Posted 10 July 2009 - 08:36 AM
I don't have firsthand experience since I was born here, but I do have a couple of coworkers that were able to share with me some of their knowledge of what you could expect. (If I recall, you're here in San Diego, correct? If so, then maybe the following info might be of direct interest to you since my coworkers had their US citizenship interviews at the Federal Building in downtown San Diego. But if not, forgive me for any extraneous detail pertaining to the process and just ignore.)
First of all, both confirm that you cannot bring in any electronic devices to the interview. Purely a security type of thing, mainly so that nobody can record the interview proceedings and whatnot. In one person's case, she brought her cell phone and all she was required to do was turn it off upon entering the facility. But in other cases, both observed that some people were required to leave their electronic devices at the front desk or return to their cars and leave them there. (By the way, speaking of cars and parking, be sure to be prepared to have to pay at a parking lot here in San Diego and maybe come early. My suggestion is to park in the Horton Plaza parking lot and just walk to the Federal Building. It's not that far and beats having to pay upwards to $10-$15 at the more pricey public lots.)
Both also suggest that you dress in business attire, much like how you would to a job interview. Conduct yourself in the same manner as well, because you definitely will want to give a favorable impression to the person conducting the interview.
This now leads into the interview itself. Both my coworker friends stress that you should come prepared. Prepared, prepared, prepared. They stated that there's a checklist of documentation/identification that you are required to bring, so be sure that you have everything listed because the interviewer will surely ask for any of these things. One coworker said to bring copies of your tax information as well, which she said was asked but didn't happen to be on the list. She was lucky that she just happened to have had them on her.
As far as interviewers go, be prepared for anything and don't get rattled. Both had varying experiences (and also heard from others that were in the same boat) that you could find yourself with anything from the most cold and strict interviewer to the most amiable and friendly guy you ever met. This is why you'd want to dress appropriately because you don't know what your luck of the draw is, so you may as well dress to impress and not sour an interviewer's initial appraisal of you. Some may want to engage you in small talk and others may seem terse, cold, and straight down to business from the get-go. But the point being, just be prepared for all contingencies and don't take it personal if you happen to get a not so friendly interviewer.
The good news is that the interview itself is apparently not a very long process at all. In the cases of both my coworkers, it lasted no more than 15 minutes. When you first arrive, most of your time is really spent just sitting in the waiting area with about 10-15 other people waiting to be called in. When you do get called, you're led into a simple office environment and you are seated in a cubicle area where you are one-on-one with your interviewer facing each other across a table. For one of my coworkers, most of her time was spent poring over her documentation/paperwork with the interviewer and she was asked only 3 questions regarding the US civics booklet (that you have to study prior to coming in). As for the other, she was asked somewhere between 7-10 questions (she can't exactly remember) and relatively wasn't hassled about any of her documentation that she had brought in. The question and answer portion of the interview was mostly verbal but both said to be prepared for one question where you will actually be asked to write down your answer. This is mainly to demonstrate to the interviewer that you can also write in English, as well as speak it. (But I doubt that you have any problems doing either.)
All in all, it sounded to me like an overall short and simple process. I guess the main things that my coworkers emphasized is to just have any and all your documentation in order and be accepting of the possibility that you may or may not get the greatest person in the world to conduct your interview. But so long as you are prepared, dressed appropriately, and know your stuff, then everything else should just easily fall into place.
Good luck!
Once more into the buffet
Into the last good bite I'll ever know
Live and eat on this day. Live and eat on this day.
I wore super casual attire (sneakers, capri shorts, sweater) and they didn't care -- my lawyer said you can wear anything as long as it isn't offensive or shows a looooot of skin. Oh, and they do allow electronics now, but you have to keep everything turned off inside the building. Hope this helps other people x)
