Some N-400 "speed up" and general questions Houston

[FlyingLonghorn 12]

Hello,

As I posted in the August filer thread it is good to be back and posting at such an informative site. We are now filing for my wife's citizenship via N-400 in Houston.

I posted some questions in the August timeline thread but they kind of get lost with all the constant timing updates so I wanted to start a thread with some of questions to see if you experts had any advice. Thank you for your time.

Due to a very long and complicated issue our filing was delayed 5-6 weeks until this mid-August. Online it shows the Houston office taking about 5 months to process N-400s. That would put us complete around mid-January presumably. We need to be done by early to mid December at the latest as we need to head overseas for 9 months or so and travelling back and forth to finish is not really a plausible option. (I guess just coming back for the swearing in could be done but is not financially good for us)

As for our current timelines: Our check cashed in Dallas on the 16th of August. The NOA dated the 16th with a priority of the 14th was recieved on the 19th.

A few days later we received the biometric date of 14 Sept in the Sugar Land, Texas office (southwest Houston suburb)

Questions:

1-I have a very good connection with my congressman and was wondering if it is worth having them see if they can speed the process up or does that even help? If so when do I have them ask? After biometrics?

2-We did not send in any photos but I noticed doing some reading here it mentioned sending some passport size photos with the initial package. Can those be sent in later or during biometrics? Is it important?

3-I've read about people doing early biometrics? how do we do that, just show up at the Sugarland office and ask to get them done early? Will that speed up the process?

4-Is there anyway to try and get sworn in at the interview if one passes? I've seen some postings about that on some immigration guide websites but wasn't sure how realistic it was or if you just ask?

Again for us travelling back and forth in January or February of 2013 is not a realistic option so I am trying to get rought idea what the timeline might look like and if we can get done before Christmas!

Thank you for any opinions and for keeping up such a great website.

FL

[arvinb 17]

1) I HATE the idea that doing this will help, because it means that when you do this you're delaying someone else's process (it's not the same as expedited passports where anybody can do it if they pay more, you have a personal privilege that will jam someone else up). That said, if I were in your situation I'd probably try it also (I might be secretly hoping it doesn't work), AFTER biometrics and after the background check (the testing and interview phase) which is when your file comes back to your local office after going to the FBI. That should be relatively quick, you can probably call your favor after biometrics.

2) It seems like if the photos would be an issue it would have happened already, your certificate uses the photos from your biometrics. That said, it certainly CAN still be a problem. Nothing left to do with that except get photos and bring them to the interview. Perhaps if you were really in a rush you should've triple-checked your application before sending it in (I'm not judging you, mine came back cause I forgot to sign it), but then again if you're rushing that's when you usually miss something.

3) You can do early biometrics by bringing your bio appt letter to the center and hopefully they'll let you do it (they are not obligated to, especially if they are busy when you come). That said from what I've seen there's little if any effect in expediting your process, though again I also heard that the biometrics and background check actually happen fairly quickly, it just takes time to get you set for an interview. So if you can speed that process up through your congressman you might have a shot.

4) I looked up timelines for people from Houston and it doesn't look like they do same-day oath. There's no getting around that. Looks like you will probably get an oath date about 3 weeks after your interview.

THAT SAID, looking at past timelines it looks like some Houston filers got their entire process done in about 4 months, so if your NOA was mid-august your oath would be mid-december (the USCIS timelines are very conservative, though since it's up to the IO's discretion you can certainly end up taking longer), which means that you're going to be cutting it close no matter what (especially since you still have to apply for a passport, though I've heard people can get them the next day). I wonder why with your trip coming so close you thought it would be prudent to apply for citizenship so soon? And while being gone for 9 months is a pain in the butt why you couldn't just wait to get citizenship until a year from now when you'll be back? At some point you must have had to weigh your options and decided it was worth the VERY small chance you can be done sooner, or be willing to spend a lot of money going back and forth to get the process finished while still traveling. I also wonder why you wouldn't have sent a general inquiry to your congressman ahead of time to see if that was even possible, because at this point unless he COULD help you I'd put your chances of making it cleanly at about 25%

Questions:

1-I have a very good connection with my congressman and was wondering if it is worth having them see if they can speed the process up or does that even help? If so when do I have them ask? After biometrics?

