Joining husband who will be stationed overseas. Is it possible to expedite naturalization while still on 2-yr conditional GC?

[Pumpkin 24]

Oh, and I also just checked my account on the USCIS website. My home page doesn't have any actual changes. It still says my estimated completion time is January 2021 and this:

Estimated wait time:

We are taking longer than expected to process your case. You do not need to do anything at this time.

 

 

But when I searched my receipt number under case status, it already updated to "Biometrics Appointment Was Scheduled" so my case is definitely moving along!! 😄

 

[Pumpkin 24]

2 minutes ago, ZKT said:

Eeek!!!! I'm super super super happy for you!!! This is amazing!!! I might just try this route too today! Hahaha! Just in case ms. Grumpypants wasn't able to list everything down. But i did send all my orders and dea, and stuff in my packet and was in my cover letter so they should be able to see it. (Gonna reply and rejoice again later. Gonna cook for a bit now)

Thank you so much!! And yes I definitely recommend trying to send them an e-mail. It definitely wouldn't hurt!! My orders are also already in my N-400 application but I attached it with the e-mail I sent anyway just in case.

 

Hopefully you'll hear back from them quickly as well!

[ZKT 118]

@Pumpkin

Omg! I was cooking and then i ate lunch and then when i checked my case this happened (see attached picture)

 

And then I got an email from the USCIS saying this:

 

Dear xxxxx:

On 09/21/2020, you or the designated representative shown below, contacted us about your case. Some of the key information given to us at that time was the following:

Caller indicated they are:
 -- Applicant or Petitioner

Attorney Name:
 -- Information not available

Case type:
 -- N400

Filing date:
 -- 09/15/2020

Receipt #:
 -- IOE-09-096-xxxxx

Referral ID:
T1B2652xxxxxxx
Beneficiary (if you filed for someone else):
 -- Information not available

Your USCIS Account Number (A-number):
 -- 216xxxxxx

Type of service requested:
 -- Expedite


The status of this service request is:

You  contacted USCIS concerning your N-400 to notify us that you were requesting an expedited review of your case.   Below is a summary of what we found and how the issue has been or may be resolved.

Your petition/application is still pending consideration and is in the queue for interview scheduling.  You will be scheduled for an interview in the near future.  Please follow the instructions on the notice when you receive it.
When you appear for your interview please provide documents supporting the request such as deployment papers or any other evidence that would substantiate the request.

  What You Can Do
* Ensure that we have your current mailing address;
* Verify that you are registered to receive mail at the address you provided to us;
* Follow any instructions in the interview notice; and
* Bring a copy of the interview notice with you to your interview.

Reschedule an Appointment
If you missed your interview or need to reschedule, please follow instructions on the interview notice to reschedule your interview.

We hope this information is helpful to you.

 

 

Anyway, is that what they gave you? But then they responded to you quickly with something else? 

[ZKT 118]

Hi @Pumpkin

 

Does this mean they have approved already my request to expedite? I got confused. Hahaha. 

[Pumpkin 24]

12 minutes ago, ZKT said:

@Pumpkin

Omg! I was cooking and then i ate lunch and then when i checked my case this happened (see attached picture)

 

And then I got an email from the USCIS saying this:

 

Dear xxxxx:

On 09/21/2020, you or the designated representative shown below, contacted us about your case. Some of the key information given to us at that time was the following:

Caller indicated they are:
 -- Applicant or Petitioner

Attorney Name:
 -- Information not available

Case type:
 -- N400

Filing date:
 -- 09/15/2020

Receipt #:
 -- IOE-09-096-xxxxx

Referral ID:
T1B2652xxxxxxx
Beneficiary (if you filed for someone else):
 -- Information not available

Your USCIS Account Number (A-number):
 -- 216xxxxxx

Type of service requested:
 -- Expedite


The status of this service request is:

You  contacted USCIS concerning your N-400 to notify us that you were requesting an expedited review of your case.   Below is a summary of what we found and how the issue has been or may be resolved.

Your petition/application is still pending consideration and is in the queue for interview scheduling.  You will be scheduled for an interview in the near future.  Please follow the instructions on the notice when you receive it.
When you appear for your interview please provide documents supporting the request such as deployment papers or any other evidence that would substantiate the request.

  What You Can Do
* Ensure that we have your current mailing address;
* Verify that you are registered to receive mail at the address you provided to us;
* Follow any instructions in the interview notice; and
* Bring a copy of the interview notice with you to your interview.

