N-400 March 2014

[newoption 1]

Glad you got scheduled. Maybe we'll be at the same Oath Ceremony at the end of August. Seems like the number of applicants in San Berdoo have increased significantly which makes the waiting a little longer compared to October, November and December. Still average is 5 to 5.5 months which is not that bad... Good luck to you...

Thank you Mistere! Yes, it is taking a bit longer to get an interview date in San Bernardino. Talk about patience while waiting for an update/schedule... yikes!

I'll be looking forward to hearing from your interview experience, good luck to you too!

[kcoyclay1 98]

Hello my VJ family, I just got back from my interview (26 Federal Plaza, NYC). My interview was scheduled for 10:10 and I got there about 9:50am. The line moved quickly and I entered the interview waiting room at exactly 10:10 am. There were about 150+ people in the waiting room. Some were really nervous whilst others were just revising their booklet. I was called in around 11:00ish by a middle aged gentleman. He was very nice. He introduced himself and walked me to his office. He made me take an oath to tell the truth, then he explained that he will interview me then we can revise my application. First he made me read how many senators are there? Then he asked me to write there are 100 senators. The interview questions were: 1. What does the president's cabinet do? 2.How many justices are in the Supreme Court? 3. Name one branch or part of the government. 4. We select a US senator for how many years? 5. If the both the president and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes president? I really can't remember the other question. After this he reviewed my application and questioned me about it. He asked if I had any questions ( I did ask him a few about name change and my kids getting a passport). Then he made me sign a few documents, gave me a receipt, and told me that I should receive an oath letter in the mail about 2-3 weeks from today. In general my experience was very pleasant. The immigration officer was very nice and informative.

Congrats K96. I'm a fellow NY resident and use the NY timelines to estimate my process. Can you please update the schedule? I have been wondering why you were never scheduled until I saw someone congratulated you on your interview. Again congrats!!!

[Christi85 86]

Congrats to all new citizens and those who passed their interviews!

Wow, Darth Vader Ku, what an experience! Sounds like you had a great IO, but what an ordeal! So you're going back tomorrow to bring the extra documents - and that will hopefully get you an approval for oath? Or will you still have to be interviewed again at a later date? If I understand correctly, the IO's issue was your time out of the country being very close to the 50% limit? If so, to be absolutely honest, as long as you are still under the 50% limit, it shouldn't matter to them, and they should have approved you anyway. Especially if you can prove your travels were due to work obligations.

I wish you all the best and a quick approval!

My interview is on July 28 and I'm looking forward to it. I'm eager to be done asap! There's an oath ceremony in LA on August 27, just shy of a month after my interview, so I'm hoping they'll schedule me for that one - as a matter of fact, it's 2 ceremonies on the same day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Though, based on how it is going and what I'm hearing from other people here on VJ, I wouldn't be surprised if they put me in the September ceremony (of which dates do not seem to have been released yet)...

Edited July 16, 2014 by Christi85

[sraj49 2]

Thanks a lot guys . Finally my journey came to an end today. I am now a Citizen. I appreciate Visa journey and you guys for all the help and wish all the guys waiting for interviews the very best.

I am updating my details.

======================================
USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox
======================================
VJ.UserName......|Eligible.|Sent..|Cashd.|NOA...|BioApp|InLine|IntLtr|IntVw.|Oath.....| Field Office

