Laure&Colin

This probably isn't what's delaying your case, since it's more something that would come up at the interview. However, FILE IT NOW. Filing a tax return with the IRS every year is a requirement for permanent residents. Your wife's naturalization likely won't be approved if there's a year missing (source: someone who filed in October was in the same situation and she was asked at the interview to file and provide proof, with her application delayed). Once your application status online says it's taking longer than expected, you can start calling USCIS to ask for updates, and get your representative or senator involved. It should happen in the next few days.

Thanks and congrats @alt blank !! I'm adding updates from the last couple of days that I hadn't included yet (interview dates for 2 members). @Elethiomel had their oath scheduled today, while @Sahar1122 and @brazibride should have their ceremony tomorrow. Let us know how it went! User Name Date applied Interview date Oath date 🇺🇸 Lanzoni 01/29/24 - 04/04/24 ✅ 05/08/24 ✅ Sahar1122 01/30/24 - 05/15/24 ✅ 06/21/24 🇺🇸 Laure&Colin 02/01/24 - 05/14/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ Youssuf 02/01/24 - Pending (rescheduled due to C-section) Chelleyandaaron 02/01/24 - 06/04/24 ✅ Pending 🇺🇸 Winbig 02/01/24 - 05/08/24 ✅ 06/03/24✅ USAUAinCZ 02/02/24 thedtayl 02/02/24 - 07/24/24 🇺🇸 Wisconsinbly 05/02/24 - 03/27/24 ✅ 05/09/24✅ CollegeDropOut 02/07/24 - 05/17/24 ✅ 07/10/24 Duggu 02/07/24 - 06/26/24 MrsOli 02/14/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ 07/19/24 🇺🇸 Tommy2000 02/14/24 - 04/10/24 ✅ 05/02/24✅ BlackPearl9 02/14/24 - 07/16/24 🇺🇸 PhoenixNiro 02/15/24 - 05/29/24 ✅ 06/17/24 ✅ YellowDuneBuggy 02/15/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ 07/01/24 Elethiomel 02/15/24 - 04/09/24 ✅ 06/20/24 Tunes 02/16/24 alt blank 02/16/24 - 06/20/24 ✅ 07/18/24 CassJ 02/16/24 - 05/30/24 ✅ Pending Woodpecker07 02/17/24 - 05/22/24 ✅ 07/11/24 🇺🇸 ctrlplm 02/17/24 - 05/22/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ ctrlplm (spouse) 02/17/24 zen_nj 02/17/24 - 07/13/24 Aur0ra 02/18/24 Brazibride 02/19/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ 06/21/24 Minivatreni 02/20/24 - 06/10/24 ✅ Pending (name change) mmv_1 02/20/24 - 05/28/24 ✅ 07/04/24 🇺🇸 AndrewSeattle 02/21/24 - 05/21/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ Vamphog 02/22/24 - 05/29/24 ✅ 06/17/24 koski 02/22/24 - 05/21/24 johndott 02/22/24 - 07/22/24 tcolema3USA 02/23/24 - 06/05/24 ✅ 07/10/24 🇺🇸 Valmabe 02/24/24 - 04/18/24 ✅ 05/13/24✅ Haydnator 02/24/24 Jish&Abt 02/24/24 - 05/23/24 ✅ Pending I-751 approval 🇺🇸 Jm06 02/25/24 - 04/10/24 ✅ 05/17/24 ✅ RmSean 02/25/24 Theredcomet 02/27/24 - 07/22/24 Seiya-pegasus 02/27/24 Mr W & I 02/28/24 - 04/18/24 ✅ 05/06/24 famozna_lavanda 02/28/24 - 06/25/24 Endless desire 02/29/24 - 07/23/24 Music_en 02/29/24

Yeah I'm not surprised by your experience. Unfortunately nobody there, except for the officers conducting the interviews, was really professional... Good news is now you're a citizen, so you can always contact your representative or Senator to complain about how you were treated at a federal agency. They deserve it. The security guards were also very unpleasant with people when I went. Regarding your passport I don't think you could have gone the day of your oath ceremony without an appointment. I think they used to do that, but nowadays it's by appointment only, and only if you have urgent travel - otherwise you have to go through the post office. Which I did last week and the experience was quite poor too...

