RoC/ N400 questions

[Stark44 2]

Hi, I will be removing conditions soon on a 2 year conditional gc though I have some general questions about the n400 process.

I am a conditional resident with a 2 year GC based on marriage to a USC. I know that once I apply to ROC and after 3 years of permanent residency has passed I can apply for citizenship.

Some of the questions I have. 

 

1- When applying under the 3 year rule do you need to apply exactly at the 3 year mark or can you apply 3 years 4 months etc (if waiting on RoC to be approved first)

 

2- When applying under the 3 year rule am I correct in saying that you only need to list 3 years of work/ address history? ....if completing the form after 3.5 years of residency would you complete the work/address history for the 3 years immediately prior to completing the form as your application is based on marriage to a USC.

 

3- Related to the above question when completing this do people score out the 5 and write in 3 if sending a paper copy ..if completing online is there an additional page where you can add comments noting "past immediate 3 years of work/address history prior to completing form on mm/dd/yyyy" 

4- Is it better to wait get the 10 year GC first then apply? 

 

5- Does applying for the N400 speed up or delay the process of getting the ROC processed?

 

6- Are newer n400 applicants being processed faster than the existing backlog? Also does it make a difference if filing by mail or online?

All replies from those who have experience with the above much appreciated, many thanks! 

[igoyougoduke 1,656]

19 minutes ago, Stark44 said:

Hi, I will be removing conditions soon on a 2 year conditional gc though I have some general questions about the n400 process.

I am a conditional resident with a 2 year GC based on marriage to a USC. I know that once I apply to ROC and after 3 years of permanent residency has passed I can apply for citizenship.

Some of the questions I have. 

 

1- When applying under the 3 year rule do you need to apply exactly at the 3 year mark or can you apply 3 years 4 months etc (if waiting on RoC to be approved first)

 

2- When applying under the 3 year rule am I correct in saying that you only need to list 3 years of work/ address history? ....if completing the form after 3.5 years of residency would you complete the work/address history for the 3 years immediately prior to completing the form as your application is based on marriage to a USC.

 

3- Related to the above question when completing this do people score out the 5 and write in 3 if sending a paper copy ..if completing online is there an additional page where you can add comments noting "past immediate 3 years of work/address history prior to completing form on mm/dd/yyyy" 

4- Is it better to wait get the 10 year GC first then apply? 

 

5- Does applying for the N400 speed up or delay the process of getting the ROC processed?

 

6- Are newer n400 applicants being processed faster than the existing backlog? Also does it make a difference if filing by mail or online?

All replies from those who have experience with the above much appreciated, many thanks! 

1) You can apply anytime after 3 years. so if you choose to file after 3.4 or 30 years its ok

2) Yes

3) if something does not apply on the form , you leave it blank

4) you can file ROC and N-400 when you qualify. you dont have to wait for ROC to get approved to file N-400 but USCIS will only approve N-400 after ROC is approved

5) No

6) No way to know 

 

[Fr8dog 312]

I filed my N400 to get my I751 unstuck (I had the ROC interview but never got an approval or denial until the day I went for my N400 interview).

The N400 has priority over other petitions. This means that your file is forwarded to the NBC to start the N400 regardless of where your ROC is at the time. Apparently literally to the point that if somebody gets an order to forward your file while they are just about to approve your I751, they stop working on your ROC and forward it to the NBC.

 

They can process the whole N400 (including the interview) without an ROC but they will not give you the final approval for the N400 without having the approval for the ROC (If that makes sense). After my N400 interview I was given a letter stating the IO would recommend me for N400 and that she would complete the ROC that afternoon. While driving home I received an approval for the I751 and hours later an approval for the N400.

 

So it boils down to when you file the N400. If the current wait time for the ROC is several months after your N400 window opens, you should not experience any delay and it may actually speed things up.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

14 hours ago, Stark44 said:

When applying under the 3 year rule am I correct in saying that you only need to list 3 years of work/ address history? ....if completing the form after 3.5 years of residency would you complete the work/address history for the 3 years immediately prior to completing the form as your application is based on marriage to a USC.

I would include all work/address history in the US unless you are past 5 years. 
Completing at 3.5 years, include all 3.5 years.

Completing at 4.5 years, include all 4.5 years.

Completing at 5.5 years, include 5 years.

 

[Stark44 2]

14 hours ago, Donald120383 said:

1) You can apply anytime after 3 years. so if you choose to file after 3.4 or 30 years its ok

2) Yes

3) if something does not apply on the form , you leave it blank

4) you can file ROC and N-400 when you qualify. you dont have to wait for ROC to get approved to file N-400 but USCIS will only approve N-400 after ROC is approved

5) No

6) No way to know 

 

I see though in terms of those who have applied via the 3 year rule and provided 3 year work/address history I read that people wrote "3" above the 5 year and provided an explanation or additional letter. I assume this can only be done when sending via mail and not online.

 

 

 

11 hours ago, Fr8dog said:

I filed my N400 to get my I751 unstuck (I had the ROC interview but never got an approval or denial until the day I went for my N400 interview).

The N400 has priority over other petitions. This means that your file is forwarded to the NBC to start the N400 regardless of where your ROC is at the time. Apparently literally to the point that if somebody gets an order to forward your file while they are just about to approve your I751, they stop working on your ROC and forward it to the NBC.

 

They can process the whole N400 (including the interview) without an ROC but they will not give you the final approval for the N400 without having the approval for the ROC (If that makes sense). After my N400 interview I was given a letter stating the IO would recommend me for N400 and that she would complete the ROC that afternoon. While driving home I received an approval for the I751 and hours later an approval for the N400.

 

So it boils down to when you file the N400. If the current wait time for the ROC is several months after your N400 window opens, you should not experience any delay and it may actually speed things up.

Thanks so you had a n400 interview before the i751 was processed that's interesting, I thought it was i751 interview first or a combined interview. Did you apply after 3 years or 5

 

 

21 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

I would include all work/address history in the US unless you are past 5 years. 
Completing at 3.5 years, include all 3.5 years.

Completing at 4.5 years, include all 4.5 years.

Completing at 5.5 years, include 5 years.

 

I see though it seems that for those who are gaining citizenship via marriage to a USC you are required to include the prior 3 years work/address history per the experience of users on this board. I assume you can do either route as long as the past 3 years prior to completing the form are included as this is pertinent to the process of applying via marriage to a USC.

 

Do you know if it is quicker in terms of processing to apply online or via mail?

Edited February 26, 2020 by Stark44

[Wuozopo 4,293]

21 minutes ago, Stark44 said:

I see though it seems that for those who are gaining citizenship via marriage to a USC you are required to include the prior 3 years work/address history per the experience of users on this board. I assume you can do either route as long as the past 3 years prior to completing the form are included as this is pertinent to the process of applying via marriage to a USC.

 

Do you know if it is quicker in terms of processing to apply online or via mail?

I was only throwing out my opinion of what I would do. My logic says USCIS wants to know what applicants have been doing for the last 5 years. If I got the perk of applying earlier than the standard 5 yrs as an LPR, then I don’t have a full five years in this country to report. So I will report as much history as I have up to five years. Feel free to form your own opinion on your application. 
 

Maybe many users on this forum apply right at the three year mark, like I did, so are saying they provided three years because that’s all they had. 

Edited February 26, 2020 by Wuozopo