N-400 February 2016 Filers

[JimmyHou 611]

Quite the contrary, if, down the line, you come across some stubborn official in some other agency, who will also not accept the marriage certificate... let's say you move to another state and your wife wants a drivers license, having an order from a federal judge may make things much easier.

Edited June 3, 2016 by JimmyHou

[Caryh 5,206]

Quite the contrary, if, down the line, you come across some stubborn official in some other agency, who will also not accept the marriage certificate... let's say you move to another state and your wife wants a drivers license, having an order from a federal judge may make things much easier.

That is certainly true, when her maiden middle name has the same initial as the married middle name and maiden last name.

[ryna 132]

Quite the contrary, if, down the line, you come across some stubborn official in some other agency, who will also not accept the marriage certificate... let's say you move to another state and your wife wants a drivers license, having an order from a federal judge may make things much easier.

Maybe so..

It still seems like an unnecessary hassle and delay to something that should have been over in 2-3 weeks at an administrative ceremony. Also, since no InfoPass was available, she sent a Service Request to USCIS to find out why she needed a name change. Will that cause them to stop processing her case until they investigate? Can she cancel the service request and tell them to forget about it? The last thing we need is another delay since they seem intent on sending her case to a court.

[JimmyHou 611]

Maybe so..

It still seems like an unnecessary hassle and delay to something that should have been over in 2-3 weeks at an administrative ceremony. Also, since no InfoPass was available, she sent a Service Request to USCIS to find out why she needed a name change. Will that cause them to stop processing her case until they investigate? Can she cancel the service request and tell them to forget about it? The last thing we need is another delay since they seem intent on sending her case to a court.

Will the service request cause a delay?

Possible but unlikely. They're not likely to care about the request when they're scheduling the ceremony.

Can you cancel the request?

Don't know, but if so, you'd probably have to do it over the phone. Doubt thy can do it either.

[ryna 132]

Will the service request cause a delay?

Possible but unlikely. They're not likely to care about the request when they're scheduling the ceremony.

Can you cancel the request?

Don't know, but if so, you'd probably have to do it over the phone. Doubt thy can do it either.

Probably not. I'm convinced that the USCIS phone line only exists to give people access to what they can already find out online and to create the illusion that there's actually someone out there to call about the information that you can't.

[ryna 132]

Does anyone know if they update status once it's officially approved or only after being put in line for the Oath?

In this case, since she wants to try to correct them before they move forward, no news is good news as far as the Oath is concerned. If they've already submitted her paperwork, trying to get it changed back to an administrative oath could be counter-productive, time-wise.

Edited June 3, 2016 by ryna

[JimmyHou 611]

Probably not. I'm convinced that the USCIS phone line only exists to give people access to what they can already find out online and to create the illusion that there's actually someone out there to call about the information that you can't.

The phone line is a bit of an anachronism. It existed prior to the online accounts and definitely prior to the text and email updates. So when it was put in place, applicants didn't have access to any information and being told whether they were inline or scheduled was helpful. Until recently, applicants weren't even informed about the possibility of creating an online account to track cases. I wasn't when I filed in December; I just knew about it through VJ.

So now calling in is much less useful unless you have an exceptionally delayed case in which case Teir 2 officers do sometimes help.

[ryna 132]

The phone line is a bit of an anachronism. It existed prior to the online accounts and definitely prior to the text and email updates. So when it was put in place, applicants didn't have access to any information and being told whether they were inline or scheduled was helpful. Until recently, applicants weren't even informed about the possibility of creating an online account to track cases. I wasn't when I filed in December; I just knew about it through VJ.

So now calling in is much less useful unless you have an exceptionally delayed case in which case Teir 2 officers do sometimes help.

Yep. It is definitely NOT meant for arranging to correct simple errors in a timely manner.

[Caryh 5,206]

Yep. It is definitely NOT meant for arranging to correct simple errors in a timely manner.

USCIS and timely manner are mutually exclusive terms, never to be mixed unless in the negative.

[charmander 692]

USCIS and timely manner are mutually exclusive terms, never to be mixed unless in the negative.

:thumbs:

The only action completed in a timely manner is charging for the filing fee.

[akihon 129]

I get people who have never done anything with USCIS telling me things that are totally wrong about immigration all the time. Its amazing the amount of ignorance there is about immigration law with the general public. But I guess you can say that about most topics.

A lot of people think that when you marry a USC, you are automatically a citizen. I've had to explain permanent residency a few times.

[ryna 132]

A lot of people think that when you marry a USC, you are automatically a citizen. I've had to explain permanent residency a few times.

Or, even, that the GC is automatic, and that the foreign spouse's family can visit just because and...

[Caryh 5,206]

Or, even, that the GC is automatic, and that the foreign spouse's family can visit just because and...

Yes, marry an American citizen and automatically they're citizens and the whole family can come. No wonder people are pissed about immigration with that kind of view point. Plus they think they automatically get all types of free aid even when they come here illegally.

[ryna 132]

Well... She just left the SSA.

It turns out that they had her registered under her middle initial only. I know she changed it to her married name when she received her EAD or the last name wouldn't be mine. It has been a few years but I'm thinking that while the GC arrived with her full, correct married name, the EAD might have only had her middle initial on it and, as such, the SSA recorded it under the initial only. She then used it with her SS Card to get her FL DL which also explains why that only has her middle initial on it. She never updated her SS Card or DL after receiving her GC because we had both assumed the 'A' was for her married middle name as well. It still doesn't explain why the GC alone with her full married name wasn't sufficient for USCIS purposes, but anyhow.

She updated her SS Card which won't arrive for 2 weeks, but they did give her a receipt letter showing her full name. Then, after she gets her new card, I guess she has to update her license to show her full name as well. Then, if she still hasn't heard about an oath ceremony yet, she'll try to show USCIS the new IDs with the full married name on them to show that no name change is necessary and see if they'll let her in the next administrative oath.

Edited June 3, 2016 by ryna

[krbxtigerz 5]

Got my oath ceremony letter! June 14th is my date and I got invited to a special ceremony for Flag Day lol I got really lucky in terms of location because it's 2 blocks from where I live lol

Just 1 more week and I'm done!