N400 Expedite Request Sent In

[thinblueline 11]

Today I mailed a letter to the Dallas Field Office Director requesting my N400 (and Pending I-751) application be expedited. I got the contact information at my InfoPass appointment when I had my (second) I-551 stamp placed in my passport on 05/30/18.

 

A little background information on myself:

• Permanent Resident since April 2015, Conditional Green Card Holder (obtained through marriage)
• I-751 Filed January 2017 (CSC Pending, now transferred to NBC after N-400 filed)
• N-400 Filed February 2018 (Biometrics done March 2018)

 

I'm sure y'all know the criteria for expediting requests, but here it is again:

 

USCIS may expedite a petition or application if it meets one or more of the following criteria:

•Severe financial loss to company or person;

•Emergency situation;

•Humanitarian reasons;

•Nonprofit organization whose request is in furtherance of the cultural and social interests of the United States;

•Department of Defense or national interest situation;

•USCIS error; or

•Compelling interest of USCIS.

 

It has been my lifelong ambition to become a Police Officer, and in order to be a licensed Peace Officer in Texas, you are required to be a US Citizen. I work for a smaller police department in a civilian position (not one of the big cities), and have since 2015. Once I obtain US Citizenship, I plan on submitting my application for a Police Officer position.

 

In my letter to the Director I indicated why I was requesting my application be expedited (22 month processing time when other February 2018 filers are now already citizens in other locations, desire to be come a Police Officer, nationwide shortage of Police Officers [which could lead to a national interest situation]); I tried to apply my situation as best as possible to the above criteria. I also included letters of recommendation from my Police Supervisors (including the Deputy Chief), as well as the standard copy of my green card (front and back) and I-551 stamp, as well as my Police Department ID Card (front and back), backing up my claims.

 

Now I know I only mailed my expedite request today (1-Day Priority Mail, Signature Confirmation), and know I shouldn't hear something the next day, or for maybe a few weeks, but realistically speaking, how do my odds look? I thought I wrote a pretty good letter, and the letters of recommendation were very good given as well as who they came from, but I'm just curious if anyone else has had sent in a expedite request and what their experience was like. Was your request granted? Did you even get a response? What did you do if you if your request was denied? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

 

Edited June 28, 2018 by thinblueline

[Going through 5,669]

7 hours ago, thinblueline said:

realistically speaking, how do my odds look?

Hard to say....technically you don't meet the criteria EXCEPT perhaps for "compelling interest of USCIS" (depending on who is adjudicating the expedite request, as even then that criteria point is of course very subjective).

 

If the letters from your supervisors specifically mentioned an automatic job offer as an officer directly upon you becoming a citizen, or your application detailed/proved that you would suffer severe financial hardship/loss if you don't work as a police officer as soon as possible (instead of the position you are in now), then you have a much better shot, imo.  

 

Best of luck.

Edited June 28, 2018 by Going through

[thinblueline 11]

1 hour ago, Going through said:

Hard to say....technically you don't meet the criteria EXCEPT perhaps for "compelling interest of USCIS" (depending on who is adjudicating the expedite request, as even then that criteria point is of course very subjective).

 

If the letters from your supervisors specifically mentioned an automatic job offer as an officer directly upon you becoming a citizen, or your application detailed/proved that you would suffer severe financial hardship/loss if you don't work as a police officer as soon as possible (instead of the position you are in now), then you have a much better shot, imo.  

 

Best of luck.

 

Thank you! I figured "compelling interest of USCIS" was my best bet.

 

My recommendation letters from my supervisors were just that, recommendations-- no mention of severe hardship. There is no mention of an automatic job offer as a Police Officer (recommendation letters say "...eligible for testing",  "...necessary skills and knowledge to get hired" , "...anything I can do to provide assistance in gaining citizenship", and after discussing it with co-workers and family, we felt that the department doesn't want to accept that liability and legal burden as there is a whole vetting process (psych evaluation, polygraph, physical testing, oral board interview, background checks).

 

I'm not worried about failing any of those, however I'm sure the department does not want to make a job offer until all those tests are passed, and you have to be a citizen to apply, hence this feeling of being stuck due to long USICS processing times.

[Going through 5,669]

1 minute ago, thinblueline said:

There is no mention of an automatic job offer as a Police Officer (recommendation letters say "...eligible for testing",  "...necessary skills and knowledge to get hired" , "...anything I can do to provide assistance in gaining citizenship", and after discussing it with co-workers and family, we felt that the department doesn't want to accept that liability and legal burden as there is a whole vetting process (psych evaluation, polygraph, physical testing, oral board interview, background checks).

Exactly.  Automatic job offers don't happen with police departments because of all the testing you mentioned above---I meant my earlier statement about how job offers help generally with filling expedition criteria.  

 

Best of luck to you----I used to want to be a police officer growing up in Toronto, so I admire your tenacity to get into that field.  Furthest I ever got was working an admin position for the (now closed) police training college there.

 

 

[Phoenix777 73]

Hi! I know it’s been a while but was your request approved? If yes, how long did it take? Thanks 

[millefleur 5,046]

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