MMA2002

Hello everyone -
Just wanted to stop in and post Mahir's experiences from yesterday with his N-400 test and interview. His appointment was for 2:30 PM. We got down to the room where most of the INFOpass appointments are done and we sat down waiting for his name to be called (after giving his appointment notice to someone behind the counter). He was called around 2:45 PM and I waited out in the waiting area. Within 5 minutes he was back out to me with a green slip in his hand to take to the interview area just across the hall. He told me that he had passed the test and what he was asked to do was this:
- Read a sentence in English
- Write a sentence down on paper that was read to him in English
- Answer 6 questions (hopefully I can remember what they were):
1. Where is the White House?
2. What makes up the Legislative Branch of Government?
3. Name the two Senators from Massachusetts.
4. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
5. Who wrote the Emancipation Proclamation?
6. When is the President inaugurated?

So, then we went over to the interview room where we waited and he probably got called in around 3:10 or so. He said the woman just looked through the documents we had gathered (I'll list them below) and brought with us and flipped through his file asking him just where he works, where we met, and then Mahir showed her our ultrasound pictures and she congratulated him and wished us luck. Then he was done and she handed him a piece of paper saying he had passed and told him to wait outside while they got his Oath date ready for him. I remember looking at my watch when we left the room and it was just before 3:30, so a total of 1 hour between his scheduled time and being done - pretty good! So now he'll be sworn in on August 21st! We're very thankful that now after over 4 years of Immigration filing, paperwork, etc. we're done! Good luck to everyone who is in our shoes and has been waiting, filing, etc. It can be done.

So, the stuff we gathered and brought with us (she didn't take copies of anything for his file - which I have to say was already about 3 inches thick!):
- Utility bills (showing both of our names)
- Credit card bills (joint)
- Taxes (joint) for 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 (only needed 3 years but I had copied all 4 of our married years taxes)
- Passport sized pictures (he had forgotten to include these in the original filing of the N-400)
- Car insurance showing both of us on the insurance
- Proof of my citizenship (passport and birth certificate)
- Copies of his passport and green card and the many visas he's had!
- Beneficiary/Dependent forms showing him as mine and vice versa
- And as I mentioned above ultrasound pictures of the little one we're expecting!

If you have any questions please feel free to PM me or respond here - for all the advice I've received from those who have gone before us I would like to return the favor.

Rete

Congratulations, Well Done !!!

ian-mstm

Excellent news! Congratulations to you both.

Ian

Noorah101

Hooray! Congratulations!

Rene

meauxna

Congratulations, Mahir!
And Missus Mahir.

Maggs

Congratulations to you both!

Maggie

Bob

Congrats!

It's good to see the Boston office is doing something then

It's coming up to a year since I applied to remove my conditions on my GC and I've still not gotten it after a very quick biometrics appointment

AlanR

Congratulations! I guess everyone will see that there is light at the end of the immigration tunnel.
On a personal note (please feel free to pm), I'm scheduled for N-400 in Boston for July 10th and there didn't seem to be many of us when I posted recently. There are 2 questions I'd like to ask. I know Boston was trialing the new Civics Test but according to the USCIS website this won't be in full operation until October 2008. Did you actually take the new or old test? Or were you offered the choice between the 2?
Second question relates to the oath ceremony which seems some considerable time after the interview. Were you offered an alternative date? My main concern regards the need to travel at end-August after a July 10th interview and whether I should forget that notion, or ask for an oath ceremony after my travel (given that the GC isn't surrendered until the oath ceremony), or try to make a mad dash for an appointment (InfoPass) for the passport office in Boston in order to get a 'quick' passport (< 2 weeks before travel). I've struggled for a website link that lists dates, times and places of oath ceremonies in MA for this year. Can anyone post such a link?
Again, well done! I hope to be joining the throng shortly....

meauxna

Hey Alan, no idea on the oath dates, but I've got some ideas on the scheduling problems.
If your office is not difficult to get to, you can go in and just ask about oath ceremony scheduling. When I did this, I found out that we have same-day ceremonies in our city. Then I found out what we needed to do to get one. We had guests coming from out of town, so I wanted to know.

Then it turned out that we had a trip booked & paid for for exactly one week after the interview/oath day. We made very last-minute arrangements to go up to our Passport Authority office as we qualified for their 'urgent' service (you must be traveling within 2 weeks of making the appt and have tickets to prove it).
You can of course also ask at your interview, and get the officer's advice. She may schedule you for an oath after your trip.
Anyway, let me know if I can expand on any of that.. sounds like you've already done your homework.

AlanR

Thanks for the very quick response which was very helpful and reassuring. I was figuring on asking for the best 'strategy' at the correct time (after success hopefully) on the day! I'm trying to be as prepared as possible.....
We're not in a good location in Hubbardston, MA for a rapid Boston JFK visit. Indeed traveling in by car to Harvard Square last week (to see Steve Tilston) wasn't pleasant!

dutchman2001nl

Congratulations....

MMA2002

Alan - there was no choice regarding the test - Mahir just went in and they asked 6 of the 90+ questions that are in the study guide. Regarding the Oath date there wasn't a choice - we were given a sheet of paper and it appeared everyone was getting the same date. With the number of people that are going through that office daily I wouldn't be surprised if when you go for your appointment you're given an Oath date about 2 months after your interview. We would have liked to have had him get the Oath immediately but that wasn't happening! Good luck and if you have any other questions let me know!

MMA2002

And Mahir's oath is for the Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, MA - it's not at the JFK Building.

AlanR

Hi there! I bet you're both feeling very happy. It's been a long journey for you both.
The message is consistent then betwen the Boston office and the USCIS website (No new type civics tests until October 2008). The question though on "Who wrote the Emancipation Act" confused me as this doesn't seem to be in the 96 questions in the (old) study guide - and I'd have answered Abe Lincoln to this one - and this was the prompt to my question. Obviously 'What is the Emancipation Act?' is an easier one...
I'll ask at the appropriate time on the 10th about oath ceremonies to see if my anticipated travel schedule can be accommodated (I suspect I'd have to go for a ceremony after travel).
Once again -feel happy! You deserve it!