N-400 with RFE approved. Philadelphia office

[Dami1025 5]

Hi guys, so my journey finally has reached the end today as I received my oath date schedule and it will be on April 22 at Philadelphia office. Because I really appreciate all your helps when I was panicking after my interview 3 weeks ago I decide that I would contribute by updating my case and give you some more details that may be helpful to you in the future. I know for sure this wouldn’t happen if I didn’t receive helps from many of you here. To save some time, I attached here the previous post of my interview date and the reason why I got RFE. 

I came to the US in 2010 as a student and in 2014 I married my husband while my student visa and F-1 status were both in good standing. My husband is 10 years older than me, he didn’t have a stable job at the time but we managed to make him my primary sponsor. We got married in Aug 2014 and not until March 2015 that I started to submit my application. We had joint 2014 tax return then (I of course made 0 income :)), lived in our in laws house, started a joint checking and saving, and started to transfer the gas bill into his name. No joint car ownership or health insurance at the time (I got covered by my school mandatory health plan and didn’t know how to drive). Our first interview was pleasant, we just chatted about airport and travel with the IO, and she kept a few photos of us in the file. We were approved right then, and I got my green card in June, a mere 3 months after filing. Started my ROC in 03/2017, still joint tax return with me only making a few thousands in 2016 with my internship and documents of my school loan. Again lease, utilities, joint bank, photos and in 2016 I first got my DL so we submitted that to show we lived in the same address. Took almost a year (04/2018) for me to receive my 10yr GC with no interview, but it was one of the batch that have incorrect date so they had to send me a new one and I finally got it in May 2018. I graduated from college in April 2017 and didn’t start working until October 2017, again was careless so I didn’t think to share health insurance with my husband for the sake of N400. After a few years of multiple contractor jobs, my husband got one with full benefits and we decided it’s cheaper to have separate health insurance so we just kept it that way. Submitted my application in early Aug 2018, got biometric in 2 weeks and receive my interview letter Feb 2019 for March 19. Then I was sent home with RFE, freaked out, came here for help and finally sent my package back April 9 by mail. It reached the office the 10 and by the 11 afternoon, when I checked my status showed case approved. And I couldn’t believe my eye when today it changed to oath was scheduled and it’s in 10 days. I just can’t believe how fast Philadelphia office processed my case and am super grateful for this. I believe my prayers to Buddha has brought me luck  

Tips: For our bona fide evidence, we actually don’t have much compared to many couples here, and many have advised me to write a cover letter to explain why we don’t have joint health insurance or car insurance (husband driver license was suspended so it’s impossible!) but we think that the more we try to explain it may appear like we are covering our asses and since the start we didn’t have those documents so I decided not to write a cover letter. Instead I divided them into sections with paper clips and a sticky notes on each of the clips describing what documents are in here (Ex: tax payments receipts for 2018 - this was the reason why we gor RFE in the first place, so PLEASE pay attention to your tax, if you owe, submitted receipt to show that you paid; W2s and IRS transcripts since 2014; leases and bills of current address...). I also did this for my ROC and I believe my bright orange sticky notes had contributed to my success  Jk, but I do think that those extra notes show the IO that I care. 

 

I can’t believe Im in the US for almost 10 years now and soon I will become a proud citizen. Good luck to you all who are still in the process, it’s dreadful, but totally worth it. I’m super lucky to have Philadelphia office as my immigration destination. 

Sorry for the lengthy post again, I hope you will find it helpful!

[Lemon23 400]

8 hours ago, Dami1025 said:

Hi guys, so my journey finally has reached the end today as I received my oath date schedule and it will be on April 22 at Philadelphia office. Because I really appreciate all your helps when I was panicking after my interview 3 weeks ago I decide that I would contribute by updating my case and give you some more details that may be helpful to you in the future. I know for sure this wouldn’t happen if I didn’t receive helps from many of you here. To save some time, I attached here the previous post of my interview date and the reason why I got RFE. 

