Today I did my interview and passed. The Officer was a very beautiful young lady and she was nice and friendly. After taking an oath to tell the truth, she started going through my N-400 application (not line by line). Eventhough I said no to "citation and arrest", I had HOV violation and driving under suspended privilage tickets. Showed her documents that I paid my due and I am clear. She seemed satisified with that. Also I have said no to "have you been to jail or prison? " in my application,I told her I was detained in my home country and she said that is fine.
Just wanted to share my interview experience.
We are in Nashville, TN and, by luck of draw, USCIS somehow scheduled us to appear in Nashville FO for US citizenship interview. That was nice, since we have two kids and no one could take care of them that day. So, my wife and I were scheduled at 900AM and 920AM. She was to go first and I was next. There was only one IO conducting interviews that day while there was another one, her supervisor, doing something else.
I just finished my interview today and here is my 6 questions. just remember to bring all the paper with you and it is very helpful if they cannot find paper in their file!
- What did the Declaration of Independence do (said that United State is free from Great Britain)
- What is the economic system in the United States (market economy)
- Name one branch or part of the government (President)
- We elect a US Senator for how many years? (6)
- What does the President's Cabinet do? (advises the President)
and my reading is:
where is the White House
USCIS is issuing updated and comprehensive citizenship and naturalization policy guidance in the new USCIS Policy Manual. This guidance, contained in Volume 12 of the Policy Manual, replaces the naturalization and citizenship policy guidance found in Chapters 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76 of the Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM), the AFM’s related appendices, and policy memoranda.
Just want to share my experience.
Application sent: June 12 2012
Applied on my own, no lawyers.
Submitted the following documents
- N400
- G-1145
- 2 color photo
- GC photocopy
- Birth cerficate photocopy
- check for $680
- Cover letter
FP done: July 25 2012
- location: 170, Portland st, Boston
- went there 1 hour earlier than interview time, no issues. was allowed in the line right away.
- took around 1 hour total including waiting time and FP
Interview : Sep 14 2012 2pm.
- location: JFK building, Boston
I had my naturalization interview on the April 5.
I posted my detailed history in the forum but now it is not coming up in searches, so here is a quick recap.
In 1997, I tried to cross over from Canada with a fake ID + Birth certificate, claiming I was a US citizen. I was arrested, and later received asylum. My wife, who was driving the car, was not arrested, but also faced removal/deportation, but that was dropped once I got my asylum and in 1 year she got derivative asylum.
We primarily have questions on relocation to India and possibilities.
My wife and I want to retain our Green Cards and eventually get US citizenship. We are just 3 years away from getting our US citizenship.
However, we want to relocate to India for our aging parents. We want to be able to relocate to India now for a few years (5 years), but we also don’t want to miss out on the citizenship opportunity when we are this close to getting our US citizenship. Is this even possible without the hassle of staying 6 months in the US and 6 months in India, and would there be any tax implications if one of us continues to work for the same employer in the US remotely from India?
We are aware that we can take 2 years' permission by filing Form I-131 and staying outside the US for 2 years. However, we need more than 2 years to stay outside the US. Also, the citizenship clock resets if we take this option. Is there a way to avoid this?
If you plan to relocate to India with a green card before obtaining U.S. citizenship, it can significantly complicate the naturalization process. To apply for U.S. citizenship, you must meet physical presence requirements: at least 2.5 years in the U.S. over the last five years and no single absence of a year or more. If you stay outside the U.S. for over six months but less than a year, you may need to provide an explanation.
A re-entry permit (Form I-131) allows you to stay outside the U.S. for up to two years without losing your green card, but it does not help with citizenship requirements. Form N-470 can protect your eligibility in limited cases, such as working for a U.S. company’s foreign branch, but it does not guarantee naturalization.
If you stay abroad for more than a year, you will likely need to restart your five-year residency requirement (or four years and one day if a re-entry permit was used). While re-entry permits can be renewed in certain cases, they do not protect your citizenship timeline.
Best advice: Obtain U.S. citizenship first and then relocate, as naturalized citizens can live abroad indefinitely without affecting their status. Please consult your lawyer regarding this.