N-400 December 2015 Filers

[stavroula58 8]

Unless you have a situation that requires a lawyer I certainly would not waste the money!

Thanks for your reply. I don't think that my case requires a lawyer but I don't know what USCIS believes.

I think that the overwhelming majority of N400 applicants don't use lawyers.

We have a lawyer at work who can help if needed, but I don't plan on having a lawyer with me at the interview.

If you hire a lawyer now, all he'll do is call USCIS, tell you that your application is within normal processing times, and then charge you $300.

If you look at today's updates for the June 2015 thread, you'll see that two applicants (one in Chicago and one in St. Louis) were just placed inline... and they applied 6 months before us. Those are unusually long cases, but it just goes to show that this does happen sometimes and if we are not placed inline until August, our cases will still have moved faster than theirs. That doesn't mean that that is what's going to happen, or that you shouldn't follow up on your case, but it does mean that it's way too early to worry.

I see nothing wrong in calling USCIS when it's been 90 days since biometrics, or 120 days, or whatever you feel is reasonable. I'll probably do that myself if I haven't heard anything by then, because I do think that in some cases, it makes a difference.

But I would only use a lawyer in two situations: if there's a complication in my case (like criminal history or immigration violations) or if USCIS has failed to act well beyond the normal processing time (over a year). If there's something odd about your case, then you should consider hiring a lawyer.

You're right. I will wait 120 days since biometrics and I will re-think what to do.

[silvermug 16]

Hi co-applicants. I just wonder if you have a lawyer. I don't have one and I am thinking if it is better for the N-400 process to hire one, even now.[/color][/size][/background][/font][/color]

I have a lawyer. I spoke to him before I filed and then retained him. If you think your case does not have complications, I wouldn't get one. If you got an RFE that bugs you, I would consult one. I have one because my case kind of worries me and it's also because I am a worrier. I get freaked out quite easily, it is for my sanity and peace of mind :/

From what I read, most folks who get lawyers are those with previous arrests, if you registered to vote, possible physical presence or continuous residence issue, had previous tax issues... I think the general rule is that if you did something against the law, then it might be a good idea to get a lawyer.

[Spmaria 11]

UserName......... |GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd |NOA.. |Fprints.|In Line..|Int ltr.. |Intview..|Oath.... .|Field Office

JimmyHou.........|03/15/11|12/17|12/23|12/22|01/13/16|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Houston, TX

Spmaria..........|04/26/12|12/19|12/29|01/02|01/20/16|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Newark, NJ

Groovyaardvark...|02/15/11|12/08|12/15|12/14|01/07/16|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Denver, CO

Stavroula58......|01/31/09|12/10|12/18|12/17|01/11/16|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Chicago, IL

Hi co-applicants. I just wonder if you have a lawyer. I don't have one and I am thinking if it is better for the N-400 process to hire one, even now.

Hi. I don't have a lawyer and I don't think my case is complicated. I guess it's just a matter of luck and our situation isn't the bad one yet. But I'll call USCIS after 90 days.

[groovyaardvark 7]

No lawyer. I agree with what others said. Nothing complicated about my case so no need. I will be calling USCIS on April 7th (90 days since biometrics). This has happened to me every time. No idea why.

[JimmyHou 611]

No lawyer. I agree with what others said. Nothing complicated about my case so no need. I will be calling USCIS on April 7th (90 days since biometrics). This has happened to me every time. No idea why.

Aardvark profiling.

[groovyaardvark 7]

Aardvark profiling.

Hahaha

[Ms Hogan 295]

Hahaha

LMAO I needed this laugh. I'm totally freaking out right now!

[quan12 6]

I got my interview letter today. Notice v date 03/18/16 and interview date 04/26/16. Someone please update. Thanks. Good luck all!!!

[JimmyHou 611]

Updating quan12's interview letter date and interview date...

