When do they take your Green Card?

[SaysWho 3]

Hi all,

I'm not clear on when they take your Green Card....at your interview? or at your Oath Ceremony? or at your interview if you have a same day Oath? I am scheduled for my interview on Nov 29 (which) is about 10 days before my 3 year GC anniversary, so I am trying to figure out all the timing, so I can figure if I will have a GC or a Passport (or be between the two!) to leave the country to go and visit my family sometime over the Christmas/New Year holidays.

Many thanks for your assistance!

[jkelly07 120]

it's taken at the oath cememory

[sharky 2]

Hi all,

I'm not clear on when they take your Green Card....at your interview? or at your Oath Ceremony? or at your interview if you have a same day Oath? I am scheduled for my interview on Nov 29 (which) is about 10 days before my 3 year GC anniversary, so I am trying to figure out all the timing, so I can figure if I will have a GC or a Passport (or be between the two!) to leave the country to go and visit my family sometime over the Christmas/New Year holidays.

Many thanks for your assistance!

yes, it's the oath ceremony. However I think having your passport before xmas will be a tall order. Obviously each field office is different as to processing times etc., but if you research the posts on this site you will find that many people who have had their N400 interview BEFORE their 3/5yr anniversary face weeks of waiting after just for an oath ceremony date. Apparently to avoid this it is more sensible to file the n400 at say 60 days before the anniversary instead of 90 days.

I wish I read that somewhere on VJ before I filed my application because now I too am waiting and need a passport before xmas (my interview was Oct 6th). Ironic isn't it that applicants are punished for USCIS processing N400's TOO quickly lol

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

You will surrender your Green Card when lining up to the Oath Ceremony. It's voluntary; nobody is going to take it away from you. Until that happens, and since you submitted your N-400 too early (resulting it to go back on the stack labeled "HOLD"), my guess is that you'll be traveling as a Canadian for the holidays and become a U.S. citizen early next year.

Edited October 28, 2011 by Brother Hesekiel

[NickD 202]

How about only have that new ten year green card for only a couple of weeks and having it taken away from at your oath ceremony. After all the expense and stress to get it, and no prorating on the fees.

Depending on if your are flying or driving, if the latter and certain bordering states can get a special drivers' license to get you into Canada. LOL, if living in Minnesota or North Dakota, a snowmobile will get you in and out.

Then why Christmas for get togethers? Had to work long hours with my job and just wanted to spend Christmas with my kids without a bunch of in-laws around, and travel during that time is insane. A couple of weeks after Christmas, everything is dead.

[SaysWho 3]

Thanks for your responses!

Yes, Sharky, I too wish I had read somewhere here to wait at least a couple weeks after the 90 day window started. Seems like all the other steps in this process went painfully slow and now this has gone too fast! I don't think there is much chance of having a US passport for Christmas, but it may be likely I will still have my Green Card, so that will get me home to see my fam Please keep us posted about your Oath ceremony!

[nwctzn 55]

Hi all,

I'm not clear on when they take your Green Card....at your interview? or at your Oath Ceremony? or at your interview if you have a same day Oath? I am scheduled for my interview on Nov 29 (which) is about 10 days before my 3 year GC anniversary, so I am trying to figure out all the timing, so I can figure if I will have a GC or a Passport (or be between the two!) to leave the country to go and visit my family sometime over the Christmas/New Year holidays.

Many thanks for your assistance!

In my case, they collected the green cards when we entered the oath ceremony hall and were seated. So for a while (until we received our certificates in one hour) we did not have any USCIS documentation at all

Edited October 28, 2011 by nwctzn

[v333k 59]

Just to give you the heads up, when you are done with your interview, you will most definitely receive a document saying "A decision cannot be made at this time". That is entirely due to the fact that you are interviewing 10 days prior to your 3rd year of being a LPR. Once that date passes, your online status will update to approved and then followed up with oath related updated.

As others mentioned, you will surrender your GC (and if you were issued re-entry permits) when you checkin for your oath.

Good luck on your interview!

[sharky 2]

Just to give you the heads up, when you are done with your interview, you will most definitely receive a document saying "A decision cannot be made at this time". That is entirely due to the fact that you are interviewing 10 days prior to your 3rd year of being a LPR. Once that date passes, your online status will update to approved and then followed up with oath related updated.

that's the "theory" v333k but we all know things don't run that smoothly even at this late stage. The time period between the anniversary passing and getting approved can be anything from days to weeks to even months!

[v333k 59]

that's the "theory" v333k but we all know things don't run that smoothly even at this late stage. The time period between the anniversary passing and getting approved can be anything from days to weeks to even months!

Yes - very true. However, I wanted to point out the fact that the IO will not receive an approval on the spot just due to the fact that they are interviewing early... the rest is up the USCIS

[Alex B 9]

In my case, they collected the green cards when we entered the oath ceremony hall and were seated. So for a while (until we received our certificates in one hour) we did not have any USCIS documentation at all

Yup. Me too on this one, in Seattle.

They took the card when I entered and went up to one of the windows. It was about 90 mins before I had something in my hand again. I was sitting there wondering what if the fire alarm goes off!

[w8inglongtime 29]

They took the card when I entered and went up to one of the windows. It was about 90 mins before I had something in my hand again. I was sitting there wondering what if the fire alarm goes off!

[ingucis78 1]

are they going to take both of the GC or only the 10 year one?

[Udella&Wiz 325]

are they going to take both of the GC or only the 10 year one?

Your old 2 yr one (if you have it) is void anyway....They technically ask that you hand in all documents they've given you when you go to take the oath.....they do;t want you keeping old ones.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Never turn in your old Green Card.

If you really don't want it anymore give it to your greatgrandchildren as an irreplaceable document that their greatgrandma was the first-generation American . . . or sell it for $1,500 on eBay in 2055.