Chicago N400 filers

[podapodapunnaku 11]

All,

      We did our oath yesterday at Chicago. It was a judicial ceremony. It was fairly simple. No videos. No anthem. No long speeches. It took about 7 minutes from start to end. Most of the time was seating and information about what we should be doing after the ceremony. 

      We were scheduled to start at 12.00. The seating took about an hour. 36 countries and 112 citizens.

        They said passport is available for those who want it expedited across the street. The Voter registration was also available. 

           Ensure to take photocopy of the naturalization certificate. Enjoy and take plenty of pics!!

           This forum has beeen great. I wish you all the very best 

 

-CHarles

[kdg 24]

1 minute ago, podapodapunnaku said:

All,

      We did our oath yesterday at Chicago. It was a judicial ceremony. It was fairly simple. No videos. No anthem. No long speeches. It took about 7 minutes from start to end. Most of the time was seating and information about what we should be doing after the ceremony. 

      We were scheduled to start at 12.00. The seating took about an hour. 36 countries and 112 citizens.

        They said passport is available for those who want it expedited across the street. The Voter registration was also available. 

           Ensure to take photocopy of the naturalization certificate. Enjoy and take plenty of pics!!

           This forum has beeen great. I wish you all the very best 

 

-CHarles

Congratulations!!!!!

seems a little sad that the ceremony that we build all our expectations on is done in 7 minutes!! Ah well..... I can’t wait for the oath to be done and be a citizen finally. 

Agree this forum is the best. I have used it since I started my I-129f visa back in January 2013 and couldn’t have done without it along the way. Saved $$$ in lawyer fees!

[egroeg 66]

40 minutes ago, podapodapunnaku said:

All,

      We did our oath yesterday at Chicago. It was a judicial ceremony. It was fairly simple. No videos. No anthem. No long speeches. It took about 7 minutes from start to end. Most of the time was seating and information about what we should be doing after the ceremony. 

      We were scheduled to start at 12.00. The seating took about an hour. 36 countries and 112 citizens.

        They said passport is available for those who want it expedited across the street. The Voter registration was also available. 

           Ensure to take photocopy of the naturalization certificate. Enjoy and take plenty of pics!!

           This forum has beeen great. I wish you all the very best 

 

-CHarles

Congrats @podapodapunnaku When did you file your N-400 ? When was your interview ?

[gabreigns 75]

@podapodapunnaku Congrats... Same question as xilef.

 

Also anyone know when the next oath ceremony date is for Chicago filers?

[kdg 24]

9 minutes ago, gabreigns said:

@podapodapunnaku Congrats... Same question as xilef.

 

Also anyone know when the next oath ceremony date is for Chicago filers?

Depends where you live in Illinois .... if you live in the Chicago immediate area there are ceremonies 4 times a week. If you live south of Chicago.... well it takes a few months to get a date. I filed in November. Got my interview in June and my ceremony is September. Another person waiting from April to September for oath. The last three ceremonies of the year for mid Illinois are Springfield in September 21st, Peoria on September 25th and Rock island on October 12th. 

Edited August 29, 2018 by kdg

[gabreigns 75]

Wow, you have been on top of this researching. Thanks for the info. I live downtown Chicago. Ceremonies 4 times a week for Chicago location is an impressive turnaround. Wish you the very best for your oath.

9 minutes ago, kdg said:

Depends where you live in Illinois .... if you live in the Chicago immediate area there are ceremonies 4 times a week. If you live south of Chicago.... well it takes a few months to get a date. I filed in November. Got my interview in June and my ceremony is September. Another person waiting from April to September for oath. The last three ceremonies of the year for mid Illinois are Springfield in September 21st, Peoria on September 25th and Rock island on October 12th. 

 

[kdg 24]

1 minute ago, gabreigns said:

Wow, you have been on top of this researching. Thanks for the info. I live downtown Chicago. Ceremonies 4 times a week for Chicago location is an impressive turnaround. Wish you the very best for your oath.

 

Lol

yea it becomes a necessity when you’re trying to juggle life, trips, Work etc!!  It seems the turnaround for Chicago residents from interview to ceremony (unless you need a name change) is anything from 2-4 weeks. Good luck! 

[peachlings 68]

@gabreigns, you can look up naturalization ceremonies in the Northern Illinois district here: http://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/Naturalization.aspx. Right now it only shows tomorrow because it shows one month at a time, but like @kdg said, (administrative) ceremonies in the Chicago area are very frequent.

