Did you file the N400 online? Was it faster?

[Going through 5,671]

Going back and forth whether I should do the online filing or paper...I already know I'm eligible to file online...

 

Heard/read so many old threads where there were plenty of bugs with the online system but surely most of them have been worked out by now?

 

If you filed online, did you encounter any problems/issues?  Is it true that online cases are in line for an interview faster than mailing in your application?

 

I'm filing under the 5-year rule.

[mcdull 474]

2 hours ago, Going through said:

Going back and forth whether I should do the online filing or paper...I already know I'm eligible to file online...

 

Heard/read so many old threads where there were plenty of bugs with the online system but surely most of them have been worked out by now?

 

If you filed online, did you encounter any problems/issues?  Is it true that online cases are in line for an interview faster than mailing in your application?

 

I'm filing under the 5-year rule.

I believe I am the first one brought efile to Vj, no issues encountered,no faster processing either.

[Going through 5,671]

I'm liking the whole "instant receipt of application" thing....

And I'm really liking the whole "letters sent from USCIS are scanned to you first before actual mailing out" thing....

 

Not liking the whole "what if it disappears into cyber-space as soon as I hit submit?" train of thought.

[AK_2014 113]

Just applied. System slightly buggy, as in we had to log back in several times while filling things out and preparing evidence. Also, a couple times we wanted to delete an uploaded file and upload a better version, but we were unable to delete any files. Sure, there's an option to click delete and the file goes away, but if you navigate to another page and then come back to the evidence, the "deleted" files reappear. Tried with Firefox, Safari and Chrome, and none of these browsers was able to make deleted documents stay deleted. (We had a lot of evidence to upload because we have to prove continuous presence for a period last year.)

 

Another oddity: We selected the option for applying under the 3-year marriage rule, yet the address history section required five years' worth of material. It's not like the paper copy, where many people just fill in 3 years' worth of addresses -- the computer system required answers spanning a full five years with no breaks. Not a big deal at all, but it's a little strange that, given how the online application is flexible and will sometimes bring up additional questions if you answer a question with a certain answer, they haven't built in a mechanism to adjust the questions to the 3-year vs. 5-year options.

 

Other than that, went smoothly. I do like how, if any RFEs come up, it shows automatically in your account and you can upload the relevant documents yourself, rather than waiting for a notice in the mail, sending in things, and wondering if they got them.

 

All in all, we appreciated not having to print out a zillion pages of evidence for continuous presence. Sure, we'll print a copy to take to the interview when that comes around, but that's just one paper copy, rather than two (sending them one and keeping one for our records & to bring to the interview). Best of luck to you whichever way you end up going!

[Going through 5,671]

@AK_2014 I didn't know that you are able to scan RFE's to attach to an existing application if asked for them later on down the road!

 

They should make the idea of online applications more accessible to everyone, would make the entire process more streamlined both on our end and USCIS's.  Cheaper for them too---think of how much per year they would save on postage alone throughout the entire nation sending out RFE's, NOAs, Oath Letters, etc. through an online system only (and then the applicant just prints it out).

 

Although I guess then a lot of people would be making fake letters too, so maybe not the best idea.

[AK_2014 113]

5 minutes ago, Going through said:

@AK_2014 I didn't know that you are able to scan RFE's to attach to an existing application if asked for them later on down the road!

Dunno if it works, but there's visibly a mechanism in the account to see RFEs, if there are any, and upload materials in response. (Crossing fingers not to need it, of course...!) 

[Texaco5 32]

4 hours ago, Going through said:

Heard/read so many old threads where there were plenty of bugs with the online system but surely most of them have been worked out by now?

If you filed online, did you encounter any problems/issues?  Is it true that online cases are in line for an interview faster than mailing in your application?

I e-filed back in early February without knowing anything about the bugs in the new ELIS computerized system - I was just researching the citizenship process and came across the page on the USCIS website where they have the link to see if you are eligible to file online. Like several other people have noted, the online application software can be glitchy (doesn't let you delete files/answers and sometimes throws out 500 HTML errors when pressing the 'submit' button when you have filled in a page of replies) but it does seem to record things properly. It also has a feature that allows you to create a PDF of the N-400 using the data you have entered, and I did this, highlighted any areas where I thought it may have got things wrong and took this along to my interview where any small issues were fixed.

 

Even the interview officer had some issues correcting the online information back in April when I attended my interview, so their computer system is still having issues worked out. He made an amendment which was incorrect and when he went to edit/delete it, he found he couldn't so he had to enter a duplicate entry!

 

I found the online notifications and copies of the correspondence to be very helpful. In my own case, I found that the process was very efficient and was a citizen within 68 days of applying online at one of the busier field offices here in Los Angeles.

[Going through 5,671]

Thanks @Texaco5!

 

I've filled out the application, didn't give me any errors.  I'm waiting until I have all my documents scanned before uploading them (I saw in an old thread a tip that said to upload all documents during the same login ---- that is, don't do it in steps throughout a day or two, but rather sit down and do them all on the same day to avoid uploading issues, then immediately do the payment after.)  

