Steve D.

How about junk mail in either / both your names that are sent to the same address? Magazines even.

Sounds like it's time you take pro-active actions.

First thing first, make an InfoPass appointment to your local USCIS office and ask for an I-551 extension. That way you will be kept in status for another year.

Next, call the USCIS and ask for a service request. If possible speak with a Tier 2 rep and ASK THEM TO SEND YOU A WRITTEN, PAPER COPY OF THE REQUEST.

Then get your local congressman involved. Call them and ask for assistance on your I751, also ask for written paper copy of your request to be mailed out to you.

The last thing? And if it's what your ultimate goal is, apply for citizenship. As long as you are 90 days prior to your "PR Since Date" on your card + 2 years and still married, you are qualified for citizenship.

Good luck! I had to go the same route.

Well without much background information regarding your I-751 journey we can't really tell what is going on.

As for the "official matter", I'd assume it's asking you to treat it as an official matter, such as dress properly and be professional.

Other than that? If you haven't done anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.

I put in NRA when I submitted my application, no differences what-so-ever.

Go to IRS's site and get the TAX RETURN TRANSCRIPT. It's the receipt of your tax returns. The copy of your tax returns would work too but then again they are very @n@l about your tax returns you have filed so... tax return transcripts.

They are free, arrives in a week or two.

If I remember it correctly, you need to submit copies of the proof of citizenship of your spouse, and they will ask for the original at the interview so, let it be birth certificate, passport, naturalization certificate, whatever you have, make copy and prepare to present the original.

Also, just prepare the most recent utilities bills, they won't be too @n@l about it.

Anyway good luck! You are almost there.

Most likely it won't. Trust me on that one. Friend of mine went back to work in LA Field office today (we carpool) and he told me no notice anywhere mentioning furlough was sent to them.

Just like the postal office, fee-based services such as USCIS itself would be keep going for sure. Besides DHS and everything related to it are required to keep running to ensure the national security.

Or we can just wait and see.

Not according to other sources. Scroll up for other responses.

Agreed. This is the last thing we all need, when this whole citizenship process is so fraught with difficulty and emotion. And we don't even have the worst of it—some of the other visas have a much worse time of it.

Well technically USCIS is part of DHS. It's the least affected department.

But to answer your question, it won't.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2013/09/30/how-would-a-shutdown-impact-homeland-security/

There is a huge difference between CRIMINAL case versus a CIVIL case. Just like Misdemeanor vs Felony.

In your case it's a simple civil matter, don't even need to worry. Just take care of that afterwards and try not to be too much a lead foot next time.

Thank you all for answering

I asked because in the N-445 form, they ask about that.

"Have you knowingly committed any crime or offense, for which you have not been arrested; or have you been arrested, cited, charged, indicted, convicted, fined, or imprisoned for breaking or violating any law or ordinance, including traffic violations?

Below is an explanation in simple words: Did you break a law and not get arrested or did you break a law, including traffic violations, and get: arrested; given a citation or official notice to give testimony before a judge; charged by a law enforcement agency such as the police for breaking the law; indicted by a court of law for possibly breaking the law; convicted of breaking the law; ordered to pay a fine; or put in jail for breaking the law?

Reason: If you were arrested, USCIS needs to know what happened with your criminal case. You may not be eligible to be sworn in until charges and penalties have been determined. For this reason, USCIS needs to see a certified court disposition. If you do not have a court disposition, USCIS will request that you submit it at a later date. Even if you do not write it on your N-445, USCIS may find out if you have been arrested. This will cause a serious problem in the future if you do not tell the truth.

So I know it is not criminal but if they ask, it matters. isn't it?

I just want to know if I should pay ticket or fight it and have the issue open by the time of the oath.

BTW I am in Houston, TX.

I did, and I already took my oath about a year ago.

Just for s*it and giggles, my I751 is still in "INITIAL REVIEW".

Rule #1: NEVER TRUST THE ONLINE STATUS PAGE

Keep calling, track all of your calls, rep's name, time, what did you talked about, what are their responses.

Keep nagging them until you get that damn card.

Oh and the last thing to remember, USCIS is ran by bunch of retarded monkeys.

Yeah, I guess so. But don't worry -- USCIS still managed to screw me, the US citizen husband. The date of our interview just so happens to overlap with a science conference I'm scheduled to attend at the National Institutes of Health, which means I won't be able to meet with scientists there who might want to hire me. Basically, I'll miss the job interview, the main reason I wanted to go. We thought about rescheduling, but found out we'd be put at the back of the line again!

Once again, the NSA is listening to your calls and reading your emails.

How thick? Remember there is no such a thing as too thick. Especially when the RFE is received.

I am going to give them 90 days before calling them because clearly DHS ombusman article says that USCIS MUST send interview notification within 90 days of which I-751 was filed. So waiting until 90 day is over and will call them to find out the reason. I see several other people who also have in same situation as i am who filed on the same/around time.

Do yourself a favor and ask for a Service Request NOW. Ask for a confirmation in writing (aka send you a letter) so you won't have to wait ANOTHER 45-90 days in addition to the 90 days already mentioned.

