N-400 December 2015 Filers

[JimmyHou 611]

Ok so bare with me. My interview is on Monday and I applied based on 3 years marriage and this is what I'm taking with me. Husband certificate of citizenship, marriage certificate and license, birth certificate of both kids, deed of trust and a few mortgages statements from our home in Texas, rent agreement from where we live now in North Carolina, tax transcripts from 12,13,14 and hoping I get the 15 on the mail until Saturday. College transcripts, renters insurance and homeowners insurance, car insurance, a few bank statements from our main acct. Then the last statement from another bank acct we have but barely use, last cell phone bill, yearly statement from amex credit card and last statement from another credit card we have together. Am I good? We have been married for 7 years and I didn't want to print out 7 years of bank statements and bills. Should I add anything else? Urgh the baby hasn't slept well for the past week and I can't think straight. Help!! Am I missing something?

Something to explain why you were eligible to file under sections 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA (whichever applies to you).

You sent your application to Nebraska, so I assume you have some special circumstances which allowed you to do so.

For example, if you were applying for an exemption to the physical presence requirement under 319b you would need proof of qualifying oversees work or deployment.

If your spouse is in the military, then something to proof his status.

Edited March 23, 2016 by JimmyHou

[jucuellar 2]

Something to explain why you were eligible to file under sections 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA (whichever applies to you).

You sent your application to Nebraska, so I assume you have some special circumstances which allowed you to do so.

For example, if you were applying for an exemption to the physical presence requirement under 319b you would need prrof of qualifying oversees work or deployment.

I sent to Nebraska because my husband is on the military and I was told to send my N400 to that address.

[JimmyHou 611]

I sent to Nebraska because my husband is on the military and I was told to send my N400 to that address.

I edited my reply as you were answering ;-)

See the last line!

If he's in the military, take something to prove that he is.

[jucuellar 2]

Yes ill include his orders to ft bragg on my pile too. Thanks Jimmy!

[osune22 7]

Hi JimmyHou,

You seem to be quite verse with the N-400 process. Based on my interview result yesterday: "decision could not be made; I will be contacted in the mail". Going by past experiences, I know every case is different. What is the most optimistic time frame I can expect hear back from them? Waiting in anticipation is very challenging sometimes.

[JimmyHou 611]

Hi JimmyHou,

You seem to be quite verse with the N-400 process. Based on my interview result yesterday: "decision could not be made; I will be contacted in the mail". Going by past experiences, I know every case is different. What is the most optimistic time frame I can expect hear back from them? Waiting in anticipation is very challenging sometimes.

Best case scenario would be if you got an online status update to "Inline for Oath" today or tomorrow.

If they are busy and set aside your application for review later, you may get this update in a week or two.

Sometimes they don't bother updating status after the interview, in which case you'll just need to wait for a letter in the mail. If they mail it this week you could get it next week, but it could easily take a month if they haven't reviewed your evidence yet.

While getting an online update would be a good sign, not getting one doesn't mean you're going to be denied. They may or may not send you a decision letter in the mail if you are approved (they will probably not send one). They will just send an oath letter when you are scheduled. Because of this, you may not hear anything for a while; if the next oath is months away, you may not get a letter for a while.

If your application is denied, you'll get a letter in the mail within one or two weeks of the decision.

So... best case: online update soon.

Worst case: denial letter.

Possible: nothing at all and an oath letter in a few weeks/months.

Hope that helps.

Edited March 23, 2016 by JimmyHou

[osune22 7]

thanks

[stavroula58 8]

I had my interview today at the USCIS Oakland Park, Florida office. Interview was for 8:30 am. I arrived at 8:00 am. Was called in by the IO at 9:40 am. She looked pleasant. I was sworn for the oath for the interview. After which she told me that I have the option to withdraw my application or go through the interview process and be denied at the end because technically she thought i am not eligible to apply under the 3 yr rule bcos I live apart from my wife. I work as an inspector and my job takes round the southern part of Florida. My company insisted that i maintain a residence in the Miami area. My wife works for the VA and she resides an 8 hr drive away from me in Florida. She has tried to transfer to a VA facility in the Miami but we have been unsuccessful. I presented evidence to support my claims. We have been in bona fide marriage.

I insisted that I duly qualify to apply for naturalization under the 3 yr rule since we are living apart for career reasons. I told her I cannot make the decision to withdraw my case without speaking with an attorney. At that point she told me she was going to call her supervisor to explain the law to me. A lady came who introduced herself as acting supervisor. She tried to clean up the statement made by the IO by saying that they will set up a committee to see whether there are exceptions in the provision that might apply to my case.

So they went ahead and tested me on the civic and all the interview questions. Civic questions were straightforward.

Long story short, the IO gave me a piece of paper saying decision cannot be made at the time and that I will be contacted in the mail. So my fingers crossed at this time.

