N-400 Dallas, TX Filers (Merged Threads)

[MASH 172]

On 9/15/2022 at 3:58 AM, lucy23shirley said:

Anyone knows how long the oath ceremony is?

 

I'm in Houston for two weeks and booking same day flights to Dallas to attend the oath 

 

Thanks! 

@PalRish stated that it could take 2.5 hrs.

[lucy23shirley 2]

56 minutes ago, MASH said:

@PalRish stated that it could take 2.5 hrs.

Oh thank you! 

[C-Sweden 11]

Hi y’all! I sent in my N-400 online 9/10/2022 and so far it’s moving quicker than my I-751 (I came on a Cr-1 visa). I got a notice today that I got a biometrics appointment in 2.5 weeks so that’s good. My other removal of condition application is still only received 1 year after sending it it. 
 

After biometrics, how long is the wait for the next step? Or is that very individual? When I looked online (before I applied) it said 12-16 months in Dallas, but after my application was sent it said approximately 9 months on my account based on applicants that applied after 5 year (I applied after 3). Just curious since the hardest part about this is planning. I want to travel to celebrate my moms birthday next year so I’m just hoping everything is gonna go well and work itself out easy. 

[MASH 172]

18 hours ago, C-Sweden said:

Hi y’all! I sent in my N-400 online 9/10/2022 and so far it’s moving quicker than my I-751 (I came on a Cr-1 visa). I got a notice today that I got a biometrics appointment in 2.5 weeks so that’s good. My other removal of condition application is still only received 1 year after sending it it. 
 

After biometrics, how long is the wait for the next step? Or is that very individual? When I looked online (before I applied) it said 12-16 months in Dallas, but after my application was sent it said approximately 9 months on my account based on applicants that applied after 5 year (I applied after 3). Just curious since the hardest part about this is planning. I want to travel to celebrate my moms birthday next year so I’m just hoping everything is gonna go well and work itself out easy. 

Mine took exactly 9 months , but that could be cause they used my old biometrics. Also when u take that pic I’m the biometrics make sure to look good if you like cause that’s the pic they are gonna use on your certificate. 

[C-Sweden 11]

39 minutes ago, MASH said:

Mine took exactly 9 months , but that could be cause they used my old biometrics. Also when u take that pic I’m the biometrics make sure to look good if you like cause that’s the pic they are gonna use on your certificate. 

Wow that you! I didn’t know that about the photo. I don’t want it to end up like my current driver license. I was just changing the address and since my husband did his change online (usc) I thought I would use my old picture too. They required me to retake mine and I was not prepared and I hate my DL so much😂😂😂

 

Thanks for sharing your timeline too! 9 months isn’t to bad at all and since my removal of condition has been in the same status for a year now I’ll take whatever! 

[MASH 172]

36 minutes ago, C-Sweden said:

Wow that you! I didn’t know that about the photo. I don’t want it to end up like my current driver license. I was just changing the address and since my husband did his change online (usc) I thought I would use my old picture too. They required me to retake mine and I was not prepared and I hate my DL so much😂😂😂

 

Thanks for sharing your timeline too! 9 months isn’t to bad at all and since my removal of condition has been in the same status for a year now I’ll take whatever! 

 No prob,

 

wish someone told me lol 😆, cause when I did mine I looked like a hot mess cuz my alarm in my hotel didn’t go off so I had no time to do my hair or anything .

 

I assumed it wouldn’t have mattered since they take a picture of you at the interview and I thought that’s what they would be using but nope lol 😆,

[Mkleonard 3]

Is anyone here recently have interview in Dallas Field Office and request a name change on the process?    Did anyone receive the Oath Ceremony with name change? 

I have my n400 approved on mid July and requested a name change on the interview.  Then the case status stuck on the " Oath ceremony will be scheduled" for about 3 month.  Call uscis several times and could not get an idea on what's going on. 

Checked Dallas district court's schedule, they seems hosting the ceremony quite often. 

Any thoughts?

[Dongbei 22]

Got our interview scheduled for Nov 18. We filed June 18, 2022. Pretty fast!

 

They just asked to bring:

You MUST BRING the following with you to the interview:
• This letter.
• Your Alien Registration Card ("green card").
• Any evidence of Selective Service Registration.
• Your passport and/or any other documents you used in connection with any entries into the United States.
• Those items noted below which are applicable to you:
If applying for NATURALIZATION AS THE SPOUSE of a United States Citizen;
• Your marriage certificate.
• Proof of death or divorce for each prior marriage of yourself or spouse.
• Your spouse's birth or naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship.
If applying for NATURALIZATION as a member of the United States Armed Forces;
• Your discharge certificate, or form DD214.
If copies of a document were submitted as evidence with your N400 application, the originals of those documents should be brought to the interview.
 

Does that mean I have to print out all of the digital documents we submitted?

 

also, has anyone done the name change process?

[Crazy Cat 41,854]

2 minutes ago, Dongbei said:

Got our interview scheduled for Nov 18. We filed June 18, 2022. Pretty fast!

