How many are filing N-400s before the I-751 has been approved?

[implife 318]

5 minutes ago, Dongbei said:

cryptic replies are not helpful

consider the following:

1. ROC length varies significantly, depending on filing location and time.

2. Naturalization length varies significantly, depending on filing location.

Combining the two creates another unknown. If what you want is citizenship, apply when you're eligible. Expecting the process to go faster is not realistic.

Edited September 22, 2019 by implife

[geowrian 22,337]

An N-400 is adjudicated separately from the I-751, although:

1) Sometimes they may do a combo interview and adjudicate them together

2) The N-400 cannot be approved before the I-751. Worst case is they hold off on a decision until the I-751 is approved.

Edited September 22, 2019 by geowrian

[implife 318]

2 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Worst case is they hold off on a decision until the I-751 is approved.

This.

[Dongbei 22]

So if the worst case scenario is that they wait until the I-751 is approved, it seems to only make sense to file the N-400 as soon as we can, even if the ROC hasn’t been adjudicated. 

[Diane and Chris 651]

12 hours ago, geowrian said:

Possibly. There is a rule that an N-400 is supposed to be adjudicated within 120 days of the interview, but it's also not something where there's much of an avenue to enforce it if they don't. But there's no harm in trying.

So, are you eligible to apply 90 days before your 3 year marriage anniversary and after filing for ROC? Thanks. 

[Dashinka 24,634]

10 hours ago, implife said:

with pleasure.
your N-400 will not be looked at until your I-751 is reviewed.

and your I-751 will be reviewed whenever they get to reviewing it.

Not true completely.  When one files the N400 with a pending I751, the I751 is supposed to be combined with the N400 at the local office, and they should be looked at together.  So filing the N400 can speed up the I751 depending on the processing times at the local office.  In our case, my wife filed her I751 Dec 2016 just as the CSC processing time for that application slowed to a crawl.  Then in Jan 2018, she filed her N400, in April she had her N400 interview along with a joint I751 interview at the Detroit office, and had her oath in June.  I was watching other I751 filers from Dec 2016 and the majority of them had still not been approved by the time my wife had her oath.  So in effect, the I751 was accelerated a month or two, and she was naturalized and done with USCIS.  Although I agree YMMV.

 

My main point is that the I751 and N400 run on separate clocks, so there is no downside to filing the N400 when eligible to get that clock started so it can start running concurrently with the I751 clock.

Edited September 22, 2019 by Bill & Katya

[Dashinka 24,634]

7 hours ago, Diane and Chris said:

So, are you eligible to apply 90 days before your 3 year marriage anniversary and after filing for ROC? Thanks. 

Three years less 90 days from the “Residence Since” date on the GC, not the wedding anniversary.

[implife 318]

10 hours ago, Dongbei said:

it seems to only make sense to file the N-400 as soon as we can, even if the ROC hasn’t been adjudicated. 

correct. go for it. 

[Carpe Vinum 2,327]

12 hours ago, Dongbei said:

Yet they can be adjudicated together in the same interview (at least in the past from what I've read here and elsewhere) which would speed up the process dramatically. 

My wife's friend was just discussing this. She had her ROC interview scheduled for 8AM and her N-400 interview scduled for 9AM. So, basically they did them together....

[geowrian 22,337]

10 hours ago, Diane and Chris said:

So, are you eligible to apply 90 days before your 3 year marriage anniversary and after filing for ROC? Thanks. 

You may file 90 days prior to the date of otherwise becoming eligible.

If (still) married to a USC for at least 3 years AND have been an LPR for at least that same period, then that would be 90 days prior to the 3 year anniversary of your first green card.

 

Example:

Married 1/1/2016

Green card obtained 10/1/2016

ROC filing period: 90 days prior to 10/1/2016 (~7/3/2018)

N-400 early filing period opens: ~7/3/2019

Actual eligibility for naturalization: 10/1/2019

 

https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-g-chapter-3

[Tm and Je 35]

I think every case is different. Not everyone is lucky. I highly recommend you to check the processing times of the N400 from your local office. In my case, l applied for ROC in Sep 2017 then l applied for N400 in Sep 2018. I am still waiting to hear anything about both cases. I asked USCIS about my ROC, they said both cases will be adjudicated at the same time. My local office (Seattle) is still reviewing cases until  February 6 2018.  At this time, I don't have neither my 10-year green card nor my citizenship, just a stamp in my passport.  

[dwheels76 5,468]

6 hours ago, Tm and Je said:

I think every case is different. Not everyone is lucky. I highly recommend you to check the processing times of the N400 from your local office. In my case, l applied for ROC in Sep 2017 then l applied for N400 in Sep 2018. I am still waiting to hear anything about both cases. I asked USCIS about my ROC, they said both cases will be adjudicated at the same time. My local office (Seattle) is still reviewing cases until  February 6 2018.  At this time, I don't have neither my 10-year green card nor my citizenship, just a stamp in my passport.  

My case like yours 

I-751 filed 5/21/2018

N-400 filed 5/21/2019

Both transferred on 5/23/2019

 

16 months still nothing on I-751.

[visaqueries 111]

On 9/21/2019 at 8:47 PM, Dongbei said:

Wow that's amazingly fast! Congrats! Where did you file? 

Oh gosh...our local office is KC, so I think we filed in Nebraska...does that sound right???

[Philly2017 35]

On 9/21/2019 at 12:29 PM, Dongbei said:

Thanks for your response. Our concern is getting her naturalized as quickly as possible, will filing while ROC is pending speed up the process? Thanks!

@Dongbei I believe it’s a hit-or-miss situation.  

 

I’ve seen cases work out smoothly and applicants being concurrently approved for I-751 and N-400.  

 

However, I’ve also seen cases where the applicants were interviewed for N-400 but the IO refused to do the I-751 interview at the same time (for whatever reasons).  In this case,  the I-751 will be requested to be transferred to the local field office and if that happens, it could take up to 41.5 months from the date of application (according to the USCIS website) for the case to be adjudicated.

 

Every case is different, every field office/service center is different, every immigration officer is different, therefore, there are a lot of unknown parameters, even though the USCIS Policy and the timelines should be implemented consistently across the board.

[Dongbei 22]

19 minutes ago, NYCQueens2017 said:

@Dongbei I believe it’s a hit-or-miss situation.  

 

I’ve seen cases work out smoothly and applicants being concurrently approved for I-751 and N-400.  

 

However, I’ve also seen cases where the applicants were interviewed for N-400 but the IO refused to do the I-751 interview at the same time (for whatever reasons).  In this case,  the I-751 will be requested to be transferred to the local field office and if that happens, it could take up to 41.5 months from the date of application (according to the USCIS website) for the case to be adjudicated.

 

Every case is different, every field office/service center is different, every immigration officer is different, therefore, there are a lot of unknown parameters, even though the USCIS Policy and the timelines should be implemented consistently across the board.

41.5 months?!? Where is that number coming from?