Frankenstorm (Hurricane Sandra)

[Damian&Kelly 16]

So My husband is suppose to have his Oath Ceremony tomorrow morning at 11, in Philly. I just heard Philly is in a state of emergency, though the storm isn't suppose to hit until Monday evening/night. I'm not sure what to do about this, it's a 2 hour drive for us. I don't want to just miss the Oath as we waited over 2 months to get a date, but I don't know how to contact them. We'd have to leave here before they open in the morning if we wanna make it on time. Is there anything one I can contact today about this? I know USCIS is closed Sundays and the Philly site is down for maintenance.

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

I have no idea/advice on this one, but I do hope for the best and that everything works out for the oath. What a unusual timing for this massive storm!

[Ning 619]

So My husband is suppose to have his Oath Ceremony tomorrow morning at 11, in Philly. I just heard Philly is in a state of emergency, though the storm isn't suppose to hit until Monday evening/night. I'm not sure what to do about this, it's a 2 hour drive for us. I don't want to just miss the Oath as we waited over 2 months to get a date, but I don't know how to contact them. We'd have to leave here before they open in the morning if we wanna make it on time. Is there anything one I can contact today about this? I know USCIS is closed Sundays and the Philly site is down for maintenance.

Why not start with the highway patrol to find out if the roads are open in that area? A state of emergency doesnt mean the entire city shut down.

[reese1 68]

Here is some information for you. Be careful if you do decide to travel as there is suppose to be a lot of flooding in the area.

http://radnor.patch.com/articles/hurricane-sandy-pennsylvania-in-a-state-of-emergency

[Sunnyland 639]

Hope all end up being good for you guys. If you can can make it and go there then maybe its better you go. Its better to go and to find out the oath ceremony was postponed than not going and find out the oath ceremony was taken place anyways.

Like Ning said, maybe you can check with the highway patrol if they have any information on that area.

Besides if the storm is gonna hit that area at night, maybe they still will gonna proceed with the ceremonies.

Wishing you good luck!

[Damian&Kelly 16]

Just wondering what will happen if we don't go and they still hold the Oath? Though the main part of the storm won't hit until tomorrow night, if we drive there and go to Oath, we may hit the storm for our drive back. We know as of right now roads are still open.

[BigDaddy28 228]

Just wondering what will happen if we don't go and they still hold the Oath? Though the main part of the storm won't hit until tomorrow night, if we drive there and go to Oath, we may hit the storm for our drive back. We know as of right now roads are still open.

I was going to suggest to call the USCIS customer service hot line and ask them what can you do, but I did remember it's a sunday. Well Honestly if I were in your place I would go since there is no way to find out if they are open or not just in case they still hold the ceremony you would be there. But I would plan to spend the night there in a hotel until the storm passes. That's all I could think off. To be honest with you I don't know what will they do if you don't show up you knwo. Good luck

I think the ceremoney will be around 2 hours 3 max. I remember my uncles wife's cermoney took only 1 and half. I'm telling you extra just to be in the safe side. I think you should make it back home before the storm hits.

Edited October 28, 2012 by silkafi88

[BigDaddy28 228]

I found this in another website I hope it helps:

Upon missing a second Oath Ceremony, your N-400 will be reopened on USCIS Motion and denied as abandoned if you fail to respond in 15 days of the Motion being issued. You would have to re-apply. It is best to communicate quickly and try to avoid that situation completely.

8 CFR § 337.10 Failure to appear for oath administration ceremony.

An applicant who fails to appear without good cause for more than one oath administration ceremony for which he or she was duly notified shall be presumed to have abandoned his or her intent to be naturalized. Such presumption shall be regarded as the receipt of derogatory information, and the procedures contained in §335.5 of this chapter shall be followed.

8 CFR § 335.5 Receipt of derogatory information after grant.

In the event that USCIS receives derogatory information concerning an applicant whose application has already been granted as provided in §335.3(a) of this chapter, but who has not yet taken the oath of allegiance as provided in part 337 of this chapter, USCIS shall remove the applicant's name from any list of granted applications or of applicants scheduled for administration of the oath of allegiance, until such time as the matter can be resolved. USCIS shall notify the applicant in writing of the receipt of the specific derogatory information, with a motion to reopen the previously adjudicated application, giving the applicant 15 days to respond. If the applicant overcomes the derogatory information, the application will be granted and the applicant will be scheduled for administration of the oath of allegiance. Otherwise the motion to reopen will be granted and the application will be denied pursuant to §336.1 of this chapter.

NOTE: In general, "abandonment denials" have NO appeal rights.

8 CFR § 103.2 Submission and adjudication of benefit requests.

*****

(b) Evidence and processing.

*****

(15) Effect of withdrawal or denial due to abandonment. The USCIS acknowledgement of a withdrawal may not be appealed. A denial due to abandonment may not be appealed, but an applicant or petitioner may file a motion to reopen under §103.5. Withdrawal or denial due to abandonment does not preclude the filing of a new benefit request with a new fee. However, the priority or processing date of a withdrawn or abandoned benefit request may not be applied to a later application petition. Withdrawal or denial due to abandonment shall not itself affect the new proceeding; but the facts and circumstances surrounding the prior benefit request shall otherwise be material to the new benefit request.

Last edited by BigJoe5; 25th July 2012 at 11:12 PM.

[Damian&Kelly 16]

Thank you for everyone's help. As of right now we're gonna set out around 7 to make it there by 11, but at 8am (when they open) we'll call and see if they are in fact open. I've been checking the news stations and every school is closed but nothing about government buildings. My guts saying they'll be closed, but we really don't want to miss it. We've already taken off work and put funds aside for the trip.

[Damian&Kelly 16]

Change of plan they finally updated! The office is in fact closed along with quite a few other offices on the east coast.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=fb385723f88aa310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e7801c2c9be44210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Change of plan they finally updated! The office is in fact closed along with quite a few other offices on the east coast.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=fb385723f88aa310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e7801c2c9be44210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

Just noticed your thread. News stations are a good way to find out what's going on. I have lived with hurricanes all my life and what people don't understand is that little dot on the map is only the eye of the storm. It can affect a hundred miles all around the dot. Wind and rain will start well before the dot reaches land. It doesn't just pass like a 30 minute rain storm. The aftermath is widespread power outages. No electricity means no business happening. No restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, traffic lights, internet, or a place to charge your mobile phone. Our last hurricane left 6 million homes and businesses without power. There aren't enough crews to fix that in a hurry. It took weeks.

Glad you found your answer because I was going to say DO NOT GO. I was 100% sure it wasn't going to be held.

So happy to hear you have reach the point of citizenship. And sorry you have a bump in the road that will delay things for you. Just when you survive all the USCIS hurdles, then Mother Nature throws a roadblock in your way.

[Enigma11561 336]

Change of plan they finally updated! The office is in fact closed along with quite a few other offices on the east coast.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=fb385723f88aa310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e7801c2c9be44210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

Thank goodness they are closed. I am involved with the police in the Long Island, NY area. You really do not want to venture out in this storm. It will be be worse than Irene.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I am also glad you are not going. It's not worth risking your life for this. You never know when a tree will fall on you, or something. Stay home safe and the oath will be rescheduled soon!

[Damian&Kelly 16]

Now venturing to work, 40 min drive instead of 2 hours, but it's still all calm here, the drive home might be a bit different. We're all set for the storm, water, bread, candles, flashlights... Hope everyone affected stays safe.

[bigdog 376]

Glad you got information and congratulations on your oath.