N-400 September 2020 Filers

[AHMILWAUKEE 19]

Hi Everyone!

 

I just filled my online N-400 application based on the 5 year rule. The news that effective October 2nd the fees will increase 80% motivated me to submit everything now.

 

I wish everyone a smooth and successful journey!

[iPod 89]

On 9/19/2020 at 9:15 AM, Hawksquill said:

Quick question for my fellow online filers: immediately after submitting the application we were emailed a payment receipt with a case number.  This isn't the NOA, correct? And will the NOA be emailed or sent in the mail? 

 

I'm also wondering about biometrics.  My husband had his biometrics taken in October of last year for ROC.  I know a lot of ROC cases got their biometrics waived in light of COVID but I'm not sure if it will be the same for N-400. 

I don't know about the biometrics, but they have been waiving them for a while. I didn't have to go back for my ROC and that was much before Covid (2018). I can't image they would re-use mine since they are from 2016, but we'll see. 

[ZKT 118]

Hi guys! Just updating you.. i got my receipt number for my case last friday night. So this monday morning I called in to expedite it. It will take them 7 days to review my case and file and then they will let me know if they will grant it or not. 

[WI_CA 51]

24 minutes ago, ZKT said:

Hi guys! Just updating you.. i got my receipt number for my case last friday night. So this monday morning I called in to expedite it. It will take them 7 days to review my case and file and then they will let me know if they will grant it or not. 

Didn’t know that you can do that!! On what basis?

[ZKT 118]

16 minutes ago, WI_CA said:

Didn’t know that you can do that!! On what basis?

 

You can request to expedite any uscis case usually on financial harship or humanitarian reasons. There are a couple of other reasons that i forgot but those are the 2 common ones that a lot of people apply on the basis of. 

 

But for me specifically i'm doing it for financial and military reasons. I'm a civilian but my husband is in the navy and i will be pcsing/moving to japan this dec and we'll be there for 3 years. We have a complicated military schedule and logistics from state to state and if ever i don't finish the whole process before we leave our current duty station by the end of october.. it will be difficult. i can easily go out of japan to do an interview and oath taking here in the us like what is required under ina 319b. but i most likely will not be able to come back into japan with travel restrictions and military travel restrictions due to the pandemic.

 

I also filled my n400 under ina 319b so in a way its also expedited cause i skipped roc and went straight from my aos to n400. 

 

But yeah normally when you're spouse is in the military or you are in the military and you're pcsing abroad for more than 1 year they usually grant expedite requests for n400 cases. And expedited processes for other types of applications like k1 or cr1 or even i-130's. 

 

But with that said, i also had to do my due dilligence and actually submit a lot more additional n400 evidences in my packet (which is why i had to mail in my packet and not do it online) that a normal n400 case would not normally even have to submit at all.

 

Hope that answers your question. I learned all about that from lurking and reading a lot here on visa journey and some fb groups about those topics. 

[WI_CA 51]

2 hours ago, ZKT said:

 

You can request to expedite any uscis case usually on financial harship or humanitarian reasons. There are a couple of other reasons that i forgot but those are the 2 common ones that a lot of people apply on the basis of. 

 

But for me specifically i'm doing it for financial and military reasons. I'm a civilian but my husband is in the navy and i will be pcsing/moving to japan this dec and we'll be there for 3 years. We have a complicated military schedule and logistics from state to state and if ever i don't finish the whole process before we leave our current duty station by the end of october.. it will be difficult. i can easily go out of japan to do an interview and oath taking here in the us like what is required under ina 319b. but i most likely will not be able to come back into japan with travel restrictions and military travel restrictions due to the pandemic.

 

I also filled my n400 under ina 319b so in a way its also expedited cause i skipped roc and went straight from my aos to n400. 

 

But yeah normally when you're spouse is in the military or you are in the military and you're pcsing abroad for more than 1 year they usually grant expedite requests for n400 cases. And expedited processes for other types of applications like k1 or cr1 or even i-130's. 