Yay! Congrats!! Does it feel like a weight lifted off your shoulders? I checked if anyone had interviews today but I forgot to look at scheduled oaths. Looks like @vamphog should also be a citizen now! User Name Date applied Interview date Oath date 🇺🇸 Lanzoni 01/29/24 - 04/04/24 ✅ 05/08/24 ✅ Sahar1122 01/30/24 - 05/15/24 ✅ 06/21/24 🇺🇸 Laure&Colin 02/01/24 - 05/14/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ Youssuf 02/01/24 - Pending (rescheduled due to C-section) Chelleyandaaron 02/01/24 - 06/04/24 ✅ Pending 🇺🇸 Winbig 02/01/24 - 05/08/24 ✅ 06/03/24✅ USAUAinCZ 02/02/24 thedtayl 02/02/24 - 07/24/24 🇺🇸 Wisconsinbly 05/02/24 - 03/27/24 ✅ 05/09/24✅ CollegeDropOut 02/07/24 - 05/17/24 ✅ 07/10/24 Duggu 02/07/24 - 06/26/24 MrsOli 02/14/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ 07/19/24 🇺🇸 Tommy2000 02/14/24 - 04/10/24 ✅ 05/02/24✅ BlackPearl9 02/14/24 - 07/16/24 🇺🇸 PhoenixNiro 02/15/24 - 05/29/24 ✅ 06/17/24 ✅ YellowDuneBuggy 02/15/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ 07/01/24 Elethiomel 02/15/24 - 04/09/24 ✅ 06/20/24 Tunes 02/16/24 alt blank 02/16/24 - 06/20/24 CassJ 02/16/24 - 05/30/24 ✅ Pending Woodpecker07 02/17/24 - 05/22/24 ✅ 07/11/24 🇺🇸 ctrlplm 02/17/24 - 05/22/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ ctrlplm (spouse) 02/17/24 zen_nj 02/17/24 - 07/13/24 Aur0ra 02/18/24 Brazibride 02/19/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ 06/21/24 Minivatreni 02/20/24 - 06/10/24 ✅ Pending (name change) mmv_1 02/20/24 - 05/28/24 ✅ 07/04/24 🇺🇸 AndrewSeattle 02/21/24 - 05/21/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ Vamphog 02/22/24 - 05/29/24 ✅ 06/17/24 koski 02/22/24 - 05/21/24 johndott 02/22/24 tcolema3USA 02/23/24 - 06/05/24 ✅ 07/10/24 🇺🇸 Valmabe 02/24/24 - 04/18/24 ✅ 05/13/24✅ Haydnator 02/24/24 Jish&Abt 02/24/24 - 05/23/24 ✅ Pending I-751 approval 🇺🇸 Jm06 02/25/24 - 04/10/24 ✅ 05/17/24 ✅ RmSean 02/25/24 Theredcomet 02/27/24 - 07/22/24 Seiya-pegasus 02/27/24 Mr W & I 02/28/24 - 04/18/24 ✅ 05/06/24 famozna_lavanda 02/28/24 - 06/25/24 Endless desire 02/29/24 Music_en 02/29/24

If you have to travel within a month from naturalization you don't really have a choice but to do the urgent application at the passport office. They say expedited takes 2-3 weeks but you have to add the time for your application to be received by the DoS (for me it took 5 days) then the shipping time (you can get 2nd day shipping for extra cost). Plus the delay to get an appointment at the post office in the first place, they're booked up at this time of year.