 

I also wonder, too, why the option to e-file is sort of "hidden" in the USCIS website in a way...should be a huge button on the homepage, imo.  When I go through the regular "file for citizenship" route it tells me I'm not eligible to file online, but if I click on another link it takes me to the eligibility test and allows me at the end to fill the application for the N400 e-file.

 

You'd think, in this day and age (now I feel old just saying that line), they would welcome the ease of dealing with applications online rather than shuffling through paperwork, storing tons of hardcopies, losing original documents on their end, etc.  Although I suppose USCIS losing documents doesn't really concern them since they just ask the applicant to provide another one no matter how difficult that process may be.

[Texaco5 32]

10 hours ago, Going through said:

I'm waiting until I have all my documents scanned before uploading them (I saw in an old thread a tip that said to upload all documents during the same login ---- that is, don't do it in steps throughout a day or two, but rather sit down and do them all on the same day to avoid uploading issues, then immediately do the payment after.)  

 

You'd think, in this day and age (now I feel old just saying that line), they would welcome the ease of dealing with applications online

I saved my application and then went back the next day and added the PDFs. Even after you apply, you can add more evidence files if you need to. For instance, I applied in early Feb and then added my 2016 tax transcripts in March once they were filed with the IRS.

 

The ELIS computer system is new (ish) for USCIS and quite buggy, so they're keeping it on the down low while they iron out the glitches. I don't know what criteria they use to determine if you're in the 'small group' of applicants who are allowed to use it, but I found the whole process pretty straightforward. I suspect they want to iron out the bugs before everyone can use it as it does mean they don't need to scan your paper application and enter the data into their computer system if you do it yourself.

[Hypnos 6,576]

USCIS' computer system woes are legendary. 

 

Long story short, the entire plan to make online filing available is now years behind schedule and extremely over-budget.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-decade-into-a-project-to-digitize-us-immigration-forms-just-1-is-online/ slightly out of date but an excellent read. 

Edited July 14, 2017 by Hypnos

[Going through 5,671]

6 hours ago, Texaco5 said:

I saved my application and then went back the next day and added the PDFs. Even after you apply, you can add more evidence files if you need to. For instance, I applied in early Feb and then added my 2016 tax transcripts in March once they were filed with the IRS.

 

The ELIS computer system is new (ish) for USCIS and quite buggy, so they're keeping it on the down low while they iron out the glitches. I don't know what criteria they use to determine if you're in the 'small group' of applicants who are allowed to use it, but I found the whole process pretty straightforward. I suspect they want to iron out the bugs before everyone can use it as it does mean they don't need to scan your paper application and enter the data into their computer system if you do it yourself.

I think really the only criteria seems to be if you are applying under the 5 year rule?

Going through the "eligibility requirements" to be able to e-file seemed pretty broad to me, and not just for straightforward cases.  Mine isn't a straightforward case, and it allowed me the option to e-file, which surprised me.

[Going through 5,671]

Well, I just finished filling out the online application and uploaded my documents.  I did front-load my application a bit and submitted additional evidence not required at that moment--like my foreign passport, and State ID card...figured anything to help them move things along with whatever initial checking/cross-referencing they do before biometrics, right?

 

I did see where under the "review" area, it appeared that my documents somehow uploaded in duplicate--and even triplicate..but I was able to go back into the pages and was able to easily delete the duplicate uploads.  I haven't gotten to the payment part yet because I'm waiting to have my husband go over it with a second set of eyes and then complete the payment part and submit the application over this weekend.

 

The only thing I have come to dislike about the e-filing process is that there is no way of just signing back into your account (probably because I've never efiled anything with them before) and locating your existing application to work on.  Each time I sign in, I have to wait for the temporary password to be emailed to me first and then use that.  It would be  nice if I could set my own password and just bypass that step.  I'm assuming my login process will change once my application is actually submitted and I have the NOA number.

 

I'm in NYC, which is by far probably one of the busiest offices in terms of how many applications USCIS receives, so I'm very curious (and maybe a bit apprehensive?) to see how my timeline develops with online filing as opposed to paper.

 

Wish me luck!

[AK_2014 113]

4 hours ago, Going through said:

I think really the only criteria seems to be if you are applying under the 5 year rule?

Going through the "eligibility requirements" to be able to e-file seemed pretty broad to me, and not just for straightforward cases.  Mine isn't a straightforward case, and it allowed me the option to e-file, which surprised me.

I filed under the 3-year rule, and I've read of at least one other person here who did, too.

 

Glad it let you!

[andy78 178]

Is the option for online filing of the n-400 still there? The only form I can select when I log into the USCIS account is the I-90.

[AK_2014 113]

Try here: https://my.uscis.gov/exploremyoptions/us_citizen_through_naturalization#benefit-related-content-2