CROSSING THE BORDER QUESTION & PASSPORT QUESTIONS & citizenship interview questions

[madj22 7]

Hello all!

 

I have my citizenship interview coming up shortly- it will be in late fall. Where I live I am on the opposite side of the continent from my family in Canada. I am wanting to go home for Christmas and usually would be looking at flights soon because they are very expensive. A lot of people report the interviews being mostly a formality and pretty straightforward if your case is pretty straight forward, which mine is. I am thinking most likely I will get recommended for approval, which I am told they tell you if you are recommended for approval in the interview itself. My question is, if I am approved, but wouldn't be able to secure an american passport in time for christmas, can I now travel into canada AND BACK IN with just my Canadian passport without nullifying any part of the citizenship process? I know with the greencard you were never allowed to enter the USA without it unless you wanted to nullify it (to my understanding). Does anyone know if I need my USA passport to enter once I am recommended for citizenship or should I wait until all formalities are done and I have USA passport in hand?

 

Another question, I am canadian. Will they ask me to give up my Canadian passport? I know if you are from the USA trying to get lets say a canadian passport, that the USA wants you to give up your American passport because they don't want you to pledge allegiance to any other country.

 

And lastly: This is what I have heard about the interview process, can anyone else verify this:

• go in, take an oath
• answer 6 civics test questions
• go over basic info from forms
• specifically be able to answer questions about recent travel
• answer questions about if I;ve done this or that crime where the answer is OBVIOUSLY NO
• answer questions about the constitution and such where the answer is obviously YES
• they usually tell you in the interview if they are recommending you for approval

 

I know there is a standard list of things they tell you to bring but I am also wondering if it's helpful for you to bring a copy of the n-400 form you filled out so that you can reference it for travel specifically? I travel often enough that I don't remember specific dates.

[Sarah&Facundo 595]

55 minutes ago, madj22 said:

I know if you are from the USA trying to get lets say a canadian passport, that the USA wants you to give up your American passport because they don't want you to pledge allegiance to any other country.

 

This isn't true. Many USCs have multiple passports. Some countries don't allow this, but the US is not one of them. 

[Chancy 6,241]

*** Moved from US Citizenship Progress Reports to General Discussion ***

 

[OldUser 6,668]

@madj22 there should be no problem travelling between N-400 interview and your oath ceremony. Just don't travel after the ceremony until you secure the US passport. You don't need to give up your Canadian citizenship or passport. Just keep renewing it every 10 years and feel free using it for travel. Just don't use Canadian passport to enter the US when you become naturalized or vice versa.

Edited October 6, 2022 by OldUser

[OldUser 6,668]

@madj22 when you naturalized in the US remember these rules for travel:

1. Enter and leave the US with your US passport.

2. Enter and leave Canada with your Canadian passport

3. Enter and leave other countries with a passport of your choice. Usually the one which gives you preference (number of visa free days/visa waiver etc).

4. Always enter and exit countries with the same passport (citizenship). For example, entered Ireland as a Canadian, leave as a Canadian. Same goes for blocks of countries, such as Schengen area. Entered France as a US citizen and traveled to Germany without leaving Schengen area? Then leave Germany as a US citizen.

Edited October 6, 2022 by OldUser

[Melc 138]

8 hours ago, OldUser said:

 

2. Enter and leave Canada with your Canadian passport

The one footnote here is that Canadian/US dual citizens are allowed to enter Canada on their US passport. It’s the only exception to the rule here. 

[madj22 7]

On 10/5/2022 at 7:29 PM, OldUser said:

@madj22 there should be no problem travelling between N-400 interview and your oath ceremony. Just don't travel after the ceremony until you secure the US passport. You don't need to give up your Canadian citizenship or passport. Just keep renewing it every 10 years and feel free using it for travel. Just don't use Canadian passport to enter the US when you become naturalized or vice versa.

Thank you... So in-between the interview and the ocat ceremony I can travel on my greencard as usual? After the path ceremony I need to wait until I secure a passport? 

 

For the OATH ceremony- do you choose when to go or is it like the interview where they choose a time and you pretty much have to be there. 

[Lil bear 4,214]

5 minutes ago, madj22 said:

Thank you... So in-between the interview and the ocat ceremony I can travel on my greencard as usual? After the path ceremony I need to wait until I secure a passport? 

 

For the OATH ceremony- do you choose when to go or is it like the interview where they choose a time and you pretty much have to be there. 

Yes.. at the registration table for your oath ceremony you will be asked about any overseas travel since your interview 

yes

USCIS sets date place and time of oath 

[madj22 7]

22 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

Yes.. at the registration table for your oath ceremony you will be asked about any overseas travel since your interview 

yes

USCIS sets date place and time of oath 

Okay.. do you know how apart that usually is? My citizenship interview is early Nov and Christmas travels would be from middle of Dec to Jan 1.... I am so homesick and wanna go home but would hate to spend the $ and not be able to go

[Lil bear 4,214]

8 minutes ago, madj22 said:

Okay.. do you know how apart that usually is? My citizenship interview is early Nov and Christmas travels would be from middle of Dec to Jan 1.... I am so homesick and wanna go home but would hate to spend the $ and not be able to go

It varies with each field office. Do a timeline search on here .. select N400 and your field office to see some recent experiences