Reschedule an Appointment
If you missed your interview or need to reschedule, please follow instructions on the interview notice to reschedule your interview.

We hope this information is helpful to you.

 

 

Anyway, is that what they gave you? But then they responded to you quickly with something else? 

 

10 minutes ago, ZKT said:

Hi @Pumpkin

 

Does this mean they have approved already my request to expedite? I got confused. Hahaha. 

Heyyy~ And uhmm...I'm not sure? But this is definitely good though since you actually got an update regarding the expedite request!

It does state "Your petition/application is still pending consideration and is in the queue for interview scheduling.  You will be scheduled for an interview in the near future."

To me that sounds like your expedite request has actually been approved?? That's just my opinion though. Since they did say you're queued for interview scheduling even if you haven't been scheduled for biometrics yet. If they're already looking into the interview then I want to assume they're trying to hurry it up? So it's definitely being expedited?? Or IDK. I really dunno! lol But it's definitely good that they actually e-mailed you about the expedite request. Hopefully they'll actually give you appointment dates soon!

[Pumpkin 24]

1 hour ago, ZKT said:

Anyway, is that what they gave you? But then they responded to you quickly with something else? 

I completely missed this part when I replied earlier!

 

But no, I don't have this kind of update under my case history.

 

In fact my home page hasn't updated at all and it still says that I only have one notice from USCIS which is the first receipt notice for when they received my application. Under case status, it also only indicates that they ahve received my application so there's really nothing there that says they even received my expedite request or that I've been given a response or that it's completed.

 

The only update I have is when I look up my receipt number (on https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do) it now says "Biometrics Appointment Was Scheduled". Maybe check your receipt number there from time to time until it updates as well!

[ZKT 118]

Hi pumpkin and iscir! 

 

so sorry its been a busy few days dealing with pcs stuff. Ub movers come oct 15 and hhg comes oct 22 for pickups and fixing my apartment rental and do the 30 days notice etc. And i have to change my hhg movers since they won't even use bubble wrap for my ceramic antiques or my dinnerware. Arrg. Hahahaha. So i gotta change them. 

 

Anyway today i got a uscis app notification and it said i got scheduled for a biometrics appointment. Yay! But i will have to wait for when it will be. And depending on the time, i will try to do reschedule it earlier one if possible so the background checks can be done faster and i can have my interview sooner. 

 

So i also did what iscir has told us was to create and add my case to the uscis e gov website one. So today after getting the uscis app notification these are what was out there on my uscis egov website:

 

 

 

[ZKT 118]

The egov website seems to be more up to date than this uscis gov website since the biometrics thing appeared there right away. As for the other website it just shows this which was my status already yesterday. 

 

So anyway because of the discrepancies between the two uscis websites.. i just check both to be sure. So i'm for sure not missing out on anything.

[Iscir 295]

5 hours ago, ZKT said:

Hi pumpkin and iscir! 

 

so sorry its been a busy few days dealing with pcs stuff. Ub movers come oct 15 and hhg comes oct 22 for pickups and fixing my apartment rental and do the 30 days notice etc. And i have to change my hhg movers since they won't even use bubble wrap for my ceramic antiques or my dinnerware. Arrg. Hahahaha. So i gotta change them. 

 

Anyway today i got a uscis app notification and it said i got scheduled for a biometrics appointment. Yay! But i will have to wait for when it will be. And depending on the time, i will try to do reschedule it earlier one if possible so the background checks can be done faster and i can have my interview sooner. 

 

So i also did what iscir has told us was to create and add my case to the uscis e gov website one. So today after getting the uscis app notification these are what was out there on my uscis egov website:

 

 

 

oh i’m very glad everything is going quickly for you and Pumpkin! Yes the egov website seems to update more than the my uscis one, when i was waiting to receive my green card my uscis almost didn’t have any information (it just said In process), meanwhile the egov website had everything about my case!

 

I am already overseas and I remember the last few weeks before we moved, so stressful! And the movers packed all our food, I don’t think we were supposed to bring that 🤔 but we realized too late! they even wanted to pack an apple!! LOL

 

Please let me know when you have your interview!! I want to know all the details!! haha Especially about the English test because that is what worries me a little more than the rest of the interview. 

 

I think I will be applying in a month or two, when I have a permanent address, since for now i’m living in a hotel. 

[Pumpkin 24]

@ZKT @Iscir

 

Yes, the egov link seems to update faster than the home page on USCIS. When the egov updated to my biometrics being scheduled, it took 2 days for the actual letter to show up under my documents, then another 2 days to when I physically received it in the mail today so you definitely should get it soon!

