Im in a serious bind-Oath Ceremony-Friday/International Travel-Monday

[Timon&Pumba 0]

Here's the dilemma:

I just received my oath ceremony letter and I'm scheduled to appear on Friday July 19th 2013. I am pre-booked to travel internationally the following Monday on July 22nd, 2013. I don't see how possible it will be to have my oath ceremony and passport available by my flight at 8am Monday morning.

I have no idea what to do! Should I make an info pass or try to walk into the federal building and explain my situation? How possible is it to have my oath ceremony on Friday, and get my passport on the same day?

Please advise!

[BigDaddy28 228]

Well go to your oath and then you will have to go to a passport agency, the closest one, and apply for same day passport. That's your only option because you won't have your green card. If I were you I would go on the department of state and look up passport agencies, find the closest one to you. Call them and make an appointment.

[Timon&Pumba 0]

thanks for the response silkafi88...I called USCIS and the cust service rep (who didn't seem to sure of herself) stated that I should ask at my oath ceremony to hold on to my greencard and mail it in after I return from my trip...I don't know that I feel comfortable with that option...don't even know if that's a possible option

I called the passport agency but I will not be able to make an emergency appointment until July 15th..My hope is that I get an apt on same day (july 19) and race from the oath ceremony straight to the federal building before 2:30pm (last apt time)

I called the travel agency and itll cost me over $600 to adjust my travel to the next day....not willing to do that either...

woosaahhhh

Well go to your oath and then you will have to go to a passport agency, the closest one, and apply for same day passport. That's your only option because you won't have your green card. If I were you I would go on the department of state and look up passport agencies, find the closest one to you. Call them and make an appointment.

[christeen 966]

I have never heard of being able to hold on to your green card after you are naturalized (after all it is no longer technically valid) ... We did same day passport the day after and we had to do an appt in the morning then pick up the passport after 2:30. Honestly, IMO, I would postpone the oath (I know how much that stinks) until you have time in the US (at least a full working day) to get a passport...

[queuedup 1]

Im in a similar situation, have oath on July 2nd and travelling internationally on the 3rd. Passport agencies will only let you book 14 days in advance, so you will have to call on July 4th or 5th to get an appointment on the 19th.

Depending on your passport agency, they might allow walk-ins.

After you take the Oath, you are a US Citizen, and citizens are required to use a passport to re-enter the US.

[Timon&Pumba 0]

I tried to make an infopass appointment but couldn't get any dates before the 19th. I called the passport agency and have to wait 14 days b4 my travel date to make an emergency appointment.

I will walk into the federal building on July 5th and hope and pray that I can get some answers or maybe even be sworn in by a judge and get my certificate.

My head is literally spinning....

@queuedup....I hope things work out... let me know if you are able to get your passport on the same day...

because of how busy the downtown Brooklyn Cadman plaza is....I hope the process will not be too long.....

@christeen...I'm hoping I can work things out without having to postpone my date...

[BigDaddy28 228]

Don't be worried everything will be okay. Now after you naturalize, it's illegal to enter or exit the US with the green card. You are not a resident anymore you are a citizen of the US. So diregard what the rep told you, sometimes they have no clue of what they say. Wait until July 5th and at 8 oclock, call and make your appointment make it at 2:30 if you want to give yourself sometime. I hope your oath is early in the morning. You will be able to get your passport in the same day. So don't get worried. If you have questions feel free to ask I will answer maybe not right away but I will answer. I hope I helped.

[John9981 9]

I think you could leave US with your foreign passport and create an US passport via US embassy there. not sure it's 100% kosher though.

[Timon&Pumba 0]

I plan to do exactly as you mentioned...and in addition I plan on walking into the federal building on the same day (July 5th) and hope they see me without an appointment...

my oath ceremony is scheduled for 8:30am...but I read another visa journey participant who went to the same location (Cadman plaza, downtown Brooklyn) and said the whole ceremony took about 4 to 5hrs...she said she finished about 12:30pm so hopefully if that's the case I can rush uptown to Manhattan and go to the passport agency on Hudson street in time for a 2:30p appt...

