N-400 approved, but a TERRIBLE experience. Should I complain?

[Quarknase 1,072]

20 minutes ago, Calicolom said:

You were approved, and you are alive. My wife had her interview, and had a very nice experience. Her friend had a very bad experience. Some of these officers treat you like a foreign person.

a foreign person should receive the same respect, no?

 

[J&A1234 181]

I’m so sorry you went through that. Like everyone already stated, I would wait until you’re a citizen to file a complaint.

 

To counter those who are just saying to let it go, if this is the way she treats someone who’s native tongue is English, I can only imagine how this woman treats those who cant speak it that well. If everyone who she treats this way just decides to let it go, she will continue to treat people terribly with no repercussions. At least by filing a complaint there would be a paper trail if something more egregious happens to someone else down the line. Just my take on it. 

[ioxtremod 23]

Hum, first congrats!

 

It doesn't sound like a pleasant experience and it's possible that she gave you a bad treatment because of your marriage.

 

That said there is nothing that strikes me out of the line. She is allowed - and is actually her job - to double check your marriage if you apply under the 3 year rule. And the burden proof fails on you like always with USCIS. Most of us plan to carry all documents to the interview even if it's not requested. It's better to have someone asking hard questions but recommend you for approval than the reverse. Asking no question but push you in another harder interview.

 

My advice will be to document it - like write down everything from memory with a precise timeline - but only use it if for some reasons you don't get citizenship. Rolling eyes, asking too many questions, or speaking loudly are not material enough to go a long way IMHO.

 

 

[BBlueB 35]

14 minutes ago, ioxtremod said:

Hum, first congrats!

 

It doesn't sound like a pleasant experience and it's possible that she gave you a bad treatment because of your marriage.

 

That said there is nothing that strikes me out of the line. She is allowed - and is actually her job - to double check your marriage if you apply under the 3 year rule. And the burden proof fails on you like always with USCIS. Most of us plan to carry all documents to the interview even if it's not requested. It's better to have someone asking hard questions but recommend you for approval than the reverse. Asking no question but push you in another harder interview.

 

My advice will be to document it - like write down everything from memory with a precise timeline - but only use it if for some reasons you don't get citizenship. Rolling eyes, asking too many questions, or speaking loudly are not material enough to go a long way IMHO.

 

 

Great advice

[Dashinka 24,917]

32 minutes ago, ioxtremod said:

Hum, first congrats!

 

It doesn't sound like a pleasant experience and it's possible that she gave you a bad treatment because of your marriage.

 

That said there is nothing that strikes me out of the line. She is allowed - and is actually her job - to double check your marriage if you apply under the 3 year rule. And the burden proof fails on you like always with USCIS. Most of us plan to carry all documents to the interview even if it's not requested. It's better to have someone asking hard questions but recommend you for approval than the reverse. Asking no question but push you in another harder interview.

 

My advice will be to document it - like write down everything from memory with a precise timeline - but only use it if for some reasons you don't get citizenship. Rolling eyes, asking too many questions, or speaking loudly are not material enough to go a long way IMHO.

 

 

I agree, the N400 instructions are pretty clear regarding the list of evidence that is required for the interview which is usually repeated on the interview NOA.  Even if that evidence is attached online, it should still be taken to the interview.  As to surrendering the cards the OP may have received, it is my understanding that this happens at the oath ceremony, at least that is where they asked my wife for her EAD and GC.

 

To the OP, sorry you had a less than stellar experience.  It is up to you if you want to file a complaint after your oath ceremony, but at the very least, please provide a field office review here on VJ.

 

https://www.visajourney.com/reviews/

 

Good Luck!

 

 

[jeanieCZ 228]

On 9/9/2020 at 3:39 PM, lesleypowers said:

Hi all,

 

Had my N-400 interview today and was recommended for approval, although I couldn't do a same day naturalization because "their computer system was down". I am not an overly emotional person and have only had positive experiences with staff and officers at this same field office before, but my officer today was so nasty she actually reduced me to tears. I have relayed it to a few friends who are not involved in the immigration system and they are all pushing me to complain, but I'm not sure if it's worth it or not really. Just wanted to relay it here to see if any of you lot find this to be unusual.

 

I like to think I am a polite and friendly person, and communication has never been a concern during my immigration process as English is my first language. However this officer had it in for me from the get go. If for whatever reason she couldn't understand me she would repeatedly SHOUT at me and had a very aggressive manner. On the two occasions I asked if she could clarify something for me, her eyes practically rolled back in her head with disdain. Unpleasant, but not grounds for complaint. However, once I had passed the exam and gone through the yes/no questions, she began requesting all manner of documentation that was not required on the invitation. She scanned the letter and said "well I don't issue these. I can see they didn't ask for it, but I don't care." I am a woman married to another woman so I couldn't say if that had anything to do with it, but she began requesting all manner of proof of our relationship which I had already provided when I submitted my N-400 application. Again she agreed with me that nowhere in my paperwork did it state I should bring these things along. There was no reason for her to believe our marriage isn't legitimate. I had to practically beg to turn my phone on in order to show her the documentation as a pdf. When I found documents she would repeatedly tell me they weren't what she was looking for despite clear evidence to the contrary, and then request another document. When I showed her them on the screen she would put me through a strange rigmarole of zooming in and out repeatedly despite all the pertinent information being clear on the screen. She told me I would not be approved if I could not provide sufficient evidence for her. Just to reiterate, I already provided all of this information when I submitted the initial N-400 app. Also there was very little signal in the building and she was getting very clearly frustrated and impatient as I worked as quickly as I could to pull up the information she requested. If I had been unable to get my phone working I would have been denied.  Ultimately I was approved which was great, but she again got angry with me as she requested that I surrender all the government identification I had ever been given (old employment card etc)- I said I hadn't brought it as it wasn't listed on the letter, and she said "DID YOU LEAVE IT AT HOOOOOME" in a childlike mocking of my accent. On the way out she was very rude to me and at one point laughed in my face as I got a little disoriented looking for the exit.

