I751 on hold due to Security Checks not completed

[MaLo 15]

Hello. I filed a service request for I751 processing outside normal time. The response was that the processing is on HOLD due to incomplete security checks. I'm confused by this as I already PASSED my N400 interview (which is on hold due to RFE more evidence of marriage, which is in I751 package). Isn't the N400 interview conducted after the security checks?? Normally if passed, you get scheduled for Oath ceremony.  So either the response seems incorrect to me or the I751 file is not linked to N400 file? Anyone else have the same scenario??

[USS_Voyager 1,972]

8 minutes ago, MaLo said:

Hello. I filed a service request for I751 processing outside normal time. The response was that the processing is on HOLD due to incomplete security checks. I'm confused by this as I already PASSED my N400 interview (which is on hold due to RFE more evidence of marriage, which is in I751 package). Isn't the N400 interview conducted after the security checks?? Normally if passed, you get scheduled for Oath ceremony.  So either the response seems incorrect to me or the I751 file is not linked to N400 file? Anyone else have the same scenario??

 

The I-751 is linked to the N-400. The I-751 has to be approved before they can approve the N-400. You mentioned you passed the N-400 interview. Was it a combo interview or just the N-400? Did you ever have an interview for the I-751? Has the N-400 been formally approved? 

[MaLo 15]

52 minutes ago, USS_Voyager said:

 

The I-751 is linked to the N-400. The I-751 has to be approved before they can approve the N-400. You mentioned you passed the N-400 interview. Was it a combo interview or just the N-400? Did you ever have an interview for the I-751? Has the N-400 been formally approved? 

Not a combo interview. N400 result was that, "A decision cannot be made at this time'. Interview was on Nov 13. On Jan 4, got an RFE to provide evidence of marital status, so I sent the same documents that were in I751 plus some additional ones along with a letter indicating the pending I751. No interview for I751 yet. Very frustrating. 

 

So, if the security checks are pending, I don't think the interview would have happened? So I need to somehow tell the I751 department to look at security checks that were completed for N400? And what checks? I already has a green card, this is just a permanent one! 

Edited March 12, 2019 by MaLo

[GBOS 198]

12 minutes ago, MaLo said:

Not a combo interview. N400 result was that, "A decision cannot be made at this time'. Interview was on Nov 13. On Jan 4, got an RFE to provide evidence of marital status, so I sent the same documents that were in I751 plus some additional ones along with a letter indicating the pending I751. No interview for I751 yet. Very frustrating. 

 

So, if the security checks are pending, I don't think the interview would have happened? So I need to somehow tell the I751 department to look at security checks that were completed for N400? And what checks? I already has a green card, this is just a permanent one! 

The "interview" can happen even if the security checks are incomplete.  The "approval" CANNOT happen if the security checks are incomplete.

[MaLo 15]

14 minutes ago, GBOS said:

The "interview" can happen even if the security checks are incomplete.  The "approval" CANNOT happen if the security checks are incomplete.

On more research, it says this on the USCIS website (https://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartB-Chapter2.html) in the section A:

"The background and security checks apply to most applicants and must be conducted and completed before the applicant is scheduled for his or her naturalization interview. ^[2] 

 

^{In section C, it says:}

The FBI name check must be completed and cleared before an applicant for naturalization is scheduled for his or her naturalization interview.

[GBOS 198]

Security checks must be complete for both files, separately.  I know it is counter-intuitive to think that if you are cleared for N-400, it should mean that you are cleared for I-751 too because the checks come from the same sources.  That is not how USCIS works.

 

Their systems are not talking, and most likely your I-751 file was not with the officer at the time of your N-400 interview, otherwise they would have been approved at the same time.

[USS_Voyager 1,972]

42 minutes ago, GBOS said:

The "interview" can happen even if the security checks are incomplete.  The "approval" CANNOT happen if the security checks are incomplete.

-->What he/she said!

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

I've read about USCIS scrutinizing the N400 indepth of late, sometimes going back to review an entire immigration file since US entry. Any flags in your CR1? Any age/religious discrepancy that led to the RFE or 'security' checks?

[MaLo 15]

1 hour ago, WeGuyGal said:

I've read about USCIS scrutinizing the N400 indepth of late, sometimes going back to review an entire immigration file since US entry. Any flags in your CR1? Any age/religious discrepancy that led to the RFE or 'security' checks?

No flags. The security checks for N400 were completed, thus the interview. So I dont see how there would be any (incorrect) flags for CR1. Nothing unusual about my marriage, pretty standard. I'll try and call USCIS to see if I can convince them to look at security checks for N400. I've read here that the two offices dont talk to each other at Newark. 

[TheKingmaker 153]

24 minutes ago, MaLo said:

No flags. The security checks for N400 were completed, thus the interview. So I dont see how there would be any (incorrect) flags for CR1. Nothing unusual about my marriage, pretty standard. I'll try and call USCIS to see if I can convince them to look at security checks for N400. I've read here that the two offices dont talk to each other at Newark. 

Where did you hear that about the Newark office? Makes me slightly worried about our case.

 

Although when one of us went through the Naturalization process, Newark Office was fantastic. Took about 4.5 months from mailing my N400 to having a US passport in the mailbox. 

[MaLo 15]

16 hours ago, TheKingmaker said:

Where did you hear that about the Newark office? Makes me slightly worried about our case.

I read in the Newark/Mt Laurel forum:

 

[MohU3 57]

23 hours ago, MaLo said:

Hello. I filed a service request for I751 processing outside normal time. The response was that the processing is on HOLD due to incomplete security checks. I'm confused by this as I already PASSED my N400 interview (which is on hold due to RFE more evidence of marriage, which is in I751 package). Isn't the N400 interview conducted after the security checks?? Normally if passed, you get scheduled for Oath ceremony.  So either the response seems incorrect to me or the I751 file is not linked to N400 file? Anyone else have the same scenario??

Let me tell you my story. Maybe not the whole story is relevant, but you can take whatever is relevant from it. I applied for 751 in 2015 jointly, then N400 based on the 3 year rule in 2016. The 751 was stuck, the N400 was processing normally. in 4 month I got an interview letter. 6 days before the interview it was cancelled. I called 100 times and I did multiple infoPasses trying to figure out what was going on. Finally I figured that the N400 got stuck also because of the 751 which I believe happened to your case. Now don't take what they tell you is true 100% about background and name checks, because they just tell you any BS to shut you up. You're 100% true about the checks before the interview, but there's something else is going on. Obviously you don't have any criminal problems which cleared you from the background and the federal checks. I believe that they thing that there's something going on with the marriage. That's why they sent you the RFE about the marriage and also didn't conduct a combo interview or approve the 751 without an interview. You need to figure this out. Figure what is going on about the marriage with them and fix it and this is how you can get out of your situation. There's also the hard way, which is the law suit. Now by law after the interview specially the N400, they have 120 days to make a decision. If they don't you have the right to file a lawsuit to force them to make a decision, but do you really want to force them or not ? only you can answer that. But it's an option and a right which is available to you. Just keep in mind that the N400 will never be approved before the 751, no matter what you do.