November 2008 Filers

[WenRI 0]

Congratulations, lomeshp

wow, the I.O did ask so personal questions, ex: salary and down payment for the house?

Thanks for your sharing and then I won't be too surprised if it happens to me, too.

[lomeshp 0]

updating dallas folks.... (mavsfans hasn't checked in yet, but will post him as done as well )

Name.............Date sent....NOA1.....Biodate...Interview....Oath.....Center..Local Office..Check Cashed

MaryR............10/18/08...11/01/08...11/19/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...NSC....San Juan, PR....10/24/08

myfellah.........11/03/08...11/15/08...11/29/08...02/03/09...03/10/09...NSC....Columns,OH......11/10/08

ziia.............11/03/08...11/08/08...12/03/08...03/17/09...--/--/--...NSC....Chicago, IL.....--/--/--

RightD...........11/04/08...11/12/08...12/12/08...02/23/09...02/23/09...VSC....Baltimore, MD...11/10/08

rwj..............11/05/08...11/13/08...12/04/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....Reno, NV........11/13/08

phl_nov08........11/05/08...11/10/08...12/10/08...03/20/09...--/--/--...VSC....Philadelphia,PA.11/10/08

k1spain..........11/10/08...11/14/08...12/13/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...NSC....Detroit, MI.....11/12/08

hassan_debbie....11/06/08...11/15/08...12/04/08...02/24/09...02/24/09...TSC....Atlanta, GA.....11/10/08

asid.............11/07/08...11/20/08...12/06/08...04/07/09...--/--/--...VSC....Hartford, CT....11/14/08

duomi............11/07/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...03/03/09...--/--/--...VSC....Fairfax, VA.....11/19/08

JennySala........11/07/08...11/22/08...12/11/08...02/09/09...03/04/09...TSC....Houston, TX.....11/13/08

lomeshp..........11/10/08...11/21/08...12/04/08...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas, TX......11/17/08

Moe_Lisa.........11/10/08...11/18/08...12/10/08...02/23/09...--/--/--...NSC....St. Louis, MO...11/17/08

martingopher.....11/13/08...11/22/08...--/--/--...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas, TX......11/18/08

manty............11/14/08...11/24/08...12/18/08...03/27/09...--/--/--...VSC....Norfolk, VA.....11/17/08

bryand1..........11/15/08...11/22/08...12/10/08...03/05/09...--/--/--...CSC....L.A., CA........--/--/--

TridentMoss......11/15/08...11/19/08...--/--/--...02/17/09...--/--/--...VSC....Washington DC...11/19/08

mavsfans.........11/15/08...11/25/08...12/12/08...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas,TX.......11/25/08

chefdino.........--/--/--...11/20/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...???....????............--/--/-

vital2006........11/18/08...11/28/08...12/11/08...03/31/09...--/--/--...VSC....NYC, NY.........11/21/08

Brian-Charisma...11/20/08...12/12/08...12/24/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...VSC....Charlotte, NC...12/05/08

gennyangel.......11/20/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....Honolulu, HI....--/--/--

nzu..............11/20/08...12/01/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....Phoneix, AZ.....11/25/08

doodle...........11/24/08...12/10/08...01/06/09...04/08/09...--/--/--...TSC....Charlotte, NC...12/04/08

haiti............11/24/08...12/08/08...01/06/09...03/26/09...--/--/--...TSC....Charleston, SC..12/04/08

karotte..........11/28/08...12/12/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....S.F., CA........12/14/08

cloud9villa......11/26/08...12/08/08...12/23/08...02/04/09...03/05/09...VSC....Boston, MA.....12/04/08

Merindah13.......11/28/08...12/04/08...12/26/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...VSC....GardenCity, NY..12/04/08

[haiti 0]

Congratulations to all of you who passed the interview and oath today! Keep it up!

[JennySala 0]

Hi All,

Well, I'm a US Citizen now. Took the oath this morning and it was very wonderful.