 

All in all it was an extremely hostile experience. Perhaps I sound paranoid but this woman really was just incredibly cruel and unpleasant to me. I was really excited for this experience and left feeling drained and panicked. Just wanted to share and see if this is a typical experience or not, as it was very different from my adjustment of status interview.

What a terrible experience  

I think if this happened to me, I would certainly want to give some feedback. Some people commenting here said you won't need to deal with this b***** again while others will - that I feel is reason enough to make sure this person doesn't feel free to treat people in such a terrible way. I don't understand why such behavious should be accepted as the norm. It is not. As a human, a woman and as a woman married to a woman, it enrages me. 

I'm sorry to hear it happened to you! Congratulations on your approval  And good luck with whatever action you decide to take, or not. 

[jeanieCZ 228]

5 hours ago, ManCharsey said:

Considering it's a government office, there's almost a 99% possibility your complaints won't go anywhere as that attitude is very common place within many of the institutions within the DHS. There's actually a TV show on Netflix about ICE called Immigration Nation and you will be appalled by the level of crudeness and arrogance the DHS guys on the show do their work and if they feel comfortable doing this publicly, it tells you it is a good reflection of the rank and file of that particular branch. 

And that's exactly THE reason why I believe such cases must be reported. If nobody reports it, nothing will ever change. 

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

6 hours ago, Calicolom said:

You were approved, and you are alive. My wife had her interview, and had a very nice experience. Her friend had a very bad experience. Some of these officers treat you like a foreign person.

...but you are a foreign person 🤷🏻‍♀️...What does it mean to be treated like a foreign person?  ..you are implying foreign people should be treated as lesser which I don’t see how that is right...

[lesleypowers 3]

4 hours ago, Dashinka said:

I agree, the N400 instructions are pretty clear regarding the list of evidence that is required for the interview which is usually repeated on the interview NOA.  Even if that evidence is attached online, it should still be taken to the interview.  As to surrendering the cards the OP may have received, it is my understanding that this happens at the oath ceremony, at least that is where they asked my wife for her EAD and GC.

 

To the OP, sorry you had a less than stellar experience.  It is up to you if you want to file a complaint after your oath ceremony, but at the very least, please provide a field office review here on VJ.

 

https://www.visajourney.com/reviews/

 

Good Luck!

 

 

I totally understand- I was provided with a list of evidence that was required, and I brought all of it to the interview. My concern was that she then asked for a wealth of evidence that was not requested. She seemed to admit this wasn't standard because she actually looked at the letter and said "I can see it doesn't ask for it, but I don't care". In addition when I did provide it she picked it apart in strange ways (for example, our lease renewal was signed by the office manager and not the property owner which she felt invalidated the document). She also quizzed me on things beyond the civics test (lines from the pledge of allegiance, etc). Ultimately it felt that she was deliberately trying to find any reason to decline me.

 

Anyway, thanks for the well wishes! I'm not sure if I'll complain or not- I'll certainly wait until after naturalization, though. I'll provide a review when I get a minute!

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

7 minutes ago, jeanieCZ said:

And that's exactly THE reason why I believe such cases must be reported. If nobody reports it, nothing will ever change. 

Agreed. OP won’t be the only one that she treats like this. This kind of stuff needs to be exposed to stop it.. there are plenty of Americans needing jobs if this woman gets fired she can easily be replaced..

[Dashinka 24,917]

15 minutes ago, lesleypowers said:

I totally understand- I was provided with a list of evidence that was required, and I brought all of it to the interview. My concern was that she then asked for a wealth of evidence that was not requested. She seemed to admit this wasn't standard because she actually looked at the letter and said "I can see it doesn't ask for it, but I don't care". In addition when I did provide it she picked it apart in strange ways (for example, our lease renewal was signed by the office manager and not the property owner which she felt invalidated the document). She also quizzed me on things beyond the civics test (lines from the pledge of allegiance, etc). Ultimately it felt that she was deliberately trying to find any reason to decline me.

 

Anyway, thanks for the well wishes! I'm not sure if I'll complain or not- I'll certainly wait until after naturalization, though. I'll provide a review when I get a minute!

Given that, I would be inclined to file a complaint as @Luckycuds stated, others will encounter the same IO at some point and if they are requiring evidence that wasn't even asked for that is a little beyond what I would deem acceptable.  

 

Hopefully you have your oath ceremony soon, and Good Luck with being near the end of your journey!

[Fr8dog 312]

File a complained right after the ceremony, it will be your first civic duty I would say. She can ask for additional evidence but when she went beyond the scope of the civics test, that is when she crossed the line. Also she can ask to see your expired cards but cannot demand them. They only required to be turned in during the ceremony.

I would not be surprised that you ran into a person who feels less than comfortable with same sex marriages. She is entitled to her personal opinion, but is not allowed to judge on that during her job, that is a law suit waiting to happen for her and her office.  I would point that out and make it the focus of your complained.