N400 Processing Times and Renewal of British Passport

[npson 0]

Hi

 

A couple of questions I am hoping anyone can help with:

1. I submitted my N-400 application last year and completed my biometrics appointment towards the end of August 2016.  My online status still says in process and haven't received any letters since my biometric appointment. Out of curiosity, does anyone know how long it typically takes to receive an interview appointment letter based on my timeline tied to my biometrics appointment?
2. I am a permanent resident (green card holder), since submitting my N-400, I have had to renew my British passport.  Do I need to do anything in terms of notifying the USCIS of my new British passport number? I did not need to provide my British passport information in my N-400 and am assuming that no action is required on my part.  Am I right?

 

Thanks!

[kpeck 22]

1) I would try calling the USCIS customer service line to ask about your status as it seems fairly long... My husband submitted his N-400 in December 2016 and he's completed his biometrics and has an upcoming interview scheduled already. Not sure where you've filed though. Have you checked the USCIS processing times to see if you're still within the time frame? 

 

2) You don't need to tell them an update passport number, however the instructions for the citizenship interview do say to bring ANY and ALL passports, even expired passports, to the interview. So just make sure to keep your old passport (not sure what they do with in the UK, but here in the US when I renewed my passport, they just punched two holes in it to invalidate it and gave it back to me). 

[npson 0]

I tried calling the USCIS Customer Service line a few months ago to get an idea of timeline or an update. The advice I received was they do not monitor the next steps after biometrics. It would be the local office closest to my zip code and if I wanted an update I would have to schedule an appointment, physically go there and ask them the question directly. That did not seem right just to get a status update?

 

On the biometrics notification of appointment letter I received back in August 2016 which includes the stamp that was placed on the letter to prove completion shows the Service Center in the top right of letter as "NBC".  Does that help with filing question?  Whereabouts can I find processing times? I found this link but not clear which option I am meant to select i.e. field office or something else?  https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplayInit.do

[Jamaican_Gooner 36]

On 4/9/2017 at 1:57 PM, npson said:

I tried calling the USCIS Customer Service line a few months ago to get an idea of timeline or an update. The advice I received was they do not monitor the next steps after biometrics. It would be the local office closest to my zip code and if I wanted an update I would have to schedule an appointment, physically go there and ask them the question directly. That did not seem right just to get a status update?

 

On the biometrics notification of appointment letter I received back in August 2016 which includes the stamp that was placed on the letter to prove completion shows the Service Center in the top right of letter as "NBC".  Does that help with filing question?  Whereabouts can I find processing times? I found this link but not clear which option I am meant to select i.e. field office or something else?  https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplayInit.do

What is your field office? you do go to that link and then select your field office. There are people waiting as long as you and its all driven by your field office. However one question does your online status show: "Case Is In Line For An Interview"?? If so then at least you are beyond the background check phase. Also look in the Case updates subforum for the relevant filer forum

[candybabe 46]

On ‎4‎/‎9‎/‎2017 at 2:57 PM, npson said:

I tried calling the USCIS Customer Service line a few months ago to get an idea of timeline or an update. The advice I received was they do not monitor the next steps after biometrics. It would be the local office closest to my zip code and if I wanted an update I would have to schedule an appointment, physically go there and ask them the question directly. That did not seem right just to get a status update?

 

On the biometrics notification of appointment letter I received back in August 2016 which includes the stamp that was placed on the letter to prove completion shows the Service Center in the top right of letter as "NBC".  Does that help with filing question?  Whereabouts can I find processing times? I found this link but not clear which option I am meant to select i.e. field office or something else?  https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplayInit.do

In your case, I would probably make an InfoPass appointment, go to the local office and ask to speak to an L2 Agent / Officer . L2's have visibility and can tell you what the status is as it shows in the system - now whether or not the system has a glitch and didn't update , that's a different story - they will tell you what they see. Sometimes just the inquiry into your receipt number may trigger an action. Since you have not heard anything since August 2016 you are past the 6 months mark so they will talk to you.

 

The process flow works in such a way that after you are fingerprinted the FBI background check is kicked off. Depending how many matches / true or false positives they get when they run your info, it may take a while to clear every instance to ensure it is or it is not you.

There is a thread on the forum related to applicants stuck in Background check - You may want to read through there as well.

After the background check is complete and if all false positives are resolved, then they can put you in line for interview.

 

Hope this helps.

 

I am not an immigration lawyer / specialist.

 

 

[npson 0]

When I log in online via my USCIS account, the case received date is towards the beginning of August 2016 with the status showing as "In Process" the status message says "Your benefit request has been accepted and is under review".  

 

My field office is Houston.  Based on the link in my post above, selecting Houston as the field office.  It says field office processing dates for Houston as of January 2017 for N-400 is "processing cases as of date May 15, 2016".  I am assuming there is a backlog as they are just under 3 months from getting to August 2016?

[Texaco5 32]

50 minutes ago, npson said:

When I log in online via my USCIS account, the case received date is towards the beginning of August 2016 with the status showing as "In Process" the status message says "Your benefit request has been accepted and is under review".  

 

My field office is Houston.  Based on the link in my post above, selecting Houston as the field office.  It says field office processing dates for Houston as of January 2017 for N-400 is "processing cases as of date May 15, 2016".  I am assuming there is a backlog as they are just under 3 months from getting to August 2016?

On some of the other websites like Trackitt, there have been some threads related to people who have filed N-400s that are adjudicated at the Houston field office. Sadly, they seem to be running behind a little however you should see some activity shortly if the published processing times in Jan 31 '17 were May '16. One of the reasons for the longer delays is that around 30% more N-400 applications were received during 2016 as compared to 2015, which is cast against the backdrop of the incoming administration who has asked the USCIS to pay more attention to the candidates they are processing from certain countries.

If you have set up your USCIS case status accounts and/or you myaccount.dhs.gov account (both of which will key off the NBC number on your I-797C) to send emails and texts, they will notify you as soon as the USCIS schedules the interview. About a day after receiving the text/emails, a PDF copy of the interview appointment letter will appear in the myaccount.dhs.gov account and around 3-4 days later the paper copy will show up in the mail. Based on my personal experience of a different, but equally busy field office here in Los Angeles, the interview will normally be around a month after you get the interview letter (March 1st interview letter date to April 5th interview in my case).

As to your new UK passport, just take it along to the interview and hand it to the interview officer (they will ask for it) along with the one that just expired. They will copy the passport(s), driver's license, green card etc. that you give them and then give them back to you during the interview. If there are any additional international trips you have taken since you filled out your original N-400, just take a list of these other trips along. My experience of the interview was that it is an opportunity to update and/or correct the info on the N-400 before you take the oath.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Texaco5