oath Oath Cerimony didn't happen.

[Tiziana 5]

I passed the citizenship test in July 2017.

I waited for the notice for the Oath cerimony. Finally I get a letter from USCIS. I open it only to see that it was a notice saying that I had missed my Oath Cerimony on August 23rd, and that they would notify me when the next one was going to be.

I called the USCIS number and I explain the situation. The only thing this person was able to tell me was that I had missed the cerimony and that I had to wait to get the next notification. I told him that I didn't go because I didn't know because I never received the notification. After checking in my building, we found the notification on the floor by the mail box (people that live in the building throw mail, that is not addressed to them or commercial mail or junk, on the floor, considering it trash. So probably the post office put my letter in the wrong mailbox and it was thrown on the trash pile, without me knowing...)

In September...this month...I receive a letter with the date of my next Oath Cerimony. September 22nd. at 8:30 am.

Finally, my husband and I ask for a day off from work, we dress up and go. I go there (I live in Brooklyn, New York),  the cerimony was in Brooklyn, to the second floor. After sitting for about an hour and a half in this big freezing court room, finally we are called row by row. We get in line to get to a table with two officers. Once there I show my letter, he asks a few questions, asks for my green card back, which gets thrown in a pile of green cards on the table. I get given a welcome package and am asked to sit again. After 5 minutes we are called again, row by row, people (we are about 300), get up and get in line toward an other table. When I get there I show my letter again and she looks for my certificate, which I'm supposed to sign and then I'm supposed to go sit back to where my spot was. She looks and can't find my certificate. She looks in a list of names. Then she said, she is not in the list. So I am sent back to the previews table, where a different lady checks my letter again. She asks me to sit while she tries to figure things out. I sit there for almost an other hour. Then a man was also not in the list and he comes sit next to me. Then I get up and go to the officer and tell her that I was already supposed to be there on August 23 for my Oath Cerimony but I had missed it because I never riceived the letter.

she looks at me and she said she is really sorry and that she doesn't know why I'm not in the list even though I had a letter with the right date and time. She told me to give her my phone number and that she would call me. I look at her wide eyed and said...do you mean that this is not going to happen today??? She said no, I'm sorry. I gave her my number and left...after 3 hours of sitting in a freezing court room.

The same day I called the USCIS number. I explained the situation to this very nice person who couldn't believe what I was telling him. He said he would send an urgent e-mail to the New York office and that I should expect an answer in two weeks and that if I don't hear back by Octobe 7th, to call back.

A few days abo I called my Representative, I explained my situation and the persn told me that I have to give the USCIS the two weeks and then if I don't hear back, to call her back and they'll try to help me.

Did anybody have a similar situation? This is crazy, isn't it? Unprofessional and just ridiculous. It felt humiliating.

[Mr Geminian 691]

1 hour ago, Tiziana said:

I passed the citizenship test in July 2017.

I waited for the notice for the Oath cerimony. Finally I get a letter from USCIS. I open it only to see that it was a notice saying that I had missed my Oath Cerimony on August 23rd, and that they would notify me when the next one was going to be.

I called the USCIS number and I explain the situation. The only thing this person was able to tell me was that I had missed the cerimony and that I had to wait to get the next notification. I told him that I didn't go because I didn't know because I never received the notification. After checking in my building, we found the notification on the floor by the mail box (people that live in the building throw mail, that is not addressed to them or commercial mail or junk, on the floor, considering it trash. So probably the post office put my letter in the wrong mailbox and it was thrown on the trash pile, without me knowing...)

In September...this month...I receive a letter with the date of my next Oath Cerimony. September 22nd. at 8:30 am.