N-400: December 2015 Applicants

======================================
USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox
======================================
UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line..|Int ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|Field Office
emki.............|02/??/09|11/23|12/02|12/01|12/22/15|12/24/15.|01/05/16.|02/11/16.|--/--/--.|Albuquerque, NM
nessky...........|05/14/12|12/01|12/10|12/08|01/04/16|01/06/16.|03/10/16.|04/12/16.|--/--/--.|Miami, FL
Raymon...........|09/11/10|12/02|--/--|12/12|12/30/15|01/04/16.|02/26/16.|03/24/16.|--/--/--.|Dallas, TX
meme123..........|05/07/12|12/04|MnOrd|12/09|12/28/15|12/30/15.|02/22/16.|04/04/16.|--/--/--.|Baltimore, MD
osune22..........|03/05/13|12/07|12/10|12/19|12/28/15|02/05/16.|02/16/16.|03/22/16.|--/--/--.|Oakland Park, FL
kwakun...........|03/07/13|12/08|12/18|12/17|01/07/16|02/08/16.|02/26/16.|03/31/16.|--/--/--.|Philadelphia, PA
another1.........|12/08/10|12/08|12/16|12/15|01/05/16|01/06/16.|02/05/16.|03/10/16.|03/16/16.|Atlanta, GA
Boy15(1).........|09/27/10|12/11|12/17|12/16|01/05/16|01/07/16.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Houston, TX
Boy15(2).........|09/27/10|12/11|12/17|12/16|01/05/16|01/14/16.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Houston, TX
Bruin85..........|10/26/10|12/11|12/17|12/16|01/04/16|01/06/16.|03/04/16.|04/01/16.|--/--/--.|Dallas, TX
klm9971..........|02/16/11|12/14|01/04|--/--|01/20/16|01/25/16.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Tampa, FL
skyajnas.........|06/23/07|12/14|12/16|12/17|01/05/16|01/07/16.|02/05/16.|03/10/16.|03/18/16.|Atlanta, GA
Vi Mazzella......|07/03/05|12/14|12/17|12/19|01/07/16|01/11/16.|02/08/16.|03/10/16.|--/--/--.|New York, NY
tru_loves_journey|10/23/12|12/15|12/24|12/23|01/13/16|01/15/16.|02/29/16.|04/04/16.|--/--/--.|Charlotte, NC
JimmyHou.........|03/15/11|12/17|12/23|12/22|01/13/16|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Houston, TX
sazzy............|12/20/08|12/17|12/24|12/23|01/22/16|01/26/16.|03/10/16.|04/13/16.|--/--/--.|Orlando, FL
zzmr_qzz.........|12/10/08|12/19|--/--|12/28|01/20/16|01/25/16.|02/25/16.|03/30/16.|--/--/--.|Philadelphia, PA
Spmaria..........|04/26/12|12/19|12/29|01/02|01/20/16|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Newark, NJ
moemac59.........|02/01/13|12/21|12/--|12/24|01/20/16|01/25/16.|02/01/16.|03/08/16.|04/14/16.|Buffalo, NY
trangyakan.......|03/15/13|12/21|12/24|12/28|01/16/16|02/15/16.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Albuquerque, NM
Pete's Dragon....|03/13/13|12/22|12/29|12/24|01/11/16|02/15/16.|03/14/16.|04/12/16.|--/--/--.|Dallas, TX
BuzzBear09.......|05/10/10|12/29|01/07|01/06|01/28/16|02/12/16.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Tampa, FL

==============================
USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox
==============================
UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line..|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|Field Office
Groovyaardvark...|02/15/11|12/08|12/15|12/14|01/07/16|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Denver, CO
silvermug........|12/16/10|12/08|12/10|12/11|12/30/16|01/04/16.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|San Francisco, CA
Stavroula58......|01/31/09|12/10|12/18|12/17|01/11/16|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Chicago, IL
quan12...........|03/01/13|12/12|12/16|12/16|01/06/16|02/01/16.|03/21/16.|04/26/16.|--/--/--.|San Francisco, CA
Ms Hogan.........|03/14/13|12/14|12/16|12/17|01/11/16|02/15/16.|02/19/16.|03/22/16.|--/--/--.|Cleveland, OH
dan.and.audrey...|10/12/10|12/15|--/--|--/--|01/12/16|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|03/07/16.|03/07/16.|Portland, OR
spring333........|02/19/13|12/17|--/--|12/23|01/15/16|01/19/16.|03/04/16.|04/06/16.|--/--/--.|Chicago, IL
PI314............|05/05/06|12/17|12/21|12/18|01/12/16|01/15/16.|02/04/16.|03/08/16.|03/08/16.|Denver, CO
Sixer............|03/18/13|12/18|12/29|12/23|01/22/16|02/18/16.|03/07/16.|04/05/16.|--/--/--.|Honolulu, HI
Spoom............|04/19/10|12/21|12/29|12/28|01/20/16|01/25/16.|01/29/16.|02/29/16.|03/18/16.|Cleveland, OH
sxm..............|11/21/11|12/21|12/29|12/28|01/19/16|01/21/16.|02/01/16.|03/04/16.|03/17/16.|Cincinnati, OH
daqh.............|01/22/13|12/26|01/04|01/09|01/27/16|01/29/16.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|St. Louis, MO

