rlolney58

Hi Folks

Anyone know what the interviews are like? Are they pretty straight forward? Or, do they grill you in hopes of denying the application?

Would love to hear people's experiences.....


TIA

Nutmegger

The opposite; it is all low key and very straightforward. There is no grilling, just checking there’s no change from the particulars you entered on the paperwork. Relax and don’t worry.

Noorah101

Very straightforward. They verify the data on the N-400. They give you the verbal civics test (when you get 6 correct, they stop asking). They have you read a simple sentence out loud. They have you write a simple sentence that they give you verbally (they don't deduct for spelling errors). If all goes well, they recommend you fit approval.

Rene

neill

Do they examine the tax returns in detail (indeed, do they even look at them) ?

tht

He took my most recent one, filled since I had applied for the N400, I only provided the summary from the IRS not the 100’s of pages of worksheets. He looked at mine enough to comment that he was impressed I managed to get a rebate from the state of CT. Based on my limited experience of observing while I was there I would say the experience may vary based on different factors / applicants, even in the security line I noted different treatment of people, at that particular office. My guess is that it wound also vary from office to office or state to state.

check out around post #11 for my experience in CT last summer:
N400 Interview next week - questions

civilservant

Interview was easy. Professional but not friendly.

Only questions asked were those on the N400;

rlolney58

Thanks everyone!!!

Rete

Is there an issue with your return that makes you apprehensive of having your return scrutinized? No, the return is to show that you are a responsible person and have filed your taxes. If you hadn't filed, then you might be placed on hold until such is done.

Civil Servant's interviewer was the opposite of my husband's interviewer in NYC's Immigration Office. He was friendly, open to discussing many thing and even came out to the waiting room to meet me and shake hands and chat for a bit about an episode we had with our former caseworker when hubby was going through his PR status change.

civilservant

Yep, total opposite.

Mine starred straight at me the entire time, unblinking, while she read the N400 questions (have you ever commuted... etc etc)

She didn't even say congratulations or anything at the end, she just said she was recommending approval, typed some things, and escorted me out of the secure area without so much as a goodbye.

Rete

Wow! We had great experiences with both the officer doing the adjustment of status and the naturalization interviews. Spent a good deal of time with the officer for the AOS. Had her laughing and us laughing. She asked for one paper and it was in the redweld on my lap and I went to take it out and guess I wasn't fast enough for hubby and he reached to take the redweld from me and I looked at him and snapped "I know where it is". She laughed and said "Now I know you are really married."

The only poor experience we had was the naturalization ceremony. We pulled the alcoholic judge in Federal Court who came in recited the pledge and immediately left for his liquid lunch. This was told to us by one of court's baliff's. No presidential speech. No photographs with the judge.

lizzyq

Commuted? Are they really interested in how you got to work?

rpjs

That was in Manhattan right? Mine neither, but the judge did hang around to shake hands with everyone at least. I think it's just how that location works, probably they're doing so many naturalizations that they cut the process down to the legal minimum. I'm still sad that I didn't get a miniature American flag (I've seen the Simpsons dammit!) and that Westchester County doesn't give you "I voted" stickers when you go to vote.

tht

Wow, so different, we had the judge and the Senior Senator for CT who both gave speeches, we were given the flag, the welcome letter from the president and had our picture taken with the senator and got to talk to him briefly.

zzrmark

I had an 'interesting' time with my N400 interview so, looking retrospectively, I'd recommend that for all the evidence you submitted with your application you bring up to date examples. I grudgingly accept that the officer was looking at evidence that was over a year old but I do question whose fault that was!
So stuff like bank statements, vehicle docs and, yes, tax returns, anything submitted that is out of date or changed by the time they get around to giving you an interview bring the evidence with you and if you think of any further qualifying evidence between submitting the application and interview day bring it with you. For my interview post referraI I ended up bringing in the certificates from a Hebrew evening class that my wife and I had taken together as I was getting desperate after receiving a referral notice requesting more info despite having already faxed, as per the officers instructions, all (the updated evidence) he'd asked for at the first interview.

A bunch of Cuban family members provided the highlight at my oath ceremony by booing Trump when his ugly mug appeared on film...

sun_burn

I found the power dynamic in the N400 much more equal than in any prior interview or border processing interaction. In those settings the default assumption is to deny you and the burden of evidence is upon you to make your case .

I never had a green card interview but the F1 and H1 visa interviews were straightforward even though the balance of power is clearly in their hands.

This is not true for the N400 interview, at least not in my experience . Mine was employment based GC plus 5 year residence rule (almost 10 in reality) so there was no marriage scrutiny. The interview itself is largely a review of the answers in the application and adding/correcting anything that’s changed since application . The civics test is easy - just study the magic questions. The English test, well a native speaker would really have to go out of their way to fail that one .