My wife's immigration journey ended at the Washington, D.C. field office (Fairfax, VA) on January 6, 2024, oath ceremony! 😅 👏
Although, my wife and family arrived 30 minutes early for an 11:15 AM oath ceremony, the ceremony didn't take place until 12:20 PM.
USCIS scheduled oath ceremonies back to back, every 15 minutes for hundreds of N-400 applicants. There was a very long line for 10:30, 10:45, 11:00 AM groups still waiting outside and before our 11:15 AM group. It was a cold, wet and windy day for an 1-1/2 hours wait outdoors. 🥶
Thank you, Visa Journey for this platform and all the great information and ways that you've helped my family navigate the immigration process. Thanks also to all the Visa Journey members that use this platform to exchange information, which I know to be an excellent source of help! We could not have done it with out the Visa Journey community. 👏👏👏
For those of you that are still waiting for your N-400 interviews and/or oath ceremonies, Congratulations! You are so close to becoming U.S. Citizens! 🎉👏
NOTES:
Filed N-400 on 08/02/2023. NOA dated 08/03/2023.
N-400 interview was scheduled on 09/28/2023.
Attended/passed N-400 interview on 11/03/2023. I-751 still indicated "finger prints reused." The Immigration Officer (IO) said that the N-400 application thoroughly proved a bonafide marriage. The IO mentioned that because we had a child, that also reflected highly on my wife's case. The officer said that she was satisfied with the quality of evidence provided, but she could not approve the N-400 until after the I-751 was approved. The IO did not review any of the long questions in the back of the N-400.
Received letter from the Potomac Service Center on 11/06/2023, stating that the I-751 was being transferred to the National Benefits Center, "in order to speed up processing." We didn't have a joint I-751/N-400 interview, although my wife requested a combination interview on her N-400 application.
I-751 and N-400 Approved on 11/15/2023.
Oath Ceremony Scheduled on 12/19/2023. IO told my wife that she should expect to receive have her oath ceremony by the end of November or early in December. However, once that window for attending the oath ceremony letter passed, we inquired as to when my wife can expect to attend the oath ceremony. We were told "ceremony will be scheduled." It's possible that the ball was dropped between the NBC and Washington, D.C. field office for scheduling the oath ceremony. Based on what I've seen at the Fairfax, VA field office with other cases, attending the oath ceremony seven weeks after passing the N-400 interview is abnormally longer than usual. However, we're happy to be finished with USCIS and this extensive immigration process.
We're so grateful for filing the N-400 online because one of the benefits was being able to download the oath ceremony letter two weeks early. The original oath ceremony letter was received a few days of the oath ceremony.
Received new U.S.A. passport on 01/22/2024. Once oath ceremony date confirmed, passport appointment scheduled at local USPS on 01/08/2024. We would have received the new passport in 12 days, but the winter storm caused a delay.
Registered to vote on 01/07/2024.