I came to the US in 2010 as a student and in 2014 I married my husband while my student visa and F-1 status were both in good standing. My husband is 10 years older than me, he didn’t have a stable job at the time but we managed to make him my primary sponsor. We got married in Aug 2014 and not until March 2015 that I started to submit my application. We had joint 2014 tax return then (I of course made 0 income :)), lived in our in laws house, started a joint checking and saving, and started to transfer the gas bill into his name. No joint car ownership or health insurance at the time (I got covered by my school mandatory health plan and didn’t know how to drive). Our first interview was pleasant, we just chatted about airport and travel with the IO, and she kept a few photos of us in the file. We were approved right then, and I got my green card in June, a mere 3 months after filing. Started my ROC in 03/2017, still joint tax return with me only making a few thousands in 2016 with my internship and documents of my school loan. Again lease, utilities, joint bank, photos and in 2016 I first got my DL so we submitted that to show we lived in the same address. Took almost a year (04/2018) for me to receive my 10yr GC with no interview, but it was one of the batch that have incorrect date so they had to send me a new one and I finally got it in May 2018. I graduated from college in April 2017 and didn’t start working until October 2017, again was careless so I didn’t think to share health insurance with my husband for the sake of N400. After a few years of multiple contractor jobs, my husband got one with full benefits and we decided it’s cheaper to have separate health insurance so we just kept it that way. Submitted my application in early Aug 2018, got biometric in 2 weeks and receive my interview letter Feb 2019 for March 19. Then I was sent home with RFE, freaked out, came here for help and finally sent my package back April 9 by mail. It reached the office the 10 and by the 11 afternoon, when I checked my status showed case approved. And I couldn’t believe my eye when today it changed to oath was scheduled and it’s in 10 days. I just can’t believe how fast Philadelphia office processed my case and am super grateful for this. I believe my prayers to Buddha has brought me luck  

Tips: For our bona fide evidence, we actually don’t have much compared to many couples here, and many have advised me to write a cover letter to explain why we don’t have joint health insurance or car insurance (husband driver license was suspended so it’s impossible!) but we think that the more we try to explain it may appear like we are covering our asses and since the start we didn’t have those documents so I decided not to write a cover letter. Instead I divided them into sections with paper clips and a sticky notes on each of the clips describing what documents are in here (Ex: tax payments receipts for 2018 - this was the reason why we gor RFE in the first place, so PLEASE pay attention to your tax, if you owe, submitted receipt to show that you paid; W2s and IRS transcripts since 2014; leases and bills of current address...). I also did this for my ROC and I believe my bright orange sticky notes had contributed to my success  Jk, but I do think that those extra notes show the IO that I care. 

 

I can’t believe Im in the US for almost 10 years now and soon I will become a proud citizen. Good luck to you all who are still in the process, it’s dreadful, but totally worth it. I’m super lucky to have Philadelphia office as my immigration destination. 

Sorry for the lengthy post again, I hope you will find it helpful!

CONGRATS!!!!! Finally....:)

[luna1321 1]

10 hours ago, Dami1025 said:

Hi guys, so my journey finally has reached the end today as I received my oath date schedule and it will be on April 22 at Philadelphia office. Because I really appreciate all your helps when I was panicking after my interview 3 weeks ago I decide that I would contribute by updating my case and give you some more details that may be helpful to you in the future. I know for sure this wouldn’t happen if I didn’t receive helps from many of you here. To save some time, I attached here the previous post of my interview date and the reason why I got RFE. 

I came to the US in 2010 as a student and in 2014 I married my husband while my student visa and F-1 status were both in good standing. My husband is 10 years older than me, he didn’t have a stable job at the time but we managed to make him my primary sponsor. We got married in Aug 2014 and not until March 2015 that I started to submit my application. We had joint 2014 tax return then (I of course made 0 income :)), lived in our in laws house, started a joint checking and saving, and started to transfer the gas bill into his name. No joint car ownership or health insurance at the time (I got covered by my school mandatory health plan and didn’t know how to drive). Our first interview was pleasant, we just chatted about airport and travel with the IO, and she kept a few photos of us in the file. We were approved right then, and I got my green card in June, a mere 3 months after filing. Started my ROC in 03/2017, still joint tax return with me only making a few thousands in 2016 with my internship and documents of my school loan. Again lease, utilities, joint bank, photos and in 2016 I first got my DL so we submitted that to show we lived in the same address. Took almost a year (04/2018) for me to receive my 10yr GC with no interview, but it was one of the batch that have incorrect date so they had to send me a new one and I finally got it in May 2018. I graduated from college in April 2017 and didn’t start working until October 2017, again was careless so I didn’t think to share health insurance with my husband for the sake of N400. After a few years of multiple contractor jobs, my husband got one with full benefits and we decided it’s cheaper to have separate health insurance so we just kept it that way. Submitted my application in early Aug 2018, got biometric in 2 weeks and receive my interview letter Feb 2019 for March 19. Then I was sent home with RFE, freaked out, came here for help and finally sent my package back April 9 by mail. It reached the office the 10 and by the 11 afternoon, when I checked my status showed case approved. And I couldn’t believe my eye when today it changed to oath was scheduled and it’s in 10 days. I just can’t believe how fast Philadelphia office processed my case and am super grateful for this. I believe my prayers to Buddha has brought me luck  

