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- Applicants who submitted their N-400 in August or September of 2020 should likely get ready for their soon to come interview in San Francisco. Interviews are being scheduled for January. To find out the proper current interview protocols see the "Naturalization Interview Prep Call" poster below.
- Applicants who submitted their N-400 in March or April 2020 should already be through their interviews and their ceremonies and therefore should be US Citizens. Please let me know if that is the case!
- Health wise: whether vaccinated or not, you will need to wear a mask in order to enter the USCIS building and you will have to wear it at all times inside the USCIS building too.
- Due to Covid-19, USCIS San Francisco will re-schedule your interview if you have traveled outside the United States fewer than two weeks before your interview. Scroll down to read the poster related to Covid-19 and its impact on the USCIS' requirements for entering their building safely.
- Also, you will have your temperature taken and you will have to answer Covid-19 related questions at the security checkpoint before you will be allowed to go to your interview. Scroll down to read the poster related to Covid-19 and its impact on the USCIS' requirements for entering their building safely.
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--------------------Other Frequently Asked Questions----------------
Once USCIS has received your N-400, the following questions may come up.
- 1. I have not received my receipt yet, what is going on?
Normally, you should get your receipt in the mail within 30 days. However, with the pandemic, the amount of time has been doubled. So be patient. If you have not received your receipt after 90 days call me ((707) 462-1661) or e-mail me.
- 2. I received my biometrics (fingerprints) appointment notice and missed the appointment, what should I do?
You need to, either, check of a little box on your biometrics notice and return by mail the whole notice to the address found near that little box, or you can come and meet with me so I can help you. No matter what, do not go to Santa Rosa's Application Service Center (ASC) to get your biometrics taken if you don't have an actual appointment there.
- 3. My interview is coming up!! What should I do?
a. Check out the Naturalization Interview Prep Call poster below. If you need help let me know.
b. E-mail me dgengoux@uusd.net of call me: (707) 463-5217 or the number that is on my business card to set up an appointment and I can give you an overview of that prep call.
- 4. I went to my interview and the officer said that I passed pending a supervisor's decision, what does that mean?
Patience is key. Several things can impact the final decision in this situation.
a. The officer needs more information about something. The officer may request that information from you and therefore you will be given some amount of time to provide that information to the officer in question.
b. The officer is new and he or she wants a second opinion about something related to your application. He or she will then ask his or her supervisor to review your file and render a decision.
c. Perhaps "Red Flags" came up during the interview which require further investigation on USCIS' part.
Other possibilities may come into the picture too. Usually things work out in your favor so be patient.
- 5. I went to my interview and I didn't pass, what should I do?
You should call me or e-mail me and then we can meet and see what happened. Remember that you have two chances to pass the interview, so make the first chance count. Do not wait to contact me because sometimes there is a timeline that you have to meet in order to appeal the decision taken during your interview. Also, remember to keep all USCIS documents and or paperwork. Now, I'm not a magician and I can't solve every situation but, if you wait too long then things get worse.
- If you didn't pass the English portion of the interview, you will have roughly two months to brush up on your English skills.
- If you didn't pass the civics portion of the interview, you will have roughly two months to brush up on that part of the interview.
- If you didn't pass the interview because of other issues, lack of sufficient information, legal issues, etc.. Come see me. You may be afforded an appeal. Time will be short!
- 6. I submitted my N-400 and now I'm moving and my mailing address is going to change, what should I do?
a. Call: 1-800-375-5283 and up-date your mailing address. You do not want USCIS notices to be delayed or lost because of your change in address.
b. You can also change your address online though the USCIS Address Change process. To do so, click here.
c. You can come and see me or e-mail me and I'll help you.
- 7. I applied for Citizenship and my Green card expired. Now I want to travel abroad. What should I do?
Several options are available.
a. Don't travel until you are a citizen and have your US passport.
b. If you applied for citizenship and your green card expired within 6 months. You will need to renew your green card. The receipt generated by USCIS will allow for a 1 year extension on your green card and this with also allow you to travel abroad if necessary. The cost of renewing your green card is currently $540 ($455 (i-90 processing) + $85 (biometrics). You will need to give back your green card to USCIS when you are sworn in as a US citizen. Currently the processing time for green card renewals (USCIS Form i-90) is 7 to 13 months. The processing time for N-400s is 14.5 to 19 months, as of 12/08/2021.
c. If you applied for citizenship and your green card expired after 6 months: You will be able to set up and info pass appointment in San Francisco and get a stamp in your current nation's valid passport.
(Remember, traveling abroad during the pandemic may be risky. Travel may be restricted at anytime depending on the pandemic)
- 8. I applied for Citizenship and my green card was stolen. What do I do?
a. Report the theft of your green card to your local law enforcement agency (Police Department, Sheriff department, etc...)
b. Get a signed copy of that report.
c. If you applied through Ukiah Adult School's Citizenship program, I should have a copy of your green card on file. Come see me and I'll give you a copy of the copy of your green card.
d. Check question 7 (above) to find out if you can get a stamp in your nation's passport or if you have to get a whole new green card ($540).
e. Remember to make photocopies of all of your important documents and place them in varius safe locations in other words do not put all your eggs in the same basket!
***=***=***=***=***=***=***= CONGRATULATIONS! =***=***=***=***=***=***=***=
You passed your interview / test and you were sworn in.
