N-400 - March 2017 Filers

[sunshinestate2013 136]

1 hour ago, M&E2014 said:

USCIS has changed today the processing time page and changed the processing time into a stretched range instead of a date to limit the inquiries and the complains.

 I guess now someone like me is screwed.

My wait time says 14 to 20 months 

[sunshinestate2013 136]

Tomorrow, it will be one year since I sent in my N400 application. Still no interview.

[OmaNE2 5]

On 3/21/2018 at 4:24 PM, sunshinestate2013 said:

Sorry to hear about the denial. Did they give you a reason for denial?

It was a very painful reason. After I moved to the US, I filed a petition to bring my wife in August 2012, but USCIS denied my application saying that we did not have enough evidence and my wife did not know much about me. I appealed the decision and they denied it again. I received the final decision in March 2015 after a long wait and my wife was being frustrated. I was at that time studying my PhD and everything was beyond my control that we gave up on it. Now, right after my graduation, I processed the divorce just because they could not allow us to reunite. I indicated that in my application and the officer said that with in the statutory period, I gave a false information to get immigration benefit (did not show a good moral character). It is a double punishment from a wrongful judgment. I have contacted my attorney and decided to appeal the decision. Can anyone please share his/her opinion or experience? I have decided to appeal it, but one attorney told me that I am past the 5 years statutory period and can reapply instead of filing an appeal. 

 

Thank you.

[NikeS 49]

1 hour ago, OmaNE2 said:

It was a very painful reason. After I moved to the US, I filed a petition to bring my wife in August 2012, but USCIS denied my application saying that we did not have enough evidence and my wife did not know much about me. I appealed the decision and they denied it again. I received the final decision in March 2015 after a long wait and my wife was being frustrated. I was at that time studying my PhD and everything was beyond my control that we gave up on it. Now, right after my graduation, I processed the divorce just because they could not allow us to reunite. I indicated that in my application and the officer said that with in the statutory period, I gave a false information to get immigration benefit (did not show a good moral character). It is a double punishment from a wrongful judgment. I have contacted my attorney and decided to appeal the decision. Can anyone please share his/her opinion or experience? I have decided to appeal it, but one attorney told me that I am past the 5 years statutory period and can reapply instead of filing an appeal. 

 

Thank you.

If you can, start a new thread stating your N400 was denied and these reasons,so that it is visible for the larger Visajourney community to see. Others with similar experience can offer their advice rather than it being buried here, in the midst of several discussions with March ‘17 filers. Good luck.

[Homestretch 1]

7 hours ago, OmaNE2 said:

It was a very painful reason. After I moved to the US, I filed a petition to bring my wife in August 2012, but USCIS denied my application saying that we did not have enough evidence and my wife did not know much about me. I appealed the decision and they denied it again. I received the final decision in March 2015 after a long wait and my wife was being frustrated. I was at that time studying my PhD and everything was beyond my control that we gave up on it. Now, right after my graduation, I processed the divorce just because they could not allow us to reunite. I indicated that in my application and the officer said that with in the statutory period, I gave a false information to get immigration benefit (did not show a good moral character). It is a double punishment from a wrongful judgment. I have contacted my attorney and decided to appeal the decision. Can anyone please share his/her opinion or experience? I have decided to appeal it, but one attorney told me that I am past the 5 years statutory period and can reapply instead of filing an appeal. 

 

Thank you.

Let me start by saying that I am not an attorney and just merely stating my opinion. Sorry to hear about your denial. From the little that I have read, it is almost always better to reapply. The fees for appealing is about the same as filing a new N-400 (if I'm not mistaken), so you are not saving any fees either way. If reapplying puts you outside the the 5 year period, your money might be better spent hiring an attorney to represent you (for your new filing and accompany you to interview) than to fight the appeal (if your current application puts you inside the 5 year period).

 

I don't know the answer to this, so I'm putting it out there in case you haven't considered it.... If your appeal fails, does that decision stick forever? Meaning... does that mean that you can't ever be approved for citizenship, even with a new application? If so, then it seems better to submit a new application and abandon this one. I don't know your full circumstance, so you have done the right thing in consulting immigration attorneys for their opinion. Pick one that you feel is most competent and follow his/her recommendation. Good luck.

[casualuser 38]

11 hours ago, OmaNE2 said:

It was a very painful reason [...].

I found that this group here: https://www.reddit.com/r/immigration/ can be quite useful and there are a few actual immigration attorneys providing useful info (but a few a-holes too, including immigration attorneys).

