My interview and oath experience in Chicago

[Ilona 0]

Hello, everybody!

I was posting in the topic for people who applied last august to the Nebraska Service Center, but I cant find it anymore, so I taught I should just describe my experience here and hopefully help somebody, because my journey is over and this forum has helped me immensely during the anxious times of waiting and not knowing what is going on...

So my interview in Chicago was in the middle of march. The time was 11 am, I got there at 10:30AM and was sitting in a huge room with over 100 other people. Before lunch everything was moving with a good speed and immigration officers were calling people in every 15-20 min. or so, but as soon as lunch time hit, everything stopped! I understand that everyone has to eat, but nobody comes out to tell you that is going to be a while, so you just sit there like an idiot! Anyway around 1 pm, after I waited 2 and half hours one guy came out and asked how many more people were waiting to be interviewed and me and 7 more raised our hands. He said he'll go in the back and check what the hell is going on. Shortly afterwords, one woman came out and called me. At this point I wasn't even nervous anymore, I just wanted this to be done and over with. So the IO looked tired and kind of in a big hurry. I taught :" great, now she is mad cause she probably just got yelled at by her supervisor to move her a**!!!" I was holding a huge and very heavy back pack containing 5 years worth of immigration paperwork and evidence and in my other hand I had another folder. She took me to a room and I wasn't even fully in the room yet with my hands full and she was already asking me to raise my hand to swear to tell the truth. I quickly dropped everything and did as I was told but I started not to have a good feeling about this. She proceeded to ask me 6 questions which I answered correctly, then made me write the sentence: "California has the most people." Then I had to read a sentence: "Which state has the most people?" and then she said that I passed the English test. Then she took a look at my file she had which was over 3 inches tick, so to anyone who is wondering what kind of info they keep on you, my answer is: Everything you have ever sent them! Even the pictures!

She said she cant make a decision right now, because she needs her supervisor to sign it off. I need to mention that I had another small problem that was resolved long time ago, which I dint want to discuss here, but that was the reason she wanted to double check everything. Otherwise I would have been approved on the spot. I don't know if she didn't have enough experience to make a decision by her self, cause she was quite yang, or this is just a standard procedure they go trough when they aren't 100% sure, but any way she said I will get an answer in the mail very soon. I felt like a deflated balloon afterwords. I was physically and mentally exhausted of dealing with this!

Needless to say the next week was full with anxious waiting and stress , but I knew there is no reason for them to deny this to me. So about 10 days later I got a letter in the mail instructing me to go to an oath ceremony couple of weeks later and I was the happiest person ever!!!))

I felt like huge weight has been lifted of my shoulders, but I still couldn't fully relax until I had the naturalization certificate in my hands!

The oath was at 8 AM and we were 144 people from 49 different countries. They checked is one by one,meaning you give them your oath letter invitation and your green card and we were seated in a huge court room. Then the judge came and gave a speech, we took the oath and one by one as we were heading out the door they handed to us our certificates. Then and only then I fully relaxed and felt as light as a feather...

Looking back at this whole journey has left me with bitter taste from the whole american system and bureaucracy, from the fact that for almost 5 years me and my husband had to relentlessly collect huge stacks of worthless paperwork and force ourselves to take pictures even if we don't felt like it, just because we had to non stop prove to somebody that "yeah, this is for real", because in this case you are presumed guilty from the beginning and you have to constantly try to show the opposite. It was exhausting and meaningless at times, especially when I had to wait 13 mos for my second green card, but hey it is finally over and I don't have to EVER EVER deal with this s*** again!!!

I am sorry for making this so long, but I really hope it will help somebody to shed some light on their own miserable immigration journey! Thanks to all members of VJ and good luck to all!

[KyngSilva 0]

Congrats Ilona...I know your journey has not been the best and I am very glad that your are finally done. I wish you the best of luck.

[bluehills73 2]

Hello, everybody!

I was posting in the topic for people who applied last august to the Nebraska Service Center, but I cant find it anymore, so I taught I should just describe my experience here and hopefully help somebody, because my journey is over and this forum has helped me immensely during the anxious times of waiting and not knowing what is going on...

