Is it ok to bring infants/toddlers to the biometrics app?

[Anna C. 4]

We're military so we live far away from family and friends, it's not easy to find a baby sitter, especially since my youngest is 8 months and nurses every 2-3 hours, and my local office is a 120 minute drive from home, so she has to come along but wait in the waiting room / parking lot with someone. Well DH is the obvious choice, but he is gone 80% of the month and if we get less than 4 weeks prior notice, schedules cannot be changed. We can appeal for the interview date itself, and I sorta want to rather use the Colonol's favor for that one over the biometrics (I realize I can't bring my kids to that one). When I did my ROC I brought DS, and it was not an issue, but I don't know if things have changed. Is it okay to appear with a vivacious 3 year old and a 9 months old for biometrics? How is the oath ceremon itself, can family come? Man I wish we had an office in town, but we live in the least populated state's capital, so it's basically mini-small-town. Not even an international airport. Total pampa.

[PhongDiepNJ 0]

Anna,

Good luck to you. I don't think it will be a problem. but i know they will be distracting oth the people because the 3- years old will be running around.(at least for my son). also, the 9 months may be crying or doing other things.

but for the interview, I suggest have some adult taking care of your two kids. Otherwise, you will so nervous and distracting trying to ace the interview.

My wife and I will bring two kids(3.5 & 5 yearsol") to the her interview in two weeks but I will hold them until she finishes the interview somewhere outside of the waiting area.

Edited October 24, 2011 by PhongDiepNJ

[NotBonJovi 6]

Hi Anna,

My experience - for my GC interview in Denver office, I did have my 1 ½ -year old daughter with me in the interview room. She tried to reach for the candy jar on the interviewing officer's desk! :-) The officer was polite and told me in a nice manner to hold my daughter carefully.

But I agree with PhongDiepNJ - you are better off if you can find someone to take care of your kids that day. Hope your husband can be with you.

[tdegrenier 1]

Speaking of the Naturalization Ceremony, at least those that I have attended, yes family are not only allowed, but are encouraged to attend.

In Tucson, family members are even asked to speak about their loved one's path to Citizenship.

[Anna C. 4]

Great good to know! I'm just preparing for the worst case scenario, kwim? Dh will be for a week in LA in November, and if I am realllly unlucky that's when my fingerprinting is My 3 year old is easily distracted with toys or a book, the baby girl is happy too as long as she's not hungry DH will be able most likely to take off for the interview - the Col is sympathetic, but fingerprinting is not as important in their view.... But I just noticed that the Denver location is actually Centennial (southern part of Denver) where they just opened an Ikea - I can take the kids there for a nice meal and my son finds Ikeas incredibly fun. I always need something from Ikea, lol

@ Notbonjovi: That sounds very reassuring. We had a nice interviewer back for the green card in Charlotte, NC, who, after seeing the pics of our cat (or my I say joint cat, hahaha) showed us pictures of her furbabies and started talking about her trips to Europe (she saw the pics of us in Europe together). It was very pleasant - I guess most IOs just can tell from the first impression if people are real or fake and then take it easy.

Edited October 24, 2011 by Anna C.

[OKflyboy 35]

I had my 7-month-old at the GC interview. It's okay:) That was the only time my two older ones were not there with me. Otherwise they did not miss a single appointment out of a dozen:)

My friend had her 24-hour-old baby with her at the interview.

Edited October 24, 2011 by OKflyboy

[TBoneTX 45,288]

My friend had her 24-hour-old baby with her at the interview.

Holy ever-lovin' mackerel, si man!

[Jessica24 3]

I don't think taking your 8 month old will be a problem. As mentioned by the previous users, just ensure that you have your baby under your control during the interview. Otherwise, it will be an advantage to you to have your entire family present at the interview. Good Luck and do let us know what about the interview, once you are done with it.

[NickD 202]

Ha, if you are taking your children to biometrics that would become automatic citizens when you become one, do you think they will take a joint photo of all of you for your certificate? Even tack their names on your certificate! Would save that extra 600 bucks for each kid and all that additional paper work.

This certainly can't be your first trip to biometrics, we had a total of six visits, always seen kids there, except once, just my wife and I were the only ones there. Still had a half a dozen security guards each helping the other, do nothing. That has to be the most boring job in the world.

[Anna C. 4]

My children are dual citizens by birth - born in the USA to a US citizen dad they are automatically American and since I'm German they are automatically German and have both passports for life (unless they voluntarily get rid of one citizenship later on). The appointments I have been to were always just adults - both my biometrics for the first and second green card - adults only and just my then 3 months old son was under 18 there! Same goes for the green card interview - we were actually the youngest people in the waiting room back then. So I never saw kids there, hence unsure

OKflyboy: Wow a 24 hour old baby! Kudos! I mean I went home 5 hours after birth, but that was home with no other people than my family (I'm a germophobe for newborns, hehehe). I woulda been the mommy there that wipes everything down with sanitzing wipes....

[sib 7]

Hi Anna,

I always had my son with me. This was back in 2001 and later, but still. There was never a problem taking him to biometrics or even interview.

Viel Glueck!

Sib

[Jemmi 3]

Hi Anna,

Bringing your kids is no problem. when i went for my biometrics there were lots of people with kids. by the way you only need one hand at a time, so you still have the other hand to hold.also it doesn't take forever, you be in and out in no time.

Alles Gute und viel Glueck

Jemmi

[OKflyboy 35]

OKflyboy: Wow a 24 hour old baby! Kudos! I mean I went home 5 hours after birth, but that was home with no other people than my family (I'm a germophobe for newborns, hehehe). I woulda been the mommy there that wipes everything down with sanitzing wipes....

Yeah, she's crazy like that:) But the kid came at an odd time and it was too late to reschedule. What always amazed me is how she actually drove there by herself, it's a 4-hour round trip. She's a nurse, hence - not a germophobe

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

Should be no problem. In my local office, they even have crayons and colouring pages for the little ones (and changing stations ion both the male and female bathrooms!).

[Anna C. 4]

Should be no problem. In my local office, they even have crayons and colouring pages for the little ones (and changing stations ion both the male and female bathrooms!).

That truly is amazing, usually only women's rooms have changing tables, sigh. Btw I love your wrap! I could never make those work and stick with my Ergo and MaiTei