Here is my experience for the Houston Oath Ceremony:

Arrived at the M.O. Campbell auditorium at 6:15 am. You get into a line depending on the last 3 numbers of youe A number. The same IO that interviewed me last month received me in my line. I gave him my green card and oath letter. He then showed me my naturalization certificate and asked me if all the info on it was correct. He gave me a colored piece of paper. I then went into the auditorium to join my husband and son. This is now about 6:45 am. At 7 am they begin to sell coffee, donuts and snacks. Cash only! So bring money. We then sit until 9 am when someone from Immigration gave us information on voter registration, passport application and SSA. Thay also told us there were 1,683 people there to take the oath !! At 10 am the Judge comes out and says a few words on freedom and your new responsibilities. The Judge advises us we are about to become citizens....if anyone wants to back out now is the time. We say the pledge....and like that, from one moment to the next, we are citizens. They then call your color paper and you go get your naturalization certificate. Stand in line to take pictures with the Judge. Next stop is SSA. You can complete the SS-5 form prior to going there. Bring the SS-5 form and your naturalization certificate to update your status with SSA. Next stop is Post Office for passport. Again, you can have the application completed prior to arrival. Have your photos and naturalization certificate ready......in and out in 15 minutes.

We are finally finished. It was a long, complicated and expensive journey....but with our Visa Journey friends we did it all by ourselves.

Best Wishes to all on your Journey,

Jenny

Edited March 4, 2009 by JennySala

[haiti 0]

Congratulations Jennysala!

Hi All,

Well, I'm a US Citizen now. Took the oath this morning and it was very wonderful.

Here is my experience for the Houston Oath Ceremony:

Arrived at the M.O. Campbell auditorium at 6:15 am. You get into a line depending on the last 3 numbers of youe A number. The same IO that interviewed me last month received me in my line. I gave him my green card and oath letter. He then showed me my naturalization certificate and asked me if all the info on it was correct. He gave me a colored piece of paper. I then went into the auditorium to join my husband and son. This is now about 6:45 am. At 7 am they begin to sell coffee, donuts and snacks. Cash only! So bring money. We then sit until 9 am when someone from Immigration gave us information on voter registration, passport application and SSA. Thay also told us there were 1,683 people there to take the oath !! At 10 am the Judge comes out and says a few words on freedom and your new responsibilities. The Judge advises us we are about to become citizens....if anyone wants to back out now is the time. We say the pledge....and like that, from one moment to the next, we are citizens. They then call your color paper and you go get your naturalization certificate. Stand in line to take pictures with the Judge. Next stop is SSA. You can complete the SS-5 form prior to going there. Bring the SS-5 form and your naturalization certificate to update your status with SSA. Next stop is Post Office for passport. Again, you can have the application completed prior to arrival. Have your photos and naturalization certificate ready......in and out in 15 minutes.

We are finally finished. It was a long, complicated and expensive journey....but with our Visa Journey friends we did it all by ourselves.

Best Wishes to all on your Journey,

Jenny

[lomeshp 0]

Congrats JennySala....

Name.............Date sent....NOA1.....Biodate...Interview....Oath.....Center..Local Office..Check Cashed

MaryR............10/18/08...11/01/08...11/19/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...NSC....San Juan, PR....10/24/08

myfellah.........11/03/08...11/15/08...11/29/08...02/03/09...03/10/09...NSC....Columns,OH......11/10/08

ziia.............11/03/08...11/08/08...12/03/08...03/17/09...--/--/--...NSC....Chicago, IL.....--/--/--

RightD...........11/04/08...11/12/08...12/12/08...02/23/09...02/23/09...VSC....Baltimore, MD...11/10/08

rwj..............11/05/08...11/13/08...12/04/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....Reno, NV........11/13/08

phl_nov08........11/05/08...11/10/08...12/10/08...03/20/09...--/--/--...VSC....Philadelphia,PA.11/10/08

k1spain..........11/10/08...11/14/08...12/13/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...NSC....Detroit, MI.....11/12/08

hassan_debbie....11/06/08...11/15/08...12/04/08...02/24/09...02/24/09...TSC....Atlanta, GA.....11/10/08

asid.............11/07/08...11/20/08...12/06/08...04/07/09...--/--/--...VSC....Hartford, CT....11/14/08

duomi............11/07/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...03/03/09...--/--/--...VSC....Fairfax, VA.....11/19/08

JennySala........11/07/08...11/22/08...12/11/08...02/09/09...03/04/09...TSC....Houston, TX.....11/13/08

lomeshp..........11/10/08...11/21/08...12/04/08...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas, TX......11/17/08

Moe_Lisa.........11/10/08...11/18/08...12/10/08...02/23/09...--/--/--...NSC....St. Louis, MO...11/17/08

martingopher.....11/13/08...11/22/08...--/--/--...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas, TX......11/18/08

manty............11/14/08...11/24/08...12/18/08...03/27/09...--/--/--...VSC....Norfolk, VA.....11/17/08

bryand1..........11/15/08...11/22/08...12/10/08...03/05/09...--/--/--...CSC....L.A., CA........--/--/--

