N400 Interview on Tuesday - some lingering questions

[dementia 0]

My wife (who is Canadian) has her interview this Tuesday in NYC. We were going over the documents more closely and still had a lingering question:

the checklist mentions to bring three items for identification:

- green card

- government issued identification

- all passports and travel documents

For government issued identification - what is this? Does this mean a driver's license or state id card? The only id my wife has other than the green card and passport is a Canadian driver's license that expired a few years ago. We never bothered getting a state id or driver's license because we never had the need to drive (since we live in Manhattan), or needed any id other than a passport. Is it bad to not bring a government issued identification? Can she bring the expired Canadian driver's license? What if she applied for a state id card, and brought the temporary one they give you before getting mailed the real one?

Also, since she is applying for citizenship based on marriage, should I be attending the appointment too? Or will having the required documents be enough?

Thanks in advance.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Since the interview is tomorrow I doubt you would be able to get the state ID for her in time. Generally they want government issued photo id so if she could get one in time, it would be good. If she doesn't have one, then she doesn't have one and hopefully it won't be a problem. I doubt the expired Canadian DL would work, but bring it, you never know.

From my understanding you won't be allowed in during her interview but certainly if you wanted to go and wait with her for moral support I am sure she would appreciate it. If the interviewing officer asks where you are she can always say you are in the waiting room .

Good luck.

[motu 6]

Hey wait a minute - are you telling me that she never drove in 3 years! Wow! My wife who never drove before, learned driving here and has been driving.

But besides that - your wife will need an ID for her US passport - a state issued ID. So, even with her Naturalization certificate, you might have issues getting a passport - check with the post office near you.

Perhaps, she can get a state ID with her naturalization certificate and then apply for the passport. As far as the interview goes, it doesn't matter as long as she has her greencard. But maybe you can shell out the $10 and get a state ID before the naturalization and avoid this problem. Good Luck

[dementia 0]

Yep! We live in Manhattan, so we rarely drive, if ever. And when we do, I'm the one always doing the driving. And even if she had to, her Canadian DL was valid up until the end of last year.

She ended up getting a state id card on Monday morning - she got the temporary card, and will have the actual photo id mailed to her in a week or so.

She brought that and her expired Canadian DL with her to the interview, and it wasn't even necessary - the officer asked for the state id, she said she only had the expired Canadian DL and temporary state id, and the officer said that was fine and didn't even need to see it.

The rest of the interview went well, she had to write down a sentence of four words, and was asked 6 of the civics questions, which she got right. They went over the application, and the officer said she was recommending her for Citizenship!

My wife opted to have the application looked over and oath scheduling mailed to her rather than wait around (she was late to meet up with us for our son's doctor's appointment), but we should be receiving that letter in a few weeks.

Thanks to all that responded!

[Tata 0]

Congratulations!! I am glad to hear that everything went nice and smooth.

[laface 0]

congratulations!!