Approaching 6 Months - No Status Change

[Jay1122 2]

Hello,

 

  My wife submitted her N-400 on December 22nd, 2023. She has been checking the status everyday since with no change. We are now approaching the 6 month mark with the online status saying "5 days until decision". We are both getting concerned, has anyone had this happen to them before? Looking at the timeline information on VJ for our office and for online submission the average  processing time is 4 months. We even have a friend who went through the process and lives maybe 15 minutes from us and is from the same country who's whole process took four months. We are almost at 6 and there is no new information since the day we submitted. We've also been diligent about checking the mail and making sure we stay on top of any letters that may come and nothing there either.

 

She doesn't understand what couldbe wrong, she has no criminal record, even her one speeding ticket she ever got was probably 8 years ago and no points were added. The two things I could think of is. 1; there was a period of time were we didn't report our addresses when we moved. This was because our daughter was born, was in the ICU and then died at 3 months old and we were both very emotionally distraught and honestly at that time, updating our address with USCIS after moving was the last thing on our mind. She explained this in a supplemental document with her application.  2; She didn't a tax return in 2022 because she didn't make any money. She explained this as well when she submitted her application, she wanted to be up front about everything.

 

In our minds, we don't think that those two minor things would be grounds for denial of a application. Any insight into why maybe going on would be great, we are just so perplexed by this.

 

Thank you!

[Crazy Cat 41,010]

Check her online account.  All notices will be posted there long before you receive the hard copy letter.  N-400 interviews are extremely dependent on completion of background checks and Local office scheduling .

[Dashinka 24,019]

What local office?  It isn't clear, has she already been to an interview?

Edited June 17 by Dashinka

[OldUser 5,855]

2 hours ago, Jay1122 said:

We are now approaching the 6 month mark with the online status saying "5 days until decision". We are both getting concerned, has anyone had this happen to them before?

This is not extraordinary. The estimated time is all wrong and doesn't report accurately for most users.

[OldUser 5,855]

2 hours ago, Jay1122 said:

She didn't a tax return in 2022 because she didn't make any money. She explained this as well when she submitted her application, she wanted to be up front about everything.

Did you make any money? Do you not file jointly as a married couple? Why?

[JKLSemicolon 388]

10 hours ago, Jay1122 said:

Hello,

 

She has been checking the status everyday since with no change.

 

What are you basing the "5 days until decision" on? It's good to check the USCIS processing time for your local office occasionally to know when you can submit an inquiry if needed, and you might want to check myUSCIS once a week or so if you don't trust them to send an email update when the case status changes, but checking every day is only going to cause unnecessary stress. A quick glance through a handful of service centers for the N400 shows anything from 6 to 12 months as the processing time for 80 percent of cases.

[Scandi 4,101]

2 hours ago, JKLSemicolon said:

 

What are you basing the "5 days until decision" on? It's good to check the USCIS processing time for your local office occasionally to know when you can submit an inquiry if needed, and you might want to check myUSCIS once a week or so if you don't trust them to send an email update when the case status changes, but checking every day is only going to cause unnecessary stress. A quick glance through a handful of service centers for the N400 shows anything from 6 to 12 months as the processing time for 80 percent of cases.

OP is basing it on the "estimated time to completion" that you see in your online account. Those dates are always wrong, so not sure why OP is worried about that. 

OP: Count on the entire process taking 1,5 year - be happy if it goes faster. 6 months is nothing - stop comparing to other applicants or you will drive yourself nuts. Even at the same field office the processing times can vary greatly from applicant to applicant. Sit back and relax, it'll happen eventually. My process took 10 months, others at the same field office applied after me and became citizens before me. Others waited for close to 2 years. 

[Bethie 88]

20 hours ago, Jay1122 said:

Hello,

 

  My wife submitted her N-400 on December 22nd, 2023. She has been checking the status everyday since with no change. We are now approaching the 6 month mark with the online status saying "5 days until decision". We are both getting concerned, has anyone had this happen to them before? Looking at the timeline information on VJ for our office and for online submission the average  processing time is 4 months. We even have a friend who went through the process and lives maybe 15 minutes from us and is from the same country who's whole process took four months. We are almost at 6 and there is no new information since the day we submitted. We've also been diligent about checking the mail and making sure we stay on top of any letters that may come and nothing there either.

 

She doesn't understand what couldbe wrong, she has no criminal record, even her one speeding ticket she ever got was probably 8 years ago and no points were added. The two things I could think of is. 1; there was a period of time were we didn't report our addresses when we moved. This was because our daughter was born, was in the ICU and then died at 3 months old and we were both very emotionally distraught and honestly at that time, updating our address with USCIS after moving was the last thing on our mind. She explained this in a supplemental document with her application.  2; She didn't a tax return in 2022 because she didn't make any money. She explained this as well when she submitted her application, she wanted to be up front about everything.

