N-400 July 2017 Filers

[Going through 5,669]

6 minutes ago, bountyhunter said:

Will this name change make my application slower since they would need to do background check for the two names? Or would they just do the background check for the old name only?

No slower than usual.   There are two parts to the background check---the criminal check, and the name check.  The criminal check is for arrests/convictions/charges.  The name check is for national security purposes, if you've ever been part of an FBI investigation (even as a person of interest), fraud checks, etc.   Name checks, in general, take slightly longer than criminal checks sometimes.

 

When the name check is conducted, they flip your name backwards, check out possible combinations of your name, check out prior legal names used, check out women's maiden name, check out similar names to yours, etc. to see if a "hit" occurs under any possible combination of your name as listed on your application.  Your request for a legal name change (especially the way you want to just reverse your first and middle names) does not really slow your application down.  If you have chosen a completely different last name or first name then it might have.

Edited August 31, 2017 by Going through

[bountyhunter 6]

2 minutes ago, Going through said:

No slower than usual.   There are two parts to the background check---the criminal check, and the name check.  The criminal check is for arrests/convictions/charges.  The name check is for national security purposes, if you've ever been part of an FBI investigation (even as a person of interest), fraud checks, etc.  

 

When the name check is conducted, they flip your name backwards, check out possible combinations of your name, check out prior legal names used, check out women's maiden name, check out similar names to yours, etc. to see if a "hit" occurs under any possible combination of your name as listed on your application.  Your request for a legal name change (especially the way you want to just reverse your first and middle names) does not really slow your application down.  If you have chosen a completely different last name or first name then it might have.

Thank you @Going through for explaining about the name change. I have had 2 friends who had their N400 application completed within 5 to 6 months of their application. For some reason, I feel like mine will take forever to get in line. The waiting game is just so painful.

[IndigoSkies 168]

Waiting sucks. I remember my I130 days. Very, very daunting. Rest of the immigration hurdles were a bit easier and the waiting wasn't quite as bad. 

[Going through 5,669]

5 minutes ago, bountyhunter said:

Thank you @Going through for explaining about the name change. I have had 2 friends who had their N400 application completed within 5 to 6 months of their application. For some reason, I feel like mine will take forever to get in line. The waiting game is just so painful.

It's hard to wait---especially when others applications move at a quicker pace around you.

 

Sometimes, yes, it depends on the field office---but if we're being honest here, sometimes it *does* depend on country of origin.  Background checks for certain countries go quicker than others because they willingly and openly share border/immigration/criminal information with the US (for example, Canada, UK and US share information with each other which makes those background checks quicker) some countries, they do not offer that info as readily or do not have adequate record-keeping sufficient enough for USCIS to move an application along at the same speed as everyone else and thus requires more rigorous means of checking into someone's background.  Sometimes it comes down to whether USCIS considers an applicant's country of origin as a "high fraud" country and they take longer to process people from there.  Unfair, yes.  Unfortunately it's deemed necessary with the world we live in now.

[AustinCanada 681]

25 minutes ago, Going through said:

Sometimes, yes, it depends on the field office---but if we're being honest here, sometimes it *does* depend on country of origin.  Background checks for certain countries go quicker than others because they willingly and openly share border/immigration/criminal information with the US (for example, Canada, UK and US share information with each other which makes those background checks quicker) some countries, they do not offer that info as readily or do not have adequate record-keeping sufficient enough for USCIS to move an application along at the same speed as everyone else and thus requires more rigorous means of checking into someone's background.  Sometimes it comes down to whether USCIS considers an applicant's country of origin as a "high fraud" country and they take longer to process people from there.  Unfair, yes.  Unfortunately it's deemed necessary with the world we live in now.

I thought USCIS had conducted a background check before issuing a Green Card?  

 

Do they still conduct a background check unless they can see that an applicant has recently traveled to a "high fraud" country for 6+ months since becoming a permanent resident?  