Finally, my husband and I ask for a day off from work, we dress up and go. I go there (I live in Brooklyn, New York),  the cerimony was in Brooklyn, to the second floor. After sitting for about an hour and a half in this big freezing court room, finally we are called row by row. We get in line to get to a table with two officers. Once there I show my letter, he asks a few questions, asks for my green card back, which gets thrown in a pile of green cards on the table. I get given a welcome package and am asked to sit again. After 5 minutes we are called again, row by row, people (we are about 300), get up and get in line toward an other table. When I get there I show my letter again and she looks for my certificate, which I'm supposed to sign and then I'm supposed to go sit back to where my spot was. She looks and can't find my certificate. She looks in a list of names. Then she said, she is not in the list. So I am sent back to the previews table, where a different lady checks my letter again. She asks me to sit while she tries to figure things out. I sit there for almost an other hour. Then a man was also not in the list and he comes sit next to me. Then I get up and go to the officer and tell her that I was already supposed to be there on August 23 for my Oath Cerimony but I had missed it because I never riceived the letter.

she looks at me and she said she is really sorry and that she doesn't know why I'm not in the list even though I had a letter with the right date and time. She told me to give her my phone number and that she would call me. I look at her wide eyed and said...do you mean that this is not going to happen today??? She said no, I'm sorry. I gave her my number and left...after 3 hours of sitting in a freezing court room.

The same day I called the USCIS number. I explained the situation to this very nice person who couldn't believe what I was telling him. He said he would send an urgent e-mail to the New York office and that I should expect an answer in two weeks and that if I don't hear back by Octobe 7th, to call back.

A few days abo I called my Representative, I explained my situation and the persn told me that I have to give the USCIS the two weeks and then if I don't hear back, to call her back and they'll try to help me.

Did anybody have a similar situation? This is crazy, isn't it? Unprofessional and just ridiculous. It felt humiliating.

Am sorry that you missed your oath ceremony and hoping that you receive a mail with the nearest date for the same. 

[Going through 5,671]

9 hours ago, Tiziana said:

she looks at me and she said she is really sorry and that she doesn't know why I'm not in the list even though I had a letter with the right date and time. She told me to give her my phone number and that she would call me.

Did she ever call you?

 

I would phone USCIS and request to speak to an L2 officer and see if they can do anything to help you...when you called USCIS the first time, did you speak to an L2 or just the regular customer service person?

[Tiziana 5]

8 hours ago, Going through said:

Did she ever call you?

 

I would phone USCIS and request to speak to an L2 officer and see if they can do anything to help you...when you called USCIS the first time, did you speak to an L2 or just the regular customer service person?

She hasn't called me yet. It's been a week today. What is a L2 officer?

I didn't ask for one. I spoke to the person that took my call.

[iamwhatiam80 92]

I am sorry to hear about this situation. Did you sign up for text/email updates ?

 

If you had signed up for that, then you would possibly have not missed your first appointment because even if your mail got misplaced, you still could have called them and they could have faxed it you.

[Going through 5,671]

52 minutes ago, Tiziana said:

She hasn't called me yet. It's been a week today. What is a L2 officer?

I didn't ask for one. I spoke to the person that took my call.

An L2 officer is an Immigration Officer---someone who can actually view your personal file/case and give you real-time information on it, any letters that have been sent out from them, view your documents submitted, etc.

 

The people who answer the help line are just customer service reps who really can't give you any other information than what is available on the USCIS website itself.  They are there more for just general questions.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

I'm really sorry this happened to you, that is a serious bummer and I can understand why you felt humiliated. I hope they can get their act together for you ASAP.

[Holt 73]

Sorry to hear this bad news. 

Please share us some new information. 

 

[Tiziana 5]

On 9/29/2017 at 6:13 AM, Going through said:

Did she ever call you?

 

I would phone USCIS and request to speak to an L2 officer and see if they can do anything to help you...when you called USCIS the first time, did you speak to an L2 or just the regular customer service person?

I am still waiting. This past Friday was a week already.

I think I spoke to an L2 lawyer, I believe, because I was transferred to an other person.