===========================================================================
USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing Under 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA)
===========================================================================
UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line..|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|Field Office
jucuellar........|04/29/09|12/07|12/10|12/14|01/04/16|01/14/16.|03/07/16.|03/28/16.|--/--/--.|Raleigh, NC

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Legend:
GC-Date: The 'Resident Since' Date located on your first green card
Sent: Date N-400 was mailed to USCIS
Cashd: Date your check was cashed by USCIS
NOA: Receipt Notice Date Printed on your official I-797 notification
Fprints: Date assigned for fingerprinting (Bio-metrics). Underline indicates early walk-in.
In Line: Date you received e-notification about the start of your interview scheduling
Int Ltr: Date you received the official letter in the mail regarding interview
Interview: Date of your interview. Underline indicates rescheduled interview.
Oath: Date Oath taken. Underline indicates rescheduled ceremony.
Field Office: Your local USCIS office where you will have the N-400 interview
Passport tracker: 2016 US Passport Application Tracker List

Edited March 22, 2016 by JimmyHou

[osune22 7]

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.

[JimmyHou 611]

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.

It's good that you went prepared with evidence that you are living in marital union. In my opinion, withdrawing the application would have been silly, because you would not get your money back and even if you are denied for this reason (which has nothing to do with anything inappropriate or illegal) it won't affect future applications.

I'm quite surprised that they were this direct right out the outset; that is very uncommon. In such cases, they usually let you present your evidence and then tell you that they'll have to review it and make a decision. The fact that you were asked to withdraw your application is just odd. So it sounds like you've got a tough interviewer and supervisor reviewing your case. It's not that other interviewers know about a magical exception to the requirement of living in marital union, it's that they recognize that in this day and age long distance relationships are quite common. Of course, if you never visit each other (or if you can't show that you do) then that's a different story.

From their point of view however, they are sticking to the letter of the law... they're not saying you're ineligible to naturalize; they are saying that you are ineligible to expedite your naturalization by 2 years based on living in marital union with your USC spouse.

You'll get one of these next: an inline-for-oath update, and request for more evidence, a second interview notice, or a denial letter. In the case of denial, you'll be able to appeal, but this is not free.

I think you got a tough interviewer; she didn't do anything wrong, but she handled your application more strictly than 90% of interviewers probably would have. Now, to give her the benefit of the doubt; when you went into the room, all she had to go on was that you and your wife had different addresses 8 hours apart. I hope your application is approved.

[silvermug 16]

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.

That IO was tough. But personally, I would have preferred that kind of IO instead of having an IO who will make it look like everything is fine and then leaves me hanging, asking myself, "what are they waiting/looking for to make a decision?"

The good thing is -- you know the reason and she was very specific when she said, "technically...not eligible under the 3-year rule". It's a technicality that is specific to the 3-year rule.

[osune22 7]

Thanks folks. She was tough but I was not going to be intimidated. She perhaps was in a rush to dismiss me. Right off the bat! The acting supervisor had a different take. There is a provision that kinda create an exception for couple living apart due to career situation. I hope my case got a favorable review. Will keep everyone posted.

[Iwo_Jima 119]

Good & Bad cop

[meme123 1]

Thanks folks. She was tough but I was not going to be intimidated. She perhaps was in a rush to dismiss me. Right off the bat! The acting supervisor had a different take. There is a provision that kinda create an exception for couple living apart due to career situation. I hope my case got a favorable review. Will keep everyone posted.

Osune22 am also a little concerned because am filing under the 3 year rule, did she know you live apart because you stated it in your application? I think I saw someone state in one of the old posts decision was not made during her interview because they lived apart I wish I could find the post so you could see how she handled it. my husband and I don't live apart but all we have together are tax returns, lease, renters insurance and life insurance. hopefully that would be enough.