GeekSquad

Patiently waiting for an interview date. I was moved into scheduling on April 4.

Welshgator

Almost there!

Posted n-400 on 4 Mar 2013 to Dallas Lockbox.
Received notification of receipt of n-400 through e-mail on 11 Mar 2013
Received Biometrics appt letter 18 March 2013
Scheduled for biometrics on 29 March 2013 at Jacksonville,FL.
Entered the 'Testing and Interview' stage on 2nd April 2013
Received notification for interview date on 8th April 2013
Interview and civics test on 13 May 2013 at Jacksonville
Notification of Oath ceremony on 3 July 2013
Oath ceremony scheduled for 25 July 2013 at local courthouse.

Will be just short of 5 months for the whole process.

Welshgator

All done, became a US citizen last Thursday, 25 July 2013.

lansbury

Congratulations, welcome to the multi citizenship club.

RICH

My Turn.

Sent N-400 packet on Aug 21 (UPS 2 day - $19, an extravagance I allowed myself)
Package received at USCIS Texas - the Lewisville address, not the Dallas PO Box, as UPS used- Aug 23rd (early, I got UPS delivery email at 9am eastern, although 3pm is guaranteed).

Awaiting receipt notice and/or check cashing.

Poppy girl

RICH

Check cashed/debited today - Aug 28th

Poppy girl

You're on your way should be done and dusted by Christmas

RICH

NOA/ Receipt notice received Aug 31st. (Received/Priority Date Aug 23, Notice date Aug 26th - in case that means anything to anyone)

Next up - Biometrics appointment.

RICH

Biometrics appointment received sept 7, set for sept 24. Speeding along

RICH

No one else seems to be using this thread currently, so I am blogging on it.

Biometrics was today. 8am appointment at the new (2-3years) Tampa field office.

It was raining hard & rush hour, so the 20 mile drive took 45 mins and I arrived at 8.05. Car park virtually empty. Reception area/security - 3 uniforms - checked my appointment letter, empty pockets, (phone left in car), through metal detector.

Biometrics area on left, Infopass area on right. Ceremony "hall" straight ahead. (No obvious place where interviews take place. Probably on the info pass side)

In the Bio area - show appointment letter & PR card. Take a seat & fill out form containing the same info as on the appointment letter, plus hair & eye colour, height & weight.

Returned form to desk, received waiting number and booklet -Quick Civics Lesson for Naturalization test. Haven't looked at it yet but it has a cd in it.

So, my number is 78. There were 3 or 4 people/ couples waiting when I arrived, and the current number is 74. 75 & 76 get called while I am still looking around getting my bearings. There seem to be 4 fingerprint stations operating, and maybe 4 more behind. It is quite open plan. Then 78 is called. Guy sitting next to me is 77. We both realized they skipped a number, as did the staff, so then the auto voice called 77 - so now -do they want both of us?? Merriment ensued, and I got to wait a few more minutes. 3 or 4 more people arrived in the meantime.

Fingerprints scanned - photo taken - Fingerprints scanned again. Letter stamped & dated.

Out the door and back in the car 20 minutes after parking.

This is too easy. Something has got to go wrong

Poppy girl

Nope all is good, just the same experiance for me except it was not raining

RICH

ScousePete

After much procrastinating (arrived stateside in 1996 on a K1) finally decided that this was the year I would become a USC. Partly because my GC was due to expire and I didn't really feel like paying out $450, when for a couple of hundred dollars more I could be done with USCIS forever.

Timeline - (also on trackitt )

Service Center: Phoenix
Application Filed: 03 Jun 2013
Priority Date: 04 Jun 2013
Check Cashed: 07 Jun 2013
NOA Received (I-797C): 08 Jun 2013
Fingerprint Notice Received: 17 Jun 2013
Fingerprints Done: 26 Jun 2013
Interview Letter Received: 05 Aug 2013
Interview Date: 03 Sep 2013
Oath Letter Received: 14 Sep 2013
Oath Date: 27 Sep 2013 USCIS District Office: Phoenix, AZ U.S.
Passport Applied Date: 27 Sep 2013
Total Processing Time: 116 days

Everything was pretty straight forward and moved along quickly. Interview was in and out in about 20 minutes - details HERE

Oath Ceremony was held at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Phoenix in the ceremonial courtroom. Was quite well organized - we were told to arrive at 12:30, but for our family and friends not to arrive until 1. Of course everyone (seemingly except me) ignored this. At 12;30 the clerk of the court told us to line up, but only the folks being naturalized. We were then ushered into benches in the back of the courtroom and told to ensure that the back of the form had been filled out. We were told this at least six times and still there were people who didn't complete it and held everyone else up. We were then moved to the front of the courtroom and they collected our papers and green cards.

They asked if there was anyone who wanted to share their journey and 5 people volunteered. Then the family and friends were allowed in. There were three presentations - one from a guy from the voter's registration office, one from social security and one from the passport office. We were given a packet that contained all the necessary forms, a copy of the pledge of allegiance and a little American flag. We were told that there were 74 applicants that day (plus 2 no-shows) from 25 different countries. I was a bit disappointed they didn't list the countries as I know they have done at other oath ceremonies.

Judge enters, National Anthem, 5 stories, Oath (there were at least 3-4 clerks making sure no-one was faking the oath!), recorded message from the president, little diatribe from the judge about the honour of becoming an American. Then we were told to wave our flags while they piped in God Bless The USA, yep that '80's country song. Quite surreal.

We then get our certificates, a handshake from the judge and off we go. It was about 2pm. The great thing about the day was that the three agencies had tables outside the courtroom, so I was able to register to vote, change my social security info and apply for a passport right there! (Don't forget to bring a photo - they take credit cards, but not cash) They do keep your naturalization certificate, but they made a photocopy for me.

Then it was off to the local British pub for a celebratory pint!

ian-mstm

I'm so very happy for you! Congratulations!

Ian