PhoenixNiro

Great resource...thanks! Yeah, I LOVE doing other people's work. The supervisor of the office SHOULD be checking the info instead of dismissing. Guess that's what happens when I use a local office (small town) instead of a busier one. Will try with them again. If they can't figure it out, I'm just going to go to a bigger office where they have more experience with this stuff. Let the good times roll!

Totally agree! Got to love the incompetence.

So went to update my new name and citizenship with Secretary of State in Michigan. Wouldn't let me update my Michigan state ID until I go through Social Security first. Went to Social Security Office and they tried to tell me the court document from my oath ceremony changing my legal name was not sufficient court documentation. WTH? Had to explain several times the process as the worker and his supervisor weren't really catching on. May have to go to a different Social Security office in the county of where the oath ceremony took place so they recognize the court document. Brought my Naturalization certificate and the court stamped document, but they still couldn't figure it out. Got to love it!

Definitely feels good to have finally completed the journey! Hang tight everybody...you are almost there!

Oath ceremony complete! Waited over an hour after scheduled time for it to start. Room was packed. Now to work on updating ID, passport, etc.

Thank you!!! I think it depends on the field office. I've read some people saying they were computer generated with no option to choose. My IO was definitely choosing which questions to ask, and let me know at least one of the questions she was skipping. Not sure if she had a pool of questions to choose from that were computer-generated for the day, or the option to choose any of the available civics questions. Study them all!

About 6 hours after N-400 interview, USCIS account updated with my Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony....scheduled for June 17, 2024 in Detroit! Lots of progress in one day!!!

Ok...N-400 Interview scheduled for 10:15 am today. We were allowed to bring phones into building but had to be turned off in waiting area or not brought into interview. Able to enter building 15 minutes before interview. Went through the scanners...remove belt, watch, bracelet, and keys, and put everything in bins. Super easy to get through security. Big comfy waiting area after checking in for appointment. Saw IO about 15-20 min. after scheduled time. She was very nice and kept things easy and laid back. Brought in 2 massive binders (I-751/amendment binder; and N-400 binder) with all the docs filed and up to date tax returns, etc. The IO liked the prep with the binders and said it was nice to see all the preparation. None of the several people I saw admitted for interviews before I was called brought anything more than a few pieces of paper. She was able to pick the civics questions she wanted to ask me. She skipped over the "Name your U.S. Representative" and I told her "But I know that one!" and she laughed. Basic civics questions, such as "Who is the Chief Justice of the United States," "How many years is a president elected for," Who makes federal laws," and then had to write one sentence she read to me and wrote it on a tablet; nothing complicated; passed the first 6 questions so she didn't need to ask anymore. She confirmed the date of my divorce, current physical address and mailing address, and wanted to know the two people that arrived with me (my mom and boyfriend). She asked a few questions about my boyfriend to ensure I wasn't with my divorced spouse which she said would have put my paperwork in jeopardy. All in all, about 15 minute interview with me asking questions as well. IO said I was approved and would be receiving Oath notice in the mail in a few weeks and Oath ceremony will be at court house in Detroit given I'm changing my name. Very pleasant experience! About 3 hours after interview, my case was updated online: I-751 approved; N-400 Oath Ceremony Will Be Scheduled. One more step to go! A very big thanks to all the folks here who made this journey so much easier by sharing good intel and helping me to understand the process. You guys ROCK!!!

My USCIS online account updated on 04/18/2024 (just saw today)! My N-400 interview is scheduled in Detroit for 05/29/24 in the am! No comment/update on the I-751. Apparently I was so geeked out about it that I posted in the 2023 feb filers instead of 2024

Saw online that my N-400 interview is scheduled in Detroit for 05/29/24 in the am! Woo woo! Getting somewhere! No comment/update on the I-751.

Maybe the night time filing bumped date to next business day?

Love it!!!

Still waiting to receive NOA via mail (snail mail at its finest). Did see that yesterday they posted letter on my account that my biometrics are being reused! Sweet!!!

