319b from abroad

[T and M 1]

Hi everyone,

My wife and I applied via 319b from abroad and requested the Atlanta District Office. We figured we would visit my family and kill two birds with one stone. The Atlanta District Office was very clumsy, however, and denied my wife's N-400 after she passed her interview, arguing that we had not established that we live abroad. What a joke.

They gave us the option to file an N-336 appeal, which costs $605 and takes somewhere around 6 months. We talked to a lawyer who said that it would be much faster, and somewhat cheaper, to file a new N-400.

Now to my question: I have looked through some of the stats and it looks like the Washington, DC DO gives interviews within 3 months of filing. Other offices give them within 2 months of filing. Since we are located in Bolivia, we can go anywhere in the US for our 319b application. Does anyone know which DO is the absolute fastest about getting interviews for N-400 cases? We are tired of flying back and forth and want to close this horrible VJ once and for all. It costs around $1200 round trip to get to the US from Bolivia. Perhaps we could do it at some island in the Pacific near Chile? Guam? The Marshall Islands? Hawaii? The US Virgin Islands?

Thanks for any direction you can give.

[Stella08 0]

Didn't you say that you wanted to go throught Washington DC next time since they seem to have the most experience with 319b cases and therefore you should expect the least roadblocks and problems?

When I had my interview at Fairfax the IO even told me about the 319b and told me to let other military spouses know about it (I know, you're not military, but still). He said it's real easy to do a 319b if you have orders. You just walk in and do everything in one day. As I said, I'm a military spouse, so your case is a little different. But it seems like they really accomodate people who file under 319b.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you guys. Why is it so important that your wife gets the citizenship while you're abroad? As far as I remember she filed for a reentry permit. So you could give it another try once you're back and she fulfills all the requirements. But whatever you prefer, I wish you lots of good luck! :thumbs: I still can't believe you got denied after you had been approved and all because the IO didn't file the paperwork.

[T and M 1]

Didn't you say that you wanted to go throught Washington DC next time since they seem to have the most experience with 319b cases and therefore you should expect the least roadblocks and problems?

When I had my interview at Fairfax the IO even told me about the 319b and told me to let other military spouses know about it (I know, you're not military, but still). He said it's real easy to do a 319b if you have orders. You just walk in and do everything in one day. As I said, I'm a military spouse, so your case is a little different. But it seems like they really accomodate people who file under 319b.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you guys. Why is it so important that your wife gets the citizenship while you're abroad? As far as I remember she filed for a reentry permit. So you could give it another try once you're back and she fulfills all the requirements. But whatever you prefer, I wish you lots of good luck! :thumbs: I still can't believe you got denied after you had been approved and all because the IO didn't file the paperwork.

Yes. Definitely. I read before we filed 319b that Fairfax (Washington, DC) is the best place to file 319b. We took a risk, b/c we wanted to see our family in Georgia. We paid for it.

It's not hugely important that she gets her citizenship now, actually. Even if we don't re-apply via Fairfax/DC, we are going to try to return to the States every 5 months to keep the clock ticking and hopefully apply after she has fulfilled the 18 months of physical presence. The only thing I'm slightly worried about is that I might get a fulltime job abroad some day before my wife gets US citizenship and that could complicate matters, and she could potentially lose her Green Card if I begin to work abroad fulltime, rather than just temporarily as is happening now. Right now I work for myself, a "US-owned company," if you will. But what if I get a job with a foreign firm? She would be risking her Green Card just by living abroad with me. But as long as I am working for myself, she is completely legal living abroad with me.

We did not apply for a re-entry permit, because we would rather keep the 3-year clock running. Once she has been physically present in the US for 18 full months, we can reapply via 319a.

We are really destroyed about the IO not filing our flight itinerary, approving my wife's application, and then denying it two weeks later on the basis that we didn't provide evidence of travel plans. It's almost too ridiculous to be true, and all our Congressmen and Senators have worked on it, but the Atlanta District Office just seems to get madder and angrier and bitterer and more protective of their territory. They have not once given any of the Senators a decent answer as to why my wife was denied. It's sad really to see such poor governance. I love the USA, but I really think we can do better with regard to our government. We deserve a government that works.