So my interview in Chicago was in the middle of march. The time was 11 am, I got there at 10:30AM and was sitting in a huge room with over 100 other people. Before lunch everything was moving with a good speed and immigration officers were calling people in every 15-20 min. or so, but as soon as lunch time hit, everything stopped! I understand that everyone has to eat, but nobody comes out to tell you that is going to be a while, so you just sit there like an idiot! Anyway around 1 pm, after I waited 2 and half hours one guy came out and asked how many more people were waiting to be interviewed and me and 7 more raised our hands. He said he'll go in the back and check what the hell is going on. Shortly afterwords, one woman came out and called me. At this point I wasn't even nervous anymore, I just wanted this to be done and over with. So the IO looked tired and kind of in a big hurry. I taught :" great, now she is mad cause she probably just got yelled at by her supervisor to move her a**!!!" I was holding a huge and very heavy back pack containing 5 years worth of immigration paperwork and evidence and in my other hand I had another folder. She took me to a room and I wasn't even fully in the room yet with my hands full and she was already asking me to raise my hand to swear to tell the truth. I quickly dropped everything and did as I was told but I started not to have a good feeling about this. She proceeded to ask me 6 questions which I answered correctly, then made me write the sentence: "California has the most people." Then I had to read a sentence: "Which state has the most people?" and then she said that I passed the English test. Then she took a look at my file she had which was over 3 inches tick, so to anyone who is wondering what kind of info they keep on you, my answer is: Everything you have ever sent them! Even the pictures!

She said she cant make a decision right now, because she needs her supervisor to sign it off. I need to mention that I had another small problem that was resolved long time ago, which I dint want to discuss here, but that was the reason she wanted to double check everything. Otherwise I would have been approved on the spot. I don't know if she didn't have enough experience to make a decision by her self, cause she was quite yang, or this is just a standard procedure they go trough when they aren't 100% sure, but any way she said I will get an answer in the mail very soon. I felt like a deflated balloon afterwords. I was physically and mentally exhausted of dealing with this!

Needless to say the next week was full with anxious waiting and stress , but I knew there is no reason for them to deny this to me. So about 10 days later I got a letter in the mail instructing me to go to an oath ceremony couple of weeks later and I was the happiest person ever!!!))

I felt like huge weight has been lifted of my shoulders, but I still couldn't fully relax until I had the naturalization certificate in my hands!

The oath was at 8 AM and we were 144 people from 49 different countries. They checked is one by one,meaning you give them your oath letter invitation and your green card and we were seated in a huge court room. Then the judge came and gave a speech, we took the oath and one by one as we were heading out the door they handed to us our certificates. Then and only then I fully relaxed and felt as light as a feather...

Looking back at this whole journey has left me with bitter taste from the whole american system and bureaucracy, from the fact that for almost 5 years me and my husband had to relentlessly collect huge stacks of worthless paperwork and force ourselves to take pictures even if we don't felt like it, just because we had to non stop prove to somebody that "yeah, this is for real", because in this case you are presumed guilty from the beginning and you have to constantly try to show the opposite. It was exhausting and meaningless at times, especially when I had to wait 13 mos for my second green card, but hey it is finally over and I don't have to EVER EVER deal with this s*** again!!!

I am sorry for making this so long, but I really hope it will help somebody to shed some light on their own miserable immigration journey! Thanks to all members of VJ and good luck to all!

That was nice of you to explain your experience and that would help us people like me who is waiting on the line. Could you please tell me if they ask you any questions regarding the US constitution? Bes of Luck and Congratulations!!

[Italian_in_NYC 259]

Looking back at this whole journey has left me with bitter taste from the whole american system and bureaucracy, from the fact that for almost 5 years me and my husband had to relentlessly collect huge stacks of worthless paperwork and force ourselves to take pictures even if we don't felt like it, just because we had to non stop prove to somebody that "yeah, this is for real", because in this case you are presumed guilty from the beginning and you have to constantly try to show the opposite. It was exhausting and meaningless at times, especially when I had to wait 13 mos for my second green card, but hey it is finally over and I don't have to EVER EVER deal with this s*** again!!!

That's what the honest people like you have to pay because of many people trying to go around the system.

And people from certain countries are affected even more because of the high percentage of scam marriages (for example, every single russian I know have been interviewed for AOS after K-1 and then for I-751).

In a perfect world we would get a green card the day we get married to a US citizen. Unfortunately, it's far from perfect and that's what we have to go through.

Anyways, congratulations to you!

Apply for a US passport and everything is over!

[Ilona 0]

Thanks, King Sylva and everyone else! King Sylva, I see that you'll finally go to an oath ceremony at the end of this month. This hasn't been a breeze for you either, so good luck to you too, the end is near!

About the questions they asked on the English test, I'm not sure I can recall them all, but I remember:

" Why the colonists came to America?"

"What do we call the first 10 amendments to the constitution?"

"What is on right or freedom from the first amendment?"

"If the president can no longer serve, who becomes the president?"

