N-400 February Filers 2018

[evapaula 230]

51 minutes ago, Haji delco said:

IF you book your tickets in one name and want to fly with a different name even when you are naturalized and have a name change you will have big problems at the airport. I am not saying you will not fly but you will have to show a lot of documentation for them to even consider letting you board the flight.   

I know that's the general rule, but other than both valid passports and marriage certificate (maybe also naturalization certificate) I can't see what else I could provide.  

[watashi 24]

evapaula: does your current nationality allow you to keep your passport ? If so, then there should be no problem . If not, and you cannot hold off travel your most straightforward option is to wait and use your ability to reschedule your appointments as and when you get notice . 

Edited March 17, 2018 by watashi

[evapaula 230]

25 minutes ago, watashi said:

evapaula: does your current nationality allow you to keep your passport ? If so, then there should be no problem . If not, and you cannot hold off travel your most straightforward option is to wait and use your ability to reschedule your appointments as and when you get notice . 

Yes, Romania allows for dual citizenship. The problem is that I HAVE TO use the American passport to leave and enter the USA once I have it, according to the law. That will lead to an inconsistency in the name on my ticket vs my passport. 

 

I guess I could postpone my interview and oath until after September, but that's not exciting

Edited March 17, 2018 by evapaula

[watashi 24]

There’s no law against passports from different nationalities having different names . You show your Romanian and US passports and tell them the US passport is your means of re-entry but that the Romanian one is a valid ID for travel as a dual national . That should work, but you should check for yourself . 

 

Personally I’d have avoided the whole problem by simply having my embassy endorse my current passport with a name change and buy the ticket in the married name . Everything would have easily lined up that way . 

[nightingalejules 678]

1 hour ago, evapaula said:

I can't use my Romanian passport to board a plane to the USA without showing a visa or a GC or another document that shows I am allowed to enter the US. That's the problem. Canadians don't have to deal with this because they don't need to visa to visit. I'll board the plane in Budapest and then have a layover in Amsterdam, where they interview all passengers boarding a flight directly to the US. I'll have to show them my US passport at that point, with a different name on the ticket. 

Changing the name on my Romanian passport is impossible right now, since the Romanian Consulate in LA requires proof of my status in the US valid for another 6 months - my GC is expired and my extension letter is about to expire. I guess I could wait for a couple months, but I'm afraid prices might go up.  

Well, it looks like your best option might be, as you say (and despite it not being exciting) to (if you are called for your interview before September) to postpone the interview, or go to the interview but reschedule your oath ceremony and so on until after your trip. 

 

On the other hand, I'm sure that they've seen this sort of thing before. I understand that as a Canadian I have "favoured" status in many ways, but I'm pretty certain that with your 2 valid passports and the marriage certificate that explains the name change, you will be able to talk your way through any difficulties you may encounter. 

 

Or... and here's a brand new idea: If you are flying exclusively on a US airline carrier, (Delta, American, United) they apparently have a way to change the name on the ticket (and presumably update your passport information) if you have a legal name change. Maybe inquire about that when you make your booking and see if it's hypothetically possible. I read a couple of online articles about this that were dated 2016, so it might still work!

[NikeS 49]

2 hours ago, evapaula said:

Yes, Romania allows for dual citizenship. The problem is that I HAVE TO use the American passport to leave and enter the USA once I have it, according to the law. That will lead to an inconsistency in the name on my ticket vs my passport. 

 

I guess I could postpone my interview and oath until after September, but that's not exciting

I travel with my Greencard (married name) and home country passport (maiden name) internationally and it has never been an issue. The only proviso is your ticket will be in your MAIDEN name since that’s the passport you will have at the time if you don’t have a US passport yet. 

The airlines will let you board planes (to return showing your GC) with mismatched last names because your biometric information is embedded in both forms of ID and such your fingerprints match. Yes have a copy of your marriage certificate at hand. 

If your trip occurs right after your oath taking then pay for an expedited US Passport since you won’t have the GC anymore. 

[nuno 16]

4 hours ago, Derwood said:

Estimated Completion Time got pushed back to March 2019 today. GMS.

Mine also jumped from Jan'19 to Mar'19.

[Name O Boy 511]

6 hours ago, evapaula said:

I have a somewhat non-related question but maybe some of you can help. I applied for naturalization on Feb 26 (which is why i follow this thread) with a ROC still pending. 

I'm looking to travel abroad in September, but I wonder if there's any chance I may have a blue passport by then. If I do get naturalized and get an American passport, I legally have to use that one to leave and enter US. My current passport has my maiden name, while my next passport will finally have my married name. I'm planning to buy my ticket to match the name on my current passport, but if I get a new passport, the names will no longer match - does anyone have any experience with traveling in such a situation? The Delta rep I talked to could not give me a definitive answer. I guess I could carry both passports and my marriage certificate, hoping that would be enough. 

Of course, there's an even bigger chance that my N400 won't process until after I travel, but I like to think of all possible scenarios. 

Hi there,  What if you apply for a new Romanian passport that would include your present married name. In this case, if you get naturalized before September you can travel with a U.S passport or if not you can travel with your new Romanian passport. I am pretty sure you will be a naturalized U.S citizen before September, regards. 

[Haji delco 103]

10 hours ago, corvusheart said:

I heard even if you file by paper they still scan it in electronically and make it a electronic file that you can sign into and check. Would there be a way to correct it that way? Surely uscis realizes it's only human to make mistakes. Its only two days off. Otherwise we could abandon the application by not going to biometrics and refilling. But we'd have to pay the fee again. I wonder if there is anyone else on VJ that has made a similar mistake.

Indeed they will have to scan it but that is another extra layer of process which will add time. As you can see and confirm for yourself and a lot of us here who filed online the NOA processing time was significantly short. 

[corvusheart 163]

15 minutes ago, Haji delco said:

Indeed they will have to scan it but that is another extra layer of process which will add time. As you can see and confirm for yourself and a lot of us here who filed online the NOA processing time was significantly short. 

For NOA1?

[Haji delco 103]

15 minutes ago, corvusheart said:

For NOA1?

Actually both. 

[corvusheart 163]

57 minutes ago, Haji delco said:

Actually both. 

Why would it be both if they convert it into a electronic file?

[Haji delco 103]

42 minutes ago, corvusheart said:

Why would it be both if they convert it into a electronic file?

Am saying the speed at which you receive NOA if you file online is definitely faster. Like you said, you mail your packet, they check it through and upload it to the system. Whereas with the online application, its instant receipt and within a couple days you can download the NOA. 

[shell20 746]

13 hours ago, nuno said:

Mine also jumped from Jan'19 to Mar'19.

Mine has also changed by two months.  Seems my field office went backwards I think, looking at the field office processing times.

[shell20 746]

18 hours ago, Derwood said:

Estimated Completion Time got pushed back to March 2019 today. GMS.

I wouldn't put too much credence on that. You know Ive seen people told they are going to be waiting a year or so and then completed in 4 months.  Funnily enough if they put the dates forward we would all probably be more shocked than them putting them behind. What does that say about their business model. Oops not they are not a business, I saw their mission statement. Silly me!