 

In our minds, we don't think that those two minor things would be grounds for denial of a application. Any insight into why maybe going on would be great, we are just so perplexed by this.

 

Thank you!

Knowing the USCIS office would be helpful?   

Have you been checking your USCIS on line account daily?

Some offices take longer then others, Houston is the worst, but will admit the citizenship part was the easiest and fastest processing then the greencard process.

 

[Jay1122 2]

21 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

Check her online account.  All notices will be posted there long before you receive the hard copy letter.  N-400 interviews are extremely dependent on completion of background checks and Local office scheduling .

Thanks @Crazy Cat as I shared in my post my wife checks the online account everyday.

21 hours ago, Dashinka said:

What local office?  It isn't clear, has she already been to an interview?

Tampa, FL

 

We have had no change in status of the application since we submitted. No interview as of yet.

[Jay1122 2]

19 hours ago, OldUser said:

Did you make any money? Do you not file jointly as a married couple? Why?

We file jointly. I did not make enough income that year to be required to file a tax return.

[Jay1122 2]

11 hours ago, JKLSemicolon said:

 

What are you basing the "5 days until decision" on? It's good to check the USCIS processing time for your local office occasionally to know when you can submit an inquiry if needed, and you might want to check myUSCIS once a week or so if you don't trust them to send an email update when the case status changes, but checking every day is only going to cause unnecessary stress. A quick glance through a handful of service centers for the N400 shows anything from 6 to 12 months as the processing time for 80 percent of cases.

@JKLSemicolon thanks for your feedback. We are basing it off of the status in her MyUSCIS online account. It's good to know and we had know idea about the processing time info on USCIS. It says 7.5 months for our local office, this makes us feel better.

[Jay1122 2]

1 hour ago, Bethie said:

Knowing the USCIS office would be helpful?   

Have you been checking your USCIS on line account daily?

Some offices take longer then others, Houston is the worst, but will admit the citizenship part was the easiest and fastest processing then the greencard process.

 

Hi @Bethie Tampa, Fl. Yes we are checking daily. Thank you

[Laure&Colin 557]

On 6/18/2024 at 8:59 AM, Jay1122 said:

We file jointly. I did not make enough income that year to be required to file a tax return.

 

This probably isn't what's delaying your case, since it's more something that would come up at the interview. However, FILE IT NOW. Filing a tax return with the IRS every year is a requirement for permanent residents. Your wife's naturalization likely won't be approved if there's a year missing (source: someone who filed in October was in the same situation and she was asked at the interview to file and provide proof, with her application delayed).

Once your application status online says it's taking longer than expected, you can start calling USCIS to ask for updates, and get your representative or senator involved. It should happen in the next few days.

[BlackPearl9 21]

10 hours ago, Laure&Colin said:

 

This probably isn't what's delaying your case, since it's more something that would come up at the interview. However, FILE IT NOW. Filing a tax return with the IRS every year is a requirement for permanent residents. Your wife's naturalization likely won't be approved if there's a year missing (source: someone who filed in October was in the same situation and she was asked at the interview to file and provide proof, with her application delayed).

Once your application status online says it's taking longer than expected, you can start calling USCIS to ask for updates, and get your representative or senator involved. It should happen in the next few days.

I don't believe that is true. I watch "Jackie" on Youtube and she said it is fine to not file taxes when you don't meet the threshold to file. USCIS can't make up their own tax filing rules. All people working in the US files taxes under the IRS rules, making over the standard deductions or $400+ in self employments triggers a filing requirement. To file a 0 income return, people need to mail that in.

[Laure&Colin 557]

1 hour ago, BlackPearl9 said:

I don't believe that is true. I watch "Jackie" on Youtube and she said it is fine to not file taxes when you don't meet the threshold to file. USCIS can't make up their own tax filing rules. All people working in the US files taxes under the IRS rules, making over the standard deductions or $400+ in self employments triggers a filing requirement. To file a 0 income return, people need to mail that in.

 

From the USCIS website:

Your Responsibilities as a Permanent Resident

As a permanent resident, you are:

• Required to obey all laws of the United States and localities;
• Required to file your income tax returns and report your income to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and state taxing authorities;
• Expected to support the democratic form of government (“support” does not include voting. Permanent residents cannot vote in federal, state, or local elections.); and
• Required to register with the Selective Service, if you are a male age 18 through 25.

 

The USCIS absolutely can decide to decline benefits based on requirements of their choosing. Personally I wouldn't risk it and just file for the missing year, especially since supposedly OP won't owe anything. It could very possibly delay the wife's naturalization based on past experiences shared here by other members.