2-We did not send in any photos but I noticed doing some reading here it mentioned sending some passport size photos with the initial package. Can those be sent in later or during biometrics? Is it important?

3-I've read about people doing early biometrics? how do we do that, just show up at the Sugarland office and ask to get them done early? Will that speed up the process?

4-Is there anyway to try and get sworn in at the interview if one passes? I've seen some postings about that on some immigration guide websites but wasn't sure how realistic it was or if you just ask?

Again for us travelling back and forth in January or February of 2013 is not a realistic option so I am trying to get rought idea what the timeline might look like and if we can get done before Christmas!

Thank you for any opinions and for keeping up such a great website.

FL

[FlyingLonghorn 12]

First thank you for such a quick and thorough response; again that is one of the reasons I have always loved reading this site and recommending it to my friends.

1-The way I figure I pay a lot of taxes so I have no issues calling congressman but I'm holding back the favour if I can, plus for full disclosure I work as a part time registerd lobbyist and have great connections in the office; I just wanted some other opinions on if it would actually help or slow things down. I've read stories of both. Some government bureaucrats down't like people in their business so I would not want to slow things down (as a military officer for many years I dealt with my share of angry gov't workers for example). So that is my main concern. I know there is no 100% answer I'm just looking to play the odds at this point. I have several employees that used to be USCIS including in the Vermont office and they have differing but interesting opinions on what helps depending on what form is being filed (bit I digress...).

2-Point well taken though we weren't really rushing it was some changes in the application that my lawyer was making and some other unavoidable issues that caused the over month long delay. I'm a firm believer in lawyers in most cases and I'm always willing to spend the money, but I wanted to see if what people experianced here checked with what he tells me. From what you mention it seems it does.

3-Thanks! we are going to go by tomorrow and give it a try

4-Thank you, that is very helpful

THAT SAID, looking at past timelines it looks like some Houston filers got their entire process done in about 4 months, so if your NOA was mid-august your oath would be mid-december

Thanks, that was my hope in a best case scenario. I'm glad to hear it is possible.

(the USCIS timelines are very conservative, though since it's up to the IO's discretion you can certainly end up taking longer), which means that you're going to be cutting it close no matter what (especially since you still have to apply for a passport, though I've heard people can get them the next day).

We can leave on our Italian passports, so no need for the American one until coming back, but I can get it same day at the Houston passport office if needed, I've used them for my employees and family and self several times.

I wonder why with your trip coming so close you thought it would be prudent to apply for citizenship so soon?

Fair question but we have several legal reasons to get it done ASAP

And while being gone for 9 months is a pain in the butt why you couldn't just wait to get citizenship until a year from now when you'll be back?

As I said there are various legal and financial reasons it would be better to have it done now, aside from having to file for the permission to be gone and then explain why we were living in our overseas home so long. Various reasons mean we need it done, sadly we were not anticipating the over month delay in filing but it was stuff that couldn't be avoided.

At some point you must have had to weigh your options and decided it was worth the VERY small chance you can be done sooner, or be willing to spend a lot of money going back and forth to get the process finished while still traveling. I also wonder why you wouldn't have sent a general inquiry to your congressman ahead of time to see if that was even possible, because at this point unless he COULD help you I'd put your chances of making it cleanly at about 25%

Maybe it is the Italian in me but I hold my favours close and use them as needed so I only want to call in the big guns in congress if it is really needed and will actually work. I can spend the money to fly back and forth if I have to or fly free via Space A on DoD aircraft but I'd rather not. It sounds cheesy but it is complicated re: the scheduling.

25% is ok that is actually higher than I'd first thought.

Again, Thank you for the quick, insighful comments, they were most helpful! We really appreciate it!

