N-400 Interview

[Walbrzyszanka221 62]

I filed the N-400 form on 8/21/2022 and on 10/21, they have sent out an interview notice for 12/1/2022. I am freaking out. This is based off of 5 years of being a legal permanent resident. I was married and that is how I got my green card but my husband and I divorced and I had a lawyer send a letter explaining what happened.

 

Is the interview basically where they check your knowledge and check if you can speak, read and write in English?

 

Really freaking out here!

[Mike E 11,739]

20 minutes ago, Walbrzyszanka221 said:

 

 

Is the interview basically where they check your knowledge and check if you can speak, read and write in English?

pretty much 

20 minutes ago, Walbrzyszanka221 said:

 

Really freaking out here!

Why?

[JeanneAdil 6,498]

no need to freak out

 

study for the civics test from the following site given by USCIS

 

https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship-resource-center/civics-test-2020-version/study-for-the-test-2020-version

 

they will have you write a paragraph  in English /from your written statement above,  seems you will do ok

[OldUser 6,641]

@Walbrzyszanka221 if anything you should be happy your case is being processed so quickly. Study the civics, remember your immigration journey (timelines, dates). You may get few questions about prior marriage, be ready to answer those.

Good luck!

[Bajinga 136]

no need to freak out. N400 interview is relatively simple. just prepare for the civic test

[da95826 387]

39 minutes ago, Walbrzyszanka221 said:

I filed the N-400 form on 8/21/2022 and on 10/21, they have sent out an interview notice for 12/1/2022. I am freaking out. This is based off of 5 years of being a legal permanent resident. I was married and that is how I got my green card but my husband and I divorced and I had a lawyer send a letter explaining what happened.

 

Is the interview basically where they check your knowledge and check if you can speak, read and write in English?

Don’t be scared. It is not tough to pass a naturalization interview, study your civics questions and be prepared to answer IO questions in english.

 

You will be tested on the civics question and you will need to get 6 questions  correct to pass. You will need to read and write a simple sentence. 

Interviewing officer will cover all the questions on the n400 application so review the questions on the n400 form and be prepared to answer the same questions in person to the officer.

 

The IO will ask about time spent out of the US, be prepared to update the IO with any new travel made after the n400 application.

 

If you have any legal issues, be prepared to address them with any police reports and court dispositions.  If you had any traffic citation in the past 5 years be be prepared to show you took care of them

 

Bring your IRS tax transcripts for any years you have not already provided in the last 5 years. (you need to show you file taxes and your taxes have been paid)

 

IO may ask about anything in your immgration history with the US. You may want to bring old visas in passports, any approval notices for immgration benefits obtained in the past. This old immgration stuff is not likely to be needed but may be handy to have with you at the  interview. You will want to know your immgration history and respond to any question IO may have.

 

Your marriage status is a concern as your certificate of naturalization indicates whether or not you're married. So bring the original copy of your divorce decree and marriage certificates.

[Scandi 4,166]

Why did you file the N-400 if you weren't prepared to go through with the process and are now instead "freaking out"? When you file the N-400 you know what to expect, so the "freaking out" part I don't understand at all. 

[PeachesMagee 62]

I think what the OP is meaning by "freaking out" is "scared as can be!!".

I was exactly the same way. I was SO nervous, it could be classed as "freaking out".

Some people (mostly meaning ME) never feel prepared, no matter how much studying we do, or preparation.

 

OP, no need to get so stressed. Study, the civics. Download the app and quiz yourself each day. Have someone help you by asking you questions at random.

You'll be fine.

[Stuff2447 32]

20 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

no need to freak out

 

study for the civics test from the following site given by USCIS

 

https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship-resource-center/civics-test-2020-version/study-for-the-test-2020-version

 

they will have you write a paragraph  in English /from your written statement above,  seems you will do ok

The 2020 version of the civics test has been retired, effective March 1, 2021.  The OP should be studying for the 2008 version of the test.  

 

https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-reverts-to-the-2008-version-of-the-naturalization-civics-test

[randomstairs 303]

21 hours ago, Walbrzyszanka221 said:

I filed the N-400 form on 8/21/2022 and on 10/21, they have sent out an interview notice for 12/1/2022. I am freaking out. This is based off of 5 years of being a legal permanent resident. I was married and that is how I got my green card but my husband and I divorced and I had a lawyer send a letter explaining what happened.

 

Is the interview basically where they check your knowledge and check if you can speak, read and write in English?

 

Really freaking out here!

Congrats! Most people wait many more months/years to get to this point. The tests are trivial and you can get all the questions/answers on the USCIS site. 

[Walbrzyszanka221 62]

Today was the day and I was approved.

 

I appreciate all of you who have responded with positive replies. Some of you took me saying "freaking out" a little too seriously. I stress out easily even when I know I got this. I've been in this country for over 22 years and my journey to citizenship was an unknown until 2017. When some of you say "Why did you file the N-400 if you weren't prepared to go through with the process and are now instead "freaking out"? When you file the N-400 you know what to expect, so the "freaking out" part I don't understand at all"....To answer your question, I filed because that is the next step that I needed to do and I can't sponsor my parents without this process. Who said I was not prepared? I did this all by myself without a lawyer. I knew what I was getting into when I applied. And it is natural to freak out because all cases are different and even the ones that appear to be simple and straightforward, go through bumps or something happens at the interview.

 

So please, be careful how you word your statements because we all know this process is stressful.

 

But for those that are still waiting, stressing out and freaking out, here is how it went today:

 

I arrived at the Chicago Field Office around 9:27. I sat down and started reviewing the Civics questions one more time. Within 5 minutes, my name was called. The officer asked for my Driver's License, Green Card and Passport. Then we started the civics test. Some of the questions that he asked me were:

Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
What is the capital of your state?
What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
What is one reason colonists came to America?
When do we celebrate Independence Day?

Then we did the reading part ("Who can vote?) and written part (Citizens can vote).

Then we went through the application. I notified the officer that I changed jobs and he made the update. He asked about my international flights, my past addresses and my employment history.

I am not changing my name.

I got approved on the spot and I was told that I would get the oath date in the mail within 30-45 days.

[OldUser 6,641]

Amazing news and congratulations @Walbrzyszanka221!

[pazzee 29]

On 10/27/2022 at 4:02 PM, Scandi said:

Why did you file the N-400 if you weren't prepared to go through with the process and are now instead "freaking out"? When you file the N-400 you know what to expect, so the "freaking out" part I don't understand at all. 

I had a similar reaction. I applied end of June 2022. The USCIS website said the process would be approximately 13 months. I think it was late July or early August I got a notice that my interview was in September, much sooner than I anticipated. I was happy but didn’t think I’d have to think about it until 2023. I had already made travel plans for the fall and was already overwhelmed at work and life. 

[pazzee 29]

@Walbrzyszanka221 

 

Study for the civics test and study your N400 application. This will not be an issue for most but if you have traveled outside of the US a lot, it’s good to remember those dates. Sometimes, the officer will ask about specific dates. At my interview, they asked me when my parent’s were naturalized. A question I was not expecting. But I remembered because it’s the date of my nephew’s birthday. I’m not sure if it would have affected my approval if I got that wrong, but just showed me it’s good to remember even the small details in your application. Especially if a lawyer or someone else prepares your N-400, make sure you memorize the details that you don’t naturally memorize.

 

Regarding my divorce, the officer just asked the reason for the divorce.

 

 

*Edit* lol, I just realized the date of the original post. Congratulations!!!!

 

Edited December 1, 2022 by pazzee