When can I have my oath interview??

[Caroline and Phil 14]

JustBob, but won't a person only be considered American Citizen after the Oath Ceremony?

Let's say for example, she had her interview and passed but not yet had her Oath Ceremony. Until the Oath Ceremony happens she is still a permanent resident, right? So by being a PR can't she travel with her current passport? What I mean is after interview and before Oath Ceremony.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Sure,

until she's a US citizen she has to travel with her foreign passport. But once she is a US citizen, she is required to leave the US with a US passport. In real life, a US citizen who is also the citizen of another country will "get away" with leaving the country with a foreign passport. The airline personal will only ask if she has an I-94, which she will deny. They are not allowed to inquire about her immigration and citizenship status, meaning they can't and won't ask whether or not she has a Green Card, so nothing bad will happen. But it's against the law anyway.

I remember a case where we discussed this in detail. Newly coined US citizen applied for US passport but didn't receive it in time to catch his flight, asked his wife to forward it to him to . . . don't remember (Italy?). Passport didn't arrive, so he had to go to the US Consulate abroad and tell 'em that he needed something to return to the US. They had him bent over and got a 10-foot pole from the garage and then showed him a good time. So much for the law.

Wouldn't advise anybody about the practical aspects of this, just the legal ones.

[NickD 202]

JustBob, but won't a person only be considered American Citizen after the Oath Ceremony?

Let's say for example, she had her interview and passed but not yet had her Oath Ceremony. Until the Oath Ceremony happens she is still a permanent resident, right? So by being a PR can't she travel with her current passport? What I mean is after interview and before Oath Ceremony.

Yes you can travel between the interview and oath ceremony with your valid foreign passport and your valid green card. Applying for US citizenship is strictly optional, can travel the rest of your life with that foreign passport and green card. You are a permanent resident until you receive your US citizen certificate and that is when you have to surrender your green card. If you did travel and missed your oath ceremony, should try to get another oath ceremony appointment when you come back. You do have to report that trip and if it exceeds your residency requirement, you will be denied. In case of an emergency, wise to inform the USCIS first before leaving, you are causing extra work for them if you don't. If you come back before you oath ceremony, no problem, but need a crystal ball to know when that oath letter will come in.

If just taking a vacation, should have thought about that before sending in your N-400, by sending it in, you made a commitment, and best to live and obey that commitment.

[Caroline and Phil 14]

Yes, JustBob. That's what I meant since my first post here: the period after interview and before oath ceremony (what happens to be the situation she is now).

If she needs to go to the conference before her Oath Ceremony for example, she could use her current passport with no problems. After oath ceremony is a different story.

Sure,

until she's a US citizen she has to travel with her foreign passport. But once she is a US citizen, she is required to leave the US with a US passport. In real life, a US citizen who is also the citizen of another country will "get away" with leaving the country with a foreign passport. The airline personal will only ask if she has an I-94, which she will deny. They are not allowed to inquire about her immigration and citizenship status, meaning they can't and won't ask whether or not she has a Green Card, so nothing bad will happen. But it's against the law anyway.

I remember a case where we discussed this in detail. Newly coined US citizen applied for US passport but didn't receive it in time to catch his flight, asked his wife to forward it to him to . . . don't remember (Italy?). Passport didn't arrive, so he had to go to the US Consulate abroad and tell 'em that he needed something to return to the US. They had him bent over and got a 10-foot pole from the garage and then showed him a good time. So much for the law.

Wouldn't advise anybody about the practical aspects of this, just the legal ones.

[Caroline and Phil 14]

Totally agree.

Yes you can travel between the interview and oath ceremony with your valid foreign passport and your valid green card. Applying for US citizenship is strictly optional, can travel the rest of your life with that foreign passport and green card. You are a permanent resident until you receive your US citizen certificate and that is when you have to surrender your green card. If you did travel and missed your oath ceremony, should try to get another oath ceremony appointment when you come back. You do have to report that trip and if it exceeds your residency requirement, you will be denied. In case of an emergency, wise to inform the USCIS first before leaving, you are causing extra work for them if you don't. If you come back before you oath ceremony, no problem, but need a crystal ball to know when that oath letter will come in.

If just taking a vacation, should have thought about that before sending in your N-400, by sending it in, you made a commitment, and best to live and obey that commitment.

[NickD 202]

Totally agree.

This is the way it "may" work out.

Before your oath ceremony, you only needed your home country passport and green card to both leave and enter both the USA and your home country. After citizenship, you definitely are required to have a US passport to leave and enter the USA. But you may also learn, you also need your home country's passport to enter and leave that country.

So you "may" end up having to maintain two passports, instead of just one.

But there are advantages of becoming a US citizen, don't have to tell the USCIS where you are, can stay out of this country as long as you want without fear of losing your green card, may get SS disability benefits if the SS is still around, don't have to be concerned about renewing your green card along with the burden of always carrying it with you, and you will get to vote for the least of two evils.