 

But with that said, i also had to do my due dilligence and actually submit a lot more additional n400 evidences in my packet (which is why i had to mail in my packet and not do it online) that a normal n400 case would not normally even have to submit at all.

 

Hope that answers your question. I learned all about that from lurking and reading a lot here on visa journey and some fb groups about those topics. 

Got it. I now remember reading your thread about the 319b, which was mind blowing and completely new. 
 

Best of luck with your request

[Ben&Lan 13]

Hi fellow September filers. We filed my wife’s Citizenship application online on Sunday (9/20). We also have our I-751 still pending at MSC (19917...) It’s been a long process, but we’re excited to begin the last step. Good luck all!

[Shawn&Jodie 14]

Just submitted my N-400 online.

Filing on the 5 year rule

 

Jodie

[maupolot 3]

Hello September fillers, 

 

I applied for N-400 online on Sept 15 with pending I-751. I applied for ROC back in mid-May 2019 and looking on some other people timelines here, seems it's taking awful lot of time to process. I didn't have any update on ROC since last December (my Bio) and then 1 day after applying for N-400, I-751 got update that it is being transferred to another office. I am assuming that it is a driver for a joint interview down the road.

 

Good luck to everyone!

[ParanoidAndroid 13]

Just sent my online application today, kind of rushed due to the fee increase!
Now, let the wait game begin!!!!

Good luck everyone!

[fruitcake 31]

On 9/19/2020 at 12:15 PM, Hawksquill said:

Quick question for my fellow online filers: immediately after submitting the application we were emailed a payment receipt with a case number.  This isn't the NOA, correct? And will the NOA be emailed or sent in the mail? 

 

I'm also wondering about biometrics.  My husband had his biometrics taken in October of last year for ROC.  I know a lot of ROC cases got their biometrics waived in light of COVID but I'm not sure if it will be the same for N-400. 

To answer your first question, the NOA will be mailed. I received mine 9 days after filing online.

[WI_CA 51]

1 hour ago, fruitcake said:

To answer your first question, the NOA will be mailed. I received mine 9 days after filing online.

It also gets uploaded into the documents tab

[ParanoidAndroid 13]

41 minutes ago, WI_CA said:

It also gets uploaded into the documents tab

Hey there!

Where can we see this tab?

Thank you!
 

[ZKT 118]

20 hours ago, WI_CA said:

Got it. I now remember reading your thread about the 319b, which was mind blowing and completely new. 
 

Best of luck with your request

Hey WI_CA! 

 

Yeah i was mindblown too when i started reading about it back when i was doing my k1 visa. So when the opportunity came that we had orders to be abroad for 3 years, i said was definitely doing it. Hahaha. 

 

Oh i forgot to say n400 under ina319b also allows civilians who will be working abroad for at least 1 yr for qualifying employment (working for american companies abroad). 

 

And thanks so much i super appreciate it. 

[FARAMAREN 18]

Norfolk, Virginia

 

My husband attended his Naturalization Interview today. He had applied based on marriage and the 3 year-rule. He submitted the application in March of 2019 along with a 1 binder of documentation. In December of 2019, they requested additional information: updated bank records, credit cards statements, and utility bills. Although those had already been sent in March, we sent current copies as well as affidavits from people who knew us.

He arrived at his interview and was asked questions directly from his application. He was then asked to read a sentence in English and write the response. Next he was ask a few government/history questions:

1) Who is the governor of your state?

2) Who was the first President?

3) What are the two major political parties in the U.S.?

4) Name one of the writers of the Federalist Papers.

5) What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

The process took 45 minutes. He passed all without any issues; however, he was told that a decision could not be made at this time. The interviewer told him he should hear something in 3 to 4 months, but with COVID it might be longer. If he didn t hear anything within 6 months, to contact them. He was told he would either be asked for additional documentation or receive notice that his naturalization was approved.

It was a bit disappointing as we had hoped we were finally done with this process, but it looks as if it s another waiting game. In the last five years, he has made 2 trips to his home country of Afghanistan to visit his family. I am wondering if that had anything to do with it or if this is a common thing?

 

For those that weren t approved immediately, how long did you have to wait for your naturalization?