Engineer21.......|04/27/13.|02/24.|03/04.|03/04.|03/28.|04/01.|04/04.|05/13.|07/30/14.| Lawrence, MA
prinambiar.......|--/--/--.|03/02.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Baltimore, MD
PacienciayFe.....|10/13/13.|03/03.|03/13.|03/11.|04/10.|04/14.|07/03.|08/06.|--/--/--.| Queens, NY
Math Man.........|02/05/12.|03/03.|03/10.|03/07.|04/03.|04/07.|04/14.|05/21.|07/30/14.| Lawrence, MA
DanTes ..........|02/25/14.|03/03.|03/11.|03/10.|04/09.|04/28.|04/29.|06/02.|--/--/--.| New Orleans, LA
Coqueta..........|03/10/11.|03/03.|MOrdr.|03/06.|03/28.|04/01.|04/01.|05/06.|07/03/14.| Memphis, TN
HJP..............|12/17/12.|03/03.|03/11.|03/10.|04/04.|04/08.|05/05.|06/05.|07/31/14.| Jacksonville, FL
Sunshinepretty...|--/--/--.|03/03.|--/--.|03/12.|04/09.|04/11.|05/30.|07/01.|07/01/14.| Newark, NJ
Rip_curl.........|--/--/--.|03/04.|03/11.|03/12.|03/26.|05/02.|05/16.|06/21.|06/24/14.| Dallas, TX
Montblanc........|--/--/--.|03/04.|03/11.|03/10.|04/08.|04/10.|05/12.|06/17.|08/01/14.| Philadelphia, PA
*HappyInlove*....|09/20/10.|03/05.|MOrdr.|03/10.|04/07.|04/09.|04/28.|05/27.|08/08/14.| Memphis, TN
JVKn'CVO .......|01/08/11.|03/07.|03/13.|03/10.|04/02.|--/--.|04/07.|05/15.|07/31/14.| San Antonio, TX
Ontarkieboy1.....|--/--/--.|03/08.|FeeWv.|03/19.|04/15.|04/17.|04/28.|05/29.|--/--/--.| Memphis, TN
Ontarkieboy2.....|--/--/--.|03/08.|FeeWv.|03/19.|04/15.|04/17.|04/28.|05/29.|--/--/--.| Memphis, TN
fumes............|--/--/--.|03/08.|FeeWv.|03/20.|04/17.|04/22.|05/02.|06/02.|07/03/14.| Memphis, TN
Tristanz.........|03/09/14.|03/09.|03/11.|03/11.|03/23.|05/06.|07/11.|08/12.|--/--/--.| Queens, NY
chantal356.......|--/--/--.|03/10.|03/17.|03/14.|04/15.|04/17.|06/06.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Baltimore, MD
bloomfield.......|--/--/--.|03/10.|--/--.|--/--.|04/02.|05/08.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Atlanta, GA
Wise_Hawk........|--/--/--.|03/10.|--/--.|03/20.|04/14.|04/16.|07/11.|08/12.|--/--/--.| Queens, NY
ByrdNest.........|--/--/--.|03/12.|03/20.|03/20.|04/17.|04/21.|05/27.|07/01.|--/--/--.| Fairfax, VA
Bibi&Beebti......|01/01/14.|03/15.|03/27.|03/27.|05/06.|05/08.|06/22.|07/25.|--/--/--.| Washington, DC
starbeam.........|--/--/--.|03/15.|03/20.|03/20.|03/28.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Houston, TX
CatherineTheGreat|--/--/--.|03/17.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Louisville, KY
Felix01..........|01/06/14.|03/18.|03/27.|03/27.|04/28.|04/30.|06/03.|08/25.|--/--/--.| Hartford, CT
anjp.............|02/17/14.|03/18.|03/25.|03/28.|04/21.|04/22.|04/28.|06/09.|--/--/--.| San Antonio, TX
DeanRShortland...|03/13/14.|03/19.|04/01.|04/01.|04/29.|05/12.|05/23.|06/30.|07/25/14.| Memphis,TN
ninasan..........|03/08/13.|03/20.|03/27.|03/31.|04/22.|04/24.|06/07.|07/15.|--/--/--.| Tampa, FL
K96..............|09/--/11.|03/21.|03/26.|03/27.|04/30.|05/02.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| New York, NY
miggg............|03/22/14.|03/24.|04/01.|03/31.|04/24*|05/20.|06/17.|07/24.|--/--/--.| Washington, DC
rogue320.........|--/--/--.|03/24.|03/31.|--/--.|02/11.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Memphis, TN
yomi0518.........|02/13/11.|03/25.|MOrdr.|03/28.|04/29.|05/02.|06/13.|07/15.|--/--/--.| Oakland Park, FL
rosemont.........|--/--/--.|03/25.|03/28.|03/31.|04/30.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Baltimore, MD
bjrichus.........|--/--/--.|03/26.|03/27.|04/01.|04/21.|04/23.|07/12.|08/12.|--/--/--.| Dallas, TX
Darth Vader Kuu..|03/30/14.|03/29.|04/04.|03/31.|05/01.|05/29.|06/11.|07/17.|--/--/--.| Miami, FL


