Virginia timeline and moving after N400 submission

[Rob & Chris 0]

Hi!

I am planning to send an N400 application by the end of October or sometime November this year (2009).

Question #1: I would like to ask if anybody here has an idea of how long would the processing be? Should I assume about 6 months? I will be sending my application to the Texas lockbox.

Question #2: We might be moving by the end of this year (2009) or early next year (2010), would it somehow affect my N400 application?

Question #3: Will I be getting my biometrics, interview/test and oath from where I sent it from (Virginia)? or will I be able to get my biometrics, interview/test and oath to where will we be moving (California)?

Question #4: Will they hold on to my application for another 3 months after I moved? (with the 3 month state residency requirement)

Question #5: If I wait to move first before sending my application, do I need to wait the full 3 months state residency requirement? or can I send it in ahead of time, and for how many days in advance?

Question #6: If we wait for the full N400 processing (filing to oath), will kids be any problem if I take them to biometrics, interview and oath? (ages are 5 and 3). I have nobody to look after them and don't really entrust them to babysitters (hubby will be deployed), though oldest child is in school already so only have to worry about one and hoping the scheduled appointments will be during school hours.

Thank you all in advance for your advices!

Chris

[Rob & Chris 0]

I forgot to add. My name on my permanent resident card is different from my legal name. They placed my whole maiden name plus married name on the card. To which I never got the chance to have it changed/replaced/corrected because we kept on moving (military) and since everyone knows that a PR card is golden.

Do I need to check the option for a name change on the N400 application? To have my legal name be written on my Cizitenship certificate and to correct the error that they did?

Thanks in advance.

Chris

[Old Dominion 26]

You are near the Commonwealth Catholic Charities office in Norfolk. An immigration advisor there can help you through these complications and uncertainties, if you can visit them. (Richmond or Norfolk).

[enfm 0]

You are near the Commonwealth Catholic Charities office in Norfolk. An immigration advisor there can help you through these complications and uncertainties, if you can visit them. (Richmond or Norfolk).

right

[linaj 0]

Hey Rob & Chris,

I feel your pain and concern. I was actually in almost the same situation your are in about two months ago. We are a military family as well and will be relocating to California at the end of this year or begining of next year. So i was kinda worried my whole process woulldn't be finished in time. The processing time for the Norfolk DO seems to be around 4 months in total.. so i submitted mines last month anyways and should be done just before we leave. In my opinion I don't think submitting your application in VA and then leaving in the middle of it to CA is a good idea. I think it will actually cause more headache then good... because they will have to transfer your file and you will have to update your address, which sometimes is not always updated correctly and your run the chance of having some of your mail still going to the old address.

As far as your issue about your legal name on your GC.. If i were you I would make an info pass and ask an IO for some help on what to do. I don't know what to advice you on that.

Hope I was of some help.

[Rob & Chris 0]

Thank you for the replies.

Thank you so much "linaj". I will definitely try to send my application hopefully before this month ends if God willing I can collect all the necessary supporting documents. I am still thinking of staying until the application process gets completed. Hopefully it won't be that long, I still have to deal with a lot more stuff - moving us to our next base.

As for the name error, I asked them before and they advised me to submit an application to renew my card due to admin error - which I don't think is a good idea because that will only mean more time to waste, and time and money is of the essence.

Goodluck on your N400 journey, too!

[antda 13]

Hi Rob&Chris,

In answer to your questions:

1) I don't know specifically as to how long it takes for naturalization in Virginia. However, I am currently applying for citizenship in Buffalo, NY, so that should be more or less the same timeline there. I applied in September 2009...and my guess is that on average it will take a few months (4-5?) or so, based on the overall citizenship timelines for everyone (though everyone timelines are different, depending on where they live).

2)-5) Yes, you can move, whenever you like. When you do move, make sure you file the AR-11 (alien change of address) and I-865 (sponsor change of address) with the USCIS. Is your move to California temporary or permanent? If it is a permanent move, then you will definitely need to file such.

As well, be aware that if you move, you have to be a resident of that district/area for at least 90 days before you can apply for naturalization in that area. For example, if you are moving to the California area, you have to have lived there for 90 days or more to apply there.

