N-400 Denied (anyone who intends to file the day they become eligible, read this)

[Jasmine202 1]

So sorry for you hypnosI hopeyou solve this mistake soon 

Fingers crossed

[xyz12345 260]

The credit card that I used for the application has email notification for purchases >$200. I received the email with the same time stamp as the N-400 receipt email confirmation.

 

If this were Cincinnati, OH where I can probably get an interview in 3 months, then I would just apply again but to wait 1 year for interview and then to get denied for a glitch in the system? It's not even your fault.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

Sorry to hear Hypnos, that is some bollocks right there. Either you become eligible 90 days prior or you don't, that shouldn't be open to interpretation by a computer or a confused officer. I hope they put this right. 

[punter13 32]

4 hours ago, Life_love said:

I think you might have a point here. Time zone seems  to play a huge part in this. If anyone still has a copy of the email from ELISdontnotreply@uscis.dhs.gov (that shows the payment transaction date and co) compare the date received via email and the transaction date. I submitted the day i became eligible by 2:22PM (EST) according to the email i received but the transaction date shows 10:22:13AM... which is 4 hours behind EST(my time). The only place i know EST time is 4 hours ahead is Alaska. IF this is infact true..there is no explicit mention of this on the USCIS site so @Hypnos can indeed make a case for this.

Here OP applied on 90th day and that is hard fact. So I still can not fathom how USCIS is blindly saying that OP applied one day early. 

[Going through 5,671]

I would also suggest getting an Infopass appointment for this, and bring all the paperwork proving you filed on the proper date, including the denial letter---if the infopass appointment is in the same field office where you had your interview, and the IO or their supervisor is available to speak with you, you may be able to resolve this on-the-spot...

Edited January 25, 2019 by Going through

[Ivy. 113]

1 hour ago, Going through said:

I would also suggest getting an Infopass appointment for this, and bring all the paperwork proving you filed on the proper date, including the denial letter---if the infopass appointment is in the same field office where you had your interview, and the IO or their supervisor is available to speak with you, you may be able to resolve this on-the-spot...

This.

 

All of the steps you are mentioning are good, but I would want to be in front of someone from USCIS ASAP. 

 

Good luck. This really looks like their mess up and should result in your favor. 

[Hypnos 6,577]

Thanks for all the good wishes. I know I can always rely on my VJ family in these difficult times. It's not been a fun couple of days, that's certainly true.

 

I'll try and touch on some things people have said... I have so far been unable to make an Infopass appointment (no appointments available), but intend to keep trying. I did visit with my Congressman's local office today and got a good feeling from it. They are going to bat for me on this.

 

One thing that I feel very much sways things is @punter13's contribution, where they had the same precise issue of filing on their first day of eligibility but their priority date was set to the day before. Ultimately, their application was approved, and approved at Dallas no less, so we share the same field office. If USCIS approved their application, they cannot then deny mine under the same circumstances. I have passed that information along to the congressional liaison working my case, and am hopeful that that may turn out to be the "smocking gun" here.

 

A couple of people have asked me to post redacted documents. Attached you will find (1) my AmEx receipt indicating USCIS charged my card at 2:32am on 1/3/18; (2) the emailed receipt from ELIS indicating that I paid for and submitted my application at 2:32am on 1/3/18; (3) a copy of the denial notice that USCIS posted to my online account.

 

I will post further updates as they occur!

1 (1).pdf

[blooms 63]

What the hell man. I am even pissed reading this! Bummer!

I hope you'll get this sorted out soon my friend.

[afrocraft 314]

What the hell. Excuse my French, but I'm in the same boat. This must be the worst agency in all of human history lol.

 

Please let us know how things turn out.

Edited January 25, 2019 by afrocraft

[Dashinka 24,635]

9 hours ago, punter13 said:

Here OP applied on 90th day and that is hard fact. So I still can not fathom how USCIS is blindly saying that OP applied one day early. 

Time and days are relative to the person’s location.  I am not making excuses for USCIS, but it is a simple fact that the day in one place is not necessarily the day in another place, and computer systems use clocks that may be set to different time zones.  That being said, I hope that @Hypnos receives a positive resolution to this issue especially considering your own experience.  

[ThomasNC1988 762]

Looking at the email it looks like they were using Hawaii time which is a worst case scenario for this.

[Fractalina 8]

So sorry for your case. I submitted my N400 online at the first day I could as well, but I did it in the afternoon. I was approved and now waiting for my oath schedule. Hopefully your case can be resolved.

[V80 12]

Hello Hypnos, 

 

Sorry to hear that your application was denied. Actually, I have also submitted my naturalization application in the early hours (1:00 am EST) of the day  I became eligible. I completed my interview and interviewing officer told me that they could not make decision at that time because of some "timing issues". I have been waiting for the decision for more three months. 

 

Hope your congressman can help you. Please keep this thread posted so other can benefit from your experience. 

 

I wish you good luck.

[Hypnos 6,577]

@V80 I have PM'd you.

 

To give a couple of minor updates. Last week I spoke with an immigration attorney that I trust (not a fly-by-night), that actually helped me get my green card way back when. I gave him all the details and asked for his expert opinion (and offered to pay since I had no intention of freeloading off him). He contacted pay.gov, the federal agency that processes electronic payments for dozens of other federal agencies, including USCIS. He asked for full details on my payment to them, and since they typo'd in their response to him I contacted them directly again (and they made the same typo). They clearly indicate that my payment was processed at ~3:32am Eastern on 1/3/18, so this lines up with my AmEx receipt and ELIS receipt, both of which indicate the same time of 2:32am Central on 1/3/18.

 

The lawyer's email to me contained the line "They are clearly wrong on this."...

 

Email is attached.pay-gov (1).pdf

 

I am expecting to hear something through my congressman's office this week.

Edited January 29, 2019 by Hypnos

[AlluringSoul 185]

I feel you will get this resolved soon! The day you become eligible is the DAY YOU BECOME ELIGIBLE! No further questions should be asked. And thank you for writing this and letting us know that it is good to take a deep breath first before we jump. In the end, you are not obligated to write and share your story, yet you did so that others can learn from your experience. I wish you all the best and let us know how it goes! Adding my good luck!!!