N-400 May 2020 filers

[Rn400 20]

Yes mine same. It moved from step2 to step3 in 3-4 days. It was showing up complex track for me as well. I have been in US from 2004 ,don't know it is electronic or paper what delay i can expect. On the other side my wife came later to US and her- federal background check was done for work related and she is in still in step 2. I was expecting she would be in step 3 before me based on this situation ... Not sure what's happening here. 

[eizerr 4]

Wanted to share a data point from a friend. They submitted their application in May 2020 in SJ office and got a notification for an interview on last week (interview will be some time in Feb). They filed FOIA request as well in the beginning of December, but it is still in "Pending" stage 2.

[Vol_UTK 0]

2 hours ago, STurcotte77 said:

Yes!  Except mine was "simple track (Track 1). Here is an explanation of the Track System;

 

"If you have requested an entire copy of your file, your request has been placed in Track 2, or the complex track. You may narrow the scope of your request from a copy of the entire record to a copy of specific documents. This will move your request to Track 1. Track 1 cases are typically processed in a shorter amount of time than track 2 cases because fewer documents are being reviewed for release."

Thanks for sharing this information, what specific document should be asked to qualify the request as track 1?

[STurcotte77 40]

3 minutes ago, Vol_UTK said:

Thanks for sharing this information, what specific document should be asked to qualify the request as track 1?

That I am not sure of except for my own filing. I requested my entire N400 application file as that is the only application I have in process right now. 

[Vol_UTK 0]

2 minutes ago, STurcotte77 said:

That I am not sure of except for my own filing. I requested my entire N400 application file as that is the only application I have in process right now. 

N400 Application or A File?

Edited January 11, 2022 by Vol_UTK

[STurcotte77 40]

5 minutes ago, Vol_UTK said:

N400 Application or A File?

Oh sorry! A file. 

[Labradoodle 0]

I just filed my FOIA request two days ago and it’s still showing as step 1. How long did it take your requests to go to step 2, and then to step 3?

 

Also, I’m reading some people saying the “entire” A-file should be requested. When I completed the FOIA request, I only saw one A-file selection in the menu and just selected that. Should I have selected additional items from that menu?

[roddie2k 68]

The original poster of the FOIA strategy  mentioned that he got his interview 10 days into his request moving to Step 3. Others seem to get it earlier , some others much later.  Nevertheless, the FOIA is triggering some sort of action - sort of like a reawakening.

 

One thing is for sure - once the FOIA request is completed (assuming they do by the deadline), you and USCIS will have the A-files  and  there  really shouldnt be anything preventing an interview to be scheduled. 

[keyuree1 27]

I have been here since 2001. I wonder if my A-file is much more complex to gather because of that. It probably has something to do with the field office too. Seems like the two people who received their interview notice filed in California. Then again it is just speculation! 

[Labradoodle 0]

2 hours ago, roddie2k said:

The original poster of the FOIA strategy  mentioned that he got his interview 10 days into his request moving to Step 3. Others seem to get it earlier , some others much later.  Nevertheless, the FOIA is triggering some sort of action - sort of like a reawakening.

 

One thing is for sure - once the FOIA request is completed (assuming they do by the deadline), you and USCIS will have the A-files  and  there  really shouldnt be anything preventing an interview to be scheduled. 

Right, I was wondering how long it typically takes to even get to steps 2 and 3. I’m at step 1 for two days as we speak. Any idea how long before 2 and 3?

[thewaitingame 34]

3 hours ago, roddie2k said:

The original poster of the FOIA strategy  mentioned that he got his interview 10 days into his request moving to Step 3. Others seem to get it earlier , some others much later.  Nevertheless, the FOIA is triggering some sort of action - sort of like a reawakening.

 

One thing is for sure - once the FOIA request is completed (assuming they do by the deadline), you and USCIS will have the A-files  and  there  really shouldnt be anything preventing an interview to be scheduled. 

Having the interview scheduled doesn't really mean that they will have the interview. A bunch of people on N400 facebook group got interview scheduled, then cancelled because their A-files is not available. I would not get your hopes up on this, cause FOIA is processed at NRC. So USCIS will send records to NRC and not the other way around. You can check on step 3 "Your responsive documents have arrived at the National Records Center." People on May 2020 thread got response that their file is stuck at NRC. 

 

[eizerr 4]

I think the assumption here is not the file got stuck, but rather that the original request for the A-file got stuck or lost through cracks due to lockdown chaos unfolding in March-June 2020

 

FOIA request should help with that by creating a new request for these files. These requests are processed relatively fast nowadays - people get interviews scheduled in as less as in 3 months in some locations, so that response by USCIS with "only urgent cases processed" is not true.

Also, how often people get their interviews cancelled due to A-files not available? must be some bizarre and extremely unlikely situation.

 

16 minutes ago, thewaitingame said:

Having the interview scheduled doesn't really mean that they will have the interview. A bunch of people on N400 facebook group got interview scheduled, then cancelled because their A-files is not available. I would not get your hopes up on this, cause FOIA is processed at NRC. So USCIS will send records to NRC and not the other way around. You can check on step 3 "Your responsive documents have arrived at the National Records Center." People on May 2020 thread got response that their file is stuck at NRC. 

 

 

[MKT3121 1]

23 minutes ago, thewaitingame said:

Having the interview scheduled doesn't really mean that they will have the interview. A bunch of people on N400 facebook group got interview scheduled, then cancelled because their A-files is not available. I would not get your hopes up on this, cause FOIA is processed at NRC. So USCIS will send records to NRC and not the other way around. You can check on step 3 "Your responsive documents have arrived at the National Records Center." People on May 2020 thread got response that their file is stuck at NRC. 

 

I see what you are saying. However, I have heard that applications filed during the lockdowns were completely neglected while applications filed much later were being processed and completed in just a few months. 
 

This means that when the USCIS offices opened back up in July 2020, the only applications they have been working on are the ones filed around that time and beyond.
 

Hence the idea of filing an FOIA to trigger any action from USCIS.

 

I hope this makes sense.

Edited January 12, 2022 by MKT3121

[thewaitingame 34]

21 minutes ago, eizerr said:

I think the assumption here is not the file got stuck, but rather that the original request for the A-file got stuck or lost through cracks due to lockdown chaos unfolding in March-June 2020

 

FOIA request should help with that by creating a new request for these files. These requests are processed relatively fast nowadays - people get interviews scheduled in as less as in 3 months in some locations, so that response by USCIS with "only urgent cases processed" is not true.

Also, how often people get their interviews cancelled due to A-files not available? must be some bizarre and extremely unlikely situation.

 

 

Unfortunately a lot, I see it every week on that fb group and they just “happen” to be March-May 2020 filers. They (field office) were either nice enough to just do the interview and hold off on the decision (forever waiting there till Afile is received) or just cancel the interview. 

[eizerr 4]

51 minutes ago, thewaitingame said:

Unfortunately a lot, I see it every week on that fb group and they just “happen” to be March-May 2020 filers. They (field office) were either nice enough to just do the interview and hold off on the decision (forever waiting there till Afile is received) or just cancel the interview. 

What is the name of that facebook group? wanted to peek into that to see the reasons why people are denied the interview