JUST FILED MY N-400. PLS WHAT IS THE LIKELY TIMELINE FOR THIS. DO YU ADVISE ME TO FILE I 130 FOR MY WIFE . WE JUST GOT MARRIED. I AM A NOVICE SO PLS ADVICE ME SO THAT I WILL NOT MAKE MISTAKE.

Hey there, Welcome to VisaJourney!!

Check out the "Immigration Timelines" link on the top navigation bar. Click the citizenship section and play around with the data. It might give you a good idea.

PLS MORE COMMENT ON THIS GUYS!

What is your local office? That is the timeline you could follow. But every case is different. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=112463
Good luck.

If you just filed your N400, you applied to be a US Citizen. I am assuming then you are a greencard holder. I would advice you to wait till you gain your Citizenship before filing I-130 for your wife. Reason being, after Citizenship she will be wife of a US Citizen and not Wife of a Permanent Resident. Big diference. As wife of a Citizen she does not have to wait for Visa Number Availability (which could take 5 years or more to see the fruits of the I-130). As a citizen's wife, she will not need to wait for a visa to be available, and the I-130 could be approved in less that a year (depending on various situations).

Hope this helps.

Gracey.

Thanks Gracey but i am of the opinion that if the i130 is approved and i became citizen , i can request to change the status of approved petition according to my lawyer but the issue now is that, if it is already sent to nvc, i might not be able to change status as a friend told me. Pls advise and help post to fellow VJs. i am a green card holder as you said since 2001 but because i only started residing in 2005, i was denied initially on ground of non maintating my resedency but am more than 30 months within now and i can file back. Thanks for more advice



Thanks.
Vermont

You can always upgrade a petition submitted as an LPR after the alien becomes a US citizen. My question is only this. Did you acquire PR through a former marriage? If so, I believe an alien must wait until they've been an LPR for 5 years before petitioning a spouse.

NO. I came with green card in 2001 stayed 8 months and i went back. Came in after 11 months stayed 4weeks and left again, stayed another 11 months and came here for visit of 5 wks. I only started staying permanently in 2005 April. Initial denial of N_400 was because, i stayed out more that a no of days but can refile having been resided for over 30months which i am now and that is why i am re-filing. However, am just married in africa and i want to know if to start the I-130 for my

If you only started staying permanently in 2005 April, and if you're not married to a US Citizen, you won't be eligible for citizenship until 2010 April. You can file the paperwork 90 days before you have five years in the US, which would be January of 2010.

Any time you spend six months or more outside of the US, you lose all accrued time for the purpose of meeting the "continuous residence" requirement for citizenship. When you return from a trip of six months or more, you start accumulating continuous residence time.

I'm assuming your wife isn't a US Citizen; otherwise you wouldn't be petitioning for her. Therefore, you need to spend five years in the US as an LPR with no trips of more than six months outside the US.

I'm not sure I understand your timeline completely, so my dates would be wrong if your starting date is something other than April of 2005.

I would also be somewhat concerned about abandonment of status issues. In particular, it may be unwise to use the phrase "I only started staying permanently in 2005 April", or "I came to the US for a visit of five weeks". By law, if you're not continuously maintaining your residence permanently in the US, you are not entitled to your green card. You wouldn't want them to retroactively determine that you abandoned status long ago.

check your eligibility in this official worksheet http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/M-480.pdf

Hi Mubo

Like someone already... and here are the points to note

1. If you are a green card holder, AND have consistently resided in the US for five years AND did not get your greencard through marriage to a US citizen, THEN chances of getting your Citizenship approved are very good.

2. If you apply for your spouse the form I-130 before you become a citizenship, you are just wasting a lot of time since you will not be given priority like the Citizens do. Check the processing times for greencard holders who applied for their spouses in the USCIS website, last time I checked they are now processing early 2002 applications.

3. If you apply for Citizenship (if determined eligible) you will probably be sworn in in less than 8 months (at least in Texas Service Center) and turn around and file your I-130 to bring your spouse which should be approved in about another 8 months.

If you do the math, its more worthwhile to file as a Citizen.

Hope this helps

Gracey. PS (the wrong timeline will show under my name, for which I apologize - since I've graduated to the I-129 filing. I check on the citizens-to-be forum to see where I can help....if I can)

Thanks so much. You are so thoughtful.. As i told u, i was denied and told that i can apply after being here over 30 months. I have a lot health issues. I reaaly need hel. Am even thin king of contacting my last case that they closed now that i have met their requirement so that i wont go thru all this stages again. Anyway, just advise on the way forward more.
Thanks

I filed my n400 in may 2007 and i didnt get my receipt until november and went in for finger prints in december. I just recently got my interview notice and i go in on april 5th. I am however a bit worried because i got arrested for a dui in 2004 but was found not guilty and got off with a speeding ticket. Do i have reason to be worrying? I hired a lawyer to represent me but i just want some more opinions on this..thanks =)