TridentMoss......11/15/08...11/19/08...--/--/--...02/17/09...--/--/--...VSC....Washington DC...11/19/08

mavsfans.........11/15/08...11/25/08...12/12/08...03/03/09...03/03/09...TSC....Dallas,TX.......11/25/08

chefdino.........--/--/--...11/20/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...???....????............--/--/-

vital2006........11/18/08...11/28/08...12/11/08...03/31/09...--/--/--...VSC....NYC, NY.........11/21/08

Brian-Charisma...11/20/08...12/12/08...12/24/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...VSC....Charlotte, NC...12/05/08

gennyangel.......11/20/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....Honolulu, HI....--/--/--

nzu..............11/20/08...12/01/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....Phoneix, AZ.....11/25/08

doodle...........11/24/08...12/10/08...01/06/09...04/08/09...--/--/--...TSC....Charlotte, NC...12/04/08

haiti............11/24/08...12/08/08...01/06/09...03/26/09...--/--/--...TSC....Charleston, SC..12/04/08

karotte..........11/28/08...12/12/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...--/--/--...CSC....S.F., CA........12/14/08

cloud9villa......11/26/08...12/08/08...12/23/08...02/04/09...03/05/09...VSC....Boston, MA.....12/04/08

Merindah13.......11/28/08...12/04/08...12/26/08...--/--/--...--/--/--...VSC....GardenCity, NY..12/04/08

[asid 0]

Congradulations to the recent citizens and those who passed the interviews. It's a pleasure to see most of us moving along at a decent clip.

I have a question for those of who qualified as a spouse of a US citizen. At the interview, did the IO inquire if your spouse was present at the interview location or ask to meet the spouse? I am planing on going alone to the interview as my daughter would have to miss a day of school if my wife came along for the interview. I have also seen a few VJers' experiences where the IO asked to see/meet the spouse (when they weren't there) and so they had to go back for a second interview with the spouse. I realize that the naturalization check list (N-659) does not say the spouse needs to be present at the interview.

Appreciate any color from the recent interview. Cheers.

[vital2006 0]

Congratulations Jenny

Good luck to bryand1 for interview tomorrow. We pray for the success.

[britbird 4]

Congradulations to the recent citizens and those who passed the interviews. It's a pleasure to see most of us moving along at a decent clip.

I have a question for those of who qualified as a spouse of a US citizen. At the interview, did the IO inquire if your spouse was present at the interview location or ask to meet the spouse? I am planing on going alone to the interview as my daughter would have to miss a day of school if my wife came along for the interview. I have also seen a few VJers' experiences where the IO asked to see/meet the spouse (when they weren't there) and so they had to go back for a second interview with the spouse. I realize that the naturalization check list (N-659) does not say the spouse needs to be present at the interview.

Appreciate any color from the recent interview. Cheers.

Hi Asid,

My immigration officer (who was incredibly nice) didn't ask me whether my husband was there...though he noted he saw him when he was out in the waiting room.

Seems to me to be a discretionary thing...much like the questions they ask you during your interview. Alas this has probably got a lot to do with 1) some kind of profiling system they have and 2) what your immigration officer feels like doing on the day.

At the very least it might be a good idea to have your wife on speed dial just in case the officer wants to see her...or perhaps a letter from the school attesting that your daughter has classes during particular hours and your wife has to take her to school....(I have no idea if schools will do that, but it might be worth a shot).

In short I guess the answer to your question is that no one really knows except for the immigration officer...if you can figure out a way for your wife to come with you and get your daughter to school then I'd err on the side of doing that. If not then I guess you have to play the 'what will USCIS decide to do today' game.

Good luck!

Edited March 5, 2009 by britbird

[lomeshp 0]

Congradulations to the recent citizens and those who passed the interviews. It's a pleasure to see most of us moving along at a decent clip.

I have a question for those of who qualified as a spouse of a US citizen. At the interview, did the IO inquire if your spouse was present at the interview location or ask to meet the spouse? I am planing on going alone to the interview as my daughter would have to miss a day of school if my wife came along for the interview. I have also seen a few VJers' experiences where the IO asked to see/meet the spouse (when they weren't there) and so they had to go back for a second interview with the spouse. I realize that the naturalization check list (N-659) does not say the spouse needs to be present at the interview.

