Timing for Citizenship from K1

[Nicola and Jordan 668]

Hi, I am a way off from applying for citizenship but I want to ensure I know how it works for when I get there.

 

I submitted my AOS (from K1) in March of this year and my local field office is NYC which currently has a processing time of 20.5 - 34 months, so does mean I have to wait for the 3 years AFTER I’ve received my green card even if that takes the maximum of 34 months to receive - even though I would have been married for over 2.5 years and almost at the 3 year mark since entering the US at that point? Some people who filed in March have received their green cards already so that guess their 3 year countdown starts now? Hope this makes sense I just want to ensure I have the information correct. 

[Nat&Amy 623]

Yes, you will count 3 years beginning on the date of "Resident since", which will be printed on your green card.

[Nicola and Jordan 668]

Just now, Nat&Amy said:

Yes, you will count 3 years beginning on the date of "Resident since", which will be printed on your green card.

Thank you 😊 Do you know if it’s normally dated from the AOS approval or AOS filing date etc?

[Mollie09 1,543]

1 minute ago, Nicola and Jordan said:

Thank you 😊 Do you know if it’s normally dated from the AOS approval or AOS filing date etc?

AOS approval date

[arken 4,197]

Yeah, that’s one of the downside of K1 process. 

 

Resident since date will be the date AOS gets approved.

[HRQX 4,145]

7 minutes ago, Nicola and Jordan said:

does mean I have to wait for the 3 years AFTER I’ve received my green card 

Yes, 3 years from AOS approval date. The application can be submitted up to 90 days early: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/uscis-early-filing-calculator

[Nat&Amy 623]

2 minutes ago, Nicola and Jordan said:

Thank you 😊 Do you know if it’s normally dated from the AOS approval or AOS filing date etc?

AoS approval date.

 

It is unlikely though that your approval will take 3 years. Even busy offices have been issuing GCs faster than that.

Edited August 1, 2019 by Nat&Amy

[Nicola and Jordan 668]

Thank you all for your responses! Back to the (hopefully not too) long waiting game 😅

[arken 4,197]

If it really takes that long that your AOS gets approved after your 2nd anniversary,  one upside to that is you don’t need to file for ROC.

[Nicola and Jordan 668]

24 minutes ago, arken said:

If it really takes that long that your AOS gets approved after your 2nd anniversary,  one upside to that is you don’t need to file for ROC.

Ha yeah that’s true! I think it will be at least a year and a half going by other NYC filers but who knows what the future of USCIS processing times holds lol. If they want to transfer my case to a quieter office even if it’s on the west coast I would be happy 😂

Edited August 1, 2019 by Nicola and Jordan
Typo