And the I believe she asked which state borders Canada or Mexico... I am not sure and I cant remember anything else. Sorry!

Edited April 10, 2009 by Ilona

[jamieswith 0]

I am sorry for making this so long, but I really hope it will help somebody to shed some light on their own miserable immigration journey! Thanks to all members of VJ and good luck to all!

Congratulations!

[virginian 0]

Congratulations!

[NickD 202]

You had your oath at the same time my wife's friend did in downtown Chicago, except she had to take a train from close to St. Louis and stay overnight in one of those way overpriced hotels. We did drive past the Chicago field office at 101 West Congress Parkway and was wondering where you park? But we were on our way to the Venezuelan consulate that is also in downtown Chicago with no place to park and wondered why they couldn't move these out closer to O'Hare. Takes as just as long to drive from north central Wisconsin to O'Hare as it does from O'Hare to downtown Chicago.

That alone would be a bad start for the day. We can only guess as to the procedure, but we also gather that a on site supervisor makes the final approval and also learned the administrator of that field office can give the oath. And no wonder you have a crowd there with people coming up from as far south as the Illiniois side of St. Louis and even from Cairo as far as I know. We were shifted to St. Paul that wasn't good because they think all Wisconsinites are Packer fans, but they do have parking and five blocks away from the Mall of America.

Wife and I were ecstatic after her oath ceremony, but didn't last long when we realized with had to deal with her employer, DOS, SS, DMV, and the voters registration, then we were ecstatic. Took awhile to get use to the idea of not saving evidence nor watching for the mailman to come. Fourteen months and a week for us to get that ten year card, and even as a veteran of a foreign war, I was as guilty as hell for five years.

If the USCIS is reading this, my wife and I are still very much in love, and still living together, and you are still welcome to come and visit us, but I think we both need psycho therapy. That should also be part of the USCIS program.

[bluehills73 2]

Thanks, King Sylva and everyone else! King Sylva, I see that you'll finally go to an oath ceremony at the end of this month. This hasn't been a breeze for you either, so good luck to you too, the end is near!

About the questions they asked on the English test, I'm not sure I can recall them all, but I remember:

" Why the colonists came to America?"

"What do we call the first 10 amendments to the constitution?"

"What is on right or freedom from the first amendment?"

"If the president can no longer serve, who becomes the president?"

And the I believe she asked which state borders Canada or Mexico... I am not sure and I cant remember anything else. Sorry!

Thank you for your questions.

[jasminelily 1]

Congratulations! Thank you for sharing the experience!

[PrinceandPrincess 0]

Congratulations!

[MsAnn 0]

Congrats and thank you so much for sharing your experience

[kiko 0]

first congraulation,i am happy for you after a long journey...

if u don't mind can u share with us ur story about what u said " I need to mention that I had another small problem that was resolved long time ago, which I dint want to discuss here, but that was the reason she wanted to double check everything. Otherwise I would have been approved on the spot. I don't know if she didn't have enough experience to make a decision by her self, cause she was quite yang, or this is just a standard ".

again congratulation

[milimelo 4,477]

We did drive past the Chicago field office at 101 West Congress Parkway and was wondering where you park?

NickD,

If at all possible, you want to avoid driving into downtown - they raised parking fees and I think the latest info is you need something like 28 quarters to park for an hour or two in downtown. Of course, if you really need to come downtown with car, you better come before 7-8 am as they have parking lots across from I-94 or Madison, Jackson where you can park for $6-10 a day (early bird special). I also saw a parking garage right across from 101 W Congress parkway - expensive.

We take South Shore Line to the city and then walk the 8 blocks to the field office.

[Kiv 32]

Looking back at this whole journey has left me with bitter taste from the whole american system and bureaucracy, from the fact that for almost 5 years me and my husband had to relentlessly collect huge stacks of worthless paperwork and force ourselves to take pictures even if we don't felt like it, just because we had to non stop prove to somebody that "yeah, this is for real", because in this case you are presumed guilty from the beginning and you have to constantly try to show the opposite. It was exhausting and meaningless at times, especially when I had to wait 13 mos for my second green card, but hey it is finally over and I don't have to EVER EVER deal with this s*** again!!!

I am sorry for making this so long, but I really hope it will help somebody to shed some light on their own miserable immigration journey! Thanks to all members of VJ and good luck to all!

Congratulations, I think I could have written this (if my english was as good as yours hehehe).

You will feel great when you receive account statements in the mail, electricity Bills and all that stuff that you had been so diligent filing and you finally don't give a damn about what happens to them.