====================You are now a US Citizen=====================
What should you do next? Good question!
- A. You should register to vote. To do so come see me or, click here.
- B. You should Change your Social Security Status.
After about ten days from the time you received your Citizenship Certificate, You should go to Social Security to
change your status. You will need to take your original Certificate of Citizenship with you.
They will probably make a copy of it and place that copy in your Social Security file.
- C. Should I travel abroad with my Certificate of Citizenship or should I apply for a US Passport?
***** NEVER TRAVEL ABROAD WITH YOUR CERTIFICATE OF CITIZENSHIP! *****
1. You should apply for a US Passport.
There are two ways to do that:
I can help you if you want me to.
- a. Apply through the Department of State, to do so click here.
You will need to complete Department of State Form DS-11 (pdf format) or you can
use the computer fillable DS-11 version (it will require the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader), Or you can pick one up at your post office. You can also complete it in the electronic kiosk found in the lobby of most local post offices.
- b. Apply through the United States Post Office's website. To do so, click here.
The DS-11 has to be printed and submitted in person at a Post Office.
To schedule an appointment to submit your DS-11 at your local post office, click here.
You will need to take with you your original Certificate of Citizenship to prove that you are a US Citizen,
your complete DS-11 (Do not sign the DS-11 yet!), your passport sized (2" by 2") photo (for $15, the post
office can take your photo), and your two checks (one check for $110 made out to: US Department of
State and the other check for the amount of $35 which will be for the post office). You may want to bring a
10" by 12" envelope too.
2. If you have children who were not born in the US and are not US citizens but have a green card and are under
the age of 17, you should get them US Passports so they derive citizenship from you. you will need to use a
DS-11. The birth Certificate of said child will probably have to be translated and I may be able to do that
depending on the language. To learn more about all this visit the
Department of State's website by clicking here
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General Questions
- 1. I lost my Certificate of Citizenship. What should I do?
If your certificate of citizenship is lost, stolen or somehow destroyed you can file USCIS Form N-565. The process fee for that form is $555. If you already have your US Passport then you shouldn't worry about it too much because a US Passport is proof of Citizenship.
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- 2. What should I do if I a man who is between the age of 18 and 25 and I have not registered with Selective Service?
I can help you register or you can do it online, click here.
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- 3. How can I renew my Green card?
There are Three ways to renew you green card
a. You can come see me. I'll give you a rough draft copy of Form i-90 and I'll help you fill it out
b. You should read the instructions related to Form i-90. To do so (pdf format), click here.
Then, you can fill it out on the computer and print your i-90. To do so on your computer (pdf format), click here.
c. You can, also, create an account with USCIS and file your i-90 electronically. To do so click here.
The cost to renew your Green card is $540.
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- 4. Can I legally be a dual citizen?
Yes! Depending on your native country's policies regarding that topic.
Not all countries allow dual citizenship.
- To read the United States' official policy on dual citizenship, click here.
- To find out if your native country allows dual citizenship, click here.
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- 5. I might have some questionable acts of poor moral character in my past and they might impact my plan to file my N-400. What should I do?
Remember, I'm not a lawyer, nor a "Notario" or taxi driver, I'm a teacher.
I would recommend that you contact: Catholic Charities of Santa Rosa, 987 Airway Court, (707) 528-8712.
To visit Catholic Charities of Santa Rosa's immigration related website, click here.
If you need a lawyer make sure that he or she is part of the American Immigration Lawyers' Association (AILA).
To find an AILA Member, click here.
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- 6. My US Passport is about to expire, what should I do?
Complete a Form DS-82. You can pick one up at your local post office. Or you can complete that form on the electronic kiosk found in the lobby of most local post offices. Or you can use your computer and the internet to complete in the computer fillable DS-82. You can come and see if you need help.
----------------------<^^^^^^^> WARNINGS and advice <^^^^^^^>----------------------
- WARNING! There is no guest Worker Program!
- WARNING! Federal agencies such as USCIS, the IRS, Social Security, or any other, will never call you to ask for money! It's a scam! Do not give them money over the phone!
- WARNING! All of the USCIS Forms are free. Do not pay someone to give you a FREE copy of a USCIS form. The cost is related to the processing of said form by USCIS or if you have hired a preparer then additional cost is agreed on by yourself and the preparer in question. To download USCIS' forms and applications for free,
click here.
- WARNING! Marijuana (cannabis) is not legal throughout the United States. It is Federally illegal. Using it or working in a company that processes cannabis or working in a cannabis dispensary can be very problematic for all USCIS benefit applicants. To watch a video, from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), about that issue click here.
- Advice: If a person prepares your application for you for free or for a fee, make sure that they complete and sign the preparer's section of said form otherwise, if an error is found during processing or during the interview it may create unwanted difficulties for you at that point in time.
- Advice: Make sure to save your money order's receipt or your cashier's check receipt.
- Advice: If you have a passport from you native country, I recommend that you up-date it when it needs to be up-dated. You never know when things may change in your native land and you might have to go back and conduct family related business there (inheritance, so forth....)
- Advice: Never give personal information to anyone who calls you. Unless you know them or unless you called them in the first place.
- Advice: Make copies of all of your important documents (Driver's license, green card passport, etc...) and keep them in various safe places, in other words do not put all of your eggs in the same basket!
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