I-751 August 2016 Filers

[nightingalejules 678]

7 hours ago, 4444510 said:

I've just called USCIS and asked: "Sir, can you tell me why now it takes more than a year to process I-751 while just half a year ago it took only 5-6 months?". And he said this is because they received 3 times as more applications during pre-election period since people tried to do it before a new president gets elected. However, it makes no sense to me for 2 reasons: 1. Everyone was sure that Clinton would win so they were not supposed to worry about Trump. 2. How is it possible for application filing to fluctuate if you must file exactly during a period of 3 months preceding the expiration date on your GC. If you have to file from June 1st to August 31st, then you file from June 1st to August 31st and you have no choice. I can say exactly that delays started from applications filed in April 2016. It means, if to believe his words, people who could file from April 1st to July 1st of 2016, suddenly realized that Trump may win and kick out everyone. So June, May and April filers all filed in April and then  July, June and May filers all filed in May and so on and so forth. But at the same time May filers who filed in April gave free space to June filers who filed in June. And June filers who filed in May gave free space to July filers who filed in June. So the processing times cannot increase from 5 to 14 months just because of that. They're lying!  Also I asked: "Sir, so do you mean that this is not because they now look into each case very closely and call everyone for interview?." And he said no.  Does it sound reasonable to you?

 

No, it doesn't. It also sounds like the guy on the phone either a) just made a bunch of **** up, or b) thought you were talking about citizenship, somehow. There was a big spike in people applying for citizenship before the election, to try to be able to vote. But you're right... the math he's suggesting simply doesn't work. But here are a few things:

 

There was also a big spike in H1B visa applications this year, because people are afraid the current administration will end that visa, so this might be their last chance. And I'm certain that the H1B deluge has slowed down CSC (since CSC also handles those applications). 

 

There was a significant backlog in I-130 processing about 3 - 3.5 years ago. Since that includes a lot of people who are now filing I-751s, I'm sure that backlog is part of our problem now, too.

 

Even before Trump, the Republicans controlled both the house and the senate. They continually refused to support allocating more money to USCIS, possibly related to their resistance to DACA. So USCIS is understaffed and doesn't have the funding to hire more people.

 

11 hours ago, AustinCanada said:

It sounds like I keep hearing different opinions regarding if it's a good idea to apply for US citizenship while waiting for a 10-year Green Card.  

 

I'm planning to apply for US citizenship at the end of next month unless I hear a strong reason why I shouldn't apply for it.  

I think you should go ahead. I don't think they generally "administratively combine" the two files, unless the N400 gets all the way to adjudication before your ROC has been approved.

 

2 hours ago, Sam_Son_83 said:

I know this is a bit of a dumb question, to which I probably know the answer ("it will be longer than that" - I'm a CSC filer), but I'm a little nervous about something.

One of my best friends back in Europe is going to get married, and obviously I would like to attend. I would be gone the first week of August (and I have already scheduled an info pass appointment for my extension stamp next week), but now I've had a thought nagging me:

What if I get my ROC denied while I'm outside of the US? That would really make it complicated (read: impossible) to do the whole immigration court deal, as I would simply not be let back into the country and lose my status.

I know that it is highly unlikely that my case will be adjudicated by then, but as it often is the case, once you start with a line of thought…

Try not to let this become a "sneaky hate spiral."

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/05/sneaky-hate-spiral.html

 

Your ROC would not get denied without an RFE or an interview. They won't just deny you without giving you a chance to give them more information or explain in person. (At least I've never heard of it happening, and I've read A LOT of these forums.

 

Have someone check your mail daily, so you can respond as soon as possible to an RFE, or (if necessary) reschedule an interview.

 

Take several deep breaths, and enjoy your trip!

 

 

[AustinCanada 681]

5 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

The thing is we don't know for sure whether they will really just combine the two. They are two different processes, aren't they? The chances of 751 being approved prior to the 400 interview are bigger than being combined I believe because we have been waiting for almost a year. I am just not sure if you file 400 and 751 is pending, they will really just combine them? The 400 application will cause USCIS to delay 751 further so they will combine the two until the 400 interview??

 

4 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

You are assuming your 751 won't be approved anytime soon because of the filing of 400? I think we still can be 751 approved after we file 400.

 

55 minutes ago, nightingalejules said:

I think you should go ahead. I don't think they generally "administratively combine" the two files, unless the N400 gets all the way to adjudication before your ROC has been approved.

 

I was browsing the "I-751 June 2016 Filers" postings.    I noticed that there were a couple of filers who applied for N-400 while they were waiting for their 10-year Green Cards.   They were wondering about their I-751 case status so they made service requests and had InfoPass appointments.    They found out that USCIS put their I-751 applications in the same folders with their N-400 applications, and USCIS told them that the both applications would be adjudicated at the same time (which means they will probably have to wait until their citizenship applications get processed).  

