Hi everyone!
Today, I’m going to go over what you need to bring with you to the N-400 Naturalization interview.
Make sure to watch until the end to find out what you should bring,
but you probably haven't thought of.
Let’s start.
What to bring to the N-400 Naturalization Interview?
First, because of COVID-19,
procedures are in place in the USCIS offices to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
So, you need to make sure to bring a face covering that covers both your mouth and nose.
USCIS does not allow neck gaiters, bandanas, or masks with exhaust valves.
And if you are bringing your children,
they need to have face covering also if they are over 2 years old.
Second, you might need to sign some documents during the interview.
Most of these will be conducted on a tablet.
However, from time to time, they will request you to sign on paper using a pen.
USCIS encourages you to bring your own black or blue ink pen.
Now, let’s review what you documents you need to bring to the interview.
On the I-797C notice, it has a list of documents that you MUST bring.
Let’s go over those first.
You must bring your appointment notice.
If you didn’t receive a physical copy of the notice before the interview,
you can print out a copy from your online account.
Next, you need to bring your alien registration card,
also known as the green card.
This includes both your conditional resident card (2-year GC)
and your permanent resident card (10-year GC.)
If your green card is lost or stolen before the interview,
you need to replace your Green card by filing out Form I-90.
Keep in mind that currently, it takes about 10-12 months to get a replacement (green card).
So, if you don’t receive your new Green card before the interview,
bring the receipt of the green card application with you.
Also, It is okay to have an expired green card for your interview.
Next is your passports,
all valid and expired ones and any other documents you used to enter the United States.
And if you have a state-issued identification card,
such as a driver’s license, bring that with you also.
For male applicants, you need to bring any evidence of Selective Service Registration.
Any male citizen or immigrant who takes up residency in the U.S. ages 18-25
must register with Selective Service.
You can check whether you have registered for Selective Service by going to sss.gov.
And if you are female, there's nothing you need to do.
Now let’s go over some other documents that we recommend you to bring to the interview
to avoid any delay in processing your application.
You might wonder, I’ve already submitted all of these documents.
Why should I bring them?
There are various reasons that the Immigration Officer might not be able to access some of these documents during your interview.
We have seen an interview where the immigration officer couldn’t access the documents
because the USCIS computer system was down.
Fortunately, the applicant brought everything and he was able to get approved on the spot.
The immigration officer also want to confirm what you submitted are legitimate documents.
So, make sure to bring the originals with you.
And if any of the documents are in a foreign language,
you need to translate them into English and get it certified.
So, here’s what you should bring:
For everyone, bring your tax transcripts for the past 3 or 5 years depending on your eligibility.
You can request these for free from the IRS.gov website.
If you owe any taxes,
make sure to bring the IRS payment plan AND proof of payments
to show that your IRS account is current.
If you have any traffic tickets, it doesn’t matter how long ago,
bring the tickets and payment receipts.
We went into a little bit more detail in this video if you have more questions.
Now, let's go over some specific cases that might not apply to every applicant.
If you applied under the 3-year eligibility,
bring your spouse’s birth certificate,
certificate of naturalization and/or US passport.
You should also bring proof of joint accounts
such as health insurance, life insurance, joint bank accounts,
house deed or rental agreements.
If you got your green card through marriage and you are applying under the 5-year eligibility,
you should still bring all of these documents related to your marriage.
Unless you are single and have never been married,
bring evidence of your current marital status such as your marriage certificate,
divorce or annulment decree or the death certificate of a former spouse.
If your spouse was previously married,
bring evidence that your spouse’s prior marriage was terminated.
If you are divorced, bring the divorce decree.
And if you pay alimony or child support,
bring proof of those payments.
If you’ve changed your name, bring evidence of the name change,
such as a copy of the marriage document.
If you have any children, bring their birth certificate(s).
This includes all of your biological children, adopted children,
deceased children and stepchildren regardless of how old they are or whether they live with you or not.
If you have been arrested or detained by the police at any time,
bring original or certified copies of court dispositions.
And if you applied as a member of the United States Armed Forces,
you need to bring your discharge certificate or form DD214.
And last but not the least,
print a copy of the N-400 application form you've submitted and be familiar with your answers.
Review and note any errors or changes you’ve made after submission.
This can include:
Questions you’ve answered incorrectly.
Change of address
Change of jobs
Change of marital status
Newborn babies
New traffic tickets
New trips abroad and more.
Bring all supporting documents of these changes and notify the immigration officer during the interview.
And one more thing.
A lot of the USCIS offices are offering a same day oath ceremony.
So wear something nice and bring a certificate holder to capture this special moment.
We found a nice certificate holder and we will put a link in the description.
If you need more help with the Oath ceremony, check out this video.
All right, I hope this video helps you to be fully prepared for your Naturalization interview.
Good luck and I’ll see you next time. Bye.