N-400 and I-751 combo pending

[punter13 32]

1 hour ago, Zombie69 said:

Two more days, I will hit the 6 month mark since I applied for 400. Got a letter last week saying they would adjudicate my 751 and 400 at the same time like I predicted. 751 has been pending for over 18 months. I guess 4 more to 5 more months and this mess will be all over. Just been patiently waiting for that text message saying "We have scheduled your interview..". 

I still can't believe that USCIS is combining i-751 with N-400 and still want to go by N-400 processing time for adjudication .  I always had the question in my mind that why would USCIS combine two files together if they don't want to schedule the interview immediately? This is blatant mismanagement at its best. Now I am fearing that they would combine my i-751 too with N-400 even though I was told by them that my i-751 is still standalone application as of last week. In my case, this would be more painful as Dallas field office is going at super slow speed (currently at 3rd Oct 2016) and moved only one week per lastest processing time. So it would be around July 2019 for combo interview. Just can't believe my luck........

[Zombie69 363]

1 minute ago, punter13 said:

I still can't believe that USCIS is combining i-751 with N-400 and still want to go by N-400 processing time for adjudication .  I always had the question in my mind that why would USCIS combine two files together if they don't want to schedule the interview immediately? This is blatant mismanagement at its best. Now I am fearing that they would combine my i-751 too with N-400 even though I was told by them that my i-751 is still standalone application as of last week. In my case, this would be more painful as Dallas field office is going at super slow speed (currently at 3rd Oct 2016) and moved only one week per lastest processing time. So it would be around July 2019 for combo interview. Just can't believe my luck........

I hear you, and I feel you pain. They could at least approve our 751s and tell us since we will be naturalized soon, so we won't issue you the green card, that way at least it will make applicants lives easier with less stress and uncertainty. However, I have given up waiting for 751, too many reports that confirm that they do adjudicate the two on the same day, so far, I have not seen any problems in that situation. Been in line for an interview since 9/28 last year. Hopefully I will hear from them soon. How long has it been since they put you in line for an interview? 

[punter13 32]

47 minutes ago, Zombie69 said:

I hear you, and I feel you pain. They could at least approve our 751s and tell us since we will be naturalized soon, so we won't issue you the green card, that way at least it will make applicants lives easier with less stress and uncertainty. However, I have given up waiting for 751, too many reports that confirm that they do adjudicate the two on the same day, so far, I have not seen any problems in that situation. Been in line for an interview since 9/28 last year. Hopefully I will hear from them soon. How long has it been since they put you in line for an interview? 

I am in line since September 14, 2017. So it will be around 5 months since last status change.

[Zombie69 363]

Just now, punter13 said:

I am in line since September 14, 2017. So it will be around 5 months since last status change.

So your time line is similar to mine. What is your NOA for 751? My is 8/8/2016. My field office is in Los Angeles, yours?

[punter13 32]

1 hour ago, Zombie69 said:

So your time line is similar to mine. What is your NOA for 751? My is 8/8/2016. My field office is in Los Angeles, yours?

My i-751 NOA is 09/09/2016. For N-400 my field office is Dallas.

[Zombie69 363]

Ok, I just checked the processing times for you, they are still processing 400 applications from October 2016??

[sddude89 31]

6 hours ago, punter13 said:

This is blatant mismanagement at its best

If when combining the I-751 and N-400, the I-751 is pulled from the CSC and sent to a Field Office to be processed at the same time then:

 1. CSC is relieved from its workload and it is able to process applications faster 

 2. The hours spent by an agent  to review both I-751 and N-400 are probably less than the hours needed to review both independently.

Life is possible with a I-551stamp or extension letter (despite some inconveniences).

 

I don't see the mismanagement.

 

Very inconvenient and frustrating for concurrent (I-751/N-400) filers, absolutely.

[punter13 32]

2 hours ago, sddude89 said:

If when combining the I-751 and N-400, the I-751 is pulled from the CSC and sent to a Field Office to be processed at the same time then:

 1. CSC is relieved from its workload and it is able to process applications faster 

 2. The hours spent by an agent  to review both I-751 and N-400 are probably less than the hours needed to review both independently.

Life is possible with a I-551stamp or extension letter (despite some inconveniences).

 

I don't see the mismanagement.

 

Very inconvenient and frustrating for concurrent (I-751/N-400) filers, absolutely.

Interesting point of view and I agree with your second point!!

 

However lets breakdown why I am having hard time keeping up with what USCIS is doing (ofcourse my view lol):

1. I guess the big issue here is the low priority of i-751 applications over the other applications. CSC is still going at slow speed even with i-751 transfer to local field office. So I don't see them processing application any faster.

 

2. Now lets say that USCIS indeed decides to send my i-751 to Dallas field office. As you might be aware that Dallas field office is super slow when it comes to N-400 processing. So where do we see the faster processing here? It looks to me that one service center is overburdening another office. That is why I said mismanagement at its best.