Updated tracker: User Name Date applied Interview date Oath date 🇺🇸 Lanzoni 01/29/24 - 04/04/24 ✅ 05/08/24 ✅ Sahar1122 01/30/24 - 05/15/24 ✅ 06/21/24 🇺🇸 Laure&Colin 02/01/24 - 05/14/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ Youssuf 02/01/24 - Pending (rescheduled due to C-section) Chelleyandaaron 02/01/24 - 06/04/24 ✅ Pending 🇺🇸 Winbig 02/01/24 - 05/08/24 ✅ 06/03/24✅ USAUAinCZ 02/02/24 thedtayl 02/02/24 - 07/24/24 🇺🇸 Wisconsinbly 05/02/24 - 03/27/24 ✅ 05/09/24✅ CollegeDropOut 02/07/24 - 05/17/24 ✅ 07/10/24 Duggu 02/07/24 - 06/26/24 MrsOli 02/14/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ 07/19/24 🇺🇸 Tommy2000 02/14/24 - 04/10/24 ✅ 05/02/24✅ BlackPearl9 02/14/24 - 07/16/24 PhoenixNiro 02/15/24 - 05/29/24 ✅ 06/17/24 YellowDuneBuggy 02/15/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ 07/01/24 Elethiomel 02/15/24 - 04/09/24 ✅ 06/20/24 Tunes 02/16/24 alt blank 02/16/24 - 06/20/24 CassJ 02/16/24 - 05/30/24 ✅ Pending Woodpecker07 02/17/24 - 05/22/24 ✅ 07/11/24 🇺🇸 ctrlplm 02/17/24 - 05/22/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ ctrlplm (spouse) 02/17/24 zen_nj 02/17/24 - 07/13/24 Aur0ra 02/18/24 Brazibride 02/19/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ 06/21/24 Minivatreni 02/20/24 - 06/10/24 ✅ Pending (name change) mmv_1 02/20/24 - 05/28/24 ✅ 07/04/24 🇺🇸 AndrewSeattle 02/21/24 - 05/21/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ Vamphog 02/22/24 - 05/29/24 ✅ 06/17/24 koski 02/22/24 - 05/21/24 johndott 02/22/24 tcolema3USA 02/23/24 - 06/05/24 ✅ 07/10/24 🇺🇸 Valmabe 02/24/24 - 04/18/24 ✅ 05/13/24✅ Haydnator 02/24/24 Jish&Abt 02/24/24 - 05/23/24 ✅ Pending I-751 approval 🇺🇸 Jm06 02/25/24 - 04/10/24 ✅ 05/17/24 ✅ RmSean 02/25/24 Theredcomet 02/27/24 - 07/22/24 Seiya-pegasus 02/27/24 Mr W & I 02/28/24 - 04/18/24 ✅ 05/06/24 famozna_lavanda 02/28/24 - 06/25/24 Endless desire 02/29/24 Music_en 02/29/24

Yeah that was part of my thinking. Also I didn't feel great about "gaming the system" being my very first move after becoming a citizen 🤷🏻‍♀️

The website says 2-3 weeks for expedited, 6-8 weeks for regular processing.

I decided to try and trust the process, instead of letting my anxiety take over. Hopefully I don't regret it! 😂

True but I don't have a trip planned. I didn't really want to buy plane tickets and cancel them just for the purpose of getting an appointment at the passport agency.

But at what point do they get fingerprints?? I didn't get my fingerprints taken at the post office.

Personal update: I registered to vote, updated my status with SS, and applied for a passport. I couldn't get an appointment for the passport earlier than last Monday, and my application just started showing as received and in progress (DoS has a status tracker). I kind of hate feeling stuck because I have aging parents with medical conditions, so I hope the passport comes quickly. I did pay for the expedited processing and 1-day shipping. I was shocked to realize that US passports don't have a biometrics chip like European passports do!

Where's your Field office located? Considering they typically send the interview letters around 1 month in advance, late July or August sounds very possible. Fingers crossed you hear back soon!