 

They just asked to bring:

You MUST BRING the following with you to the interview:
• This letter.
• Your Alien Registration Card ("green card").
• Any evidence of Selective Service Registration.
• Your passport and/or any other documents you used in connection with any entries into the United States.
• Those items noted below which are applicable to you:
If applying for NATURALIZATION AS THE SPOUSE of a United States Citizen;
• Your marriage certificate.
• Proof of death or divorce for each prior marriage of yourself or spouse.
• Your spouse's birth or naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship.
If applying for NATURALIZATION as a member of the United States Armed Forces;
• Your discharge certificate, or form DD214.
If copies of a document were submitted as evidence with your N400 application, the originals of those documents should be brought to the interview.
 

Does that mean I have to print out all of the digital documents we submitted?

 

also, has anyone done the name change process?

Congrats!  

[LivFavor 17]

On 10/21/2022 at 3:53 PM, Dongbei said:

Got our interview scheduled for Nov 18. We filed June 18, 2022. Pretty fast!

 

They just asked to bring:

You MUST BRING the following with you to the interview:
• This letter.
• Your Alien Registration Card ("green card").
• Any evidence of Selective Service Registration.
• Your passport and/or any other documents you used in connection with any entries into the United States.
• Those items noted below which are applicable to you:
If applying for NATURALIZATION AS THE SPOUSE of a United States Citizen;
• Your marriage certificate.
• Proof of death or divorce for each prior marriage of yourself or spouse.
• Your spouse's birth or naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship.
If applying for NATURALIZATION as a member of the United States Armed Forces;
• Your discharge certificate, or form DD214.
If copies of a document were submitted as evidence with your N400 application, the originals of those documents should be brought to the interview.
 

Does that mean I have to print out all of the digital documents we submitted?

 

also, has anyone done the name change process?

Congrats.

 

I don't think they want you to print out a copy what you uploaded online. They rather want the original. So for instance, if you uploaded your Birth Certificate, they will need you to come with the original for the interview. 

 

Regarding Name Change, I will advice you wait till after you get the citizenship before you do the name change.

Edited October 23, 2022 by LivFavor

[Dongbei 22]

2 hours ago, LivFavor said:

Congrats.

 

I don't think they want you to print out a copy what you uploaded online. They rather want the original. So for instance, if you uploaded your Birth Certificate, they will need you to come with the original for the interview. 

 

Regarding Name Change, I will advice you wait till after you get the citizenship before you do the name change.

Why would you recommend waiting until after citizenship?

[LivFavor 17]

28 minutes ago, Dongbei said:

Why would you recommend waiting until after citizenship?

I have heard of situations where a petitioner had to wait for months after the citizenship interview just because she told the case officer that she wants to do a name change. 

 

Name change based on marriage is pretty easy, you don't need USCIS to do it. Once you get your naturalization certificate, request for a change name with the DMV and the SSA. Once that is done, you can then apply for citizenship passport with your changed name.

 

But this is just my opinion. There might be a superior recommendation to mine.

[Dongbei 22]

56 minutes ago, LivFavor said:

I have heard of situations where a petitioner had to wait for months after the citizenship interview just because she told the case officer that she wants to do a name change. 

 

Name change based on marriage is pretty easy, you don't need USCIS to do it. Once you get your naturalization certificate, request for a change name with the DMV and the SSA. Once that is done, you can then apply for citizenship passport with your changed name.

 

But this is just my opinion. There might be a superior recommendation to mine.

Curious about this from other Dallas filers. I believe we already selected the "name change" option on the N-400. I thought all of the oath ceremonies are judicial ceremonies since they're done by a judge (we'd be doing the Dallas, Forth Worth, and Lubbock option here: https://www.txnd.uscourts.gov/naturalization-ceremony-schedule ). Does that change anything?

[Nkrish83 65]

3 hours ago, Dongbei said:

Curious about this from other Dallas filers. I believe we already selected the "name change" option on the N-400. I thought all of the oath ceremonies are judicial ceremonies since they're done by a judge (we'd be doing the Dallas, Forth Worth, and Lubbock option here: https://www.txnd.uscourts.gov/naturalization-ceremony-schedule ). Does that change anything?

No, not all ceremonies are judicial. Some are, while others are more administrative ceremonies administered directly by USCIS officers. They dont publish the schedule for those, but based on what we see from others, its generally 2-3x a month at plano convention center. 

 

Specifying that you want to change your name doesnt change anything pre-processing wise during adjudication. When you go for your interview you have the option to keep you current name or opt for a name change. If you do the latter, they will have to put you in for a judicial oath, which may be delayed a bit due to court's availability and how bad that backlog is. 

[Dongbei 22]

31 minutes ago, Nkrish83 said:

No, not all ceremonies are judicial. Some are, while others are more administrative ceremonies administered directly by USCIS officers. They dont publish the schedule for those, but based on what we see from others, its generally 2-3x a month at plano convention center. 

 

Specifying that you want to change your name doesnt change anything pre-processing wise during adjudication. When you go for your interview you have the option to keep you current name or opt for a name change. If you do the latter, they will have to put you in for a judicial oath, which may be delayed a bit due to court's availability and how bad that backlog is. 

Can you just ask at the interview and then decide if there’s a big backlog?

 

Our marriage certificate is in Chinese (though translated in an official notarized copy from the government in China) and I see it being a huge hassle to get agencies to change her name based on that.