[Tiziana 5]

On 9/29/2017 at 2:33 PM, iamwhatiam80 said:

I am sorry to hear about this situation. Did you sign up for text/email updates ?

 

If you had signed up for that, then you would possibly have not missed your first appointment because even if your mail got misplaced, you still could have called them and they could have faxed it you.

I actually don't remember if I was ever offered that. I checked online but also the website is not up to date when I check my case status.

[Tiziana 5]

On 10/1/2017 at 4:47 PM, Holt said:

Sorry to hear this bad news. 

Please share us some new information. 

 

I am still waiting. I was told to wait to weeks...it will be on Friday...But I am thinking to call tomorrow.

[Holt 73]

Thanks for the update. 

If we were not actively and positively rush them about this, they would take forever to complete this. Have you tried to go to your field office ?

[Tiziana 5]

On 9/28/2017 at 9:04 PM, Tiziana said:

I passed the citizenship test in July 2017.

I waited for the notice for the Oath cerimony. Finally I get a letter from USCIS. I open it only to see that it was a notice saying that I had missed my Oath Cerimony on August 23rd, and that they would notify me when the next one was going to be.

I called the USCIS number and I explain the situation. The only thing this person was able to tell me was that I had missed the cerimony and that I had to wait to get the next notification. I told him that I didn't go because I didn't know because I never received the notification. After checking in my building, we found the notification on the floor by the mail box (people that live in the building throw mail, that is not addressed to them or commercial mail or junk, on the floor, considering it trash. So probably the post office put my letter in the wrong mailbox and it was thrown on the trash pile, without me knowing...)

In September...this month...I receive a letter with the date of my next Oath Cerimony. September 22nd. at 8:30 am.

Finally, my husband and I ask for a day off from work, we dress up and go. I go there (I live in Brooklyn, New York),  the cerimony was in Brooklyn, to the second floor. After sitting for about an hour and a half in this big freezing court room, finally we are called row by row. We get in line to get to a table with two officers. Once there I show my letter, he asks a few questions, asks for my green card back, which gets thrown in a pile of green cards on the table. I get given a welcome package and am asked to sit again. After 5 minutes we are called again, row by row, people (we are about 300), get up and get in line toward an other table. When I get there I show my letter again and she looks for my certificate, which I'm supposed to sign and then I'm supposed to go sit back to where my spot was. She looks and can't find my certificate. She looks in a list of names. Then she said, she is not in the list. So I am sent back to the previews table, where a different lady checks my letter again. She asks me to sit while she tries to figure things out. I sit there for almost an other hour. Then a man was also not in the list and he comes sit next to me. Then I get up and go to the officer and tell her that I was already supposed to be there on August 23 for my Oath Cerimony but I had missed it because I never riceived the letter.

she looks at me and she said she is really sorry and that she doesn't know why I'm not in the list even though I had a letter with the right date and time. She told me to give her my phone number and that she would call me. I look at her wide eyed and said...do you mean that this is not going to happen today??? She said no, I'm sorry. I gave her my number and left...after 3 hours of sitting in a freezing court room.

The same day I called the USCIS number. I explained the situation to this very nice person who couldn't believe what I was telling him. He said he would send an urgent e-mail to the New York office and that I should expect an answer in two weeks and that if I don't hear back by Octobe 7th, to call back.

A few days abo I called my Representative, I explained my situation and the persn told me that I have to give the USCIS the two weeks and then if I don't hear back, to call her back and they'll try to help me.

Did anybody have a similar situation? This is crazy, isn't it? Unprofessional and just ridiculous. It felt humiliating.

Update...

