Citizenship
|
| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Online |
| CIS Office : |
Cleveland OH |
| Date Filed : |
2021-02-18 |
| NOA Date : |
2021-02-18 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2021-02-19 |
| Interview Date : |
2021-05-27 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Oath Ceremony : |
2021-06-24 |
| Comments : |
90 day advanced filing:- Eligibility May 19th 2021; Filed Feb 18th 2021.
Biometrics reuse notice received Feb 19th 2021.
Interview notice received April 21st 2021.
Interview Process: Arrived at the facility 7:45am for an 8am appointment. Myself, along with approx. 10 other candidates, were asked to wait downstairs in the lobby until the group were called upon. 8am, we were directed through the buildings security checks and instructed to head up to the 5th floor (USCIS office). Upon arrival to the USCIS Interview office, there are three windows to present your invitation letter. The lady working at this kiosk was very helpful, friendly and asked that I take a seat once she processed the document. After a 10 minute wait, my name was called and I was lead to the interview room by my assigned USCIS officer. The room had a plexiglass divider between myself and the officer with an iPad. I was asked to present my state issued I.D., Passport and Green Card through a gap at the bottom of the plexiglass followed by confirming my full name, height and if I wanted to legally change my name. Next, the officer asked that I stand and swear an oath with my right hand raised. The question process started with Reading and Writing – On the Tablet, I was asked to read “What do we have pay to the government†followed by writing the sentence, using a stylus pen: “We have to pay taxesâ€. Next was the CIVICS questions – 1)When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? 2)Where is the Statue of Liberty? 3)What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? 4)What are the two major political parties in the United States? 5) Before he was president, Eisenhower was a General. What war was he in? 6)Name one state that borders Canada. Once CIVICS was complete, we moved onto a thorough N-400 review. To conclude, I was told my application had been recommended for approval and asked to confirm sign the completion form and the Oath ceremony agreement – “Congratulations!â€. In summary, my USCIS officer was very detailed, cordial and professional. Overall, an excellent experience – Very happy. My best advice to anyone is ensure you know your N-400 word-for-word, dress accordingly (it is an interview!) and try not to let nerves get the better of you, the people you work with through the process are extremely fair and understanding!
***OATH CEREMONY CANCELLED*** Evening of 6/172021 I received an Email telling me that my ceremony, scheduled for 6/18/2021, had been cancelled due to a Federal Holiday - my new date will be automatically generated. 15hrs notice is cutting it fine, but it was completely out of USCIS' control (Federal Government issued the change). Fortunately I watch my inbox and caught the notice. I hope everyone who also had scheduled appointments tomorrow caught it in time.
*** OATH CEREMONY ***
Arrived at the facility at 8:40am for a 9am appointment. Everyone was asked to wait in the lobby until the USCIS office was ready. Approximately 8:55am, we went through the lobby security check area and headed up to the USCIS floor. Checked-in at the desk which included confirming your name, providing your invitation letter, surrendering your Green Card and clarifying that all information provided on the invitation questionnaire was truthful. The registration Admin was friendly and courteous. Upon taking a seat, you find a “welcome pack†envelope which includes: Miniature US Flag, Congratulations notice important information about becoming a US Citizen, Oath of Allegiance words, National Anthem (The Star-Spangled Banner) words, Pledge of Allegiance words, 14 Facts about voting, US Passport application and (most importantly) a copy of the Declaration of Independence Constitution of the United States. Once all applicants had been registered and seated (approx. 20 people), a senior member of the USCIS office entered the room and congratulated everyone on their journeys to becoming a citizen. We were all asked to stand for the Oath of Allegiance which was read out aloud with our right hands raised – WE WERE NOT ASKED TO REPEAT THE OATH, JUST SAY “I DO†AT THE END. That was it! We got reminded that we can not take pictures in the federal building and we got called 1-by-1 to collect our certificates and leave the building. The whole experience was very underwhelming considering this is one of the most important days of your life. I was expecting it to be a lot more patriotic including acknowledgement of our countries of origin, singing the National Anthem and having an opportunity for each person to express what the day meant to them. On the contrary - from starting the ceremony, to leaving the building, took less than 10 minutes! I can’t fault the USCIS staff throughout my entire journey and wish everyone well in the naturalization quest – I hope all the information provided has been useful. Best of Luck! |
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