 

The exact advice largely depends on multiple personal details that are not appropriate to be shared on a public forum, details that involve your previous rejected case. It might be better to appeal, since if you do not, USCIS might use the same argument against you again, if you ever needed to sponsor someone in the future. On the other hand, if your rejected sponsorship, which you initiated in 2012, was not strongly supported by evidence, then it might be hard to justify your argument during appeal.

Edited March 26, 2018 by casualuser

[OmaNE2 5]

16 hours ago, Homestretch said:

Let me start by saying that I am not an attorney and just merely stating my opinion. Sorry to hear about your denial. From the little that I have read, it is almost always better to reapply. The fees for appealing is about the same as filing a new N-400 (if I'm not mistaken), so you are not saving any fees either way. If reapplying puts you outside the the 5 year period, your money might be better spent hiring an attorney to represent you (for your new filing and accompany you to interview) than to fight the appeal (if your current application puts you inside the 5 year period).

 

I don't know the answer to this, so I'm putting it out there in case you haven't considered it.... If your appeal fails, does that decision stick forever? Meaning... does that mean that you can't ever be approved for citizenship, even with a new application? If so, then it seems better to submit a new application and abandon this one. I don't know your full circumstance, so you have done the right thing in consulting immigration attorneys for their opinion. Pick one that you feel is most competent and follow his/her recommendation. Good luck.

Thank you, @Homestretch! My understanding is that I can appeal it, but I can still reapply regardless of the appeal decision. I will ask the question to my attorney.  

[OmaNE2 5]

13 hours ago, casualuser said:

I found that this group here: https://www.reddit.com/r/immigration/ can be quite useful and there are a few actual immigration attorneys providing useful info (but a few a-holes too, including immigration attorneys).

 

The exact advice largely depends on multiple personal details that are not appropriate to be shared on a public forum, details that involve your previous rejected case. It might be better to appeal, since if you do not, USCIS might use the same argument against you again, if you ever needed to sponsor someone in the future. On the other hand, if your rejected sponsorship, which you initiated in 2012, was not strongly supported by evidence, then it might be hard to justify your argument during appeal.

Thank you, @casualuser. That is what I thought too. I have gathered some more evidences this time and will fight it till the end. The saddest thing about it is, spending part of my life on something that should not have been there from the beginning. Going back and forth for almost 8 years. I really appreciate your help. 

22 hours ago, NikeS said:

If you can, start a new thread stating your N400 was denied and these reasons,so that it is visible for the larger Visajourney community to see. Others with similar experience can offer their advice rather than it being buried here, in the midst of several discussions with March ‘17 filers. Good luck.

Thank you!

[Rigo08 0]

When did you file your n-400?

 

Which office?

 

Can you share your processing time?

[Sunnyland 639]

OMG! Today I got my N400 exam notice in the mail. I knew something was off when my husband walked in the house (holding mail) saying I better call USCIS on Monday because no notice was in the mail yet.  My interview will be in early May. I can not wait. March filers we are almost there! FINALLY!

Edited April 1, 2018 by Sunnyland

[sunshinestate2013 136]

14 hours ago, Sunnyland said:

OMG! Today I got my N400 exam notice in the mail. I knew something was off when my husband walked in the house (holding mail) saying I better call USCIS on Monday because no notice was in the mail yet.  My interview will be in early May. I can not wait. March filers we are almost there! FINALLY!

Congratulations, @Sunnyland!

Edited April 1, 2018 by sunshinestate2013

[CoffeeVegan 223]

Got a question and would appreciate any input. Does the status "We reviewed your biometrics"mean that the background clearance is done and you are inline or does it just mean we got your biometrics. Thank you all.

[Shumai 6]

Just the day before the one-year anniversary of the submission date, I received an email from USCIS that my case has changed to "Testing and Interview". I know my case is way behind most people's, but my family and I are super excited! By the way, tomorrow will be the first day of my new job.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Shumai

[Sunnyland 639]

1 minute ago, Shumai said:

Just the day before the one-year anniversary of the submission date, I received an email from USCIS that my case has changed to "Testing and Interview". I know my case is way behind most people's, but my family and I are super excited! By the way, tomorrow will be the first day of my new job.

 

 

Congratulations on the new job and the future interview. 

[Shumai 6]

2 minutes ago, Sunnyland said:

 

 

Congratulations on the new job and the future interview. 

Thank you :-)