N400 filers at Minneapolis,MN

[duitta2g15 26]

13 minutes ago, Red Rose said:

We both filed for N-400 together and had the interview on the same day.

Oh That’s awesome! Congratulations!

[corvusheart 163]

So they were both becoming citizens then?

[corvusheart 163]

Couple questions for everyone. On case tracker when I look up the 100 cases after hubby's which are IOE a lot of them say card produced. Does that mean they still make your new card when you have a combo interview?

 

Also I've noticed we've stopped getting notifications from USCIS saying theres been no updates to your case. Neither one of us shut it off. I wonder if that's a sign. N400 filing date was March 15 2018. No updates yet.

[Eddy! 1]

6 hours ago, corvusheart said:

Couple questions for everyone. On case tracker when I look up the 100 cases after hubby's which are IOE a lot of them say card produced. Does that mean they still make your new card when you have a combo interview?

 

Also I've noticed we've s topped getting notifications from USCIS saying theres been no updates to your case. Neither one of us shut it off. I wonder if that's a sign. N400 filing date was March 15 2018. No updates yet.

I had a combo interview and I had my oath on the 17th, and today I received a notification my green card was on the way.  LOL. I don't know if I should keep (just for the sake of keeping as souvenir)  it or send it back. After all, it wasn't free :)

[BruceW 13]

today was my interview day. Parked as suggested in the Marquette Plaza underground carpark. If you are early like me, get off at level above ground level and walk across the skybridges two building over and get a coffee and a snack (look for Max's Coffeshop, food shops too). My appointment was for 1:30 so arrived on 7th floor at 12:55. Only a few people ahead in security, then a few mins at reception and checked in by 1:02. So I sat for about half an hour. There werent that many people in the waiting area. Many people seemed to have lawyers with them. My number was called and a pleasant Immigration Officer showed me to the interview room.

 

Usual stuff, go through many questions on your N-400 form (make sure you have green card, drivers license and passport), then the reading and writing, straightforward for a normal English speaker. Then the civics, I cant remember all the questions but they were straighforward like 1) who wrote the declaration of independence, 2) who is the head of the Military, 3) name 3 of the orginal 13 states, 4) name a state that borders Mexico 5) which are the two major political parties. They did ask if I had made any overseas trips since I had filed original paperwork.

 

all over in less than 30 mins, gave me a document to say recommending that I be granted Citizenship.

 

I asked about same day Oath Ceremony. IO said they dont happen everyday, and today wasn't an Oath Day. Said I will get a letter for the Oath Ceremony in 2-4 weeks.

 

I hope everyones goes as smooth.

[ricky22 6]

1 hour ago, BruceW said:

> They did ask if I had made any overseas trips since I had filed original paperwork.

 

 

so i filed my paperwork but will be travelling abroad. Do you think that will be an issue?

[birchscott 17]

8 hours ago, ricky22 said:

so i filed my paperwork but will be travelling abroad. Do you think that will be an issue?

It's only an issue if you spend too long outside the US (6 months or more). The continuous residency requirements still apply even after application submission. 

 

Keep your travels under 6 months and be sure to maintain your residence and employment. Also, at the interview you'll need to submit an updated log of any trips outside the US and their duration.

 

Refer to the USCIS Policy Manual for more detail. 

[BruceW 13]

Good advice.. I should have said the 2nd question they asked about my travels since application was "were any of the trips longer than 6 months?".

[corvusheart 163]

6 hours ago, birchscott said:

It's only an issue if you spend too long outside the US (6 months or more). The continuous residency requirements still apply even after application submission. 

 

Keep your travels under 6 months and be sure to maintain your residence and employment. Also, at the interview you'll need to submit an updated log of any trips outside the US and their duration.

 

Refer to the USCIS Policy Manual for more detail. 

Maintain employment? I didn't know being continuously employed was a requirement to become a citizen for a person who is pursuing citizenship based on being married to a US citizen. My husband had a couple of months of being unemployed here and there last year because that's called life. Will this hurt our process at all?

Edited January 25, 2019 by corvusheart

[birchscott 17]

The key here is that if you had a job in the U.S., left the country for 6 months or more, and didn't keep your job, UCSIS looks at that as you cutting ties with the US and therefore not maintaining continuous residence.  The more important piece is your residency.  If you're no longer keeping a place to live in the US that's a huge red flag to USCIS. 

 

There are of course other considerations and I strongly encourage you to review the above link if you're concerned about this requirement. 

[marcusa 31]

techinically, USCIS doesnt require you the proof of employment at the time of application or interview. BUT, who else doesnt want to have a job and money to support themselves?  there are many factors affecting your N400 approval. but the office will not reject or delay  your case process by solely because you dont have job. 

 

plus, does house-wife or husband taking care of baby count as a type of "full-time " job with no pay ? 

Edited January 25, 2019 by marcusa

[Red Rose 1]

16 minutes ago, marcusa said:

techinically, USCIS doesnt require you the proof of employment at the time of application or interview. BUT, who else doesnt want to have a job and money to support themselves?  there are many factors affecting your N400 approval. but the office will not reject or delay  your case process by solely because you dont have job. 

 

plus, does house-wife or husband taking care of baby count as a type of "full-time " job with no pay ? 

Agree on not requiring proof of employment. I was in between jobs during the interview and not in the same job that was in my application. I had employment letters from all of my past employers and offer from future employer, pulled them out to show it to the IO when he asked me where I was working. He only asked me where I was going to work and said he didn’t need any of those letters. (However it doesn’t hurt to be prepared with all those documents!)

[corvusheart 163]

He is back to work now I was just saying he has several gaps in his employment from last year after N400 was filed. But a good point was made here, an immigrant spouse could be taking care of a baby at home. Also most jobs are at will employers. If a person is unemployed at citizenship interview will that be a deragotory mark? No he's not planning to be unemployed anytime soon but you never know what could happen.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Nobody cares about the work thing. It is just a part of the background check. 

[ricky22 6]

Thanks for all the information. This is very helpful. This whole process is so very taxing but its bit better because of this nice little community.