What happened to online filing?

[IPv6Freely 64]

I had started an online application for citizenship a few months ago on the USCIS website. It looks like I no longer have the option to continue filing that case, or opening a new one. Does anyone know why that option was removed? Did they have issues with it?

[Going through 5,671]

The option is still there.  I filed mine online last month.  Are you sure you're eligible to file online?

Edited August 14, 2017 by Going through

[IPv6Freely 64]

I was the last time I was on the site. I wasn't asked this time. 

[Going through 5,671]

2 minutes ago, IPv6Freely said:

I was the last time I was on the site. I wasn't asked this time. 

It's possible since the application wasn't continued for a few months, any saved data was erased?  Not sure why it won't let you file a new one, though....maybe open a new account altogether?

Edited August 14, 2017 by Going through

[IPv6Freely 64]

Just now, Going through said:

It's possible since the application wasn't continued for a few months, any saved data was erased?

That would be fine if I have to start over, but I'm not even given that option.

[Going through 5,671]

1 minute ago, Going through said:

maybe open a new account altogether?

 

[IPv6Freely 64]

Considered that. Ended up going to the "start application" process another way, and this time it let me in. Man their site is so wonky. 

[Going through 5,671]

Just now, IPv6Freely said:

Considered that. Ended up going to the "start application" process another way, and this time it let me in. Man their site is so wonky. 

Please.  Their entire immigration process is "wonky"...  

[IPv6Freely 64]

Just now, Going through said:

Please.  Their entire immigration process is "wonky"...  

Hah, you're not kidding! 

[Going through 5,671]

Just now, IPv6Freely said:

Hah, you're not kidding! 

Let me know if you need help with the online process with any questions.

Or questions about the travel portion since we don't always get our passports stamped from Canada..

[IPv6Freely 64]

16 hours ago, Going through said:

Let me know if you need help with the online process with any questions.

Or questions about the travel portion since we don't always get our passports stamped from Canada..

I ended up just listing every trip out of the country, stamp or not. 

The one thing I'm unsure of is whether I should list England as a country visited despite only having a layover there, and never leaving the airport. 

[Going through 5,671]

15 minutes ago, IPv6Freely said:

I ended up just listing every trip out of the country, stamp or not. 

The one thing I'm unsure of is whether I should list England as a country visited despite only having a layover there, and never leaving the airport. 

You're supposed to list every country, stamp or not, so good!  I meant if you had trouble recalling dates and how to search them out due to lack of stamps...

As for layovers since the layover was on route to the destination country and you never left the airport since I'm assuming you were there for a couple of hours at the most, no, you don't need to list it.  However, it is better that you do and upload a short addendum/attachment directly in reference to that layover stating it was a scheduled stop by the airline on route to your final destination of whatever country, for less than 24 hours, and that you were not allowed to/did not leave the airport during that time while waiting for your connecting flight on the same date.

 

Listing it may be an extra hassle of a few minutes in writing an attachment explaining the stop---but goes a far way in showing full disclosure/honesty about all of your time outside of the US.

 

At least, that's my take on it and what I would do if in your situation  

Edited August 15, 2017 by Going through

[IPv6Freely 64]

7 minutes ago, Going through said:

You're supposed to list every country, stamp or not, so good!  I meant if you had trouble recalling dates and how to search them out due to lack of stamps...

As for layovers since the layover was on route to the destination country and you never left the airport since I'm assuming you were there for a couple of hours at the most, no, you don't need to list it.  However, it is better that you do and upload a short addendum/attachment directly in reference to that layover stating it was a scheduled stop by the airline on route to your final destination of whatever country, for less than 24 hours, and that you were not allowed to/did not leave the airport during that time while waiting for your connecting flight on the same date.

 

Listing it may be an extra hassle of a few minutes in writing an attachment explaining the stop---but goes a far way in showing full disclosure/honesty about all of your time outside of the US.

 

At least, that's my take on it and what I would do if in your situation  

I may just list it and not bother with the explanation. I mean, it's not like I'm suddenly a risk for DHS because I was in big scary England

 

I actually figured out all my travel dates by going through my TripIt account and old emails. It helped that once I got married (while on a TN) I never left the country again until I had my GC for fear of my TN being revoked at the border (marrying a US citizen seemed like pretty significant "intent to remain" evidence, in my opinion). 

[Going through 5,671]

7 minutes ago, IPv6Freely said:

I may just list it and not bother with the explanation. I mean, it's not like I'm suddenly a risk for DHS because I was in big scary England

That's true too.  The layover isn't going to affect your total days out of the country, anyhow.

 

8 minutes ago, IPv6Freely said:

I actually figured out all my travel dates by going through my TripIt account and old emails

Lucky you!  All of my trips over the past 5 years were only to Canada....but I had NOTHING and I mean NOTHING in terms of proof of dates---I just never kept my own records and didn't realize it would become an issue until filing my N400.  I went ahead with listing approximate dates after searching through old accounts from years ago to get at least ticket purchase dates for a few of them to narrow down exit/entry times.  With car drives, no clue except for a general month and year.  I uploaded an attachment explaining some dates were estimates and would bring proof of actual dates during my interview.

 

I ended up submitting FOIA requests from both Canada and US border patrol to get my actual dates of entries/exits on both sides and matching them up...turns out my memory wasn't too bad after all, in the end.  Only off by a few days here and there.  Will bring those to my interview incase the dates I've submitted on the application become an issue.

 

Honestly, I think USCIS by this time (or at least I hope so!) is used to people not always being able to document US/CAN travels as accurately as trips to other countries.

[IPv6Freely 64]

1 minute ago, Going through said:

That's true too.  The layover isn't going to affect your total days out of the country, anyhow.

 

Lucky you!  All of my trips over the past 5 years were only to Canada....but I had NOTHING and I mean NOTHING in terms of proof of dates---I just never kept my own records and didn't realize it would become an issue until filing my N400.  I went ahead with listing approximate dates after searching through old accounts from years ago to get at least ticket purchase dates for a few of them to narrow down exit/entry times.  With car drives, no clue except for a general month and year.  I uploaded an attachment explaining some dates were estimates and would bring proof of actual dates during my interview.

 

I ended up submitting FOIA requests from both Canada and US border patrol to get my actual dates of entries/exits on both sides and matching them up...turns out my memory wasn't too bad after all, in the end.  Only off by a few days here and there.  Will bring those to my interview incase the dates I've submitted on the application become an issue.

 

Honestly, I think USCIS by this time (or at least I hope so!) is used to people not always being able to document US/CAN travels as accurately as trips to other countries.

I'm definitely lucky in that even trips across by car were still accompanied by flights to Buffalo, except in one case that for some stupid reason we thought driving to Toronto from southwest Missouri was a good idea...