Filed at Chicago Lockbox...N-400 application received on 2/15/24 with update on USCIS online; text notification on 02/20/2024 that application accepted. Still waiting on NOA to arrive in mail. Field office is Detroit.

Wondering if the N-400s are being processed a little quicker with it being an election year? Hmmmm....

Submitted N-400 by mail on 2/15/2024; got notice today application was accepted. Things here got complicated and pulled my bootstraps up and changed my course and got off the crazy train! Putting it out here in case somebody else needs to see the paper trail to shift the process. Basically, filed I-751 jointly with U.S. citizen husband (at the time) to remove conditions. Ended up requesting an amendment to the jointly filed I-751 on 9/13/2023 as I was finally able to leave a domestic violence relationship with support. Requested that the jointly filed I-751 be amended to a waiver petition based on battery and extreme cruelty by spouse, and noted was divorced by then as well. Provided supporting documents such as police reports, Personal Protection Order, letters verifying staying at a safe house and crisis intervention, divorce documents (divorced July 2023), medical reports outlining injuries, and supporting affidavits. Citizenship can be granted within 3 years if the waiver petition is approved. Fingers crossed!

My biometrics are being re-used....LOVE IT!!! Got 48 month extension notice for green card. Application being processed at Nebraska Service Center.

Payment (check) has cleared! I-129 (1st Submission): Sent 2/14/23; Delivered 2/15/23; Application rejected due to credit card payment being flagged as fraud! Rec'd package back on 3/2/23 I-129 (2nd Submission): Sent 3/2/23; Delivered 3/4/23; Accepted on 3/9/223; check processed 3/10/23

Well we got a text notice today to say that our case was received. Check hasn't cashed yet, but should be showing up anytime. Waiting for our Receipt Notice in the mail!

It's VERY frustrating! Remember, they haven't accepted your package yet and will be sending it back. If you're not waiting for it, make sure you send a NEW package (we kept copies of original package in case it went missing) with your updated letter. They still need a package with the new payment. Good Luck!!!

They will send you back the package since the payment was rejected (we had the same thing happen!). Won't help to contact Lockbox...we emailed them and they said (after a few weeks) that we would have to resubmit. They specifically state that they only try to charge the credit card once. I would wait for your package to return and then include the rejection letter and note your first payment was flagged as fraud. You have the option to call your credit card company and tell them to authorize it next time, but I simply don't trust them not to screw it up again. So we did a check and I will wait to see it clear the bank.

Yes, they ship your package back to you (we got our sticky tabs included too). We just got ours back (declined credit card on 2/17/23 suspect fraud) on the package arrived back to us on 3/4/23. We sent package back out same day with a check (after reassembling the package) so credit card company doesn't mess it up. You will have to reorganize the paperwork as it's not in the same order when they send it back. We sent ours to Elgin Lockbox and are in Michigan, just south of Detroit. Waiting on check to post to our account.

We sent our application via FedEx on 2/14/2023 to Elgin Lockbox....exactly the 90 day mark. Got notification 2/17/2023 that credit card was declined. Thank you Discover for flagging the purchase as fraud! Their approach was have the vendor resubmit. Here's to another chunky fee to FedEx the package again, once we get it back! Definitely will send a check this time (did credit card because thought it would move faster...I stand corrected!) and should be good to move forward. Good luck everybody!!!

Definitely send a check! Our I-751 application payment in form of credit card (Discover) was declined. Discover flagged the charge as FRAUD even though we've made payment before. Credit card company won't "hold" to check to see if charge is legit (I got a hold of them within minutes of finding out via text and email the charge was declined), but Discover outright declines it and says for vendor to redo purchase. I talked to Discover a long time about this process...got a sorry...oh well! USCIS of course only processes credit card payment once per application so we will had to redo the payment. FRUSTRATING! At least we know USCIS (Elgin Lockbox) were going to accept the documents since they tried to process payment. Good thing we started this process at the 90 day mark! The adventure continues!