Missed Oath

[dioxide45 25]

I posted about this in the June thread in my post about my Oath Ceremony, but was curious about this situation. At my Oath Ceremony yesterday, there were 18 people scheduled to take their Oath. All 18 people checked in and surrendered their green cards and turned in their Oath letters. Due to the small group, there was about an hour between when everyone was finished being processed (handing in cards and letter) and when our Oath Ceremony actually started.

We were to arrive at 12:30pm to begin processing with an oath ceremony to begin at 2:00pm. At about 12:50 we were instructed that we could leave the courtroom and directed to where to find the restrooms and where there was a small snack bar on another floor. We were told to return to our assigned seats at 1:45pm. Most people hung out in the hallway or in the back of the courtroom with their guests, but apparently some wandered a little too far away.

At 1:45 all but two people had returned. There were 16 of the 18 in attandance. The other two never did return to actually take their oath or receive their Certificate of Naturalization? What would cause someone to do this? Cold feet? Did they think we were all done after we surrendered our green card and not understand that they were to return to actually have to complete the process? Did they think they were not citizens? Did they get lost or end up taking a nap in their car and overslept? I guess I will never know. I just thought it was a curious situation and I wonder how the USCIS would handle this. Will they automatically reschedule these people for another Oath. Will they contact them to return their green cards or will they have to apply for replacements? I would never expect anyone to check in at the ceremony and then not actually take the Oath?

[jenny2014wu 7]

They might have driving ticket or something on the final form, so they need to go back for more things,

[dioxide45 25]

That would make sense, but I don't think that was it. It seemed like the USCIS officer was expecting them to return. Even directing the clerk of courts to check in the hallway to see if they were perhaps there. When he returned stating that they couldn't be found it seemed like she signaled to go ahead and start without them.

[kcoyclay1 98]

Wow! That is strange!

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

How very odd.

You'd imagine if they were sick or something, they would have told the clerk.I think you are right, they probably thought they were done.