How To Expedite Naturalization Oath in Cases of Impending Travel

[CatherineTheGreat 0]

Hi all, I am a PR getting ready to file my N-400 based on marriage with USC in Louisville KY in mid March, 2014. I, however, have just received a postdoctoral fellowship in Italy starting september 1st. Since the processing time in Louisville is currently 5 months, I think I have a good chance of finishing it by the end of august (I've had great experience with the Louisville office so far in terms of processing time). However, this local office does not conduct same-day oaths and, if the oath ceremony is pushed too late, I might not have enough time to get a passport, even with expedited service.

I was wondering if any of you have any experience with trying to get an expedited oath ceremony based on emergency travel to work/study abroad. It's not a life and death situation, but it's an emergency nonetheless and I can attach a copy of the letter of acceptance. If so, at what point in the application process can you make the request for expedited oath and how (letter, infopass, phonecall, email)? I thought of including a letter with my original application package, but I havent seen anybody try this. If I am supposed to write a letter after the interview, to whom should I address it and where should I send it? The USCIS site mentions that requests for expedited oaths should be addressed to the District Director, while one of their brochures suggest the local office director, but neither provides an address.

I know that I can leave this application for next year, when I return, but then I would have to justify an absence greater than 6 months although shorter than a year.

Thank you, all, for any suggestions!

[Shub 78]

As far as I know there's only one office per district, so I'm fairly certain that the district director is the same thing as the local office director.

Based on that, I believe that you need only figure out the address of your local office and go from there.

You will know the address for sure when they have you come to your interview, but you can try looking it up online.

I googled "uscis field office louisville kentucky" and found this:

https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=offices.detail&office=LOU&OfficeLocator.office_type=LO&OfficeLocator.statecode=KY

That said, I have no experience expediting any part of the naturalization process, so I can offer no advice.

[BigDaddy28 228]

Hi all, I am a PR getting ready to file my N-400 based on marriage with USC in Louisville KY in mid March, 2014. I, however, have just received a postdoctoral fellowship in Italy starting september 1st. Since the processing time in Louisville is currently 5 months, I think I have a good chance of finishing it by the end of august (I've had great experience with the Louisville office so far in terms of processing time). However, this local office does not conduct same-day oaths and, if the oath ceremony is pushed too late, I might not have enough time to get a passport, even with expedited service.

I was wondering if any of you have any experience with trying to get an expedited oath ceremony based on emergency travel to work/study abroad. It's not a life and death situation, but it's an emergency nonetheless and I can attach a copy of the letter of acceptance. If so, at what point in the application process can you make the request for expedited oath and how (letter, infopass, phonecall, email)? I thought of including a letter with my original application package, but I havent seen anybody try this. If I am supposed to write a letter after the interview, to whom should I address it and where should I send it? The USCIS site mentions that requests for expedited oaths should be addressed to the District Director, while one of their brochures suggest the local office director, but neither provides an address.

I know that I can leave this application for next year, when I return, but then I would have to justify an absence greater than 6 months although shorter than a year.

Thank you, all, for any suggestions!

Hello I would advice you to file now and at the interview let them know about your travel and see if they could Gerry you in a ceremony code enough. One you become a citizen, go to a passport processing facility and get a same daypassport. You have to take your airplane ticket to prove that your travel is closer then 15 days. That way you get your passport in one day. Good luck

[CatherineTheGreat 0]

Thanks silkafi88, and congrats on your recent oath ceremony! Nice 5 month process. Yes, I guess I'll bring the travel up at my interview. Do you happen to know where I can find a schedule of oath ceremonies in Louisville? I'm not sure how often they organize ceremonies. The uscis website says twice a week, but i find it hard to believe since people have been waiting for more than two months. If expediting the oath fails and I get pushed into late August, I'll try to get a same day passport in Chicago or Atlanta where they have passport agencies.

Shub, thank you for the suggestion. I had done the uscis search and came up with http://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/field-offices/kentucky-louisville-field-office%C2'>

If anybody else has any exprience with attempts to expedite the oath (in or outside Louisville KY), I could use some tips.

[CatherineTheGreat 0]

Shub, I meant to say I found that we have both a District director and a field office director, but if it comes to that, I will probably write to the local field office

http://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/field-offices/kentucky-louisville-field-office

[BigDaddy28 228]

Thank you Catherine. You can call the federal court on Broadway and ask to speak to the person responsible for the naturalization ceremonies there. You can ask her about the dates they have for the oaths. But they know the oaths that will happen in a month or 2 not more then that.

[CatherineTheGreat 0]

Thanks for the tip, silkafi88!

[CatherineTheGreat 0]

Did nobody try to get an expedited oath (other then as members of the miitary)? I/m just trying to get a sense of what constitutes a legitimate reason.

[CatherineTheGreat 0]

I just wanted update my experience here for others needing expedited oaths (in Louisville KY). I had a very comfortable interview with a nice IO, passed all the tests, confirmed the details in my form, explained the meaning of the oath, etc. At the end, when the IO told me I was recommended for approval, I explained my situation and asked to have my oath as early as possible. He told me he would do his best, but that it was not ultimately up to him. I even left a letter in which I formally petitioned the USCIS for expedited oath and explained that I received a position in Europe starting in September and that I would need to get a US passport (and visa) before travel. The second day after the interview my status was updated to "placed in que for oath". Two weeks later, I got the letter with the scheduled oath date (basically a month after the interview.) I think this was partly a matter of luck (my IO was very nice and accommodating), but it might nevertheless help people who have good reasons to require expedited oaths that do not fall into the category of life and death emergencies.