Congrats to all 3 interviewees for getting approved today! 🍾 Only one more step and you'll be done. @tcolema3USA I added you to the tracker. Let us know once you've taken your oath and you'll get a little flag next to your name 😁 @SFA14 I can add you too but I don't think I have the date you filed. User Name Date applied Interview date Oath date 🇺🇸 Lanzoni 01/29/24 - 04/04/24 ✅ 05/08/24 ✅ Sahar1122 01/30/24 - 05/15/24 ✅ 06/21/24 🇺🇸 Laure&Colin 02/01/24 - 05/14/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ Youssuf 02/01/24 - Pending (rescheduled due to C-section) Chelleyandaaron 02/01/24 - 06/04/24 ✅ Pending 🇺🇸 Winbig 02/01/24 - 05/08/24 ✅ 06/03/24✅ USAUAinCZ 02/02/24 thedtayl 02/02/24 - 07/24/24 🇺🇸 Wisconsinbly 05/02/24 - 03/27/24 ✅ 05/09/24✅ CollegeDropOut 02/07/24 - 05/17/24 ✅ 07/10/24 Duggu 02/07/24 - 06/26/24 MrsOli 02/14/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ Pending 🇺🇸 Tommy2000 02/14/24 - 04/10/24 ✅ 05/02/24✅ BlackPearl9 02/14/24 - 07/16/24 PhoenixNiro 02/15/24 - 05/29/24 ✅ 06/17/24 YellowDuneBuggy 02/15/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ 07/01/24 Elethiomel 02/15/24 - 04/09/24 ✅ 06/20/24 Tunes 02/16/24 alt blank 02/16/24 - 06/20/24 CassJ 02/16/24 - 05/30/24 ✅ Pending Woodpecker07 02/17/24 - 05/22/24 ✅ 07/11/24 🇺🇸 ctrlplm 02/17/24 - 05/22/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ ctrlplm (spouse) 02/17/24 zen_nj 02/17/24 - 07/13/24 Aur0ra 02/18/24 Brazibride 02/19/24 - 06/13/24 ✅ 06/21/24 Minivatreni 02/20/24 - 06/10/24 ✅ Pending (name change) mmv_1 02/20/24 - 05/28/24 ✅ 07/04/24 🇺🇸 AndrewSeattle 02/21/24 - 05/21/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ Vamphog 02/22/24 - 05/29/24 ✅ 06/17/24 koski 02/22/24 - 05/21/24 johndott 02/22/24 tcolema3USA 02/23/24 - 06/05/24 ✅ 07/10/24 🇺🇸 Valmabe 02/24/24 - 04/18/24 ✅ 05/13/24✅ Haydnator 02/24/24 Jish&Abt 02/24/24 - 05/23/24 ✅ Pending I-751 approval 🇺🇸 Jm06 02/25/24 - 04/10/24 ✅ 05/17/24 ✅ RmSean 02/25/24 Theredcomet 02/27/24 Seiya-pegasus 02/27/24 Mr W & I 02/28/24 - 04/18/24 ✅ 05/06/24 famozna_lavanda 02/28/24 - 06/25/24 Endless desire 02/29/24 Music_en 02/29/24

@brazibride and @YellowDuneBuggy what time were your interviews? It would be hilarious if you saw each other in the waiting room!

There is a video message from President Biden and that's the only moment when I felt emotional. The rest was not memorable at all. Maybe you'll have another person officiating and they'll make it more ceremonial? I hope so, mine was a USCIS supervisor and she spoke so fast that we had trouble repeating the oath. Also, there was a cockroach 😆 But in the end what matters is that you'll be done with the process! Also, you can register to vote online once you're naturalized. I think I did it the next day, and I received confirmation in the mail about 10 days later.

You're definitely not alone, most people who filed in the 1st half of February are done, but there's plenty still waiting in the 2nd half. It's coming! Only thing I can think of is the general phone number, or try to upload a letter in your online case? Probably do both.

