"Yellow" letter

[SoRot76 3]

Today, I received a yellow letter from uscis, asking me to bring "evidence indicating that I did not abandon my residence, or terminate employment in the United States", "state-issued driver's license" and "passports" to the interview. I haven't done my biometrics yet, nor received an invitation to the biometrics? Is this normal? I'm worried now, because I was out of the country for almost 7 months in 2010/11 for my husband's doctoral research...

[kzielu 1,149]

No, it's not normal and it's most likely caused by your 7 months absence, as you correctly guessed.

[miraclescometrue 0]

I also got my yellow letter without biometrics, I think there is such a huge back log in some field offices don't worry!

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

There are two kinds of those scary letters: the one you received and the one where they're asking to bring all kinds of court papers regarding the criminal conviction(s). General consens is that those letters are triggered by a intellectually challenged drone in the mail room reading a word he or she misinterpretes and then it's off to the applicant. Many N-400 patients are first shocked as they have no criminal history, and -- like in your case -- feel their absence may have triggered a suspicion of abandonment of their US residency.

Don't ya worry . . . it's all just smoke and mirrors, minus the mirror, or, as the Germans say "totaler Schwachsinn." Bring your passport to the interview, and perhaps documentation what hubby and you did in Germany, and it's all gonna be fine.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Brother Hesekiel

[SoRot76 3]

There are two kinds of those scary letters: the one you received and the one where they're asking to bring all kinds of court papers regarding the criminal conviction(s). General consens is that those letters are triggered by a intellectually challenged drone in the mail room reading a word he or she misinterpretes and then it's off to the applicant. Many N-400 patients are first shocked as they have no criminal history, and -- like in your case -- feel their absence may have triggered a suspicion of abandonment of their US residency.

Don't ya worry . . . it's all just smoke and mirrors, minus the mirror, or, as the Germans say "totaler Schwachsinn." Bring your passport to the interview, and perhaps documentation what hubby and you did in Germany, and it's all gonna be fine.

I already sent in everything they wanted: rent/mortgage payments for that time, a letter stating why we were gone, my husband's stipend contract from Freie Universitaet and tax returns to prove we kept filling taxes here… I'll just bring all this I guess. Hopefully I will get my biometrics letter soon!