I-751/N400

[Sanctus1 9]

Hi guys. This question is mainly for California Service Center Applicant. My window to apply for citizenship (N400) opened 2days ago but I still have a pending I-751 stucked at fingerprint for my application has been applied as my status. My question is, I heard from a lawyer from New York saying is better to wait to get approved on the I-751 before filing for citizenship. And that will make the N400 application to move fast than combo (I-751/N400). Please, I will appreciate someone that has experienced this to explain it because am kind of confused either to wait for I-751 to get approve before filing N400. 

[Naija1960 0]

On 2/10/2020 at 3:58 PM, Sanctus1 said:

Hi guys. This question is mainly for California Service Center Applicant. My window to apply for citizenship (N400) opened 2days ago but I still have a pending I-751 stucked at fingerprint for my application has been applied as my status. My question is, I heard from a lawyer from New York saying is better to wait to get approved on the I-751 before filing for citizenship. And that will make the N400 application to move fast than combo (I-751/N400). Please, I will appreciate someone that has experienced this to explain it because am kind of confused either to wait for I-751 to get approve before filing N400. 

It is better to wait for your I-751 form to get approved before filing for your N400, but if you are in a hurry you can take the N400 quiz online on the USCIS website which tells you if you are eligible to file or not before begining the application process.

[Fr8dog 312]

Filing he N-400 basically halts the I-751 in place. For the N-400 your file needs to be at to the NBC. Regardless of what your I-751 current status is, your file will be sent to the NBC so they can do the N-400 review.

 

So..........

If your file is currently stuck in a box somewhere, being ignored. The N400 speeds the thing up.

If your file is out of the box and the I-751is ready to be approved at the CSC or transferred to your field office for an interview. The N-400 delays everything.

 

I filed the N400 to help my I-751 get "unstuck" after waiting for a response some 130 days after the interview. It worked.

[Sanctus1 9]

On 2/9/2020 at 11:02 AM, zafi said:

can you guys please tell me how to prepare for my upcoming interview which might be combo interview for me because I already have pending I-751.what are the common questions that gets asked for I-751 petition?what documents should I take long with me for the interview?I already submitted documents for I-751 and N-400.

 

On 2/14/2020 at 5:38 PM, Fr8dog said:

Filing he N-400 basically halts the I-751 in place. For the N-400 your file needs to be at to the NBC. Regardless of what your I-751 current status is, your file will be sent to the NBC so they can do the N-400 review.

 

So..........

If your file is currently stuck in a box somewhere, being ignored. The N400 speeds the thing up.

If your file is out of the box and the I-751is ready to be approved at the CSC or transferred to your field office for an interview. The N-400 delays everything.

 

I filed the N400 to help my I-751 get "unstuck" after waiting for a response some 130 days after the interview. It worked.

If I did understand you well, you meant I shouldn't file for N-400 now unless I have been interviewed for I-751 but still waiting for response. In that case, I can file N400 to make them response on the I-751. Thanks

[Fr8dog 312]

3 hours ago, Sanctus1 said:

 

If I did understand you well, you meant I shouldn't file for N-400 now unless I have been interviewed for I-751 but still waiting for response. In that case, I can file N400 to make them response on the I-751. Thanks

No, what I said was that it may speed things up, or may delay them. It depends ob where your file is now and what the status of your 751 is. It's a gamble that may or may not pay off.

[Rio-N-Don 3]

My wife's 2yr GC expires on 6/1, so I am preparing to send out her I-751 pkg. Our 3 year anniversary comes up on 6/28, so I intend to apply for her N-400. Based on what I've read here and the current I-751 timelines posted, it seems that nothing happens for the first 5 - 6 months before things start rolling. Therefore, it seems like it would be beneficial to go ahead and file for her N-400 since we will only lose 3 months but gain more in the end.

Is this a sound conclusion?

 

[cosmonauts 125]

6 hours ago, Rio-N-Don said:

My wife's 2yr GC expires on 6/1, so I am preparing to send out her I-751 pkg. Our 3 year anniversary comes up on 6/28, so I intend to apply for her N-400. Based on what I've read here and the current I-751 timelines posted, it seems that nothing happens for the first 5 - 6 months before things start rolling. Therefore, it seems like it would be beneficial to go ahead and file for her N-400 since we will only lose 3 months but gain more in the end.

Is this a sound conclusion?

 

You can file N-400 at the 3-year mark of her green card, not your marriage. I'm assuming she got her GC 6/1/2018, correct? If that is so, then she's eligible for citizenship 90 days before that in 2021.

[Sanctus1 9]

10 hours ago, Fr8dog said:

No, what I said was that it may speed things up, or may delay them. It depends ob where your file is now and what the status of your 751 is. It's a gamble that may or may not pay off.

Got you now. Anyway, will see what next to do . 

[NYBEtt 88]

On 2/14/2020 at 8:38 PM, Fr8dog said:

So..........

If your file is currently stuck in a box somewhere, being ignored. The N400 speeds the thing up.

If your file is out of the box and the I-751is ready to be approved at the CSC or transferred to your field office for an interview. The N-400 delays everything.

This is good advice...I feel like it should be a sticky post somewhere.

So basically if your approval time for I-751 is taking "longer" than approval from comparable timelines, file N-400. If not wait it out a little "longer"? Of course "longer" is subjective here.

[Orangesapples 1,954]

I would say it depends on how how fast or slow your local office is. If your local office processes things fast, it makes sense to file N-400 early. If it takes them many months to process N-400 requests, I would just wait. 

[fromthewater 11]

On 2/14/2020 at 5:38 PM, Fr8dog said:

Filing he N-400 basically halts the I-751 in place. For the N-400 your file needs to be at to the NBC. Regardless of what your I-751 current status is, your file will be sent to the NBC so they can do the N-400 review.

 

So..........

If your file is currently stuck in a box somewhere, being ignored. The N400 speeds the thing up.

If your file is out of the box and the I-751is ready to be approved at the CSC or transferred to your field office for an interview. The N-400 delays everything.

 

I filed the N400 to help my I-751 get "unstuck" after waiting for a response some 130 days after the interview. It worked.

How do one know if their I-751 is stuck in a box or not...?

[Fr8dog 312]

Just now, fromthewater said:

How do one know if their I-751 is stuck in a box or not...?

That is just my way of describing it. Anyway, If you look at your fellow journeyers (cannot believe that made it through spellcheck) timelines, you will see when boxes are getting opened. Usually RFE's and approvals start coming through for that month. Just check some process report topics and you'll get a pretty good idea of where things are.

 

If I understand correctly, they do a quick check when the petition comes in (cash the check and schedule Biometrics) pull whomever has priority and than the application meets up with your file and the whole thing goes into storage together with a few thousand other files.

The people that do the actual checking will grab a new box when the old one is empty.