No more 2D barcode on N400.

[witamar 4]

They removed the 2d barcode on the new version of N400.

Does someone know the reasons?

[charmander 692]

They removed the 2d barcode on the new version of N400.

Does someone know the reasons?

Maybe not enough people were filing their forms on a computer. System was useless for handwritten forms. OR maybe there were so many errors scanning the barcodes and they found a better OCR alternative.

[lilsweetie 35]

It was strange - when I filled out the N400 one form I filled out had it (and I saved that copy as a PDF on my desktop) but then a week later I went to look for the form online and it didn't have the barcode version. I wonder if there are a couple different copies out there and the one you get depends on which site you are directed from?

[LionessDeon 2,060]

https://www.uscis.gov/news/uscis-publishes-new-edition-form-n-400-application-naturalization

Doesn't really give a reason. Maybe it was unnecessary?

[lilsweetie 35]

It was strange - when I filled out the N400 one form I filled out had it (and I saved that copy as a PDF on my desktop) but then a week later I went to look for the form online and it didn't have the barcode version. I wonder if there are a couple different copies out there and the one you get depends on which site you are directed from?

oh wait, nvm i take that back. I see the new version is dated 3/26/16, so my comments are not relevant as I applied 7/2015.

[witamar 4]

I recalled that the first time when 2d barcode was implemented on N400, they said that 2d barcode speeds up the processing time and avoids mistakes since N400 applications are processing by a device instead of a human being.

[charmander 692]

I recalled that the first time when 2d barcode was implemented on N400, they said that 2d barcode speeds up the processing time and avoids mistakes since N400 applications are processing by a device instead of a human being.

Barcodes are useless for handwritten applications. About 37% of naturalized citizens are aged 45 or older, 20% are aged 55 or older. God knows what percentage of those people fill their application on a computer.

Barcodes were different on each page, so they still needed to scan each page separately. Even 1D barcode scanners at grocery stores have malfunction issues from time to time, you can only imagine what kinds of trouble 2D scanners have.

Better to have a high performance OCR that could cover 100% (both handwritten and typed) of all filed petitions.

[at long last 58]

So what I learned by filling out the barcoded application was it just represented your answers so of course each page had a different code. Thought it interesting when I played around with different answers. Ultimately I have the newest version ready to go.

[orionn 0]

They removed the 2d barcode on the new version of N400.

Does someone know the reasons?

good decision by USCIS. Imo, barcodes are good only if there were absolutely no corrections to be made on the app after the IO has interviewed the applicant. IOs frequently correct errors during an interview with a red pen, therefore making the app hybrid and pretty much useless for the data readers to pick up the corrected data.