[Huvvaligen 7]

2 hours ago, Going through said:

Worst case---it's just a glitch and will self-correct within the next day or so.

 

Best case---they've decided to not interview you, and are just mailing you out the oath letter

 

Think of it that way so you don't stress over it  

Haha, one can only dream! I'll probably give them a call tomorrow. How's the process of speaking to a Tier 2 officer? 

Edited August 31, 2017 by Huvvaligen

[Going through 5,669]

8 hours ago, AustinCanada said:

I thought USCIS had conducted a background check before issuing a Green Card?  

 

Do they still conduct a background check unless they can see that an applicant has recently traveled to a "high fraud" country for 6+ months since becoming a permanent resident?  

They do conduct one before issuing the green card.

They do one for the N400, too.  Makes sense to---because think about it, people can commit crimes/nefarious other things from between getting a green card and applying for citizenship.  

 

Some people apply for the N400 just 3 years after getting a GC and some apply for the N400 after 30 years of being a GC holder (like one VJ member is right now)...everyone has a background check---I think how rigorous depends on different factors.

Edited August 31, 2017 by Going through

[Ken Adams 41]

Hey guys.. July month tracking sheet is up to date right? because I did not see the more ppl scheduled for interview except few. 

[Going through 5,669]

28 minutes ago, Ken Adams said:

Hey guys.. July month tracking sheet is up to date right? because I did not see the more ppl scheduled for interview except few. 

It's about as up to date depending on if people who filed in July come back to this thread to update their tracking info.  They are under no obligation to, though.

 

Last update made was 17 hours ago.  Many have had their biometrics only last week.  A lot went inline only 2 days ago (not including today).

Edited August 31, 2017 by Going through

[shuashua 3]

Looking at everyone's progress makes me worry... I submitted my application in early July, got my finger prints done in early August, but now it still says my application was received on 7/11 on the USCIS page. Any thoughts, guys? Would they send me a letter to notify me when I'm "In Line"? 

[Going through 5,669]

54 minutes ago, shuashua said:

Looking at everyone's progress makes me worry... I submitted my application in early July, got my finger prints done in early August, but now it still says my application was received on 7/11 on the USCIS page. Any thoughts, guys? Would they send me a letter to notify me when I'm "In Line"? 

If you filed on paper, I don't believe you will get any sort of case status update online for being inline for the interview...might be mistaken, though.

 

On average, I've heard it normally takes around 30 days to be online after doing the biometrics.  Depends on the field office though too, and how long  your background check may take depends on variable factors.

Edited August 31, 2017 by Going through

[peachlings 65]

Don't worry @shuashua I (and many other paper filers here) are in the same boat as you. I'm not even in line either, and my status update still says case was received on 7/19. I think the few "in line" notifications received by paper filers so far were via email or text.

[AustinCanada 681]

7 minutes ago, peachlings said:

Don't worry @shuashua I (and many other paper filers here) are in the same boat as you. I'm not even in line either, and my status update still says case was received on 7/19. I think the few "in line" notifications received by paper filers so far were via email or text.

I'm assuming you'll receive an email and/or text if you've attached a "Form G-1145 E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance" on https://www.uscis.gov/n-400.  

[Going through 5,669]

3 minutes ago, AustinCanada said:

I'm assuming you'll receive an email and/or text if you've attached a "Form G-1145 E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance" on https://www.uscis.gov/n-400.  

That form is only for notification of application acceptance when first filed---there is no updates from that form afterwards.

 

You have to create the online account for email/text notification after the G-1145 form to get further updates.

Edited August 31, 2017 by Going through

[peachlings 65]

Yep, but even if you haven't, you can create an account on www.uscis.gov, add your email, mobile number, and case number there, and enable email and/or text notifications. 

 

(Whether that works or not still has to be seen, at least for me, as I didn't get anything beyond case was received )

Edited August 31, 2017 by peachlings