================================
USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox
================================
VJ.UserName......|Eligible.|Sent..|Cashd.|NOA...|BioApp|InLine|IntLtr|IntVw.|Oath.....| Field Office

Kristel..........|--/--/--.|02/26.|03/06.|03/05.|03/28.|04/01.|--/--.|05/23.|06/25/14.| Chula Vista, CA
ChristinePR......|--/--/--.|02/28.|03/06.|03/10.|03/20.|04/02.|04/14.|05/12.|--/--/--.| San Jose, CA
Suaya415.........|12/18/13.|03/01.|03/07.|03/10.|03/27.|04/04.|04/14.|05/14.|06/19/14.| San Jose, CA
bennobot.........|09/08/13.|03/01.|03/08.|03/03.|03/28.|04/01.|04/01.|05/09.|06/14/14.| St. Paul, MN
Need2know........|04/21/10.|03/03.|03/12.|03/12.|04/18.|04/18.|04/18.|05/19.|06/18/14.| St. Paul, MN
lilacvioletiris..|10/04/13.|03/03.|03/12.|03/11.|04/04.|04/08.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Detroit, MI
VP19.............|02/22/14.|03/03.|03/10.|03/07.|03/31.|04/22.|04/25.|06/02.|--/--/--.| St. Louis, MO
eca31............|--/--/--.|03/04.|--/--.|03/18.|04/11.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Cleveland, OH
Mistere..........|10/26/91.|03/05.|03/13.|03/12.|04/04.|04/25.|06/12.|07/18.|--/--/--.| San Bernardino, CA
Ju&Ja............|--/--/--.|03/05.|--/--.|03/12.|04/22.|04/24.|05/19.|06/20.|--/--/--.| Oxnard, CA
tom_g............|--/--/--.|03/06.|03/14.|03/11.|04/02.|04/04.|05/10.|06/10.|07/16/14.| Oakland, CA
viber............|--/--/--.|03/06.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.|
Abby62...........|--/--/--.|03/07.|03/11.|03/14.|04/01.|04/03.|04/12.|05/12.|06/12/14.| Indianapolis, IN
b_fowler.........|05/03/12.|03/07.|03/26.|03/21.|04/14.|04/23.|04/26.|06/05.|07/10/14.| Kansas City, MO
Np19.............|--/--/--.|03/07.|03/13.|03/11.|04/03.|04/07.|05/12.|--/--.|--/--/--.| St. Louis,
mrs_jaz_h........|11/10/11.|03/11.|--/--.|03/14.|04/08.|04/10.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Detroit, MI
lori7734.........|--/--/--.|03/12.|--/--.|03/19.|04/09.|--/--.|--/--.|06/03.|06/19/14.| Milwaukee, WI
KirstyVQT........|--/--/--.|03/13.|--/--.|03/20.|04/10.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Portland, OR
aneczka..........|12/12/06.|03/14.|03/25.|03/20.|04/02.|04/07.|05/30.|07/01.|07/07/14.| Detroit, MI
BalooSL..........|09/15/13.|03/15.|03/25.|03/21.|04/11.|04/15.|05/08.|06/17.|07/30/14.| San Francisco, CA
yjia0319.........|03/12/14.|03/17.|03/21.|03/26.|04/14.|05/12.|05/12.|06/17.|07/16/14.| Columbus, OH
Chris&Angela.....|03/17/14.|03/19.|03/26.|03/24.|04/14.|05/15.|--/--.|07/02.|07/16/14.| Sacramento, CA
Christi85........|03/09/14.|03/19.|03/27.|03/24.|04/21.|05/07.|06/24.|07/28.|--/--/--.| Chatsworth, CA
Sraj49...........|08/04/13.|03/19.|03/27.|03/31.|04/09.|04/11.|05/30.|07/02.|07/16/14.| Sacramento, CA
ez2007...........|10/29/11.|03/21.|03/26.|03/27.|04/22.|04/24.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Seattle, WA
Newoption........|04/04/09.|03/24.|04/01.|04/01.|04/28.|04/30.|07/09.|08/12.|--/--/--.| San Bernardino, CA
missicy..........|03/21/14.|03/24.|04/02.|03/31.|04/21.|05/20.|07/05.|08/04.|--/--/--.| Chatsworth, CA
shikha_and_howard|03/23/14.|03/24.|04/01.|03/28.|04/18.|05/20.|--/--.|--/--.|--/--/--.| Phoenix, AZ
KyG..............|04/27/12.|03/24.|04/02.|04/01.|04/21.|04/23.|05/13.|06/17.|07/22/14.| San Jose, CA
AKKWM............|01/03/14.|03/24.|04/02.|03/31.|04/22.|04/24.|05/02.|06/11.|--/--/--.| Las Vegas, NV
can702...........|12/18/13.|03/26.|04/02.|04/07.|04/22.|04/24.|05/08.|06/11.|--/--/--.| Las Vegas, NV
Myles2986........|03/25/14.|03/27.|04/02.|04/01.|04/18.|05/23.|06/03.|07/07.|08/04/14.| Saint Paul, MN