I am on the same boat. My husband lives and has a job contract abroad in order to support our family. I live in Chicago some part of the year with my sons and some part abroad with my husband. How can I proof USCIS that we have been in bona fide marriage? We have been married for almost 28 years. I thought that was the problem I am not inline for an interview yet but I saw that they placed you inline after a month or so after your biometrics. About criminal history, there is nothing about me. Not even a speeding ticket. I don't know what to think of this delay. Anyway, I wish you the best results and please keep post anything new you have from USCIS. Good luck.

[osune22 7]

Thanks. Mine was more about technicalities. My IO was wrong to suggest that I can't file based on the 3 yr rule. There is a provision that made an exceptions for couple living apart due to career reasons. They will review my case and I shall keep you posted about the outcome.

[JimmyHou 611]

I am on the same boat. My husband lives and has a job contract abroad in order to support our family. I live in Chicago some part of the year with my sons and some part abroad with my husband. How can I proof USCIS that we have been in bona fide marriage? We have been married for almost 28 years. I thought that was the problem I am not inline for an interview yet but I saw that they placed you inline after a month or so after your biometrics. About criminal history, there is nothing about me. Not even a speeding ticket. I don't know what to think of this delay. Anyway, I wish you the best results and please keep post anything new you have from USCIS. Good luck.

You've been a resident since 2009. Surely you applied under the 5 year rule and not the 3 year rule. If you chose to apply under the 3 year rule, then I would suggest that at the beginning of your interview you tell your interviewer that you want to change the basis of your application to 5 years of permanent residency.

If you are applying under the 5 year rule, it doesn't matter where you spouse lives. Of course, you have to meet the physical presence and continuous residence conditions for 5 years.

Edited March 23, 2016 by JimmyHou

[stavroula58 8]

You've been a resident since 2009. Surely you applied under the 5 year rule and not the 3 year rule. If you chose to apply under the 3 year rule, then I would suggest that at the beginning of your interview you tell your interviewer that you want to change the basis of your application to 5 years of permanent residency.

If you are applying under the 5 year rule, it doesn't matter where you spouse lives. Of course, you have to meet the physical presence and continuous residence conditions for 5 years.

I meet the continuous residence and physical presence for 3 year rule due to my long trips abroad to be with my husband so I applied under 3 year rule.

[JimmyHou 611]

I meet the continuous residence and physical presence for 3 year rule due to my long trips abroad to be with my husband so I applied under 3 year rule.

Ah ok. I understand. I don't know how it'll play out at the interview with him living abroad. But I'm definitely hoping for the best for you.

[stavroula58 8]

Ah ok. I understand. I don't know how it'll play out at the interview with him living abroad. But I'm definitely hoping for the best for you.

Thank you. My husband will come and be with me at the time of interview and oath when it happens.

[moemac59 192]

My interview was this morning. I won't share the details about traffic and the parking garage being closed when I got there and having to park far away and walk and my state of panic!!

But mine went very well. Passed. She said she would schedule me for the April 15th oath date which is great. She said she could probably get me in April 1st BUT then I would have had a problem getting my kids back from Canada after Spring break!

Interestingly, she told me I would need to do the N-600 for the kids. I was convinced I was just going to be applying for their passports and skipping this but she said that the passport applications are going to need the N-600 as their proof. I'm not entirely convinced but I don't want to take chances so definitely need to confirm this.

I asked her about traveling and she said that the kids can still travel using their green cards even after I give mine up at the oath ceremony. It will be a little bit of a worry for me until we're all using the same documentation!

Anyhow... I guess now I wait to get confirmation that my oath ceremony is actually on the 15th but I'm so relieved to be done with this part!

YAY congrats Ms.Hogan. I was thinking about you all day yesterday. Work is insane for me right now and my boss was not going to approve my requested vacation day for my oath ceremony. I flipped out.. He asked me if I could postpone this ceremony to a later date. I said no. I am working on a project deadline but will be looking for a new job immediately after this project is completed.

You and I have our oath ceremonies within a day of each other. Since I have to be back in Canada the day after for work, I am going to go to the DMV immediately after my oath ceremony to get an enhanced license for the time being and will also head to NEXUS to update my info. I will have to apply for a passport at a later date.

[KASH2011 382]

My interview was this morning. I won't share the details about traffic and the parking garage being closed when I got there and having to park far away and walk and my state of panic!!

But mine went very well. Passed. She said she would schedule me for the April 15th oath date which is great. She said she could probably get me in April 1st BUT then I would have had a problem getting my kids back from Canada after Spring break!

Interestingly, she told me I would need to do the N-600 for the kids. I was convinced I was just going to be applying for their passports and skipping this but she said that the passport applications are going to need the N-600 as their proof. I'm not entirely convinced but I don't want to take chances so definitely need to confirm this.

I asked her about traveling and she said that the kids can still travel using their green cards even after I give mine up at the oath ceremony. It will be a little bit of a worry for me until we're all using the same documentation!

Anyhow... I guess now I wait to get confirmation that my oath ceremony is actually on the 15th but I'm so relieved to be done with this part!

Congrats!