In your case, in my opinion (not fact here), I think you should just apply for citizenship in October/November at your current address. Hopefully your case will be finished before you move. If not, you can still move anyways, inform the USCIS about your move, and do the interview and oath at the district where you lived in during the time that you sent in the application (since you lived there for more than 90 days before), but be prepared to travel back to that area (which might or might not be a long distance for you) and to explain about your move if you have moved by then.

6) Likewise, I'm bringing my son (who will be less than 6 months old at the time) to the biometrics, interview, and oath, as I have nobody else (besides my husband, but he has to come with me for transportation purposes) to look after them and I don't trust too many other people to look after him either. I did recently take my son to the fingerprints/biometrics appointment, and wrote about it on vj here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=221180

Needless to say, they seemed ok with it then, but who knows what they will think about it during the interview and oath ceremony.

I'll let you and other vjers know what happens then, when I have to go through such in the next few months.

From what I've read about other vjers experiences, they seemed ok with children there. As long as you and/or someone else can keep them under control, it should be ok (or at least I hope so). Lol...You would think that the USCIS would provide childcare or something like that, for having charged so much in application fees, and for the inconvenience of taking time out to go for immigration-related appointments!

As for your situation in particular, can you bring someone else along with you (friend, relative, neighbour, co-worker, etc.) to help you with the children while you are there? And if you need to reschedule, yes, do tell the USCIS ahead of time about that too.

7) As for the name change, yes, you can have that done when you get the N-400. There is a part on the form that says, "Would you like a name change?", to which you fill out yes, and write out the new name you would like to change to. This is for free, and included in your N-400 application, and your new name will be on your naturalization certificate, which you can use for a name change for other things to (SSN, Driver's license, etc.). Be aware though, from what I've read on vj, if you request a name change, there might be a delay in your application and/or oath ceremony date. I don't know too much about this, I admit, as I'm not doing a name change. Maybe some other vjers can help out here....

Hope this helps. Good luck with the rest of your immigration journey too.

Ant

Hi!

I am planning to send an N400 application by the end of October or sometime November this year (2009).

Question #1: I would like to ask if anybody here has an idea of how long would the processing be? Should I assume about 6 months? I will be sending my application to the Texas lockbox.

Question #2: We might be moving by the end of this year (2009) or early next year (2010), would it somehow affect my N400 application?

Question #3: Will I be getting my biometrics, interview/test and oath from where I sent it from (Virginia)? or will I be able to get my biometrics, interview/test and oath to where will we be moving (California)?

Question #4: Will they hold on to my application for another 3 months after I moved? (with the 3 month state residency requirement)

Question #5: If I wait to move first before sending my application, do I need to wait the full 3 months state residency requirement? or can I send it in ahead of time, and for how many days in advance?

Question #6: If we wait for the full N400 processing (filing to oath), will kids be any problem if I take them to biometrics, interview and oath? (ages are 5 and 3). I have nobody to look after them and don't really entrust them to babysitters (hubby will be deployed), though oldest child is in school already so only have to worry about one and hoping the scheduled appointments will be during school hours.

Thank you all in advance for your advices!

Chris

Edited October 9, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[antda 13]

P.S. I almost forgot to mention:

2)-5) Alternatively, you may choose (or the USCIS may choose for you) to do an oath at your new address/location if you have lived there long enough (more than 90 days), but there might be some delay in that, as they have to transfer your case to the new office/area where you moved to.

Not sure how this moving to a new USCIS district/area thing works really ( I moved recently, but it was within the same district/area). I've only read about moving to different districts/areas through other vj posts, so......Any other Vjers can give more insight into this situation?

Personally, I think that you should wait until you are done with citizenship/naturalization before you move....Makes life a lot easier that way...

Ant

[linaj 0]

No problem..I'm here anytime. I definitely understand the not wanting to waste anymore time and money..It's stressfull enough having to deal with the moving and everything. Once again I'm in the same boat. I submitted mines in September and I was determined to stay until the whole process was finished...

But your free to go with whatever will make things easier for you. The only reason why I advised to avoid moving in the middle of the process is, because I've had issues with Uscis not updating my address correctly in the past. I had them send several of my correspondence to my old address when I first moved here.

I know everybody's case is different and not everybody runs with the same luck.. but I feel like its better to keep the process as simple as possible.

If you don't mind me asking where in Cali will you guys be stationed at??.. I'm just curious because like i mentioned before we will also be moving in the begining of next year and i want to see if you will be moving in the same area.