 

I'm going to wait to see if their I-751 applications will be approved in the next 30 days.    I don't think we have enough information to see what USCIS will do since it's kind of an uncharted territory.   Most I-751 applications took only 6-10 months until recently so few people applied for N-400 while their I-751 applications were pending.  

[AustinCanada 681]

I guess if I were operating USCIS, it would make sense to process both I-751 and N-400 applications at the same time in order to save cost (of producing a Green Card and sending it by mail) and resource (workers who process separate applications).  

 

Of course, I may be thinking too much and wasting time since USCIS can be very unpredictable!  

[Zombie69 363]

1 hour ago, AustinCanada said:

 

 

 

I was browsing the "I-751 June 2016 Filers" postings.    I noticed that there were a couple of filers who applied for N-400 while they were waiting for their 10-year Green Cards.   They were wondering about their I-751 case status so they made service requests and had InfoPass appointments.    They found out that USCIS put their I-751 applications in the same folders with their N-400 applications, and USCIS told them that the both applications would be adjudicated at the same time (which means they will probably have to wait until their citizenship applications get processed).  

 

I'm going to wait to see if their I-751 applications will be approved in the next 30 days.    I don't think we have enough information to see what USCIS will do since it's kind of an uncharted territory.   Most I-751 applications took only 6-10 months until recently so few people applied for N-400 while their I-751 applications were pending.  

It is so highly unlikely you are going to hear from them in the next 30 days. I do not really think there are really pros and cons. It just feels weird to me that if you apply for 400 and 751 is pending, they will just administratively combine all together, if they want to do that with me. I will have no problem, it is just that I probably won't even have my 10 year green card I will just jump right into citizenship? It seems like it will take them about 11 months to process the 400 according to the processing times of Arizona(My 400 gets sent to Phoenix), I will apply in 3 weeks by first week of August, so they will just combine the 2 without processing mine when the it is my turn to be 751 adjudicated? Doesn't sound right to me, but who knows?? Like you said no one knows, and you can't really based on a few bloggers here to conclude anything. If I were you, I would just go ahead without reading too much into it.

[Zombie69 363]

1 hour ago, AustinCanada said:

I guess if I were operating USCIS, it would make sense to process both I-751 and N-400 applications at the same time in order to save cost (of producing a Green Card and sending it by mail) and resource (workers who process separate applications).  

 

Of course, I may be thinking too much and wasting time since USCIS can be very unpredictable!  

It is possible of course, if that is the case, that will be too bad because I still want to enjoy the 10 year green card,lol. Oh well. I personally do not have time to wait and see as my husband is already 89. We will file 400 ASAP, if they want to interview us, throw us s freaking RFE, it will be ok too, we will be prepared and we have nothing to worry about. We will see. This delay of 751 may be breaking any traditional patterns of how they process 751 and 400...

Edited July 20, 2017 by Zombie69

[Zombie69 363]

1 hour ago, AustinCanada said:

I guess if I were operating USCIS, it would make sense to process both I-751 and N-400 applications at the same time in order to save cost (of producing a Green Card and sending it by mail) and resource (workers who process separate applications).  

 

Of course, I may be thinking too much and wasting time since USCIS can be very unpredictable!  

This is the quote directly from USCIS I have been quoting forever. "

If an applicant’s petition to remove conditions is pending at the time of filing or is filed prior to the interview, USCIS will adjudicate the petition to remove conditions prior to or concurrently with the adjudication of the naturalization application. [6] " 

It says " If an applicant’s petition to remove conditions is pending at the time of filing or is filed prior to the interview..."

Only "if" 751 is still pending when it gets close to the 400 interview, they may combine the two or approve 751 first before the 400, it does not say they will combine the two the minute they find out you apply for 400 while 751 is pending, lol. I guess I am the one who is reading too much into it, lol. We all need to just go with the flow without thinking too much, lol.

Edited July 20, 2017 by Zombie69

[rerto 32]

I guess I'm just going to go ahead and file N400. I have the package from my I751 filing, just need to add the last years info. I was eligible to file N400 weeks ago and after checking visajourney - it seems like no-one is really getting their ROC approved now anyway, so why not. I'll just mail it out this weekend..

[AK_2014 113]

27 minutes ago, rerto said:

I guess I'm just going to go ahead and file N400. I have the package from my I751 filing, just need to add the last years info. I was eligible to file N400 weeks ago and after checking visajourney - it seems like no-one is really getting their ROC approved now anyway, so why not. I'll just mail it out this weekend..

It seems like, if citizenship is the goal anyway, it doesn't really matter much if the I751 ends up being somehow delayed because of the N400; by filing the N400 now, you're getting in the citizenship queue sooner than you would if you wait for ROC to finish up before filing the N400, so you'll come out ahead in the end? At least that's what we keep telling ourselves...  Lycka till!!