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[Darth Vader Kuu 5]

Thanks, Christi85! I remember you and remember that your local field office had particularly long processing times, so I'm happy to see you scheduled. Good luck on your interview, I'm sure you'll breeze through. I wouldn't worry about it.

Not sure how Santa Ana processes Naturalisation Oath schedules at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, but I do know of a Los Angeles resident who applied and was given an oath date within a month of her interview.

I'm running around and gathering/printing/requesting faxes of my documents. Should have the packet completed within another couple of hours. To answer your question, yes, I will be interviewed again tomorrow to "explain" my requested evidence and to speak with my Immigration Officer's supervisor. I agree with you and am not worried about the time spent outside the United States. One of the last things the Immigration Officer said to me is that the law is clear and that the application I have presented is within the confines of the statute. He just told me he is researching it to be thorough and to comply with Miami Local Field Office policy for applicants with 800+ of physical absence within the statutory period.

I'll keep you posted and I want to hear how your interiew goes. Good luck! :-)

[Christi85 86]

Thanks, Christi85! I remember you and remember that your local field office had particularly long processing times, so I'm happy to see you scheduled. Good luck on your interview, I'm sure you'll breeze through. I wouldn't worry about it.

Not sure how Santa Ana processes Naturalisation Oath schedules at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, but I do know of a Los Angeles resident who applied and was given an oath date within a month of her interview.

I'm running around and gathering/printing/requesting faxes of my documents. Should have the packet completed within another couple of hours. To answer your question, yes, I will be interviewed again tomorrow to "explain" my requested evidence and to speak with my Immigration Officer's supervisor. I agree with you and am not worried about the time spent outside the United States. One of the last things the Immigration Officer said to me is that the law is clear and that the application I have presented is within the confines of the statute. He just told me he is researching it to be thorough and to comply with Miami Local Field Office policy for applicants with 800+ of physical absence within the statutory period.

I'll keep you posted and I want to hear how your interiew goes. Good luck! :-)

Thank you so much! I will update everyone on the 28th.

Best of luck for tomorrow!

[DanTes 21]

44 days since I passed my interview. No change yet. New Orleans is SLOW!

[Aurelius 1]

Interview Experience

My interview was scheduled for 11:30 am today which, from my observations, was probably the last slot of the day. I arrived at 11:05 am, passed through security, checked in with the receptionist (who electronically notified my interviewer-to-be of my presence on-site) and I was directed into the general waiting area to be called for my interview. This general waiting area seemed to be split between about 65% of applicants and their supporters/family/attorneys who were scheduled for Naturalisation interviews (and were being called by name into the secure area by the interviewing officers) and about 35% who had INFOPASS appointments (and were being directed to public booths by audio announcements of ticket numbers).

I estimate that the interviews before mine in general lasted, on average, 15-20 minutes based on my observations of applicants going into the secure area and then emerging. About seven officers were conducting interviews today. Their demeanours ranged from bored, to rude, to bright and pleasant, to distant and formal. The most pleasant of all by far, based on my observations of their comings and goings was a young, smartly-dressed gentleman who seemed genuinely engaged in the entire process, was courteous to all his interviewees, and who I secretly wished would interview me.