Tips: For our bona fide evidence, we actually don’t have much compared to many couples here, and many have advised me to write a cover letter to explain why we don’t have joint health insurance or car insurance (husband driver license was suspended so it’s impossible!) but we think that the more we try to explain it may appear like we are covering our asses and since the start we didn’t have those documents so I decided not to write a cover letter. Instead I divided them into sections with paper clips and a sticky notes on each of the clips describing what documents are in here (Ex: tax payments receipts for 2018 - this was the reason why we gor RFE in the first place, so PLEASE pay attention to your tax, if you owe, submitted receipt to show that you paid; W2s and IRS transcripts since 2014; leases and bills of current address...). I also did this for my ROC and I believe my bright orange sticky notes had contributed to my success  Jk, but I do think that those extra notes show the IO that I care. 

 

I can’t believe Im in the US for almost 10 years now and soon I will become a proud citizen. Good luck to you all who are still in the process, it’s dreadful, but totally worth it. I’m super lucky to have Philadelphia office as my immigration destination. 

Sorry for the lengthy post again, I hope you will find it helpful!

Congrats! Who was your IO? Just curious...

[Dami1025 5]

2 hours ago, Lemon23 said:

CONGRATS!!!!! Finally....:)

I know such a long and painful process! I saw that you were approved too, congratulations!

[Dami1025 5]

58 minutes ago, luna1321 said:

Congrats! Who was your IO? Just curious...

I was looking all over for my interview result paper. His name was Mccall, N. Funny and super nice African American  

All the best to you!

[luna1321 1]

12 minutes ago, Dami1025 said:

I was looking all over for my interview result paper. His name was Mccall, N. Funny and super nice African American  

All the best to you!

 

Thank you...I only asked because of my experience with Philadelphian officer S. Descano was completely opposite. The most horrible interview in my life and 2 months of complete silence afterward 😒

[Dami1025 5]

35 minutes ago, luna1321 said:

 

Thank you...I only asked because of my experience with Philadelphian officer S. Descano was completely opposite. The most horrible interview in my life and 2 months of complete silence afterward 😒

Sorry to hear this. I am super surprised too when I saw all were done in just a few days. Don’t worry you will be fine, and your oath letter will arrive soon. In the end, this process also needs a little bit of luck! 

[Lemon23 400]

20 hours ago, Dami1025 said:

I know such a long and painful process! I saw that you were approved too, congratulations!

Yeap, got approved last week Monday and got my oath schedule the following day for May 2nd, after oath we can finally divorce our relationship with USCIS. LOL!

I'm not celebrating yet, will celebrate once I'm done with my oath.

[TBoneTX 45,849]

Thread is moved from the US Citizenship main forum to the Case Progress subforum.

[Gaspari 0]

On 4/13/2019 at 11:41 AM, Dami1025 said:

Sorry to hear this. I am super surprised too when I saw all were done in just a few days. Don’t worry you will be fine, and your oath letter will arrive soon. In the end, this process also needs a little bit of luck! 

I had my interview yesterday with a female officer who was cold and never took a look at the evidence I sent and also took along with me. She made me feel like a criminal how she responded to a question she asked. She requested more evidence bank statements, bills, tax transcript. Had everything else but tax transcript. Had HR block taxes we filled. A buyers agreement from our land lord that we buying his property where we have lived at since 2008 (my spouse) and I (2016 since we got married). She was not happy it seemed. The only system only allowed me to upload One doc. The rest had to be uploaded as additional docs.