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| Indianapolis IN |  Review on April 7, 2021: |
ollie
Rating:  | Review Topic: Naturalization
Arrival: With a 9:20 appointment, and 2 hour drive to my field office, I gave myself way more time than needed and arrived at 8:15. The field office in Indy is only a couple of blocks from the interstate, and has a free parking lot, so access is really easy. I passed my time reviewing my flash cards and entered the building at 9am. The building has several different organizations, so you have to sign in at the front desk and let them know that you're there for USCIS (the entire sign-in sheet was people going to USCIS). They then direct you to the elevators to go up to USCIS's floor.
Security check: The security screening team were very friendly, they made small talk with everyone as they were processed, things like "You're here for the ceremony, you're going to become a citizen today, it's a great day!"
Check-in: After security, I was directed to the check-in desk. They checked my interview letter and greencard, and directed me to sit on the far side of the waiting room. They have an L-shaped room for waiting area, people there for the ceremony were directed to one side, those there for interviews to the other. I started chatting with the person who had been behind me in the security line once he made it through, but the conversation only lasted a couple of minutes before I was called in.
The interview: The officer introduced himself and brought me into an office, due to covid, they are doing the interviews via webcam. The officer had me swear to tell the truth during my interview, and then proceeded to his office to conduct the interview via webcam. Before leaving, he said that if I wasn't comfortable with the technology, that I could do a face to face interview if I preferred. I was fine with the webcam, it brought the benefit of being able to have the conversation without a mask.
He asked the questions first. Since we haven't reached 4/19 yet, he said I had the option of either the 2020 or 2008 version. I asked for the 2008 version. He asked if I had studied for the 2008 version, and I explained that I had started studying the 2020 version, but the change was announced less than a week after I started studying, so I had been studying the 2008 version since.
The questions (I asked my 7 year old last night, he got 4 of the 6):
1: Who is the father of our country
2: How many voting members in the house of representatives
3: How old must US citizens be to vote in federal elections
4: The idea of self governance is established in the first 3 words of the constitution, what are they.
5: What is the name of the national anthem
6: If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President.
Followed by the reading "When was Abraham Lincoln President?", and writing "Abraham Lincoln was President during the Civil War"
There was a printer set up on the desk next to the tablet, and the officer sent the reading and writing sheet to that printer for me to pick up.
Some other people have mentioned being asked to define terms from the application. I was never asked anything. I'm not sure if that is an agent by agent thing, or if it's because my country of birth is an english speaking country. I can understand an agent asking someone who's first language isn't english, not as a language test, but as a way to be sure that the applicant understands what they questions they're answering are asking. From any of the interviewees that have reported being asked definitions, they have all been words from the yes/no portion of the N-400.
He then proceeded to ask me my qualifying questions: The yes/no questions from the N-400, wife and children's names, last time leaving the US, and verified my address and phone number. He then sent one more form to the printer, that had my name, address and DOB on it. He asked that I verify all the information is correct, as that would be the copy used to create my certificate.
Finally, he came and brought me back to his office (as he was finishing up, he realized that I had a bio-reuse, which meant he had to capture new signatures). In his office, he had me sign a signature pad to capture my signature for the case, and then had me sign an attestation that my answers had been truthful, and sign a copy of the Oath of Allegiance. He handed me my recommendation for approval notice, and walked me back to reception. We chatted about covid and other stuff on the way. He said that they had been doing same day ceremonies for a little bit, but since they have sped up approving cases, there are rarely open spots in the Oath Ceremonies. I should receive my notice within a couple of weeks with a date for the Oath Ceremony.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #29453