Reason being if you don't push them, they'll end up delaying your application till the world's end. Don't let that happen, be proactive today!

Sounds like VSC is offloading extra applications to the local office, which isn't unusual.

Then again as far as the local office's concern, an application transferred to there will have you either A. Being interviewed due to QA or something fishy; or B. Approved without any further actions.

It is quite unusual to have someone's application send to local office without asking RFE first. Then again they might be SO busy they don't even have the time to make that decision.

Best thing to do right now is just wait. Then again if you are qualified to file for N-400 (Citizenship), by any means go ahead, it'll push them on your ROC.

Also forgot to say that when we told an agent that our reason for visiting the Newark Field Office was because it's taken 1 year to remove conditions on permanent residence, he said that removal of conditions takes an average of 2 years. Since I'm familiar with everyone else's experiences here, I told him that most others are approved in only 3-6 months. I don't know if he meant that cases that get transferred to Newark normally take 2 years total or if he thought that the average in general was that long, but it really took me by surprise. Just the way he said it sort of shot me down. Now that I checked the AILA estimate from the VisaJourney link, I see that the I-751 at the Vermont Service Center takes about 6 months. What the hell was that Newark USCIS agent talking about?

Does anyone know a place where we can see processing times from the Newark Field Office? The link from VisaJourney (http://www.visajourney.com/content/times) only showed estimated times for I-485, N-400, and N-600. It also looks like VisaJourney doesn't have a graph for processing times for Removal of Conditions? The charts seem to stop after Adjustment of Status and Advanced Parole.

Timeline I think you are better off relying on the members report here in the forum.

Just FYI those quick approvals don't get transferred into a local office... they have their reasons to transfer a ROC to a local office, thus the average "2 years" period mentioned.

hmmm... I have an info pass appointment on thursday to get an extension. Is that the I-551 stamp. I already contacted a congressman, and I have the N-400 already to go.

The i551 is to ensure you don't go out-of-status.

And for the rest? You are fine. File away and let USCIS sort it out internally.

The approval rate on the ROC has been very erratic. Some gets them approved in less than few months, some are delayed to the extreme (few years).

Looking at your timeline, I think you are still too early to call it being late. Consider both VSC and CSC are only getting slower.

Just FYI... when the 9 months mark comes after you filed your ROC, and still nothing... do ask for a Service Request and see what they and go from there.

The last resort (or the best outcome, depending whom you are asking) is file for N-400 while your ROC is pending, only when you are qualified. That'll push them.

So you were able to do both at the same time, no complications?

Nope. None what-so-ever.

I did asked for a Service Request at the 9 months mark after I sent in my ROC. I did get a RFE which I responded to, and resulted in a relocation to local office notice.

Problem is after the SR responding letter & the 45 days waiting period from the local office, I still heard nothing. So I decided to do the one-two-three punch (I551, Congressman & N-400).

I got the N-400 NOA 1, fingerprint, interview & oath done in less than 60 days.

I have a feeling they lost my ROC files ...

For those who are still waiting close to (even pass) 1-year mark, if you are qualified and wanted to become an US Citizen, go ahead and file N-400. But first make an Info Pass appointment first to extend your NOA-1 for another year so you are not out of status.

I have to do this route last year. Even after getting my local congressman involved I was able to get the N-400 approved with the ROC still pending.

And just for poop and giggles I checked my ROC status on USCIS' website, it still says "INITIAL REVIEW".

What a joke.

Get an InfoPass and make an I551 stamp on your passport so you get the NOA-1 extended for another year.

Next, file for N-400 (citizenship) if becoming a citizen is your goal. While you are at it, get hold of your congressman and ask for help as well.

Transfer to local office is a typical delay tactic, be proactive and push them instead of having them drag you around forever.

I doubt they'll give you problems... I mean if they really think the date on the application is an issue, they'd return your whole N-400 packet before you even know it.

If it's in the process of interview and such? You should be fine.

OP, as many of us said above, you have few options.

1. Make an InfoPass appointment with the local USCIS office, bring your passport in and ask for an i-551 stamp which will extend your existing NOA1 letter for another year.

2. File for citizenship, if you are qualified. I.E. you are still married, and have passed the 2-years + 9 months "P.R. Since" date on your conditional card.

3. Get hold of your local congressman for assistant.

- or -

ALL OF THE ABOVE, which I had to do.

If it's divorced filing then just yourself. Bring as much as you can, like I said, even junk mail and magazine showing your names and same address would work.

Filing as a divorced I751 is quite common.

As for evidence? Whatever you have. Bank statements, CC statements, rent/mortgage statements, mail, junk mail, magazines, driver's license showing same address, vehicle registration, insurance. Anything that shows both of your names on the same address.

Good luck! You should be fine. However expect an interview for sure.

Well all you can do right now is wait and gather all the information you can to support your marriage was in good faith.

Listen, anything you can think off, i.e. magazines in yours or her name being sent to your address, even JUNK mail has yours and her name would help. Also USCIS are looking for financial statements such as your bank or credit card statements across the entire marriage showing commingling activities, so gather them if you can.

It's the matter of showing the USCIS and their interviewers you entered and kept the marriage in good faith.

Sounds like you should be doing just fine.