This oath ceremony news was supposed to be sooo ecstatic for me but it literally has me in jitters...lol...hopefully everything works out!!!!

Thanks again for your reply...

Don't be worried everything will be okay. Now after you naturalize, it's illegal to enter or exit the US with the green card. You are not a resident anymore you are a citizen of the US. So diregard what the rep told you, sometimes they have no clue of what they say. Wait until July 5th and at 8 oclock, call and make your appointment make it at 2:30 if you want to give yourself sometime. I hope your oath is early in the morning. You will be able to get your passport in the same day. So don't get worried. If you have questions feel free to ask I will answer maybe not right away but I will answer. I hope I helped.

[Darnell 8,478]

i would find out where the regional passport agency is,

then do a walk in immediately after the oath certificate is finished.

fill out yer forms today, have yer photos made today.

once at a regional passport agency, explain all, tell em you need immediate passport and yer there to pay for same hour service.

The walk-in might be troublesome, as the guards usually stop people without an appointment letter.

Edited June 29, 2013 by Darnell

[christeen 966]

Miami would not allow walk-in people... Appointments only... And bring your plane tickets/proof of international travel...

[Nimaan 27]

Timon & Pumba,

Don't stress: how about you do this...

Make an appointment for same day passport on the July 5th for the 19th. Also, I was advised NY offers walk ins as well and sometimes walk ins will be processed before people with their appointments if they got there before someone with an appointment. This is the link I was given:

http://m.yelp.com/biz/new-york-passport-agency-new-york

*Also, depending on the country you are going, if a visa is needed before going to that country, for example: India, then they will allow you to make an appointment 3 weeks before your travel date.

[Azure30 22]

Here's the dilemma:

I just received my oath ceremony letter and I'm scheduled to appear on Friday July 19th 2013. I am pre-booked to travel internationally the following Monday on July 22nd, 2013. I don't see how possible it will be to have my oath ceremony and passport available by my flight at 8am Monday morning.

I have no idea what to do! Should I make an info pass or try to walk into the federal building and explain my situation? How possible is it to have my oath ceremony on Friday, and get my passport on the same day?

Please advise!

I plan to do exactly as you mentioned...and in addition I plan on walking into the federal building on the same day (July 5th) and hope they see me without an appointment...

my oath ceremony is scheduled for 8:30am...but I read another visa journey participant who went to the same location (Cadman plaza, downtown Brooklyn) and said the whole ceremony took about 4 to 5hrs...she said she finished about 12:30pm so hopefully if that's the case I can rush uptown to Manhattan and go to the passport agency on Hudson street in time for a 2:30p appt...

This oath ceremony news was supposed to be sooo ecstatic for me but it literally has me in jitters...lol...hopefully everything works out!!!!

Thanks again for your reply...

I thought you said your oath ceremony is July 19th & travel is on Monday, July 22nd, and can't get an emergency appt for passport until July 15th...So what's this July 5th date you speak of for your oath ceremony? Did you get your oath ceremony changed or something??

Edited June 29, 2013 by Azure30

[Azure30 22]

Miami would not allow walk-in people... Appointments only... And bring your plane tickets/proof of international travel...

Who said anything about Miami? The poster speaks of Cadman plaza in Downtown Brooklyn?? I believe that's in NY??

[Timon&Pumba 0]

I thought you said your oath ceremony is July 19th & travel is on Monday, July 22nd, and can't get an emergency appt for passport until July 15th...So what's this July 5th date you speak of for your oath ceremony? Did you get your oath ceremony changed or something??

@Azure30....I am planning on going to the federal building on July 5th (without an infopass, as i was unable to secure one) and hope that they let me explain my situation and hopefully have a judge possibly swear me in at the same time (my friends father did this a few years back when he was in a similar predicament).

hope TTY his clears up any confusion...

my oath ceremony is still scheduled for July 19th....