerprints

9/27/2010 Yellow letter received per mail / Notice date = 9/23/2010

10/21/2010 Case touched and file send to local office

10/29/2010 NOA2 interview received per mail / FP / Notice date = 10/22/2010

11/23/2010 Citizenship Interview - APPROVED

11/23/2010 Oath Ceremony in Newark, NJ - U.S. CITIZEN

11/24/2010 Received my passport

11/24/2010 Took care of my SSC and Driver's License

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ELW Experienced

ELW   5

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: India
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Thank you! We're now trying to decide whether to wait a few days to do the SSN (at the ceremony they said wait a few days before going) or send for the passport immediately...Will probably stick around until all that and the OCI card from India is done! :thumbs:

***Nagaraju & Eileen***
K1 (Fiance Visa)
Oct 18, 2006: NOA1
Feb 8, 2007: NOA2
April 13, 2007: INTERVIEW in Chennai -Approved
May 25, 2007: USA Arrival! EAD at JFK
June 15, 2007: Married
AOS (Adjustment of Status)
June 21, 2007: AOS/EAD Submitted
Sept 18, 2007: AOS Interview - APPROVED!!
ROC (Removing of Conditions)
June 23, 2009: Sent in I-751 packet
Sept 11, 2009: APPROVED!!
Sept 18, 2009: Received 10-year Green Card!

Naturalization
July 15, 2010: Sent N-400 packet
July 23, 2010: NOA Notice date
Oct 15, 2010: Citizenship Interview - Passed!
Nov 15, 2010: Oath Ceremony in Fresno, CA
Nov 24, 2010: Did SSN and Applied for Passport
Dec 6, 2010: Passport Arrives
Dec 7, 2010: Sent for Indian Passport Surrender Certificate
Dec 27, 2010: Surrender Certificate Arrives
Jan 3, 2011: Sent for Overseas Citizenship of India Card
March 1, 2011: Received OCI card!

Divorce

Feb 2015:​ Found out he was cheating (prostitutes / escorts)

​May 2015: Divorce Final

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CVB Explorer

CVB   18

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Belgium
 Timeline
Posted

Thank you! We're now trying to decide whether to wait a few days to do the SSN (at the ceremony they said wait a few days before going) or send for the passport immediately...Will probably stick around until all that and the OCI card from India is done! :thumbs:

You're probably right. It's not going to run away. Now you can enjoy a more relaxing time... there is no rush or worries anymore about things going wrong.

Unlike a GC they can't take away your citizenship anymore. That gives one peace of mind.

Naturalization Journey

7/16/2010 N400 sent to Texas Lockbox

7/20/2010 Delivery Notification N400 Package

7/28/2010 Check Cashed

7/29/2010 NOA received per mail / Notice date = 7/26/2010

8/09/2010 NOA received per mail / FP / Notice date = 8/05/2010

9/03/2010 Fingerprints

9/27/2010 Yellow letter received per mail / Notice date = 9/23/2010

10/21/2010 Case touched and file send to local office

10/29/2010 NOA2 interview received per mail / FP / Notice date = 10/22/2010

11/23/2010 Citizenship Interview - APPROVED

11/23/2010 Oath Ceremony in Newark, NJ - U.S. CITIZEN

11/24/2010 Received my passport

11/24/2010 Took care of my SSC and Driver's License

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OBX Mentor

OBX   51

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Sounds like a wonderful day! Congratulations.

USCIS

NOA1 08/19/08

NOA2 01/20/09

NVC

Received 01/26/09

Completed 02/13/09 (19 Days)

Interview Assigned 03/27/09 (6 weeks after NVC completion)

Medical

04/14/09 (Toronto)

Interview

Montreal 05/12/09 (88 days after NVC completion) **APPROVED**

POE

06/16/09 Buffalo

07/02/09 Welcome Letter Received

07/07/09 Applied for SSN

07/10/09 "Card production ordered" email received

07/13/09 SSN received

07/14/09 "Approval notice sent" email received

07/17/09 GREEN CARD received

Removal of Conditions

03/21/11 I-751 mailed to VSC

03/23/11 I-751 received at VSC

03/29/11 Cheque Cashed

03/30/11 NOA1 received (3/24/11)

04/11/11 Biometrics appointment notice received

05/05/11 Biometric appointment

12/13/11 **Approval date** (5 days short of 9 months!)

12/19/11 Approval letter and green card received

Naturalization

05/16/2019 Filed online (estimated completion February 2020)

05/18/2019 Biometrics scheduled

05/21/2019 Receipt notice and biometrics notices posted to online account.05/23/2019 Hard copy of NOA1 received

05/24/2019 Hard copy of biometrics appointment received

06/07/2019 Biometrics appointment (estimated completion January 2020)

12/31/2019 Email received "Interview scheduled"

01/01/2020 Interview date notice posted to online account (02/19/2020)

01/05/2019 Hard copy of interview appointment received

02/19/2020 Interview (**Approved**) and same day Oath Ceremony. 