[rerto 32]

Ha, you speak Swedish? 

 

well, citizenship is not the goal really - I've been thinking if I should or not.. but it won't hurt I guess - and I'm waiting anyway, so why not.. I don't know if it would be delayed.. I'll give it a shot and update you guys.

[AustinCanada 681]

12 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

It is possible of course, if that is the case, that will be too bad because I still want to enjoy the 10 year green card,lol. Oh well. I personally do not have time to wait and see as my husband is already 89. We will file 400 ASAP, if they want to interview us, throw us s freaking RFE, it will be ok too, we will be prepared and we have nothing to worry about. We will see. This delay of 751 may be breaking any traditional patterns of how they process 751 and 400...

Since your hubby is 89 years old and he wants to see you become a US citizen, it makes sense for you send your N-400 application ASAP!  

 

I'll monitor the "I-751 June 2016 Filers" group to see if some of the filers who applied for N-400 will get approved for I-751 in the next 30 days.    I can't apply for N-400 until Aug 22 so I still got 30 days to think about it.  

 

2 hours ago, AK_2014 said:

It seems like, if citizenship is the goal anyway, it doesn't really matter much if the I751 ends up being somehow delayed because of the N400; by filing the N400 now, you're getting in the citizenship queue sooner than you would if you wait for ROC to finish up before filing the N400, so you'll come out ahead in the end? At least that's what we keep telling ourselves...  Lycka till!!

Since I got an extension stamp in my passport, I don't need a 10-year Green Card until July, 2018.  

 

I hope I become a US citizen by July, 2018 (if I decide to apply for N-400)!  

 

2 hours ago, rerto said:

well, citizenship is not the goal really - I've been thinking if I should or not.. but it won't hurt I guess - and I'm waiting anyway, so why not.. I don't know if it would be delayed.. I'll give it a shot and update you guys.

Let us know how that goes!    I'm curious to know if USCIS will combine your I-751 and N-400 applications together.  

[wavj 26]

Today I had my infopass at 2:15pm. I started a new job this week and I hated to ask permission to leave early but they understood. The officer was way too nice, he didn't even ask for any form of ID or other documents. He took a look at my NOA, checked my case in the system with no clear answer what is going on, he stamped my passport and even encouraged me to apply for citizenship because it will force my stagnant case to be pull out from wherever it is and be adjudicated at the same time as naturalization.  I had such an ordeal to get to this office using GPS navigation and traffic from hell did its part. My appointment was at 2:15pm and I was still looking for a place to park at 2:16. I ended up parking so far away that I run for my life to the other side of the building. Once I got the security, the lady just laughed saying "I saw you running from the other side of the building, you made it!"  even the police officer waiting for me to go through metal detector was very friendly telling me that I will be fine, there is plenty of time. I barely sat few minutes to grasp some air when I was called in. The officer, after stamping my passport was giving me tips where I could apply for work once I become a US citizen, that is because he asked me what major I was going to college for and I told him "Accounting", he said IRS is always hiring accountants and he gave an a unexpected array of tips on how to apply and how to prepare my resume for that kind of job, even at USCIS!!!!

Edited July 20, 2017 by wavj

[AustinCanada 681]

25 minutes ago, wavj said:

he stamped my passport and even encouraged me to apply for citizenship because it will force my stagnant case to be pull out from wherever it is and be adjudicated at the same time as naturalization. 

Congrats for getting the extension stamp!  

 

Ah, your immigration officer may have answered my question!      It sounds like if you apply for N-400, you won't receive your 10-year Green Card if USCIS adjudicates your I-751 application at the same time as your N-400 application.  

[rerto 32]

Hm, does it really matter if you have a card when you don't need a card anymore?

[Zombie69 363]

26 minutes ago, AustinCanada said:

Congrats for getting the extension stamp!  

 

Ah, your immigration officer may have answered my question!      It sounds like if you apply for N-400, you won't receive your 10-year Green Card if USCIS adjudicates your I-751 application at the same time as your N-400 application.  

Makes sense in that scenario, but it still feels kind of weird, so by the time they get to the August pile, I will have filed my 400, so they will just skip mine because it will have been combined?? 

5 minutes ago, rerto said:

Hm, does it really matter if you have a card when you don't need a card anymore?

True, if your ultimate goal is to become s citizen 

[rerto 32]

I think my ultimate goal is to not have to worry about this anymore. if thats a gc or citizenship doesn't matter to me. Ultimately citizenship gives you the least amount of worries in terms of immigration - but jury duty and other ####### may create other worries - thats why I've been thinking if I should or shouldn't do it.

 

i have everything ready aside from the N400 filled out - which is a 30 minute job.. still debating..