citizenship journey, includes change of address

[citizennow 2]

Hi--

I wanted to share my citizenship journey. I've used visajourney a lot throughout my stay in the US and it's been a great help. Mostly, I was lurking but I think it's time to share.

We submitted my n-400 application in Atlanta, GA last January 26, 2014. The biometrics letter came fast and so was the actual process. And so the waiting game began. A few weeks later, a yellow letter arrived with a list of documents to bring. I believe in came in March. In the meantime, my husband interviewed for a job in Seattle, WA. He got the offer and was to start in April. We were hoping that we'd get my interview letter soon and be a citizen by May. Atlanta office though was delayed in processing n-400 applications. My husband started with in Seattle in April commuting from Atlanta every 2 weeks, while i remained in Atlanta with the kids. We decided that our move date will be June 1st, whether we get an interview letter or not. I know this will delay my application because of the 90-day stay district/state. But my husband could not commute back and forth indefinitely and it was tough being alone with our young kids when he's away. It also gave us some time to get our house in Atlanta ready for selling. So obviously, no interview letter came in May. I did a change of address online on June 1st. That is also the date when our rental house agreement in Seattle started. We didn't actually move to the house until almost two weeks later when our stuff arrived (big delay, another story).

On June 6th, I received a text/email that my case is scheduled for an interview on July 14th. In my mind, it must be a mistake since I won't be in Seattle for 90 days by then. The actual letter was sent to our new address, which we haven't informed USPS by then that we were the new occupants. So my letter was in limbo for a while. It finally got delivered after a few days delay. Before my July 14 interview, I called the USCIS number twice to ask if they maybe made a mistake in scheduling me for an interview since I haven't spent 90 days here. Both times they told me to just keep the appointment. I did study for the civics test, just in case until I'm confident I know all the questions by heart.

On interview day (7am appointment), we arrived at 6:45a.m, only a few people were there at that time. I brought my husband with me. We had really low expectations. We went there expecting to be sent home shortly after he sees that I just moved. Everyone in Seattle office were so nice and friendly. At around 7:05, I was called in. I was the first to be called. The guy was really nice. He made me swear first, then went through my application. He asked for my driver's license (I changed to the Washington one by then). He said, so you just moved and I said yes...in my mind, is this the part when he says, he needs to delay my application...but he said nothing else. He wrote down my new address based on what's on the driver's license. I brought our rental agreement with me, any bills that has the new address but he never asked for them. He said that if the system did not have my new address yet, he'll change it. He also mentioned that since my application was marriage-based, he believed that since my husband was here that it's a real marriage (I knew I brought him for a good reason). He went on with the application review - asked if I had other overseas trips since I applied - I had several there but none since. I indicated one traffic ticket and he said that shouldn't be a problem. He went through the yes or no questions at the end of the application. He then gave me the English test and the civics test. That was easy for me by then.

And then he said, you passed! I think my eyes went wide for a second. And then he went on to ask if I wanted to schedule the Oath taking at a later date or take the one this afternoon. Well, I think I can manage to do the one today. I was screaming for joy inside my head. He gave me the oathtaking letter to give later and congratulated me. Woohoo!

I went back out to the waiting area and told my husband I passed. I was so happy I did a fist pump in the air. The waiting room was full by then and everyone smiled.

We were back home by 7:40am - the kids were still sleeping with the grandparents. The oathtaking was scheduled for 12:25pm. I still couldn't believe it and I did not want to relax until I actual had the oathtaking. Someone might still audit my application. We were back at the Seattle office with the kids and my parents by 11:30am. I didn't know that the oathtaking was re-scheduled at 1:15pm. It must have been rescheduled after my interview. People started arriving for the oath around noon. We were very hungry by then. The actual oath happened around 1:30. There were around 40 of us. It was a wonderful feeling.

I applied for a passport two days after and it arrived yesterday! It's official! Good thing too because I have to travel to Vienna for work next month. Now I won't have to apply for a visa, which is awesome!

I hope that helps. I was really stressed with the address change but it worked out. I think my application even moved faster when it was transferred to Seattle.

[J&N071213 57]

Congratulations, happy to hear that everything worked out in your favor.

Blessings.

[OLee 64]

Congratulations!

[JimmyHou 611]

Congratulations!

Just to clarify the rule for others: you are supposed to live in the state/jurisdiction in which you are applying for 90 days before you apply, not 90 days before your interview.

You already satisfied that requirement because you lived in Georgia 90 days before you applied in Atlanta. There never was a requirement for you to live in Seattle for 90 days, so there should never have been a problem.

Of course, like you, I would have been nervous and would have expected a problem anyway, because some USCIS officers seem to misinterpret the rules on a regular basis. I'm glad you got someone who knew what they were doing. :-)

From the USCIS Policy Manual:

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartD-Chapter6.html

"In general, an applicant for naturalization must file his or her application for naturalization with the State or Service District that has jurisdiction over his or her place of residence. The applicant must have resided in that location for at least three months prior to filing.

The term State includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.[1] The term Service District is defined as the geographical area over which a USCIS office has jurisdiction.[2]

The Service District that has jurisdiction over an applicants application may or may not be located within the State where the applicant resides. In addition, some Service Districts may have jurisdiction over more than one State and most States contain more than one USCIS office.[3]

In cases where an applicant changes or plans to change his or her residence after filing the naturalization application, the applicant is required to report the change of address to USCIS so that the applicants A-file (with application) can be transferred to the appropriate office having jurisdiction over the applicants new place of residence."

[JimmyHou 611]

I forgot to mention: awesome write-up! Thanks!

[citizennow 2]

Thanks for the clarification! I would have been less nervous had I known the policy better. I have read other situations wherein the interviewer has asked the applicant to withdraw the application because theyes haven't spent enough time with their new state.

[Irrelevant 1]

Almost exact situation about to happen except moving to atlanta instead of from - our status JUST got updated to 'in line for interview', and new job in Atlanta starts on the 7th. We'll have this address for the next 3 weeks, and no new address in atlanta for about that long, so I have been wondering when/if I should file the change of address.

If we get interview letter at the current address, should we still file address change with USCIS for the application?