About to file N400 for Marriage (help)

[LUAL 43]

Good Evening All,

 

We have been married for almost 4 years and I (foreigner) was just approved for ROC and will receive my 10yrs GC in the next week or so. As soon as I do, I will apply for the N400 and have a few question for you who have applied already, if you could please help and share your experience:

 

- I understand there is an online application, where is it? Would you recommend using that or the regular mailing method?

- How long is it taking now to process N400? If I apply by the end of October when should I be expecting to receive an answer?

- Do you have any dos/donts before I apply?

 

I'd really appreciate any suggestion from you. 

Thank you!

[Going through 5,671]

21 hours ago, LUAL said:

I understand there is an online application, where is it? Would you recommend using that or the regular mailing method?

Apply online using this link (you would pay online as well as upload all of your information)--no need to mail anything in:

 

https://my.uscis.gov/exploremyoptions/us_citizen_through_naturalization 

 

Scroll down about halfway and read under "How To Apply"

 

I filed my N400 online, and personally I would recommend it.  However, I strongly advise you to do as I did and research threads on VJ and elsewhere so that you can make an education decision for yourself after weighing the pros and cons.  

 

21 hours ago, LUAL said:

How long is it taking now to process N400? If I apply by the end of October when should I be expecting to receive an answer?

- Do you have any dos/donts before I apply?

How fast it takes depends on variable factors---how straightforward your application is, how quickly you clear the background check, your country of origin (sometimes this does come into affect), and the caseload of your Field Office and what type of backlog they already have.  For me, personally, it went quickly.  You can see my timeline below in red.  Keep in mind that your mileage may vary  

 

21 hours ago, LUAL said:

Do you have any dos/donts before I apply?

Make sure you have at least $725 to spend first  

[marknir 12]

Wait until you qualify for the 5 years to give you an easier option as you don't have to submit as much information.

[SteveG1003 1]

If you are not in a hurry, and have already been a permanent resident for almost 4 year, I strongly recommend waiting a bit longer and apply under the 5 years rule. We (wife) applied under the 3 year / marriage rule, and received so much scrutinizing. I know some members here will say that if your marriage is real, you have nothing to worry about. Well, your marriage is real doesn't mean you can pass their stokes interview! 

[LUAL 43]

12 hours ago, Going through said:

Apply online using this link (you would pay online as well as upload all of your information)--no need to mail anything in:

 

https://my.uscis.gov/exploremyoptions/us_citizen_through_naturalization 

 

Scroll down about halfway and read under "How To Apply"

 

I filed my N400 online, and personally I would recommend it.  However, I strongly advise you to do as I did and research threads on VJ and elsewhere so that you can make an education decision for yourself after weighing the pros and cons.  

 

How fast it takes depends on variable factors---how straightforward your application is, how quickly you clear the background check, your country of origin (sometimes this does come into affect), and the caseload of your Field Office and what type of backlog they already have.  For me, personally, it went quickly.  You can see my timeline below in red.  Keep in mind that your mileage may vary  

 

Make sure you have at least $725 to spend first  

Thank you so much for the detailed response. I just received the NOA letter saying I was approved for the ROC and so 10 yrs GC. Once I received the card, I will apply for the N400.

12 hours ago, marknir said:

Wait until you qualify for the 5 years to give you an easier option as you don't have to submit as much information.

Isn't the information I have to submit the same I had to when I applied for the ROC? In that case we already have everything. Also I don't want to wait another 16-20 months

[LUAL 43]

12 hours ago, SteveG1003 said:

If you are not in a hurry, and have already been a permanent resident for almost 4 year, I strongly recommend waiting a bit longer and apply under the 5 years rule. We (wife) applied under the 3 year / marriage rule, and received so much scrutinizing. I know some members here will say that if your marriage is real, you have nothing to worry about. Well, your marriage is real doesn't mean you can pass their stokes interview! 

I am not in a hurry but also don't want to waste time. Why would you not recommend going for the 3 years rule? what do you mean for "much more scrutinizing"?

Thank you!

[cyclone27 710]

Just file and keep in mind every case is different. 