 

3. I agree that life is possible with i-551 stamp. But even with i-551 stamp things will not go as smoothly as you normally would like to. Some examples from personal experience.. A) Secondary inspection at the airport upon arrival from international trip. I had terrible experience. One nice CBP officer admitted me on LPR status without secondary. But as I was about to exit the baggage claim area at the final point, another different CBP officer did not like the fact that I was admitted without secondary (really?). So I was sent into secondary area and had to face one rude officer. He did nothing new that first nice office did not do. On bonus I also had to put all my luggage through scanning machine again to please him.  B) Job change is literally pain as not all people are aware of i-551 stamp. They always give you weird look when they see i-551 stamp and even more hesitant to hire you. C) International travel is painful when you have to travel through European routes to your final destination. You need a transit visa even if you have i-551 stamp otherwise they will not let you board the plane. (If you have valid plastic green card then you are all good. So in their eyes, i-551 stamp is not equal to plastic green card) D) Getting the i-551 stamp appointment at local field office is hard to get. Plus some field offices are asking to come at later date.

 

P.S. Personally what frustrates me is the longer N-400 processing time because citizenship is my ultimate goal. The reason being that I want to make job switch in defense/aerospace field. And all of these jobs require security clearance which you can not get without becoming a US citizen.

Edited February 6, 2018 by punter13

[Name O Boy 511]

@Zombie69 I know it's been a long wait for you but overall you would end up getting the citizenship. It is more important for you than ROC. Good luck and let see how February will unfold for you. 

[Zombie69 363]

11 hours ago, Name O Boy said:

@Zombie69 I know it's been a long wait for you but overall you would end up getting the citizenship. It is more important for you than ROC. Good luck and let see how February will unfold for you. 

Yes, exactly. That is the whole point, my ultimate goal is 400, not 751, and USCIS has confirmed that both will be adjudicated at the same time anyway. I honestly have given up waiting for 751 for a while. I have been mentally focusing on 400 since I realized they did skip my 751 after it was outside normal processing time.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Zombie69

[sddude89 31]

14 hours ago, punter13 said:

B) Job change is literally pain as not all people are aware of i-551 stamp. They always give you weird look when they see i-551 stamp and even more hesitant to hire you.

I am sorry that you had that experience but FYI that was absolutely illegal. You could have sued, file a complaint with the DOL, or bring up the issue with your senator. 

Federal law prohibits employers from conducting the Form I-9 and E-Verify processes before the employee has accepted an offer of employment. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/practices/inquiries_citizenship.cfm

Nobody can ask you what document you have, all they can ask at job interview is if you are authorized to work in the US. The answer is either Yes or No. Period.

Once you accept the job offer, you go to HR (not your boss) and fill up forms including the I-9. It is usually a formalism and many times you just email the docs and no reason to get a weird look from anybody.

This is serious and if someone asked to see your green card before you accepted a job offer they are so breaking the law and should be denounced.

 

Regarding Dallas, you can't say that the officers are slow at reviewing apps.

The reason that Dallas is taking longer is probably a backlog. There are not enough officers to review as many applications that come in.

 

Have you looked at the Sep 2016 filers thread? lots of approvals for the last 3 weeks. They are really moving along.

[hyommysone 16]

I just file my ROC but planning to do combo application with N400. My window will open on Dec 2018 and I plan to apply by then.

I was just wondering can you file your N400 on other city field office. I live in WA. The near field office is in Seattle and there is also one in Spokane. When I checked the processing time for N400 on both office, Spokane field office is 5 months faster. I know it may change, but if it isnt, can I apply N400 in Spokane instead of Seattle?

 

Would just like to have some insight on this.

 

Thank you!

[Lemon23 400]

8 minutes ago, hyommysone said:

I just file my ROC but planning to do combo application with N400. My window will open on Dec 2018 and I plan to apply by then.

I was just wondering can you file your N400 on other city field office. I live in WA. The near field office is in Seattle and there is also one in Spokane. When I checked the processing time for N400 on both office, Spokane field office is 5 months faster. I know it may change, but if it isnt, can I apply N400 in Spokane instead of Seattle?

 

Would just like to have some insight on this.

 

Thank you!

You're only allowed to submit application on your accredited field office address. They will reject your application if you submit to the different field office specially if out of your city or jurisdiction. 

Edited February 6, 2018 by Lemon23

[sddude89 31]

56 minutes ago, hyommysone said:

I just file my ROC but planning to do combo application with N400. My window will open on Dec 2018 and I plan to apply by then.

I was just wondering can you file your N400 on other city field office. I live in WA.

You don't have a choice of choosing a field office.

 

You submit your N-400 to the POBOX and USCIS forwards your N-400 to a field office according to the address on your application.

 

Are you saying you want to use a fake address? (friend's, family's, etc?) I would not recommend that since it may pop up when they do background checks that you are lying about your address.

 

 

[hyommysone 16]

57 minutes ago, Lemon23 said:

You're only allowed to submit application on your accredited field office address. They will reject your application if you submit to the different field office specially if out of your city or jurisdiction. 

Thank you!

 

2 minutes ago, sddude89 said:

You don't have a choice of choosing a field office.

 

You submit your N-400 to the POBOX and USCIS forwards your N-400 to a field office according to the address on your application.

 

Are you saying you want to use a fake address? (friend's, family's, etc?) I would not recommend that since it may pop up when they do background checks that you are lying about your address.

 

 

I am not going to use any fake address. We only have one address. I am just wondering. I did not dig into N400 application just yet. I just ask the question randomly.