Recommendations on rescheduling the N400 interview and/or the Oath Cerimony.

[TravelingLilly 14]

Hello,

 

I finally received the notice for the interview that is going to be on August 29th. Unfortunately, I already made plans (but not purchased tickets yet) to travel in Europe from August 18th to September 9th to both attend 2 weddings of long-time friends and support my father who has been sick for some time. I am now very struggling to make a decision:

 

- Should I ask to reschedule the interview directly? I am just afriad that it will take months again 

- I might attend the N400 interview but then I will have to leave the US the day after and come back in mid September. If the Oath Cerimony is schedule during this time, what should I do? Could I reschedue this one in case, even if not for an emergency? Is it true that I can speak with the officer at the interview to communicate a date since I could be able to attend the interview? 

- If luckily I have the Oath Cerimony the same day, then I am going to have to request the US passport needed to travel outside the country. How long would it take? 

 

Any useful info based on your past experences is very gratefull. Will definitely help me understand how to make a better plan. 

[Dashinka 24,448]

A lot of possible rocks in the path.  Rescheduling the interview can be tricky as there are stories of USCIS messing up and denying an application based on missed interviews.  That being said there are circumstances that necessitate rescheduling, however in your case it is not necessarily a must, but you can try.  As to the oath, yes, if you have a same day oath, that opens another can of worms as to immediate international travel.  You can get a passport pretty quickly (possibly same day) at a passport agency (I think Chicago has one), but getting an appointment can be difficult.  
 

If it were me, I would attend the interview, and if you pass, and they want to do a same day oath, I would explain the situation to the IO and respectfully request an oath ceremony for after your return to avoid the stress of trying to obtain a passport.

 

Good Luck!

[RLA 323]

I rescheduled both the interview and the oath several times.  No repercussions.  Maybe my field office is more lenient than others.

[OldUser 6,562]

4 hours ago, Dashinka said:

A lot of possible rocks in the path.  Rescheduling the interview can be tricky as there are stories of USCIS messing up and denying an application based on missed interviews.  That being said there are circumstances that necessitate rescheduling, however in your case it is not necessarily a must, but you can try.  As to the oath, yes, if you have a same day oath, that opens another can of worms as to immediate international travel.  You can get a passport pretty quickly (possibly same day) at a passport agency (I think Chicago has one), but getting an appointment can be difficult.  
 

If it were me, I would attend the interview, and if you pass, and they want to do a same day oath, I would explain the situation to the IO and respectfully request an oath ceremony for after your return to avoid the stress of trying to obtain a passport.

 

Good Luck!

I want to add more on top of your comment. @TravelingLilly posted in another thread they have pending I-751.

This is increased risk of things going wrong. E.g. USCIS can be silly enough to move N-400 as requested but still attempt running I-751 interview on the day...

 

If I was you @TravelingLilly I would prioritize immigration. I'd probably modify the trip to be in the US for interviews. There's a great chance with pending I-751 you won't get naturalized same day.

 

@RLA did you have pending I-751 when you were rescheduling N-400?

 

 

Edited July 11 by OldUser

[TravelingLilly 14]

Thank you for your answer. 
Yes, true. My I-751 is still pending, however, are the two cases treated separetely? I know that officers do not want to be asked questions about I-751 when summoned for the N400. Yet, it seems from your reply that the same officer could do both the interviews altogether. It means my husband must be present which it is not needed in case of N400, right?

 

[Scandi 4,155]

Personally, I would go to the interview to have that done, and tell the IO which dates you will be gone, that way you won't get an oath letter while gone. 

[Dashinka 24,448]

58 minutes ago, TravelingLilly said:

Thank you for your answer. 
Yes, true. My I-751 is still pending, however, are the two cases treated separetely? I know that officers do not want to be asked questions about I-751 when summoned for the N400. Yet, it seems from your reply that the same officer could do both the interviews altogether. It means my husband must be present which it is not needed in case of N400, right?

 

Yes, many have a combo interview even without notice.  My wife did, and here is a very recent thread of a combo filing not working out.  If you do reschedule the interview that is fine, just make sure when the interview happens you take your spouse with you.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

[Dashinka 24,448]

4 hours ago, RLA said:

I rescheduled both the interview and the oath several times.  No repercussions.  Maybe my field office is more lenient than others.

I am not so worried about any repercussions other than if USCIS messes up.  99% of the time, no issue, but the 1% potentially have major issues.

[NorthByNorthwest 337]

13 hours ago, TravelingLilly said:

- Should I ask to reschedule the interview directly? I am just afriad that it will take months again 

- I might attend the N400 interview but then I will have to leave the US the day after and come back in mid September. If the Oath Cerimony is schedule during this time, what should I do? Could I reschedue this one in case, even if not for an emergency? Is it true that I can speak with the officer at the interview to communicate a date since I could be able to attend the interview? 

- If luckily I have the Oath Cerimony the same day, then I am going to have to request the US passport needed to travel outside the country. How long would it take? 

 

Like many others have suggested, I'd attend the interview if at all possible. I was given a choice if I wanted to do same-day oath or not, every case is obviously different, but there are plenty of cases where people can't get off work very easily and simply can't hang around waiting for a same-day ceremony. Chances are good you'd be able to pick a later date if same-day oath is even on the table given your pending I-751.

[TravelingLilly 14]

 

 

1 hour ago, Dashinka said:

Yes, many have a combo interview even without notice.  My wife did, and here is a very recent thread of a combo filing not working out.  If you do reschedule the interview that is fine, just make sure when the interview happens you take your spouse with you.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

Thanks! this is valuable. I reallyh do not understand why USCIS never explicity writes in the N400 notice to bring the spouse in case a I-751 is pending...

[Dashinka 24,448]

Just now, TravelingLilly said:

 

 

Thanks! this is valuable. I reallyh do not understand why USCIS never explicity writes in the N400 notice to bring the spouse in case a I-751 is pending...

I agree, but in the case of the thread I posted, apparently there was a separate I751 interview notice sent.  In my wife’s case, no notice for the I751, but that was just at the time the I751 processing was slowing to a crawl, and N400/I751 combo filings were becoming more common.

 

Good Luck!

 

Btw, my wife took an international trip between her N499 interview and the oath ceremony, so as I stated before, I would plan your trip to attend the interview as scheduled and request a future oath date for after your return.  At the oath, they will ask you disclose any new trips.

[OldUser 6,562]

1 hour ago, Dashinka said:

I would plan your trip to attend the interview as scheduled and request a future oath date for after your return.  At the oath, they will ask you disclose any new trips.

I would do just that too. Attend the interview - the risk of issues with rescheduling is minimal this way. And you can enjoy the trip knowing you'll become the citizen once you're back 😊

[Dashinka 24,448]

2 hours ago, OldUser said:

I would do just that too. Attend the interview - the risk of issues with rescheduling is minimal this way. And you can enjoy the trip knowing you'll become the citizen once you're back 😊

And not have to deal with scrambling to get an expedited US passport.