Naturalization Interview 1 week before International travel -- Is this Enough Time?

[beloved_dingo 1,976]

24 minutes ago, *FishF00D* said:

Hey Mike,

 

Are you saying that you also scheduled a passport appointment ahead of taking the Oath of allegiance (and presumably attended the appointment after being naturalized + getting your certificate)?

We did this as well. My husband's N-400 interview was May 10th, and we knew there was a good chance he would get same day oath. So on May 7th, I scheduled a passport appointment for him on May 25th. Everything went as planned and his passport is in process. If the timing hadn't worked out (no same-day oath), we would have just cancelled the appointment. Setting up a passport appointment online with USPS does not ask anything about citizenship. All you provide is the name and contact information for the person making the appointment.

 

I do not know if the process varies at all for an urgent appointment at an agency, but considering you are scheduling a future appointment for someone who would be a citizen at the appointment time, it seems like a stretch to worry about false claims of citizenship.

[*FishF00D* 45]

1 minute ago, beloved_dingo said:

We did this as well. My husband's N-400 interview was May 10th, and we knew there was a good chance he would get same day oath. So on May 7th, I scheduled a passport appointment for him on May 25th. Everything went as planned and his passport is in process. If the timing hadn't worked out (no same-day oath), we would have just cancelled the appointment. Setting up a passport appointment online with USPS does not ask anything about citizenship. All you provide is the name and contact information for the person making the appointment.

 

I do not know if the process varies at all for an urgent appointment at an agency, but considering you are scheduling a future appointment for someone who would be a citizen at the appointment time, it seems like a stretch to worry about false claims of citizenship.

 

Thank you for sharing your experience! That lines up with what I was thinking: booking a passport appointment itself is nothing more than an attempt to secure a timeslot.

 

I won't know if they ask about citizenship status until calling to book the appointment directly with the department of state (re: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html ) in which case I'd think there'd be no harm in trying? Especially while being honest if they do ask about citizenship at booking ("No I am not currently a citizen, my appointment is upcoming and I'm trying to be prepared").

[*FishF00D* 45]

41 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Of course. Passport appointments are hard to get. Why on earth would I wait until naturalized to get an appointment?

 

Did the same for my wife.

 

Why wouldn’t we?

That's what I was thinking - knowing the backlogs and the time constraints, booking the appointment (and cancelling if not needed) seems practical.

I could only see it being an issue if either a person was denied at the interview or hadn't taken the oath yet but then went and applied for the passport anyway 😅

[Mike E 11,739]

1 hour ago, *FishF00D* said:

.

I could only see it being an issue if either a person was denied at the interview or hadn't taken the oath yet but then went and applied for the passport anyway 😅

I expect the passport acceptance officer will refuse to accept an application that has zero evidence U.S. citizenship.

[Crazy Cat 41,851]

1 hour ago, beloved_dingo said:

We did this as well

As did we.

[Crazy Cat 41,851]

1 hour ago, *FishF00D* said:

I could only see it being an issue if either a person was denied at the interview or hadn't taken the oath yet but then went and applied for the passport anyway

That is extremely unlikely.   The accepting officer is very strict on all documentation at the passport acceptance facility. In fact, the County official who accepted wife's passport application made a B&W copy of wife's Naturalization Certificate, and she immediately returned the color copy we intended to submit along with the original.  That was very smart on her part.  That prevented a mixup later when the Feds mailed wife's original NC back (13 weeks later). 

Edited June 14, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[*FishF00D* 45]

2 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

That is extremely unlikely.   The accepting officer is very strict on all documentation at the passport acceptance facility. In fact, the County official who accepted wife's passport application made a B&W copy of wife's Naturalization Certificate, and she immediately returned the color copy we intended to submit along with the original.  That was very smart on her part.  That prevented a mixup later when the Feds mailed wife's original NC back (13 weeks later). 

Totally! For clarity, the comment I made that I you've quoted was tongue in cheek - which was to say that making a passport appointment is not claiming false citizenship, but attempting to actually apply for a passport without being a citizen likely is.

[Crazy Cat 41,851]

Just now, *FishF00D* said:

but attempting to actually apply for a passport without being a citizen likely is.

If you sign the app, it definitely is....LOL.  Good luck!!

[*FishF00D* 45]

1 minute ago, Crazy Cat said:

If you sign the app, it definitely is....LOL.  Good luck!!

Precisely, lol! Thanks for sharing that you also booked your passport appointment before the interview/oath happened. Great to know that individuals haven't been penalized just for making appointments!

[nekotakacho 60]

I think you are forgetting that you must also send your naturalization certificate to the SSA office. You have to wait ten days to complete this. They will hold your certificate and mail it back to you. This will complicate your travel plans.

 

they told us we need to do this prior to getting a passport.

Edited June 18, 2023 by nekotakacho

[Crazy Cat 41,851]

10 minutes ago, nekotakacho said:

they told us we need to do this prior to getting a passport.

Did they say why?  We haven't done the SSA yet.  It took 6 weeks (expedited) for wife's passport...then another 7 weeks to get her Naturalization Certificate back from the Passport Office.  

Edited June 18, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[JasonGG 280]

My wife was in a similar situation this past January with a naturalization interview and approval 10 days before a planned overseas trip.  She told the USCIS interviewer about her travel at the interview.  Although the interviewer made a note on the account of our travel, we still got a ceremony confirmation letter 2 days before we left.  The letter notes that pre-planned travel IS a valid reason to reschedule.  We sent a letter requesting a new ceremony date along with the original scheduling letter and proof of travel (plane ticket confirmations from months earlier).  We asked for a date after our return.  As instructed we sent this to the field office where the ceremony was scheduled.  Within a week - while we were overseas - her online status changed to "ceremony cancelled / to be rescheduled."

 

Soon after we returned from travel, we got a letter confirming her rescheduled ceremony.  No problems at all. 

 

I read that some suggested traveling on a naturalization certificate and green card.  Your green card is no longer valid as soon as you take your oath.  At the ceremony, they will require you to surrender it.  (Two people at my wife's ceremony were denied the oath and rescheduled because they did not bring their green cards with them to surrender.)  The USCIS agent specifically told my wife that the naturalization certificate would not be acceptable for travel.  You must have a US passport after taking the citizenship oath.

 

Just an FYI - my wife applied for her US passport in March.  You will need to send your original naturalization certificate with the application.  Approaching week 13 and still waiting for the passport and return of her documents.

 

Jason

[Ian S 1]

If you are talking about your final interview and oath taking ceremony, then yes one week is enough if you plan it well.

I made an appointment with the passport office in Denver CO for the day after i took the oath , as soon as i knew the naturalization ceremony date i made the appointment at the passport office for the following day. When I went to the passport office I just told them i needed it to travel that week.

So citizen Oct 4 passport holder Oct 5.

[Mike E 11,739]

6 hours ago, nekotakacho said:

I think you are forgetting that you must also send your naturalization certificate to the SSA office.

No. There is no reason to do that.

6 hours ago, nekotakacho said:

You have to wait ten days to complete this. They will hold your certificate and mail it back to you. This will complicate your travel plans.

If they say they need to hold it, walk away and go to another SSA office.

6 hours ago, nekotakacho said:

 

they told us we need to do this prior to getting a passport.

Whoever “they” are, this was not my experience in 2018, and not my wife’s experience in 2023.

[Mike E 11,739]

6 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

We haven't done the SSA yet

She can just bring her passport card to SSA