I got sworn in today in Atlanta. I am going to try and give you a low down on the process and I'll post my timeline at the end.
I got in at 9:45 am ( that was my appointment time), but they don't hold it down real fast.
I dropped off my appoinmment letter and finally got called in at 11.20am.
The interview process is rather simple: he asked me questions on the form ( have u ever been a member of a communist party etc).
Here's the good news, if he/she asks you to start sgning stuff, you are on your way, don't trip yourself now.
Got naturalised today at Newark, NJ as well.
My interview was scheduled at 1:00 and I got there at 12:50 pm.
I was called in at 1:30 pm and the interview lasted 7 minutes. The interviewer was very courteous. He verified that the information in the form was correct. Asked me to sign the name change form (since I had request a name change). Asked the 6 history/civics questions, all of which I answered correctly and handed me the approval notice and told me to show up at 3:00 pm for the Oath.
I was not asked for any documentation whatsoever.
Arrive Early before the ASC office opens as there are many people that have same Appt. time , the line fills in fast.
Bring the following:
1)Your original ASC appt. notice
2) Photo ID (IF Photo ID passport has different last name than your ASC notice , bring Marriage license, If your ID and Appt. notice name are not same they will turn you away unless you have Marriage license)
3) Be sure your fingers/ hands are not dry or cracked, If you have dry hands put lotion on the nigt before so when you arrive they will take good prints
Appointments' procedures for all non-immigrant visas are the same. This is from my personal experience in Nov 2005.
Step 1.
Make the two payments - either by DD or cash at the designated branch of HDFC bank. Take copy of passport along. Get receipt of the payment. There'll be a barcode sticker on the receipt which will also have the number which will be your receipt no. for all future references. This can be done by the individual applying for the visa or any representative but should carry the Passport copy of the individual travelling.
I am always reading comments from other membres on this forum, but today I would like to take opportunity to share my wife's interview experince for citizenship.
Below is her N-400 timeline
10/12/05: RD
10/12/05: PD
11/25/05: FP Appointment
02/13/06: Interview notice
04/25/06: Interview Appointment
04/25/06: US citizen since 5:45
Thanks for this great list! I had my interview yesterday and went prepared with everything. My citizenship was based on marriage and these are the documents that the officer looked at / took:
Passport, ID and Green card, obviously
Selective Service registration
Copies of last three years tax returns AND transcripts from IRS (though one or the other would have been fine)
Three months of bank statements
Three months of mortgage statements
My POE with the AP was actually Newark (there is a Newark-Beijing direct flight which goes over the pole). The officer just had my passport, the two copies of AP I have and also I had filled in the white landing card (the one you normally use for entrance with a visa).
Hi All,
A new member of our community, Blueheron wanted to know -
Category: IR5 (parents)
Interview Date: Feb 2009
Consulate: Chennai, India
Jan 28, 2009: Called panel doctor Vijayalakshmi and fixed an appointment for Jan 31st, 11 AM.
30th Jan 2009:
Reached Lister Labs at 6:30 AM and no one was there. Security opened the gate and gave us the first token. We were out by 8:30 AM. Collected Sealed envelope at 4:30 PM. X-Ray, blood test cost: Rs 810.
31st Jan 2009:
We had our interview today and our case was APPROVED! It was fairly easy and straight forward interview.
We checked in at 8:45 AM for our 9:15 AM appointment. We were called in couple of minutes before 9:15 AM, pretty good!
Please see signature for updated timeline. Really impressed with how quickly this case has been processed.
We got married in May and dont live together because of our work situation but I have the following documents so far :
NOTE : The joint financial stuff is only a month old since we just got married in May.
FINANCIAL STUFF
------------------
1. Joint savings account
2. Joint credit card
3. Added her name to my apartment lease
Hi everyone,
I've got good news to share ,
I received 6mails from USCIS last night that my 1-485 & I-130 have been approved and my approval letter & welcome letter was mail yesterday
I just want to say thank you to everyone on this forum; your kind words, encouragement & prayers has help make the waiting a success. I deeply appreciate your help, support & friendship.
I pray that everyone still waiting will get their name check clear soon
Cheers
One can petition for parents only if the petitioner is US Citizen. GC holder or LPR cannot apply for parents.
