harry.st

a) yes - 1st passport from the embassy/consulate in Athens. b) where did you get the idea I did not wait for the oath ceremony? Of course I did. This is where I got my naturalization certificate (which I needed in order to apply for the passport).

No, you are good (for your peace of mind, google "continuous residence naturalization". Also read here https://www.visajourney.com/guides/us-citizenship-requirements/ (under Residence and Physical Presence)) Make sure the trips are disclosed (the form asks about them - including dates).

Because I naturalized last August (you probably recall what was going on with passports, and appointments thereof, at the time...)

Here (and this happened at a time when it was still taking months from within the US): You can also double-check on Reddit: embassies are, for some weird reason, known for quick turnaround times (essentially, they treat every passport issuance request, as an urgent one).

@Crazy Cat ...you need to add this link to the previous ones https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative

I tend to do this to those that ask what a term means, instead of googling it. Or anything that is trivially searchable, really... You are very welcome.

You can try shabby-chic.

I do not know about your country, but I did it in mine. First-time passport, like you. They made a copy of the naturalization document (ie they did not keep it, à la stateside). Received the passport in 8 days (did not request any special handling. They even told me it will be ready in about a month). The hardest part was getting an appointment (they have an online system for that).

I am assuming you are behind a computer, my good sir... The link may say so, but google is your friend. The whole thing is trivial to look up (I just reconfirmed. Also, apologies, but I cannot be doing this work for others).

The OP's wife does not have any visa. She needs only 1 visa for the Common Travel Area. Whichever country they land at, first.

Note that the link above contains false info (ie that it applies only to Indian + Chinese citizens. It does not)

Definitely not true https://www.dfa.ie/media/embassyindia/ourservices/bivs-faq.pdf and https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-visit-ireland/british-irish-visa-scheme/

3 hours in NYC? I did it last summer... I cannot imagine how 3 hrs would be possible (I am not saying they were rushing things, but it was clear nobody wanted to waste time either). Do you care to share what happened? Did you take the ceremony-in-a-courthouse option (which I heard is longish)?

If you want absolute certainty... just don't sign an I-407. Even if they ask you at the airport - just say no. They have to let you in. If you do not relinquish yourself your Green Card, via an I-407, only a judge can take it away from you. The border officer cannot deny you entry. Now, they will probably give you a notice to appear before a judge. If you do not show up (because, say, you are back in Italy), then you will lose your green card (of course you may file an I-407 yourself, before the court date). So, for this trip you, yourself, are fine, pulling the green-card card (ha!) (of course they may get pissed and deny your sister - do not know how likely this is, though). For future trips you will need an ESTA. Because you have a "history" with them, they may not give you one and tell you "go to the consulate and get a visa, please". Which may be denied, too... but unlikely, as you did not do anything egregious, really... --------------------------- You should be fine w/ an ESTA, this time (and in the future), though. And if they start questioning things at the airport, and ask you to sign an I-407, and you want to be a good girl, just tell them "I will sign, if you promise to let me in" (something that the consulate in Italy cannot do). I do not see why they will have a problem.

No, I do not think you need to do that. I think you can take the train AT Toronto/Montreal. I "seem to remember reading" that for immigration purposes, you get checked at the station in Toronto/Montreal before you board the train - ie not at the border (this is certainly the case at the Toronto airport, btw). This would be waaay more convenient than going, say, by bus, to the border, entering + then hopping on a train (but again, they may deny you boarding, just like an airline. And tell you "dude, go to the border + fight it out there"). But I am not 100% sure (I did not have this problem, so did not investigate in depth). I would call them!

I hope you realize that, in theory, you can be prevented from boarding the plane on the way out, too (small chance, and nothing you can do about it, either => no reason to sweat about it. If you are THAT unlucky + they do not let you board => Moynihan station + train to Canada; entering therein w/ the french passport). Or you rent a private jet (both ways). Then you have nothing to worry about; in this life you can either eat well or sleep well).

Depending on where you will be traveling... and for how long... you may be able to get the passport at the US Consulate there. I got mine in 8 days (Athens, Greece embassy, last Ocrober; they only made a copy of my naturalization certificate, too). The hardest part was getting an appointment (had to book a slot 1 month ahead of time). This was for a regular, full-blown passport (+ I did not ask for expedited anything. Apparently, the embassies expedite things by default. Or used to). ALSO: there is an "emergency" service for US citizens, where the consulates will give you an "emergency-limited-duration" passport (valid for either 1 trip or 1 year - not sure. Mind you this is not only for a life-or-death emergency. A lady that was sitting next to me was there just for that. There is tons of info about it if you google). You may want to go for this option vs the Canada->US train trip one (of course, one does not preclude the other). I took Amtrak NY -> Montreal late last September. Lovely trip (the foliage had started to appear). I am sure it would be very fun in the snow, too (assuming the train is still running).

Land border, with a naturalization certificate in hand, is an option (depending where you live, it may be inconvenient. Also expensive). Reason is US citizens cannot be denied entry at the border (but they can sure as hell be denied boarding a flight to the US). Rescheduling the oath ceremony seems the easiest.

Bring hubby, too. When the interviewer starts asking you the civics questions, he should jump from his seat and yell "I KNOW THE ANSWER - it is <...>", "I KNOW THAT, TOO - it is <...>". To liven up things, a bit.

You definitely do NOT need a passport to get back in. US citizens cannot be denied entry to the country. So if you can make it to the border, you are fine (w/ your naturalization certificate, that proves you are a US citizen); the border agent has to let you in. You need a passport to board the plane. The law says US citizens must use their passport to enter + exit the country by air. Chances are you can use the Romanian one on your way out (people have done it. Airlines do not really care). However, flying back, before boarding, you get asked some questions (basically, how do you plan to be allowed in the country; I am sure you have seen it). You can avoid these pre-boarding questions, and thus make it to the border via a) chartering your own flight b) sailing to a port c) the Mexico or Canada land border (I personally recommend a)). But do not despair, there is hope: you can apply for a passport on an emergency basis 2 weeks before you fly out. It is hard to get a slot, though (last summer fun reads on Reddit). Or you can get the passport in Bucharest (I got mine, in Athens, in 8 days. If I wanted an "emergency" one it would have been same day). Again, you will need some luck... Or... you can delay the oath ceremony. Just read up on stuff.

The thing to stress about is your passport - not the interview. Now, this can get in the way of your vacation. Easily. As a US citizen, it is next to impossible to fly back without one (the airline will likely not let you board the plane). Last summer, with all the post-COVID revenge travel happening, it was taking 4-5 months to get a new one (things have improved... but again, fewer people are travelling in the winter. You do not have to believe me - just search on reddit). Now there are ways around it (either while still in the US or at the consulate in Bucharest), but is it neither easy nor pleasant. You've got some reading to do - information abounds.

Why are you assuming June, to start with? Have you looked at this? https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/citlist.php?op6=All&op7=Houston+TX&op1=3&op2=&op4=1&op5=5%2C10%2C11&cfl=0 -- h PS The estimated wait time on the USCIS website is not to be trusted (was wrong for me, and many others, too)

I understand that Spain does the same. What a waste of everybody's time!

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/citlist.php?cfl=&op5=5,10,11 (+ use the filter to find out what it looks like at your office). I know this does not exactly answer your question, but it should give you an idea as to where things stand.

Are you saying that the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative has been cancelled? Because it prescribes the following