Ciao,

FL

[sasaqlain 24]

For Question one, I can say with a certain level of conviction that no political office would sincerely make an effort to focus on your case as they are all busy in the upcoming elections. Even with your connections, if you can pull it off, I don't think it will do you much good. They don't have the authority to expedite cases. What they can do is facilitate if your case is unnecessarily delayed or blocked. Having said, that, there is no harm in trying.

[TBoneTX 47,692]

The photos are supposed to be included in the N-400 filing. Did you say that you had a lawyer prepare your package? If so, is he your "agent" in this matter? If so, USCIS will be required to deal with him, rather than with you.

Out of curiosity, who's your Congressman? Can his immigration liaison find out whether "legal" petitions & applications are being put on the back burner so that USCIS can process the Deferred Action applications from the illegals? Thanks, si man.

[FlyingLonghorn 12]

Can his immigration liaison find out whether "legal" petitions & applications are being put on the back burner so that USCIS can process the Deferred Action applications from the illegals? Thanks, si man.

I have a meeting tomorrow with two seperate staffers and can try and find out if they have heard anything.

Thanks again to everyone for the info from my questions.

We walked in this afternoon afterlunch for the biometrics and the office was almost empty. We got the bio done early and were in and out in less than 20 minutes!!!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I have a meeting tomorrow with two seperate staffers and can try and find out if they have heard anything.

Thanks again to everyone for the info from my questions.

We walked in this afternoon afterlunch for the biometrics and the office was almost empty. We got the bio done early and were in and out in less than 20 minutes!!!

My experience with Houston is that nothing is going to happen (except biometrics) until you approach the actual date of eligibility. What is that date? Around that time you will get placed in line for interview, then get assigned an interview which will fall after the date of eligibility. So had you applied exactly 90 days before eligible, you would have an approximate 3 month built in wait. Applying later like you did, may get you interviewed in 6-8 weeks. I don't think it's how long you've been in line, but when you are eligible to naturalize. A senator can't move up your eligibility date. That is set by law. Our example--eligible on 23rd, interview on 26th.

Houston does not do same day ceremonies. The day of the month you interview will affect your oath date. They do ceremonies on the 3rd Wednesday. If you interview early in the month, you can get same month. If you fall in the last half of the month, you will likely wait until the 3rd Wednesday of the following month. If everything was done properly, you will be asked to wait about 30 minutes after the interview to receive your oath letter in hand. That was explained to me by a lawyer I chatted with while my husband interviewed. He and his client were next with the same lady. My husband got his letter same day. The guy with the lawyer didn't, but with no explanation why not...just "wait to hear from us". So it can go either way.

Looks like you might have a shot at Oct 17 or Nov 14 ceremonies.

[FlyingLonghorn 12]

My experience with Houston is that nothing is going to happen (except biometrics) until you approach the actual date of eligibility. What is that date? Around that time you will get placed in line for interview, then get assigned an interview which will fall after the date of eligibility. So had you applied exactly 90 days before eligible, you would have an approximate 3 month built in wait. Applying later like you did, may get you interviewed in 6-8 weeks. I don't think it's how long you've been in line, but when you are eligible to naturalize. A senator can't move up your eligibility date. That is set by law. Our example--eligible on 23rd, interview on 26th.

Houston does not do same day ceremonies. The day of the month you interview will affect your oath date. They do ceremonies on the 3rd Wednesday. If you interview early in the month, you can get same month. If you fall in the last half of the month, you will likely wait until the 3rd Wednesday of the following month. If everything was done properly, you will be asked to wait about 30 minutes after the interview to receive your oath letter in hand. That was explained to me by a lawyer I chatted with while my husband interviewed. He and his client were next with the same lady. My husband got his letter same day. The guy with the lawyer didn't, but with no explanation why not...just "wait to hear from us". So it can go either way.

Looks like you might have a shot at Oct 17 or Nov 14 ceremonies.

We are well past the 3 year mark so eligibility is not a problem (I actually didn't know it but we could have filed much sooner while overseas but I digress...)

Great to know about the 3rd Wednesday thank you so much. That could help with planning if we must leave after the interview and come back for the ceremony, which is not optimal, but better than leaving before the interview.

thanks again

Edited August 30, 2012 by FlyingLonghorn