|
|
| Houston TX |  Review on October 18, 2023: |
Simone_Lee
Rating:  | Review Topic: Naturalization
My appointment was scheduled for 12.05pm and I arrived at 11.30am. Security checks your appointment letter before letting you in. They asked if I had any weapons. Your stuff is scanned and you walk through a metal detector. Be sure to put your phone, watch, wallet, keys, and purse in a box separately. Some people had to remove shoes and belts. Then you go to the front desk.
The person at the front desk takes your appointment notification and writes a number on it and gives you a separate slip of paper: the slip of paper is the number they'll call for biometrics, and the number on the appointment letter is the one they'll call for your interview.
Biometrics was just a photo and two index fingerprints. Then take a seat and wait to be called.
I sat and practiced the civics questions (Quizlet is great), and was called at almost exactly 12.05.
Turn your phone off before going in. Don't talk while the officer is introducing themselves. They'll have you swear in (right hand, whole truth, blah blah) "I do so swear."
They have the WHOLE stack of alllllllll applications and evidence you've ever submitted (I just kept thinking about how much money I spent on that stack of paper over the years). The officer flipped through it a bit. We did the civics test: he asked 10 questions, you need to get 6 right. He stops asking once you reach 6. Then you read a sentence on the tablet (Who was George Washington?), then you write a sentence on the tablet (the officer reads it aloud and you write it down on the tablet using a stylus: "Washington was the first president"). He asked some questions that were on the application form: have you ever been part of a foundation/club, or society; ever been in the military: ever any citations (I had a speeding ticket, he asked when, where, and how it was resolved); have you left the country since you submitted this application... etc.
He asked about my divorce and I said as little as possible. I initially said "irreconcilable differences" but he didn't seem like it satisfied, so I gave him a little more context (just one sentence).
He asked me if I agreed with the Oath of Allegiance (line by line, practically: will you take up arms if the govt asks, etc etc)
Do you understand and accept the pledge of allegiance, will you take it, etc.
You sign the tablet to verify that you understand and accept the oath.
Then he said "Ok, and are you available on October 28th for an Oath Ceremony"...
"Uuuhhh... I'll make myself available!"
He said usually they might be able to print out a notification for the oath ceremony but they had some issues so he said it would be on MyUSCIS and emailed to me in the next couple of days. Then he walked me out.
No big congratulations or welcome, just "ok, thank you, have a good day...?" and he went "yup, thank you, you too!" ... and then I just left. Felt so weird.
From entering the building to leaving the building: 60 mins max.
From the beginning of the interview to the end of the interview: 10-15 max.
Granted, it wasn't very busy when I arrived, but they have a lot of officers helping so it all seemed to move fast and smoothly.
Finally done. Ish. Oath ceremony, passport, Social Security next.
'Murica!
| |
|
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #32610