N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

Hello,

I have my interview in NYC next week......

I've had a good search on here, and just have a couple of questions:

Do I need to take passport sized photos with me?
Does my USC husband need to come along?

Thanks!

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

I don't know about the passport photos, but your USC husband *can* come along. He will need to wait outside in the waiting area while you take your test, but he certainly can be there.

Rene

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

thanks Rene, but if he is working, I won't be judged that he isn't there right? I mean he can come, but if he doesn't need to...that's easier for us.

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

That's correct. He is not required to be there. :)

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

Hi

I had my naturalization interview in NYC on June 3rd. My husband didn't go with me. You don't need passport photos. Do bring your current passport and any passport that has expired while your case was pending AND if you used it to travel abroad.

Small advice - bring truckload of various documents showing that you are still married to your husband. I didn't prepare well for the interview and only brought our 07 tax return, a letter from a lawyer addressed to both of us, and a print out from my employer's benefits web-site showing my husb as my beneficiary. It's not enough!!! You need utility bills, correspondence addressed to both of you, life insurance policies, etc. Bring whatever you can think of with you. Make sure it's from the past 3 years, too. I had some old documents (from 02-05), and my interviewer didn't accept them. He actually had me write a request to be approved/explanation of why I have to little to show (I wrote it).

All is well now, this afternoon I got an invitation to my oath ceremony for the 27th!!!!

My timeline
NYC DO 26 Federal Plaza (VSC)

N400 mailed 03/03/08
Received 03/04/08
Checks cashed 03/06/08
NOA 03/15/08
FP 03/24/08
Interview 06/03/2008
Oath 06/27/08

Less than 4 months!! :thumbsup: Unheard for NYC, I think :o

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

In 12/03 at 26 Fed Plaza, they had the file and the N-400 and all the attachments we submitted with Jim's form. Our submissions were rent lease, car insurance, tax returns, membership lists showing both of us, cards, bank statements and we brought the originals with us. I went with my husband. He was not asked to show the originals but the examiner did come out to meet me in the waiting room after the exam/interview and thanked me for setting up a well organized and comprehensive package. We mailed petition in May 18, 2003 and adjudicated on 12/13/03.

One note: If you are not given the appointment letter for the oath ceremony, ask if you can stay in the waiting room until one is decided. They make up the letters in the morning and start handing them out around 12 noon.

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

thank you so much for your replies.

I filed the N400 in July 2007, so it's taken me longer than you!

Thanks for the advice on the items to bring, I'm making notes!

I hope the ceremony is sooner rather than later, as I'm seven months pregnant!

I'll post an update next week!

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

I'm puzzled. You have to take stuff that wasn't included in your original application??

That's me screwed then. I don't have anything apart from joint tax returns that shows both names. There might also be a health insurance document that shows me as a beneficiary but that's it.

All the utilites are in my name only, the house deeds, all my bank accounts are in my name and not joint, I can't think of one single thing that has both our names on it. Plenty of "sets of things" like my driving licence and hers that show the same address, but nothing with both names on it.

Oh dear.

a.

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

What did you use for your adjustment of status and/or removal of conditions.

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

Nothing. I didn't need to do either.

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

Ahhh an IR visa. Well submit and bring what you do have. It is all you can do. Bring the wife to your interview as well and invite the examiner out to meet her.

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

I don't know what you included with your original N400. I only sent the bare minimum that was required, i.e. tax returns for the last 3 years (04-06) at the time, and a copy of my GC, along with copies of marriage, divorce and birth certificates.

It's worth noting that a Russian girl that was interviewed before me, who was there with her citizen-husband and a 9 month old baby, mentioned that she had been told by her interviewer that she didn't bring enough proof of being married to the same husband for the past 3 years. And she had a lot more than I did.

If it's not too late and your interview isn't next week, add your spouse's name to some utility bills. Have someone write both of you a letter on some legit-looking stationary (company letter head?). It's better than nothing. Good luck to you.

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

I've been married over 10 years. We lived together in the UK for seven years and now in the US for three. If that isn't enough proof then I'll pass on my desire to be a citizen.

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

Although it is not rare these days, USCIS might have an issue with the fact that your spouse does not share any financial responsibilities with you and that your property is only deeded to one person, you. It behooves you to try and get as much evidence of financially joining your life with her and also get as much evidence that you are a couple.

For instance, if you both work, a letter from both your employers showing who is the emergency contact, the beneficiary of your 401K plan, your life insurance policy, healthcare policy, dental policy.

Do you have cards for holidays, anniversaries sent to you with both your names inside the card, i.e. Joe and Mary ....

Do you have itineraries from trips you took together, boarding passes, etc. Do you share credit cards?

You might not need it at all, but then again you might and better to be prepared for any eventuality. And bring her to the interview and let the examinere know she is in the waiting room.

Re: N400 Naturalisation Interview questions
 

Probably the only thing apart from filing joint tax is that I'm on here medical insurance. She works, I don't.

We have oodles of household bills, but she pays the electric, I pay the property tax. She pays the phone bills and DirecTV and I pay the car insurance. We just split everything in what seemed to be the fairest way. Having two names on a utility bill is something I'd never come across until I moved here. It's certainly not the norm in the UK. So we do share the financial responsibilities at home, but just not on the same bill.

When I came here three years ago, I had to start building a credit rating from scratch, the last thing I was going to do was put her name on anything. Her past history is far from pristine.

That said, without all this joint stuff, I'm pretty sure I can convince anyone of the solidity of our marriage.