This has been a nightmare...After two weeks, I called back...twice! The first time I spoke to a regular person and she told me that I had to probably wait two more weeks because sometimes it can take up to 30 days to hear anything back. I called the day after and asked for an L2 officer. This person told me the same thing. They said they didn't know and that I had to wait longer. Then (and I didn't know this before), I went to the uscis web site and I added to receive updates about my case through e-mail and text messages. On October 6th I called again, spoke to an L2 officer. She was very rude. I said that I had heard anything from anybody and the two weeks had passed. She said that they did reply to me (even if I didn't receive anything) she said they had sent me a notice saying that my application was still pending and that they didn't know when an other Oath Ceremony was going to be scheduled. When I went home that night, I found that notice in the mail box saying exactly that.

The same night I also got a text message from uscis saying that my case had been updated and to check my status online. So I did, and it said that a notice was sent to me and that if I didn't receive it by October 12th, to click on the link and notify them. On October 12th of course I didn't receive anything (and to this day I still haven't received anything). I went online and notified them. Ant it said that my request would be reviewed and that I should expect a reply by November 3rd.

Tired of waiting, I called on October 17th, spoke to a nice person that said she could see they sent me a notice because an Oath Ceremony had been scheduled and she asked me if I had received it. I said I hadn't and that was the reason I was calling. She said she would transfer me to an L2 officer because they would text it to me, because the ceremony could be any day. She transferred me but the call dropped. I called back, spoke to a different person, she said it was too late to transfer (5:30pm) and that I had to call back the day after. 

On October 18th at 8:00 am I called, spoke to a nice person. She transferred me to an L2 officer. At first she seemed nice...Then she said that the last update she could see was from September 22nd. I said no. I received an update through text message that said my status had been updated and when I went online it said that a new Oath Ceremony had been scheduled. She pretty much made it sound like I was crazy, and that I was making things up (of course she did't say that, but that is how she sounded like to me!). She said she could not see that, and that again the last update was from September 22nd (which was the Oath Ceremony I attended and I was sent home because they didn't have my certificate and I wasn't in the list!!!!!! So, I said I had called the day before and the person I spoke to could see that they had scheduled a new date, and how come she could not see it? And why was the website was telling me that a new date was scheduled if it wasn't true? and shouldn't be everybody be on the same page? At that point she got defensive and said that if I wasn't satisfied and if I thought she wasn't giving me the right information that I should schedule an appointment in person at an office. She explained me how to do it. I said great! I went online and tried to do that but of course (can you read sarcasm???) it said that at that time there were no appointments available!!!

So, that is where I am now...with no idea what is going on. I am taking a day off from work tomorrow and I am calling again, with my husband, because maybe we can find a sane person that can give us answers! After this last try...I really don't know what else to do. I have an overseas flight scheduled for the end of November...and I am afraid I won't be able to go.

[Going through 5,671]

At this point, the only thing I would suggest trying is to do a walk-in for an infopass appointment.  Bring whatever letters you have from USCIS regarding any scheduled oath ceremonies (maybe see if you can print out screenshots from the online case status or something as extra proof), explain what happened since the first scheduled oath ceremony and see if they can help you in any way.

 

I'm so sorry you've had to go through this incredibly frustrating situation.  Hopefully they will let you in to speak to someone regarding your case without an appointment.

[Tiziana 5]

1 hour ago, Going through said:

At this point, the only thing I would suggest trying is to do a walk-in for an infopass appointment.  Bring whatever letters you have from USCIS regarding any scheduled oath ceremonies (maybe see if you can print out screenshots from the online case status or something as extra proof), explain what happened since the first scheduled oath ceremony and see if they can help you in any way.

 

I'm so sorry you've had to go through this incredibly frustrating situation.  Hopefully they will let you in to speak to someone regarding your case without an appointment.

I called this morning. The person we spoke to told us that the new update on the computer, that said I was scheduled for a Oath Ceremony and if I didn't receive it by October 12th to click on the link, referred to the notice that was mailed to me on September 12th, with Oath Ceremony scheduled for September 22nd. (The one I went and was sent away because I wasn't in the list and they didn't have my certificate). She said they send out notifications a month after a notice is mailed...So, at this time there is no Ceremony scheduled yet.