 

I've been busy with getting our things sorted for PCS as well which has been a pain since my husband's in S.Korea, I have to deal with all this stuff alone..ughh... But everything's going smoothly so far at least, and I'm grateful. I still can't wait until all of this is over and done with though. lol

 

As a precaution, I've also been studying the civics test by taking a practice test at least every night and also letting my husband and friends throw questions at me here and there. If the schedule that the IO at the field office told me really does go through and my interview will be 3 days after my biometrics gets taken, that means I don't have that much time to study/memorize if I just wait until I get the study booklet at the biometrics appointment, so I looked up the civics test questions on the USCIS website and just went ahead and started preparing for it.

[ZKT 118]

Hi iscir and pumpkin! 

 

Quick update on my case:

 

Sept 4 - sent my n400 under ina 319b package to chicago (military address)

Sept 5 - arrived but the chicago office was closed so ups had to redeliver.

Sept 8 - redelivered after the holiday and was signed for by the uscis officer.

Sept 16 - they deposited my cashier's check and then sent me a noa 1 (notice of action 1 in my mail) 

Sept 18 - they sent me a text message with the case number receipt.

Sept 21 - i called the military hotline to expedite my case.

Sept 22 - they gave me a receipt for my expedite. That afternoon I also sent an email request for expedite for extra measure.

Sept 23 - i got my card copy noa 1 in my mail.

Sept 24 - the uscis gave me  got my biometrics appoinment.

Sept 25 - i got the softcopy biometrics appointment letter in my documents page in my uscis account/website. My biometrics appointment is scheduled for oct 13, 2020

[ZKT 118]

18 hours ago, Iscir said:

oh i’m very glad everything is going quickly for you and Pumpkin! Yes the egov website seems to update more than the my uscis one, when i was waiting to receive my green card my uscis almost didn’t have any information (it just said In process), meanwhile the egov website had everything about my case!

 

I am already overseas and I remember the last few weeks before we moved, so stressful! And the movers packed all our food, I don’t think we were supposed to bring that 🤔 but we realized too late! they even wanted to pack an apple!! LOL

 

Please let me know when you have your interview!! I want to know all the details!! haha Especially about the English test because that is what worries me a little more than the rest of the interview. 

 

I think I will be applying in a month or two, when I have a permanent address, since for now i’m living in a hotel. 

Hi there iscir! 

 

Your packing story was insane! Hahaha! Its funny how they packed the food too! Hahaha. Yeah i'm actually stressing for it. My ug packers come oct 15 and my hhg is for oct 22. So hopefully that comes out ok/good. But yeah its kinda stressful. Its my first pcs and its a pcs abroad too. 

 

Anyway about the english test i heard they basically just say a sentence and you write it down/transcribe it and for the speaking test they just ask you a few questions (so its like just talking). 

 

And omg that same thing happened with my aos! The new website was like just almost forever stuck. But the egov one was super updated. I remember being in the car like right after the aos interview and getting a notice that i got approved and then a few mins later even before i arrived at my house (my house is less than 5 mins away from uscis interview office) that the card was being processed/made! Hehehehe. Though k1 visa time i would say that they both updated each step but with the new website lagging behind by half a day/couple of hours or a day later than my egov one. But yeah i'm happy to have both to be very informed because they both offer similar info but with also different stuff. So thanks for suggesting i add my case to my account there iscir! 

[ZKT 118]

1 hour ago, Pumpkin said:

@ZKT @Iscir

 

Yes, the egov link seems to update faster than the home page on USCIS. When the egov updated to my biometrics being scheduled, it took 2 days for the actual letter to show up under my documents, then another 2 days to when I physically received it in the mail today so you definitely should get it soon!

 

I've been busy with getting our things sorted for PCS as well which has been a pain since my husband's in S.Korea, I have to deal with all this stuff alone..ughh... But everything's going smoothly so far at least, and I'm grateful. I still can't wait until all of this is over and done with though. lol

 

As a precaution, I've also been studying the civics test by taking a practice test at least every night and also letting my husband and friends throw questions at me here and there. If the schedule that the IO at the field office told me really does go through and my interview will be 3 days after my biometrics gets taken, that means I don't have that much time to study/memorize if I just wait until I get the study booklet at the biometrics appointment, so I looked up the civics test questions on the USCIS website and just went ahead and started preparing for it.