[Going through 5,671]

Even applying under the 5-year rule doesn't mean your marriage (and therefore the validity of receiving your initial green card) won't be brought into question.  Mine was, but it was more of a formality (I wasn't asked to produce any documents regarding my marriage, because they already had them with my AOS and ROC), and just the simple stuff to determine how I came to this country to  begin with.  The amount of scrutiny depends on whether they think your green card wasn't approved properly beforehand.  In my case, the officer spent about 2 minutes on marriage-related questions.

 

There's no reason to not apply under the 3-year rule if you are eligible.  

[Going through 5,671]

As cyclone said above---keep in mind everyone's case is different.  Best of luck with your filing!

[SteveG1003 1]

On 10/14/2017 at 5:20 AM, LUAL said:

I am not in a hurry but also don't want to waste time. Why would you not recommend going for the 3 years rule? what do you mean for "much more scrutinizing"?

Thank you!

I mean USCIS will take a much closer & deeper look at your profile / record, and will be a lot more suspicious of your marriage. ... Passing the ROC easily doesn't mean you will pass the N-400 easily. In our case, we pass ROC without even having to come in for an interview. We got hold up on the N-400.

 

Anyhow, like others had said, every case is different, and it's your call. Maybe you will be luckier than us.

[LUAL 43]

On the USCIS checklist for the N400 they don't say to send Two color photographs. However, I saw in multiple places that people sent them... what did you do?

 

 

[Going through 5,671]

47 minutes ago, LUAL said:

On the USCIS checklist for the N400 they don't say to send Two color photographs. However, I saw in multiple places that people sent them... what did you do?

 

 

Photos are required if the person is filing the N400 from outside of the US.  If you are filing from within the US, your photo will be taken at your biometrics appointment, no need to send them in with your application.

 

Other than that, some people bring them to the interview on the off-chance that the IO says the one taken at the biometrics is unusable for some reason (it has happened to others here) to avoid getting an RFE for it after the interview, or their case delayed.

 

I didn't submit them with my application, however I did bring them to my interview just incase that happened to me.  My biometrics photo was deemed usable, so I'll just submit the photos when applying for my passport later on---no money wasted that way.

Edited October 17, 2017 by Going through

[LUAL 43]

11 minutes ago, Going through said:

Photos are required if the person is filing the N400 from outside of the US.  If you are filing from within the US, your photo will be taken at your biometrics appointment, no need to send them in with your application.

 

Other than that, some people bring them to the interview on the off-chance that the IO says the one taken at the biometrics is unusable for some reason (it has happened to others here) to avoid getting an RFE for it after the interview, or their case delayed.

 

I didn't submit them with my application, however I did bring them to my interview just incase that happened to me.  My biometrics photo was deemed usable, so I'll just submit the photos when applying for my passport later on---no money wasted that way.

Thank you for the quick response. Another question... in the N400 part 9 it asks for the list of trips of 24 hours or more outside the USA for the last 5 years... However, I am applying for the N400 under the 3 yrs marriage with USA cit and I have been in the USA for less than 4 years... so what do I list for all that one year and a few months when I was not here in the USA?

 

Thanks!

 

[Going through 5,671]

Just now, LUAL said:

Thank you for the quick response. Another question... in the N400 part 9 it asks for the list of trips of 24 hours or more outside the USA for the last 5 years... However, I am applying for the N400 under the 3 yrs marriage with USA cit and I have been in the USA for less than 4 years... so what do I list for all that one year and a few months when I was not here in the USA?

 

Thanks!

 

Since you are applying under the 3-year rule, you only need to list the previous 3 years worth of travel.  If you want, you can cross out the  5 and put 3 (many people here have done that).  The person reviewing your application will know that the question applies only for the previous 3 years considering how you filled out the very beginning of your application.  Same with employment history/residency----only the previous 3 years is relevant for your application.

[LUAL 43]

1 minute ago, Going through said:

Since you are applying under the 3-year rule, you only need to list the previous 3 years worth of travel.  If you want, you can cross out the  5 and put 3 (many people here have done that).  The person reviewing your application will know that the question applies only for the previous 3 years considering how you filled out the very beginning of your application.  Same with employment history/residency----only the previous 3 years is relevant for your application.

I just hate that they don't list those two options and that it's kept up to us to deal with it hoping that they understand what we mean  

 

I hope you are right! Thank you!