Going Alone to the Interview

[JVKn'CVO 11]

I have my citizenship interview scheduled for the 15th. I feel prepared and my husband asked for the day off so we could go together with our 2 children...and he got scheduled to travel for work that week. He can't get out of it either.

Did anyone go to the interview by themselves? Do you feel it affected the outcome?

Thanks!

Caro

[Faizanzeba143 2]

I just had my naturalization interview over a week ago and so did my parents. It doesn't really matter if your spouse is with you or not because my parents went in Seperately at different times that were given such as different officers. Everyone had someone come with them just as a support such as their spouse, friend etc but in the end when your number is up you'll be going in there alone. Theyll just go over our application and review the same answers you pht, give you the test and youre out. So dont worry about it too much if your husband cannot come. Best of luck!

[Prixxi82 7]

Exactly they interview you alone, no oe else is supposed to go in with you because they think they will help you with anything or any question. I went by myself and everything went smoothly they call my name they ask a couple of things then the history, civics questions and write down a small sentence and that was all. Don't worry

[christeen 966]

It will not make a difference to the interviewer since you are alone... Although I know it would be a big moral support for,you personally...

[JoBri 548]

It wont make a difference if someone else is there or not. But just to let y'all know, I (the US citizen husband) was allowed to go in to the interview. Am glad I could, because the interviewing officer was making a huge mistake that would have affected my wife's name and I set him straight on it and the issue was reviewed with the senior person and corrected right there. That was the case in Memphis anyway.... I think most times it is not allowed to accompany the one seeking to naturalize. God just took care of things for us though.

[Hedi 24]

My husband went to his interview alone, as I couldn't take the day off to accompany him. There was no issue in regards to my absence, and after a 15 minute interview, my husband was approved for citizenship. However, his oath ceremony was 9 days after his interview, and I did manage to take that day off.

[JVKn'CVO 11]

Thanks everybody for the responses!

[JVKn'CVO 11]

It wont make a difference if someone else is there or not. But just to let y'all know, I (the US citizen husband) was allowed to go in to the interview. Am glad I could, because the interviewing officer was making a huge mistake that would have affected my wife's name and I set him straight on it and the issue was reviewed with the senior person and corrected right there. That was the case in Memphis anyway.... I think most times it is not allowed to accompany the one seeking to naturalize. God just took care of things for us though.

What type of mistake was they officer going to make?

[JoBri 548]

What type of mistake was they officer going to make?

Well, in the Philippines it is the custom that when the woman marries, her maiden last name becomes her middle name and she then takes the name of her husband as her new last name. For example, Betty Jean Smith marries John Alvin Doe. Betty's name becomes Betty Smith Doe. We got married in the Philippines, and that is the custom we followed.

My wife had changed her Filipino passport to her new married name prior to coming to the USA. It is the name we used for all of her immigration stuff. It is the name on her bank accounts, SSN, our marriage certificate, drivers license, credit cards, and even her name in all her U.S. Air Force military records. It is her LEGAL name. The officer insisted that she couldnt do that, and that she would have to sign her naturalization paperwork using her birth middle name. In other words, she would have to take a fake name that the officer chose for her rather than her legal name. We were perplexed, and I questioned the officer extensively and pointed out what a problem this would be should we ever choose to go back to the Philippines to live, not to mention how it would affect all her records here, with a new name that wasnt even going to be legal.

She had her oath the same day. The IO must have thought it all over and spoke with his Director to be sure of things. He then concocted some story to tell us, saying that he saw the concern on our faces and realized how unhappy we would be changing her name, and therefore since it would be accepted whatever name he approved of she could keep her name as is. What I am sure happened is that when the officer spoke with his director and learned of the mistake he was making, he was too embarrassed to tell us the truth that he was in great error, and made up that story thinking we would be none the wiser. The truth is that no immigration officer is going to break the law to make someone naturalizing happy. He was just confused and wrong and didnt want to admit that to us. If she came here on a fiancee visa, a K1, perhaps that rule would apply since she would marry in the USA. But we got married in Quezon City, Philippines, and the name change went according to Filipino custom and law.