I was finally called at about 12:20 pm (I was told that things were slowing down for lunch), and I was indeed the very last person in the general waiting area aside from about three INFOPASSers. Just when I thought I had been forgotten (afterall, there had been upwards of seventy-five people when I arrived), the young, smartly-dressed, pleasant-faced gentleman announced my name, pronouncing it with great difficulty (it is a long, foreign name and entirely unfamiliar to Westerners). I followed him into his office and the interview began.

After he swore me in and asked me to sit down, he pushed my A-File into the middle of his desk (a monstrous, dusty binder about 6-7 inches high and crawling with paperwork) and arrived at the first order of business. He told me that he was “recommending” me for a name change because the long tribal names on my birth certificate were slightly different from the abbreviated and westernised equivalents I have in my passport and all other documents (including my Social Security Card) in use since I first entered this country. He explained that he was simply doing a “formal name change” to the name I currently use now and that this had to be done since my birth certificate was the first official document that named me, and that to continue using my abbreviated names, this would be necessary. The discussion on the names took about eight minutes.

We then progressed to the Reading, Writing and Comprehension of English section of the test. He handed me a sheet of paper and asked me to read one of three simple sentences (the sentence he wished me to read had been ticked by him). I read it. I cannot remember what it was other than the fact it was mundane and had something to do with government. Next, he asked me to write something he dictated. Again, I do not remember what it was.

We then moved on to the Civics portion of the interview. Curiously, he asked me only four questions and then stopped abruptly. I assume I got all four right, because he informed me I had passed all portions of the tests. Without being specific:

• the first question asked about a constitutional right
• the second about a historical date
• the third and the fourth were geographical in nature

This took all of about four minutes.

We then moved onto the application review portion of the interview. He was very thorough and explained what he was doing and why he was probing certain issues. He asked me about trips I had taken outside the United States since submitting the application. I updated him, he notated them and moved on. He went over the entire application (though not every question) and not just the Yes/No section. After we spent about ten minutes on that, he nodded satisfactorily and asked me to sign my main N-400 form in the section indicated to be signed at the interview. He then handed me several sheets of paper related to a court affidavit that would judicially recognise the recommended change of name. He then said something along the lines of “all looks good here” and then indicated that he wished to return to my trips abroad.

I have, in the five-year statutory period, over thirty-five trips abroad to many different countries. Coincidentally, I satisfied the 50% physical presence requirement quite narrowly. The Immigration and Nationalisation Act specifies that the number of days an applicant may be out while still complying with the physical presence requirement to be no more than 912 in the last five years. I had been out for 911. We proceeded to review the Immigration Law together while he reviewed my passport stamps. He then went into a database to look at my travel records. After making some progress, he informed me that the time for interviews for the day was up. He indicated that, to give an answer, he would need to research my case, and consult his supervisor. I should mention that the gentleman who interviewed me is himself a supervisor (that is, he is consulted by his junior immigration officers about final approvals on N-400 applications when they give Recommendations for Approvals), but he wanted to get clearance from his overall supervisor.

He informed me that it was not a problem, and that he would like to interview me again within a month as soon as he had completed his research. He also gave me a list of certain additional evidence he wanted to review with his supervisor and gave me directions for how to have that sent via physical post.

The interview lasted over fifty minutes.

As he walked me out, he asked me how soon I could come back. I casually said something along the lines of “tomorrow if need be.” He stopped, thought for a moment and said “Great! Why don’t you do that!” He gave me a special pass for priority interview with him dated for tomorrow and said, if it were possible, to gather all the documents that he had requested of me and bring them to my follow-up interview scheduled for tomorrow. He said he would “do his part” and complete his research tonight if that’s as long as it would take. He confirmed my telephone contact numbers and asked if it was alright to call between now and tomorrow in case he had any questions. I said, of course, that it would be no problem.

I thanked him and left.

In one hour, this gentleman with all his professionalism and pleasant demeanour, while still effectively performing his charges, dramatically raised my impression of the USCIS.

Congrats!!!!! And good to know. I also have 900+ days outside the U.S. I'll be bracing myself for those questions when I have my interview, and thanks to you now I know the max is 912... lucky I put less than that on my N400 app.

[Mistere 13]

Thanks, I will keep you posted...

Let's hope for August 27th Oath Ceremony at the LACC they can process 5000 applicants in the morning and 5000 in the afternoon.

That is a lot of people...