Parents cases of USC are processed differently from the Spouse of USC though they come under the same category.
If parents are already in US, they can go thru the AOS process or CP.
If parents are outside of US, they can go thru the CP only.
For Whom Are You Petitioning?
For AOS or CP, I-130 is the common form.
Our interview was at the Federal Building in Los Angeles at 11am
I got a call from my attorney’s office at 8am saying he was taken ill to the hospital during the night and he can’t make it to the interview. The office said we can go by ourselves or they could postpone the interview.
After speaking with my wife we decided to go by ourselves. Part of me thought, “what a way to start the day” and another part of me was glad because I always thought taking an attorney might show that we had something to hide.
Hey people, finally got approved after the priority date got current. had my interview in milwaukee, yesterday 5/17. i noticed while i waited for him to finish something else that the approved stamp was already placed on the file in front of the desk. i verified to see if it was the same A number as mine and it was. so after a minute he simply took my signature and fingerprint on an unfilled form which i hope he filled out later while he was still on the phone. he then proceeded to tell me that all was well and i could go.
I was relatively surpised at how quickly my papers were processed since I applied at the end of Oct 2008 and my interview was scheduled for middle of Feb, 2009.
The officer had a huge file and first started by validating my name. He even had my birth certificate, which I never submitted, and asked me to verify all the information on that. After verifying the name, he went through all questions from the N400.
Under the various employment based categories, Category I based permanent residency is the most difficult to obtain. Initially, the foreign national must determine if he/she is eligible for lawful permanent residency according to the USCIS guidelines.
An applicant filing an EB1 alien of extraordinary ability application may self-petition, but an applicant filing under outstanding researcher and/or professor and multinational manager must have a sponsoring employer.
One of the ways a foreign national (alien) can become a permanent resident is through a permanent employment opportunity in the United States. There are five employment-based preference categories.
Please contact the International Student Office in your local university for F-1 visa fee information.
Also, see this link.
A temporary worker visa is a nonimmigrant visa for individuals who wish to work temporarily in the United States. There are several categories ("classifications") of temporary worker visas. Some of these classifications have annual limits. The applicant’s qualifications, type of work to be performed, and other factors determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law.
Below is a summary of these visas. For more information on any of them, click on the visa title or on the menu to the left.
The initial registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap petitions will open at noon Eastern on March 6, 2024, and run through noon Eastern on March 22, 2024.
By God’s grace and with my employer Company’s help, I am mighty glad that I found Rajiv’s law firm and at the firm - Vikas, Anna and Fran for my case.
My troubles began when post 6 year expiry of H1B, USCIS apparently rejected the H1B extension but for some reason, no notification was received regarding that rejection of extension for almost one year. The consequential mess resulted in a number of grave implications - starting from employment, GC, driving, even basic living and eventually hit my survivability.
It was at that time my employer Company (that is very supportive) introduced me to Rajiv's law firm.
I am personally very impressed that the firm showed great aptitude and that the firm pursued the case with an unflinching professional commitment and integrity. The team at the law offices worked very diligently, in a very timely manner and made a very professional representation to the USCIS. The firm addressed all the concerns of the USCIS to the satisfaction of the Authority to re-establish the just cause, resulting eventually in a victory for all involved. It was a very complex case that involved a number of appeals and re-appeals over almost a year. While it got so complex that every step of the case was like a step forward in a battleground, the law firm chugged along and helped keep faith in justice.
Looking back, it seems incredible that there is a law firm that can deliver not only justice when the just cause often seems like almost lost in a maze of unknowns, but also could make the entire engagement with the client so clean, above-board and transparent – that as a client one feels assured of being in the right hands at all times. I am in no delusions when I say the firm delivered right well on this extremely complex and sensitive case. I further believe that by upholding the just cause, the law firm not only got justice for me and my employer, but also helped created a winner in USCIS/ US Justice system. I commend the firm for helping everyone including the USCIS see the just cause. The firm, in my belief, has set an example that many others in the Immigration industry could learn to follow in the true spirit of delivering justice.
The law firm exhibited every reason why the firm has and deserves to have a GREAT name in the Immigration community.
Three cheers to Rajiv, Vikas, Anna and Fran at the firm - my personal and professional BIG thanks to them.