Hey @Pumpkin 

 

So i did get my biometrics appointment and its slotted for oct 13 2020. And i might do a walk in on monday in case i can. Just cause my husband has no work on monday and it would be convenient for him so he doesn't have to skip work/take off work just to drive me on oct 13 itself when he'll be actually working. I called the military hotline to ask if i can expedite that to an earlier date, they said they can't but to just try to do a walk in just in case. 

 

When is your biometrics appointment? I really hope that you will for sure have your interview scheduled just 3 days after your biometrics interview. I dunno when mine will be and it usually takes a month to do all the background checks before they send our documents to the local field office. (Or at least for me since i did a mail in vs. You did an online one). So i'm really happy your local field office reached out to you. Mine hasn't reached out to me yet.  So yeah interview date is in limbo.. and it started making me worry it might take longer like nov or even in dec so i might have to have my local field office changed to the one in fresno (its the closest to le moore where my husband will have some training). 

 

But good thinking on ya for studying early on. Yeah i don't have the booklet either.. but i do the youtube videos 100 questions & answers.. so far i've been doing well answering a lot. And well i'm starting to get familiarized with some that i have no idea of and those that are confusing ones.  But good luck on your studying and yes do keep us updated. 

[Pumpkin 24]

7 hours ago, ZKT said:

Hey @Pumpkin 

 

So i did get my biometrics appointment and its slotted for oct 13 2020. And i might do a walk in on monday in case i can. Just cause my husband has no work on monday and it would be convenient for him so he doesn't have to skip work/take off work just to drive me on oct 13 itself when he'll be actually working. I called the military hotline to ask if i can expedite that to an earlier date, they said they can't but to just try to do a walk in just in case. 

 

When is your biometrics appointment? I really hope that you will for sure have your interview scheduled just 3 days after your biometrics interview. I dunno when mine will be and it usually takes a month to do all the background checks before they send our documents to the local field office. (Or at least for me since i did a mail in vs. You did an online one). So i'm really happy your local field office reached out to you. Mine hasn't reached out to me yet.  So yeah interview date is in limbo.. and it started making me worry it might take longer like nov or even in dec so i might have to have my local field office changed to the one in fresno (its the closest to le moore where my husband will have some training). 

 

But good thinking on ya for studying early on. Yeah i don't have the booklet either.. but i do the youtube videos 100 questions & answers.. so far i've been doing well answering a lot. And well i'm starting to get familiarized with some that i have no idea of and those that are confusing ones.  But good luck on your studying and yes do keep us updated. 

Ohhh! Good luck with that! Definitely no harm in trying...I hope they'll accept the walk-in!

 

My biometrics appointment is on Oct. 6. The interview date is still tentative given everything goes smoothly after biometrics but yeah, I hope I really can do the interview that soon. It was reassuring that the IO who is in charge of my case actually called me himself and gave me his number just in case I have questions or concerns. It really felt like he was personally trying to make sure I get through the process as quickly as possible. Hopefully it won't take too long to schedule your interview after you finish with biometrics. I feel like it also largely depends on availability at your local field office? That's what I think at least, but who knows what other things they have to consider as well before they can actually set a date for appointments.

 

I also do feel like the date we leave contributed to my case being moved so quickly. Although I didn't tell them when I'm leaving the country (since I'm basing that on when I finish the naturalization process), I did tell them my husband is definitely leaving on Oct. 15 so I think they're really trying to clear me before the 15th. Did you give them an exact date of when you're leaving when you requested for the expedite?

 

And thanks! I've definitely been a bit paranoid about it so I couldn't help but to just start studying now. After all the effort being done to get me through this process quickly, I definitely can't risk failing. lol Good luck with your studying as well! We can definitely do this.

[ZKT 118]

So just an update:

 

I took my chances and i walked in... and luckily no one was at the uscis as... and so i asked if i can do my biometrics today since my husband had no work and was convenient for him to drive me to the uscis as vs. The one on my appointment date. And they allowed me since they had no one else there anyway. Plus military people are allowed to do a walk in.

 

I brought my philippine passport, my green card and dependent id and i printed off my biometrics appointment and that biometrics sheet that i answered in the computer. My husband showed his military id but they told him to wait in the car. It was the lady who did my biometrics last dec 2018. She remembered me and she and the guard were very pleasant. They were the only 2 people there just like last dec 2018. 

 

And as soon as i walked out of the uscis asc my status on the old website already changed. Hehehe. 

 

Letting you know @Pumpkin in case you wanna try to do a walk in. So they can process yours even faster and maybe even have time to get a same day passport at a passport center.