Thank you Mistere! Yes, it is taking a bit longer to get an interview date in San Bernardino. Talk about patience while waiting for an update/schedule... yikes!

I'll be looking forward to hearing from your interview experience, good luck to you too!

[Mistere 13]

Congratulations and thank you for sharing your detailed experience.

The way you spell a lot of words leads me to believe you have spent a good percentage of 911 days in the UK.

Good luck with your follow up interview...

Interview Experience

My interview was scheduled for 11:30 am today which, from my observations, was probably the last slot of the day. I arrived at 11:05 am, passed through security, checked in with the receptionist (who electronically notified my interviewer-to-be of my presence on-site) and I was directed into the general waiting area to be called for my interview. This general waiting area seemed to be split between about 65% of applicants and their supporters/family/attorneys who were scheduled for Naturalisation interviews (and were being called by name into the secure area by the interviewing officers) and about 35% who had INFOPASS appointments (and were being directed to public booths by audio announcements of ticket numbers).

I estimate that the interviews before mine in general lasted, on average, 15-20 minutes based on my observations of applicants going into the secure area and then emerging. About seven officers were conducting interviews today. Their demeanours ranged from bored, to rude, to bright and pleasant, to distant and formal. The most pleasant of all by far, based on my observations of their comings and goings was a young, smartly-dressed gentleman who seemed genuinely engaged in the entire process, was courteous to all his interviewees, and who I secretly wished would interview me.

I was finally called at about 12:20 pm (I was told that things were slowing down for lunch), and I was indeed the very last person in the general waiting area aside from about three INFOPASSers. Just when I thought I had been forgotten (afterall, there had been upwards of seventy-five people when I arrived), the young, smartly-dressed, pleasant-faced gentleman announced my name, pronouncing it with great difficulty (it is a long, foreign name and entirely unfamiliar to Westerners). I followed him into his office and the interview began.

After he swore me in and asked me to sit down, he pushed my A-File into the middle of his desk (a monstrous, dusty binder about 6-7 inches high and crawling with paperwork) and arrived at the first order of business. He told me that he was “recommending” me for a name change because the long tribal names on my birth certificate were slightly different from the abbreviated and westernised equivalents I have in my passport and all other documents (including my Social Security Card) in use since I first entered this country. He explained that he was simply doing a “formal name change” to the name I currently use now and that this had to be done since my birth certificate was the first official document that named me, and that to continue using my abbreviated names, this would be necessary. The discussion on the names took about eight minutes.

We then progressed to the Reading, Writing and Comprehension of English section of the test. He handed me a sheet of paper and asked me to read one of three simple sentences (the sentence he wished me to read had been ticked by him). I read it. I cannot remember what it was other than the fact it was mundane and had something to do with government. Next, he asked me to write something he dictated. Again, I do not remember what it was.

We then moved on to the Civics portion of the interview. Curiously, he asked me only four questions and then stopped abruptly. I assume I got all four right, because he informed me I had passed all portions of the tests. Without being specific:

• the first question asked about a constitutional right
• the second about a historical date
• the third and the fourth were geographical in nature

This took all of about four minutes.

We then moved onto the application review portion of the interview. He was very thorough and explained what he was doing and why he was probing certain issues. He asked me about trips I had taken outside the United States since submitting the application. I updated him, he notated them and moved on. He went over the entire application (though not every question) and not just the Yes/No section. After we spent about ten minutes on that, he nodded satisfactorily and asked me to sign my main N-400 form in the section indicated to be signed at the interview. He then handed me several sheets of paper related to a court affidavit that would judicially recognise the recommended change of name. He then said something along the lines of “all looks good here” and then indicated that he wished to return to my trips abroad.

I have, in the five-year statutory period, over thirty-five trips abroad to many different countries. Coincidentally, I satisfied the 50% physical presence requirement quite narrowly. The Immigration and Nationalisation Act specifies that the number of days an applicant may be out while still complying with the physical presence requirement to be no more than 912 in the last five years. I had been out for 911. We proceeded to review the Immigration Law together while he reviewed my passport stamps. He then went into a database to look at my travel records. After making some progress, he informed me that the time for interviews for the day was up. He indicated that, to give an answer, he would need to research my case, and consult his supervisor. I should mention that the gentleman who interviewed me is himself a supervisor (that is, he is consulted by his junior immigration officers about final approvals on N-400 applications when they give Recommendations for Approvals), but he wanted to get clearance from his overall supervisor.