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JA Tam Proficient

JA Tam   7

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Jamaica
 Timeline
Posted

Congrats ELW and hubby! It's great to know that you have come to the end of the USCIS journey :thumbs: !

I-130 for husband - see TIMELINE

10/23/2007 - Receive SSC (took 9 days from POE)

12/04/2007 - Receive Welcome Letter

12/14/2007 - Received 2nd Welcome Letter and Green card!!!

======================================================

N-400

09/21/2010 - Mailed application to Lewisville TX location

09/23/2010 - Information input in the system/check cashed

09/29/2010 - N-400 receipt received

09/30/2010 - RFE mailed

10/15/2010 - Biometrics appt (@8am) YAY!!!!

11/20/2010 - Received the yellow letter (dated 11/17/2010)

11/30/2010 - Case moved to the Testing & Interview stage (Email)

12/03/2010 - Received interview letter

01/06/2011 - Interview @ 10:15a...APPROVED!

02/12/2011 - Received oath ceremony letter (dated 02/10/2011)

02/18/2011 - Received descheduled oath ceremony letter (dated 2/15/2011)

02/26/2011 - Received new oath ceremony letter

03/02/2011 - Oath Ceremony @ 1:30p (IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!)

03/09/2011 - Oath Ceremony @ 1:30p...FINALLY A CITIZEN!!!

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(((Blessed))) Apprentice

(((Blessed)))   0

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Jamaica
 Timeline
Posted

(((Congrats and all the best)))

Good things come to those who wait. :)

---------------------------------------------------------

12/23/10: United States Citizen

----------------------------------------------------------

02/14/11: I-130- Petition For Alien Relative

02/28/11: ASC *Biometrics*- 2/28/11(Early Walk In)

04/06/11: I-765 (EAD) card production ordered

04/14/11: EAD card received

06/07/11: Interview date set for *07/12/11*

dw6i3s.gif

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Brother Hesekiel Mentor

Brother Hesekiel   2,235

Posted
Filed: Other Timeline
Posted

Congratulations!

Hope your hubby will get the cool "U" sticker in his US passport very soon!

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all . . . . The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic . . . . There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.

President Teddy Roosevelt on Columbus Day 1915

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Darkarma Explorer

Darkarma   2

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: India
 Timeline
Posted

Congrats ELW, first apply for US passport, get it then go to the SSN office, it will be faster that way. Then wait for a week and go to the DMV. By the way apply for surrender certificate as soon as you get the passport and then apply for OCI.

eligibility Criteria: 3 years


10-14-2013: Eligibility Date


11-01-2013: Application Sent


11-04-2013: Application Received


11-04-2013: Priority Date


11-07-2013: Check/Money Order Cashed


11-13-2013: Bio-metric Letter sent Date


11-18-2013: Bio-metric Date (Walk in)


12-12-2013: In-line for Interview


01-02-2014: Interview Date Letter Received


02-05-2014: Interview


02-14-2014: Oath scheduling que


03-25-2014: Oath scheduled


03-28-2014: Oath Date Letter Received


04-24-2014: Oath Ceremony

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Sand Experienced

Sand   5

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Jordan
 Timeline
Posted

Congratulations!

بســــم اللـــــه الــــرحمـن الــــرحــــيم

My N-400 timeline, I hope it will help - Local Office (Chula Vista Field Office - San Diego)

10/01/2010: Application was sent.

10/04/2010: Application was received.

10/06/2010: Email received "Application has been received" & Noticed Date.

10/07/2010: "Touch"

10/08/2010: "Touch" & Check was Cashed

10/09/2010: NOA1 Received via mail.

10/22/2010: Status Changed Online "Request for evidence" It was for Biometrics.

10/25/2010: Request for evidence recieved "Biometrics Notice".

11/18/2010: Biometrics date ==> 11:00AM. Biometrics was taken On time.

12/03/2010: "Yellow Letter" Received.

12/06/2010: "Touch" Case Moved to "Testing and Interview".

12/08/2010: Interview Letter received via mail.

01/13/2011: Interview Date. Done, " Thanks To ALLAH, I Passed the Test.

01/18/2011: Oath Letter was Sent.

01/20/2011: Oath Letter Recieved via mail.

01/28/2011: Oath Date. ==> Done, I am a U.S. Citizen

01/31/2011: Applied for a U.S. Passport Book, And, U.S. Passport Card.

02/25/2011: Passport Book's Received.

02/26/2011: Passport Card's Received.

02/28/2011: Certificate Of Naturalization's Returned.

Game Over.

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