Living here in the United States for a decade is a wonderful opportunity, but becoming a citizen of The United States is beyond amazing! I applied for Naturalization in May of 2018. Three weeks later, I received a notice for my Biometrics which was done in Jackson, Mississippi. After my Biometric appointment was completed, I waited a whopping eleven (11) months for my naturalization/citizenship interview. Not everybody waited that long though. Some Filipinos I know waited for four (4)months, others waited for six (6) months. So, If you don’t receive an interview notice within four months don’t panic. It will happen, just be patient and be positive. Also, keep on studying.
By the way, I’m residing in Louisiana and my interview was in New Orleans. Now, back to my unforgettable experience. Honestly, I was so nervous (it’s normal for everyone to feel nervous). My interview time was 1 p.m. ( Note: Make sure to arrive at the office no earlier than 30 minutes before your interview. This is to avoid the office from getting too crowded). When you are already inside the office make sure to check in and give your appointment notice to the person in charge at the service window and then have a seat. An officer will come out from the interview room to call your name when it’s your turn.
//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Listen carefully, when your name is called, you need to pay attention to the officer that called your name because that same person will be the one conducting your interview. Before your actual interview, the officer will ask you a question about yourself like “How are you today?” That is one way the officer is testing your English skills by your response. In my case, I answered, “I am well, thank you for asking. How about you?”
When entering the interview room, don’t do anything unless the officer instructs you to do something. Just relax! When I entered the room with the officer I remained standing. Then she told me to pull out three (3) things from the envelope I was carrying and put them on the table and place my purse and the envelope away from me once I had those three things she required (so I placed them on a chair beside the door).
THREE THINGS SHE ASKED OF ME
- Passport
- Green Card
- Driver’s License
I remained standing and then she had me swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. After that, she told me to have a seat (she was testing my communication skills). The interview itself only took 20 minutes and then I was done. When the officer told me I passed, I gave her a big hug and thanked her from the bottom of my heart. To GOD be the glory!
If you are still waiting for your interview, don’t worry, it will come.
XOXO,
Ester