He informed me that it was not a problem, and that he would like to interview me again within a month as soon as he had completed his research. He also gave me a list of certain additional evidence he wanted to review with his supervisor and gave me directions for how to have that sent via physical post.

The interview lasted over fifty minutes.

As he walked me out, he asked me how soon I could come back. I casually said something along the lines of “tomorrow if need be.” He stopped, thought for a moment and said “Great! Why don’t you do that!” He gave me a special pass for priority interview with him dated for tomorrow and said, if it were possible, to gather all the documents that he had requested of me and bring them to my follow-up interview scheduled for tomorrow. He said he would “do his part” and complete his research tonight if that’s as long as it would take. He confirmed my telephone contact numbers and asked if it was alright to call between now and tomorrow in case he had any questions. I said, of course, that it would be no problem.

I thanked him and left.

In one hour, this gentleman with all his professionalism and pleasant demeanour, while still effectively performing his charges, dramatically raised my impression of the USCIS.

[second stage 14]

Thanks, Christi85! I remember you and remember that your local field office had particularly long processing times, so I'm happy to see you scheduled. Good luck on your interview, I'm sure you'll breeze through. I wouldn't worry about it.

Not sure how Santa Ana processes Naturalisation Oath schedules at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, but I do know of a Los Angeles resident who applied and was given an oath date within a month of her interview.

I'm running around and gathering/printing/requesting faxes of my documents. Should have the packet completed within another couple of hours. To answer your question, yes, I will be interviewed again tomorrow to "explain" my requested evidence and to speak with my Immigration Officer's supervisor. I agree with you and am not worried about the time spent outside the United States. One of the last things the Immigration Officer said to me is that the law is clear and that the application I have presented is within the confines of the statute. He just told me he is researching it to be thorough and to comply with Miami Local Field Office policy for applicants with 800+ of physical absence within the statutory period.

I'll keep you posted and I want to hear how your interiew goes. Good luck! :-)

Good Luck...Please keep us posted on the additional documents requested!

Hi everyone. I had my interview today. The appointment was for 9:30am, I got there at 9:10. They officer call my name at 9:40. Total interview time was about 10 minutes. First part: she went over my application, asked my name and if I wanted to change it, my address, my phone number, where I work and my profession. About 10 questions from the yes or no portion. Then she asked me to read three sentences and write down "The congress meets in Washington".

The civics test questions:

- What are the two parts of the U.S. congress?

- Who is commander in chief of the military?

- What is the political party of the president now?

- Who wrote the declaration of independence?

- There were 13 original colonies. Name three.

- Name one state that borders Mexico.

After that she told me: you passed , you should be getting a letter in the next couple of weeks with the date of the Oath Ceremony.

I'm so glad this part is over

Congrats...Am following your timeline as Tampa is our local field office as well.

Please let us know when you are scheduled for the oath...

[Darth Vader Kuu 5]

Thank you so much! I will update everyone on the 28th.

Best of luck for tomorrow!

Thanks! Just returned. Will shortly post the details.

[Darth Vader Kuu 5]

Congrats!!!!! And good to know. I also have 900+ days outside the U.S. I'll be bracing myself for those questions when I have my interview, and thanks to you now I know the max is 912... lucky I put less than that on my N400 app.

Aurelius,

Thank you, but I would not congratulate me just yet.

Out of curiosity, and perhaps it might inadvertently help you as well, how many days exactly do you have outside the United States? It's important for you in you interview, should it become an issue, to assert not just the broad 50% physical presence requirement, but also the actual specifics of the requirement as laid out in the law (see below). I say this because I personally know of a poorly-informed immigration lawyer in the South Florida area who interpreted that requirement as:

- > five years = 60 months;

-> 50% of 60 months = 30 months;

-> a "month" = 30 days;

-> 30 days x 30 months = 900 days

and that those 900 days are the maximum number of days you are permitted out.