Appreciate any color from the recent interview. Cheers.

In my case the officer did not ask to see the spouse. However, he did ask many personal questions. I also agree with britbird to have her on speed dial, just in case.... good luck!

[bryand1 0]

Congratulations Jenny

Good luck to bryand1 for interview tomorrow. We pray for the success.

Vital2006: Thank you for your kind thoughts. Also thanks to all my November Filers and to Lomeshp etc for their assistance, their suggestions and their advise, so freely given over the past few months. Such support, which is never taken for granted, helped me, and I am sure all who read their comments.

As a small gesture of my thanks to these people, I thought I might relate my experience at my Citizenship Interview in LA, taken today, March 5. The interview was scheduled at 9:15AM and I was advised not to report there any earlier than 30 minutes before. I therefore arrived at 8:45AM, when I presented my interview letter. this was checked and was in turn placed in a basket, along with other applicant's letters. These were all collected every few minutes by USCIS Staff and I would imagine, matched up with the applicant's files.

The waiting room on the 6th floor at 300 Los Angeles St. in Downtown LA, by my estimation, would hold about 100 and when I entered, would have been 50% occupied. In addition to those awaiting Citizenship Interviews, were families who had petitioned on behalf of children and family members and they were called up as USCIS staff matched up their Interview Letters with their files. The room was fairly stark with a single TV showing CNN with no reading mater, other than what you brought in by yourself. USCIS staff called out names from one of two doors - one on the left side of the room and one on the right side of the room. While waiting there, I observed that most applicants were dressed casually and my advise is that a few minutes spent looking smartly dressed if you can, would probably would not go un-noticed by the interview officers

At 9:20am (35 minutes after I arrived) my name was called and I was escorted by the interview officer, who was middle aged American, to a single office. I was asked to raise my right hand and swear that I would tell the truth in the interview. Having done this, I was asked to sit and asked if I had ever voted in a US Federal Election, what was the supreme law of the land and if I 'agreed' with the constitution.

I was then asked to present my marriage certificate, my divorce papers, my green card, my California License and my wife's birth certificate. All were sighted and returned to me. Questions which I had answered in my N-400 application were again read out to me and my answers were the same given in the application form. I was then asked if I had taken any trips out of the country other than those mentioned in my N-400 form and my reply was 'No'.

Finally, I was advised that as I was originally from an English speaking country, that the written English test would be dispensed with but that the Civic's questions would be asked. The following questions were used:

. What is the name of the US National Anthem?

. What happened on Sept. 11 2001?

. What is the ocean on the US West Coast?

. How old do you have to be to vote for the President?

. What war was Eisenhower in?

. Why are there 13 stripes in the US Flag?

After correctly answering these six correctly, I was told that no more would be required.

I was then advised that I had passed and that I would be contacted again by USCIS to confirm the date of the oath ceremony, but that it would probably take place in early to mid April.

I looked at my watch as I left the interview room and saw that it was 9:35AM - the whole process had taken just on 15 minutes to complete.

As a small gesture of gratitude to all at VJ, let me say that I have a box of Flash Cards for the Citizenship Test - as I will no longer be needing these, the first VJ'er to send me an email requesting them and providing me with the name and address, will receive them from me with my compliments and best wishes for their own success. the way I figure it, the US Government has got enough of our money for this entire immigration system and if I can save a ellow VJ'er some money, then I should. Perhaps we might all be able to do this after we have finished with these Flash Cards. Anyway my e-mail is:

multiplex67@yahoo.com

Thanks again to all those who helped me and I hope my comments over the past few years have helped others.

My best to you all.

[haiti 0]

Congratulations Bryand1!

[vital2006 0]

Congratulations Bryand1 on your success.

Good luck with the oath.

[asid 0]

Britbird/lomeshp, Thanks for the interview color. Speed dial it shall be.

[k1spain 0]

Congratulations to all of you whose case is going well!

I believe my case is lost and the USCIS or the congressman would only help me once the Processing dates (5 months) posted in the USCIS website have passed. My NOA is from Nov. 14th 2008, so I wonder when the 5 months start counting. I am really surprised because my biometrics appointment reached very quick but after that I got nothing else; it is already 4 months and I see most of the November filers getting done and I keep on looking for the letter in the mail and I don't know what to do.