Nine days to N400 interview, no word on I-751

[Stein 276]

No updates since Fingerprints were Taken or Biometrics Reused.  Should we still plan to just all go there when my wife goes for N400 interview and hope for a combo interview?  It would be for wife and daughter.  I assume the 17 year old daughter needs to attend as well.  I thought I read something about children over 14 must attend.

[Crazy Cat 41,814]

1 hour ago, Stein said:

Should we still plan to just all go there when my wife goes for N400 interview and hope for a combo interview? 

Yes.  

BTW, the Dallas office notified me just 2 days prior to wife's N-400 interview that it would be a combo.

[OldUser 6,612]

Always assume combo. Good luck!

[Joyoussinger 1,425]

My husband's I-751 was still pending at the time of his N-400 interview. We mentioned this to the security guards, to be sure they would let me in, too. He also told the IO and she looked it up. It was approved that day because of this. He was actually able to take the oath that day, too. You should all go to the interview,  because not going could be a missed opportunity. Best of luck!

[Ana&Andrew 3]

My wife just had her N-400 interview today and it turned out to be a combo interview, even though we received no notification that it would be a combo interview. I think they have to conduct the I-751 interview as a technicality before doing the N-400, in the event that you are not approved for the N-400 you could still have conditions removed for the green card. But I could be wrong about that.

 

When my wife was called back at the field office, she went alone because we thought it was only for the N-400. The officer then asked if I was there and that she needed to go get me for the I-751 interview. So it was a good thing that I was there. I had seen on here that there were some cases of having the combo interview without notice, so I was at least somewhat prepared for that possibility. It was a short interview, just some questions about the timeline of our relationship and how we met. Then the I-751 was approved and I was asked to go back to the waiting room. This was at the Nashville field office.

Edited May 14 by Ana&Andrew

[Stein 276]

So, a very strange interview.  My wife, daughter and I went to her N-400 interview.  When we arrived we presented her appointment letter and I explained that we anticipated a combo interview for I-751 and N-400.  The first guy had no idea what we were talking about but the other guy overheard and said to let us all go in.  After 30 minutes or so the interviewer called her.  I went up with her and asked if the files were there and could we get a combo interview.  He said yes, he had the files, but he could adjudicate the I-751 and N-400 with my wife only.  They didn't need me.  I asked again and he said I wasn't needed.  So, my daughter and I just sat in the waiting room.  Twenty minutes later she came out and the interviewer told me that she passed.  I asked him if that meant the N-400 or the I-751 and he said both.  I was a bit worried because I put together the packet and knew where everything was.  He indicated that he needed to check a few things and watch the USICS site for her oath appointment letter.  She later told me he asked her if she had any additional documents to submit.  She didn't know what submit meant when he said documents since we filed I-751.  Finally she figured out what he wanted and showed him copies of the bank statements and last IRS filing report.  He glanced at them, didn't ask for any copies and said she was fine.  He asked her about employment.  She said she was a stay-at home mom.  He asked how old her daughter was.  When she said 17 he asked why she needed to be a stay-at-home mom for a 17 year old.  She laughed and said "I have an 8 month old baby."  We had uploaded his birth certificate with the N-400 but it was after we submitted the I-751 so he must have just glossed over the files.  Just a bit strange all around but at least we are done!

Edited May 21 by Stein

[OldUser 6,612]

Hi @Stein thank you for detailed description of your experience.

 

Regarding "combo". This is a slang word used on VisaJourney and in the Internet community. Don't expect all officers to know what it means, as this is not an official term in their manuals.

 

5 hours ago, Stein said:

She later told me he asked her if she had any additional documents to submit.  She didn't know what submit meant when he said documents since we filed I-751.  

That's asked routinely. This is why I tell everybody naturalizing under 3 year rule to bring as much evidence of bonafide marriage as possible and be ready to give it to the officer.

[top_secret 2,411]

22 hours ago, Stein said:

I went up with her and asked if the files were there and could we get a combo interview.  He said yes, he had the files, but he could adjudicate the I-751 and N-400 with my wife only.  They didn't need me.  I asked again and he said I wasn't needed.  So, my daughter and I just sat in the waiting room.  Twenty minutes later she came out and the interviewer told me that she passed.

 

Congratulations!

They certainly might need to talk to the US Citizen spouse so good that you were available.  But he probably just felt the I-751 submission was strong enough on it's own so interviewing you was unnecessary.