Of course, he was wrong, but I would not be surprised if other poorly-informed Immigration Officers thought along the same lines since:

a) even certain sections of USCIS literature casually refer to the "30 months" requirement and neglect to outline the specificity as contained in the information below and

b) the event of a Naturalisation applicant exceeding 900 days of physical absence from the United States during the statutory period is uncommon enough to trip up all but the most informed USCIS officials

It is also important (again, this information is contained below) to assert that the statute gives physical presence credit for both days of departure from and arrival into the United States. In other words, an international trip for which you left on Monday and returned on Wednesday would constitute only one day of physical absence from the United States, not two.

Here are two links I would encourage you to review and possibly have printed and in your possession during your interview:

1) The first is an excerpt from the USCIS Policy Manual that explicitly defines the physical presence requirement in terms of actual days

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartD-Chapter4.html

2) The second is an excerpt of the INA: Act 316 which describes the general aspects of the statute upon which the policy manual above elaborates.

http://www.uscis.gov/iframe/ilink/docView/SLB/HTML/SLB/0-0-0-1/0-0-0-29/0-0-0-9898.html

[Darth Vader Kuu 5]

Congratulations and thank you for sharing your detailed experience.

The way you spell a lot of words leads me to believe you have spent a good percentage of 911 days in the UK.

Good luck with your follow up interview...

Thanks, and you're welcome.

Actually, not as much time in the United Kingdom as you might think. I attented British preparatory schools, though outside the United Kingdom, and I suppose certain habits die hard!

Good Luck...Please keep us posted on the additional documents requested!

Thanks! I am shortly posting the details of my follow-up interview and will include within it any details of additional requested documentation.

[Darth Vader Kuu 5]

Follow-up Interview Experience

I arrived at USCIS at about 10:00 am as I still had to wait for a few faxes to come in prior to showing up for my follow-up interview. I passed through security, checked in with the receptionist who called my interviewer from yesterday to inform him of my arrival. The receptionist informed me that my interviewer was presently conducting an interview and would emerge to fetch me from the general waiting area when he was done. I was directed into the general waiting area which had far fewer people in it than yesterday. I’d say twenty-five if I had to guess.

In less than fifteen minutes, my interviewer from yesterday emerged, announced my name and escorted me to his office. He asked me to have a seat and informed me that the Field Office Head (the one who wanted to review my application with me in person) was presently tied up and would join us soon. I asked if that meant I needed to go back to the general waiting area, and he said no; he would review the additional documentation I had brought. He did remark as he was escorting me to his office that I had been quite meticulous in my application and that my disclosed travel was a 100% match to the database checks. He also said that I had quoted the physical presence requirement correctly and that it was good for him to know that, be sure of it for the future, and to know where to reference it should the need arise. He said that in all his years at that office (I did not ask how many years exactly), mine were the highest number of absent days he had reviewed.

Additional Documentation

By the time I added today’s folder to my A-File (which he also had on his desk again today), the aggregate folder, if stacked on the floor, would have reached up past my knee.

I had been broadly asked to submit documents that:

a) confirmed that I had always maintained residency within the United States: for this, I provided bank statements, credit card statements, filed tax transcripts, employment letters and residential leases (it is important to note that I was never out beyond six months, but the documents had been provided simply for an abundance of evidence)

b) certain information regarding the nature of my employment that is specific to me

He asked me a few questions about each set of documents, and ten minutes later we were done.

Supervisor meeting

He made a phone call to check on the office head, but was informed that he was still tied up. He apologised and suggested I keep waiting. He said he had no more applicants to interview himself that day and had his “supervisor” hat on; in other words, he would spend the rest of the allotted interview time reviewing and giving final approval to applications that had either been recommended for approval by his peers, or denied and needing supervisor sign-off. Sure enough, three junior officers popped in while I was waiting to get approval and/or guidance on their cases. The interviewer and I then shot the breeze for a fair bit, and then just when I was starting to think I’d be there all day, a harried man walked in without knocking and mentioned my name hesitantly. I stood, assuming , and correctly so, that he was the office supervisor. He extended his hand, apologised for being late, and informed me that we could not meet today. He told me that he would give me a call and then left. I thanked the immigration officer, and asked what the next steps were. He said to wait for the call, but that I shouldn’t be alarmed about anything. He promised to make sure I had a follow-up directly from him within “a day or two” regardless of his supervisor’s time-frame. I thanked him, and he walked me out.

The entire follow-up lasted for about forty minutes.