 

I'm the one who waited since the April interview to get scheduled for the oath, and I filed mid-July 2017, so my process will have taken over 14 months by the time I'm done 😂 such is life as a Central Illinois resident.

 

@kdg I have yet to receive the oath notice but I think that for most oaths they want people to show up 2 hours before, I assume too that it is for the paperwork, putting people in line, collecting green cards and such.

[kdg 24]

6 minutes ago, peachlings said:

@gabreigns, you can look up naturalization ceremonies in the Northern Illinois district here: http://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/Naturalization.aspx. Right now it only shows tomorrow because it shows one month at a time, but like @kdg said, (administrative) ceremonies in the Chicago area are very frequent.

 

I'm the one who waited since the April interview to get scheduled for the oath, and I filed mid-July 2017, so my process will have taken over 14 months by the time I'm done 😂 such is life as a Central Illinois resident.

 

@kdg I have yet to receive the oath notice but I think that for most oaths they want people to show up 2 hours before, I assume too that it is for the paperwork, putting people in line, collecting green cards and such.

Yes I am thinking as this is usually a huge, huge ceremony that 2 hours before the scheduled time sounds about right. I am telling anyone who wants to come watch to be there for 11. Except poor hubby who will just have to sit and wait 😏😜

 

 

[flash9153 28]

Finally received the interview letter for my wife, scheduled 10/03/18. We are very cautiously optimistic at this time; because as I have mentioned before, her I-751 is still pending.

 

If anybody at the Chicago office had a combined interview for I-751 and N400 - please do share your experience. If you were rejected, when did they reschedule your N400 interview? I am crossing all fingers and toes that somehow magically her I-751 gets adjudicated before 10/03. We really need to be able to catch a break through this journey!😢

Edited August 31, 2018 by flash9153

[egroeg 66]

18 hours ago, flash9153 said:

Finally received the interview letter for my wife, scheduled 10/03/18. We are very cautiously optimistic at this time; because as I have mentioned before, her I-751 is still pending.

 

If anybody at the Chicago office had a combined interview for I-751 and N400 - please do share your experience. If you were rejected, when did they reschedule your N400 interview? I am crossing all fingers and toes that somehow magically her I-751 gets adjudicated before 10/03. We really need to be able to catch a break through this journey!😢

@flash9153 We have a thread for combo filers in Chicago, @gabreigns posted her successful interview experience there. M

[egroeg 66]

 

 

[bzbee 93]

On 8/28/2018 at 4:26 PM, peachlings said:

Hang in there @bzbee ! I just got scheduled for Peoria on the 25th! 

 

On 8/28/2018 at 4:30 PM, kdg said:

Woohoo!! Maybe we will all be at the 25th ceremony!! Good luck @bzbee

Just when we gave up hope of getting in on the Sep oath ceremonies, got an update that the oath ceremony has been scheduled and notice has been mailed. Yay, final stretch 

 

@peachlings @kdg How did you find out the ceremony date before you received the actual notice in mail? My online account only says "Oath Ceremony Notice Was Mailed" and doesn't give any specific information about venue, date & time. And, how long did it take to receive the notice in mail after getting the online update? Thanks.

 

[kdg 24]

3 hours ago, bzbee said:

 

Just when we gave up hope of getting in on the Sep oath ceremonies, got an update that the oath ceremony has been scheduled and notice has been mailed. Yay, final stretch 

 

@peachlings @kdg How did you find out the ceremony date before you received the actual notice in mail? My online account only says "Oath Ceremony Notice Was Mailed" and doesn't give any specific information about venue, date & time. And, how long did it take to receive the notice in mail after getting the online update? Thanks.

 

I have an online account that I registered purely to get updates ! And I investigated the ceremony dates for mid central Illinois so knew the last three dates for the year. As soon as I got a text and email to say my account had been updated I was able to log in and see my documents and even print out a copy of the letter before it arrives. 

 

Hurray for us all the be almost done! There’s hope for the cornfields yet!! 

[bzbee 93]

1 hour ago, kdg said:

I have an online account that I registered purely to get updates ! And I investigated the ceremony dates for mid central Illinois so knew the last three dates for the year. As soon as I got a text and email to say my account had been updated I was able to log in and see my documents and even print out a copy of the letter before it arrives. 

 

Hurray for us all the be almost done! There’s hope for the cornfields yet!! 

I also registered for the online account with USCIS at https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov/ but I don't see any documents, only case status updates.

Anyway, guess no point worrying about it now. So happy that the journey is almost over