N400 Seattle (merged)

[nikgon 11]

An update to the earlier topic about changing names and citizenship status with the SSA (and on the SSN card, without which you can’t get a new drivers license).

 

Sent documents over mail on 5/27 to the Seattle address. Got everything (and the new card) back in about a month. The processing date was 6/21 and that’s when they (looks like) did everything in one day and sent two mails back.

 

So looks like actual processing is very quick, but there’s a four week backlog in Seattle.

 

Now, the DOL for downtown Seattle is booked up for like the next three months. Was somehow able to get a spot in west Seattle in two weeks.

[MGMA 55]

13 hours ago, nikgon said:

An update to the earlier topic about changing names and citizenship status with the SSA (and on the SSN card, without which you can’t get a new drivers license).

 

Sent documents over mail on 5/27 to the Seattle address. Got everything (and the new card) back in about a month. The processing date was 6/21 and that’s when they (looks like) did everything in one day and sent two mails back.

 

So looks like actual processing is very quick, but there’s a four week backlog in Seattle.

 

Now, the DOL for downtown Seattle is booked up for like the next three months. Was somehow able to get a spot in west Seattle in two weeks.

That's kinda sucks that everything is under backlogs, but good it's only one month. Did you have to submit original naturalization certificate? 

[nikgon 11]

11 hours ago, MGMA said:

Did you have to submit original naturalization certificate? 

Yeah, that's the scary part! Unlike the State Department, that at least somewhat allows some sort of tracking of what's going on and has a central mailing address, the SSA is a complete black box: you just send originals of everything in to a local office (!) and just hope that it doesn't get lost in there. No way to track, no way to ask about the status, nothing. I just got lucky, I guess, haha! 

 

Bonus content:

• How do I change or correct my name on my Social Security number card?
• Application for Social Security Card

Edited July 11, 2021 by nikgon

[nikgon 11]

Ah, another update to provide a data point, in case anyone is in the same situation. Since I didn't listen to the wise people of Visjourney and changed my name _after_ naturalization, I had to get the first passport in the old name (a USPS employee told me they can't submit the original application with the court order in the new name, but maybe they didn't know what they were talking about, so inquire at your office if you doubt this it true). And right after I got it, I submitted an application for passport correction (it's free if you want standard service and $70 for expedited).

 

The timeline for (expedited) passport renewal:

- Mailed on 5/27

- Processing started on 6/19

- Approved and shipped on 6/21

- Received on 6/22 

- Card received on 6/25 (or something like that)

[Bd1981 2]

Has anyone recently received biometric appointment notice from Seattle office? If so, could you please let me know your N400 filing date? I am January 2021 filer. Need to do biometric here since I never did in USA. But I need to plan for an international travel . I don’t want to miss the biometric appointment also. So trying to get an idea about what month’s applicants are getting scheduled for biometric now. Thanks. 

[Decent80 16]

Just saw a notice of interview in the documents tab. Did not receive any email/text notification. The notice is dated July 08th and interview is on August 9th in Tukwila office. 

[leethompson 31]

9 hours ago, Decent80 said:

Just saw a notice of interview in the documents tab. Did not receive any email/text notification. The notice is dated July 08th and interview is on August 9th in Tukwila office. 

Congrats! 

 

Friendly reminder - don’t forget to update the spreadsheet!

[Decent80 16]

4 hours ago, leethompson said:

Congrats! 

 

Friendly reminder - don’t forget to update the spreadsheet!

Thanks. I updated the sheet.

[leethompson 31]

21 hours ago, Bd1981 said:

Has anyone recently received biometric appointment notice from Seattle office? If so, could you please let me know your N400 filing date? I am January 2021 filer. Need to do biometric here since I never did in USA. But I need to plan for an international travel . I don’t want to miss the biometric appointment also. So trying to get an idea about what month’s applicants are getting scheduled for biometric now. Thanks. 

Check out https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FcItCasVItCDsUNEbDu15IRQ-AbDMRJWsiljwtz5WRI/ to see other users from this thread tracking their dates (and add yours if it's not already there).

 

Might not explicitly answer your question, but might help you track your activity with those who filed around you.

 

Years ago, you might have been able to speed up the process with a walk-in for biometrics, but not anymore. I'd take any date range you do find now with a large grain of salt; things are so variable right now I would not be comfortable planning any international travel within at least a year of applying.

[Decent80 16]

I have the interview scheduled for August. Can I schedule the passport appointment in advance as well?

Edited July 12, 2021 by Decent80

[MGMA 55]

1 hour ago, Decent80 said:

I have the interview scheduled for August. Can I schedule the passport appointment in advance as well?

Yes, you should. Although, appointments are not easy to find. You schedule them from USPS website, or some city halls may have resumed in person appointments, so also look that up. USPS are setting slots about one month ahead, I think. And theya re taken quickly. So for example, today, you can only choose until August, 10th and all appointments are taken,  but they have lots of opening in August 10th now. Tomorrow, they will open up August 11, etc....

[scyg-2000 1]

I noticed that the interview appointment letter says that if I traveled outside the US within the past 10 days, I should reschedule the appointment. Has anyone been to Seattle office and rejected the interview because of the travel history? 

[swadesi 12]

10 hours ago, scyg-2000 said:

I noticed that the interview appointment letter says that if I traveled outside the US within the past 10 days, I should reschedule the appointment. Has anyone been to Seattle office and rejected the interview because of the travel history? 

Not personally - but happened to someone, where they were denied interview due to recent travel.

[Squishinator 1]

On 7/9/2021 at 7:38 AM, mbalih said:

@Squishinator, I see you sent your application in December 2020 and you already have an interview, did you expedite? Did you file under the 3 or 5 year rule? I would love to know, and if anyone else has intel on this one incase she doesn't see this, please chime in. Thanks!

It was a normal filing online with no intentional expedite. We filled under the 3 year rule. 

 

As the previous reply impressively predicted,  my husband is in the military. However, we never requested it to be expedited nor made a specific mention of his military affiliation. For what's its worth, when I had my infopass appointment, the officer looked up my I-751 and it was not even at the local office yet. 2 weeks later, we got the dual 751 and n400 interview notification. 

 

Whatever happened, we are incredibly appreciative for the quick interview. 

[mbalih 35]

3 minutes ago, Squishinator said:

It was a normal filing online with no intentional expedite. We filled under the 3 year rule. 

 

As the previous reply impressively predicted,  my husband is in the military. However, we never requested it to be expedited nor made a specific mention of his military affiliation. For what's its worth, when I had my infopass appointment, the officer looked up my I-751 and it was not even at the local office yet. 2 weeks later, we got the dual 751 and n400 interview notification. 

 

Whatever happened, we are incredibly appreciative for the quick interview. 

Good for you!! Congratulations, I am absolutely in awe and happy for you. One question, what was the infopass appointment about?

Edited July 13, 2021 by mbalih