Removal of conditions timeline vs N400 concurrent filing timeline?

[Rearviewmirror 397]

Hi all.

I'll be filing for ROC of my original 2yr marriage based green card in early 2023 (February) and I'm trying to get a sense of whether it makes a difference in terms of overall timeline to file concurrently for N400 (at the appropriate time after my ROC filing). I'm also hoping some of the backlog might clear between now and February, or that I'll get my interview waived (still married, lots of pictures including of our wedding celebration that was COVID postponed, and joint financial holdings etc).

 

I know that this will shorten my overall timeline to US citizenship, but I was wondering if overall it'll be slower than applying only to remove conditions and get my 10yr green card. I'm guessing it'll be 1.5-2.5 years total for the N400 approval, vs potentially just 18 months for the ROC portion.

I'm mainly just a bit fatigued by the entire process (i.e. it was a blissful 18 months of not having to carry extra paperwork overseas) but also know life gets much easier once I get a US passport.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[Mike E 11,739]

This depends on the field office.  
 

* In some field offices, it appears filing N-400 while I-751 is pending will speed up the I-751 process.
 

* In others it has the opposite effect. For example in Seattle, my understanding is filing N-400 immediately pauses I-751 and you are then placed in a queue to have your process processed by a specialist trained in combo interviews: The Seattle field director has decided to train a hand full of officers in combos.  
 

* I believe some other offices there simply won’t be any progress on the N-400 until I-751 is approved. 
 

For the latter 2 cases your legal remedy is an administrative procedures act / write of mandamus combination law suit. Since these cases take but a few minutes to adjudicate, it’s cheaper for USCIS to settle these out of court by scheduling an interview(s).  

[Rearviewmirror 397]

Thanks @Mike E - is there any way to know where you field office will be based on geography of where I live, or are cases assigned randomly? Mainly wondering if comparing the processing estimates is how to figure this out!

Edited July 27, 2022 by Rearviewmirror

[Mike E 11,739]

46 minutes ago, Rearviewmirror said:

Thanks @Mike E - is there any way to know where you field office will be based on geography of where I live, or are cases assigned randomly? Mainly wondering if comparing the processing estimates is how to figure this out!

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-a-uscis-office/field-offices
 

as the lengthy preamble notes, cases can get relocated to “nearby” (I’ve heard it cases in Seattle being sent to Portland Oregon for interviews)

[Rearviewmirror 397]

9 minutes ago, Mike E said:

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-a-uscis-office/field-offices
 

as the lengthy preamble notes, cases can get relocated to “nearby” (I’ve heard it cases in Seattle being sent to Portland Oregon for interviews)

Thanks Mike - that worked for N400. Do you know if there's rationale to which service center your 751 gets assigned to?

[Mike E 11,739]

1 hour ago, Rearviewmirror said:

Thanks Mike - that worked for N400. Do you know if there's rationale to which service center your 751 gets assigned to?

No idea.  It’s not something in my control so it never concerned me. 

[Corey911 37]

I heard it got better this year, some of 2020 filers of i751 were stuck during A-files are locked somewhere and employee shortage to keep sending them to uscis.

I know a lady got interview in TX within 2mo of filing then 2020 filers are still waiting.