Latest updates are in the tracker below. Today's a busy day for February filers as we have 3 interviews: @MrsOli, @YellowDuneBuggy and @brazibride. Good luck!! 🤞 Wondering if @USAUAinCZ heard anything yet? Also @CassJ did you get an oath date? And finally @koski, we never heard back, hope you were approved at your interview in May? User Name Date applied Interview date Oath date 🇺🇸 Lanzoni 01/29/24 - 04/04/24 ✅ 05/08/24 ✅ Sahar1122 01/30/24 - 05/15/24 ✅ 06/21/24 🇺🇸 Laure&Colin 02/01/24 - 05/14/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ Youssuf 02/01/24 - Pending (rescheduled due to C-section) Chelleyandaaron 02/01/24 - 06/04/24 ✅ Pending 🇺🇸 Winbig 02/01/24 - 05/08/24 ✅ 06/03/24✅ USAUAinCZ 02/02/24 thedtayl 02/02/24 - 07/24/24 🇺🇸 Wisconsinbly 05/02/24 - 03/27/24 ✅ 05/09/24✅ CollegeDropOut 02/07/24 - 05/17/24 ✅ 07/10/24 Duggu 02/07/24 - 06/26/24 MrsOli 02/14/24 - 06/13/24 🇺🇸 Tommy2000 02/14/24 - 04/10/24 ✅ 05/02/24✅ BlackPearl9 02/14/24 - 07/16/24 PhoenixNiro 02/15/24 - 05/29/24 ✅ 06/17/24 YellowDuneBuggy 02/15/24 - 06/13/24 Elethiomel 02/15/24 - 04/09/24 ✅ 06/20/24 Tunes 02/16/24 alt blank 02/16/24 - 06/20/24 CassJ 02/16/24 - 05/30/24 ✅ Pending Woodpecker07 02/17/24 - 05/22/24 ✅ 07/11/24 🇺🇸 ctrlplm 02/17/24 - 05/22/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ ctrlplm (spouse) 02/17/24 zen_nj 02/17/24 - 07/13/24 Aur0ra 02/18/24 Brazibride 02/19/24 - 06/13/24 Minivatreni 02/20/24 - 06/10/24 ✅ Pending (name change) mmv_1 02/20/24 - 05/28/24 ✅ 07/04/24 🇺🇸 AndrewSeattle 02/21/24 - 05/21/24 ✅ Same-day oath✅ Vamphog 02/22/24 - 05/29/24 ✅ 06/17/24 koski 02/22/24 - 05/21/24 johndott 02/22/24 🇺🇸 Valmabe 02/24/24 - 04/18/24 ✅ 05/13/24✅ Haydnator 02/24/24 Jish&Abt 02/24/24 - 05/23/24 ✅ Pending I-751 approval 🇺🇸 Jm06 02/25/24 - 04/10/24 ✅ 05/17/24 ✅ RmSean 02/25/24 Theredcomet 02/27/24 Seiya-pegasus 02/27/24 Mr W & I 02/28/24 - 04/18/24 ✅ 05/06/24 famozna_lavanda 02/28/24 - 06/25/24 Endless desire 02/29/24 Music_en 02/29/24

Of course US citizens can live wherever they want. That is not the case for permanent residents. It doesn't mean they're stuck in the US forever, but if they decide to live abroad, they de facto abandon their LPR status. It doesn't matter how it was acquired in the first place. https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-we-grant-your-green-card/maintaining-permanent-residence "You may also lose your permanent resident status by intentionally abandoning it, including but not limited to: Moving to another country and intending to live there permanently; Declaring yourself a “nonimmigrant” on your U.S. tax returns; or Remaining outside of the United States for an extended period of time, unless it’s a temporary absence"

1- I had my oath at the San Francisco field office on May 14. The majority of people were taking their oath right after their interview, like I did. I don't think I saw any guests. I will say that it was very quick, it felt rushed and performative, not like a meaningful ceremony at all. Hopefully you'll have a different experience, but I would not expect something very formal or emotional. My husband wanted to come but since it was the same day as the interview he couldn't, and honestly he didn't miss anything. There is a flag on the side where you can take photos afterwards. 2- yes that's fine, I only brought my current green card, I had destroyed the previous one. Nobody asked for it.

Finally! 🥳

What the IO told you is absolutely false. I got naturalized less than a month ago and I have a hyphen. As long as you filled all your forms with a hyphen, it should be on the certificate - unless the IO removed it due to some outdated information. My understanding is that the passport will be spelled just like the certificate. When is your oath? When they give you the certificate they will ask you to double-check the information. If you see the hyphen is missing I would ask for correction. In case all that doesn't work, don't sweat it though. My hyphenated last name is entirely my husband's name, think husbandmom-husbanddad, and he's been dealing with hyphen mess ups his entire life. Half of his documents have a hyphen and half don't, he's never had real problems because of it. Currently his passport doesn't have a hyphen, although there's one on his birth certificate... Also, when I went to SS to update my citizenship status, the staffer there told me that the hyphen will be on my new card (wasn't on the old one) but that it would eventually... disappear from the system, based on her experience. They know it's a mess.

I don't know where you live but my local postal workers couldn't care less about a "do not bend" sticker...

"Did your husband travel with you on your last international trip?" was a question my interviewing officer asked, even though I applied under the 5-year rule. I would just be ready to explain the situation to him like you did to us. And bring plenty of evidence that your marriage is bona fide.

I don't think there's much you can do until the 90-day period expires, hopefully things will start moving again sooner than that! IF they don't, I'd call back on day 91 and contact Representative or Senator for help.