Few questions regarding Filing for Citizenship

[JrGoldMiner 63]

Hello,

 

I became LPR on April 2015 via Employment (EB2). I still work for the same employer and filed my taxes every year. The Filing Calculator on USCIS website says that I can file as early as late Jan 2020. 

 

I feel like I have a very straightforward case. Never been out of the country for more than a month. No more than 2 months max in a year. Spouse is  in the process of arriving to the US under F2A after 2 years of wait.  I'm in the DC area so may be subjected to the long wait. 

 

Here are some of my questions -

 

• Should I hire an attorney to do the paperwork? I have in the past for everything else but may be this is an overkill. I see folks filing online with ease in other post. I meet all the requirements (physical presence, good moral character etc) listed in the guides here.
• What happens if I change my Job after applying? The waiting period now for DC area is 9-20 months. I may seek better opportunities sometime next year. Do I just provide them with my new Employer info after applying or can it be amended later during interview.
• I never registered for selective service as I was a in F1 when I was 18 - 25 yo. 
• I have sizable losses in 2018 in the stock market and a bit during past years. We had a bull market and I lost money go figure. Would that have an impact? 

 

Is there anything else anyone here can think (document wise or what not) that I need to have in possession  beside what's already mentioned in the guide? I've heard from friends that the process is more scrutinized but I understand it's on a case by case basis.  Please share your experience if you've applied yourself with similar background and went through the process. It would be helpful to me and others. 

 

 

Thanks!

Edited December 20, 2019 by JrGoldMiner

[arken 4,197]

Like you said, its a very straightforward case. No need for a lawyer and no need to worry about anything you mentioned in your post. Even if you are unemployed at present, you can still go for citizenship. You financial account doesn’t affect the application. 
 

anything changes in terms of address, employment, travel  outside US, you can update that during the interview.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

Agree very straightforward case, and as Arken says you can update any changes in interview. Simple online filing for you in my opinion. The nice thing about online filing is that depending on your answers, the system actually tells you what documents you need to upload.

[JrGoldMiner 63]

Thanks @arken and @SusieQQQ

 

I'll proceed with my application on January.

 

Happy holidays!

[JrGoldMiner 63]

Few follow up questions - 

 

• Where do I find the USCIS Online Account number? Before I clicked on file online it prompted me to login to https://my.uscis.gov/ where I have an account and proceeded to start my application. It tells me to login online and look under my profile and I can't find that in https://my.uscis.gov. I think I don't have one as I have applied for anything online ever. Just want to confirm that's the case. 
• My wife is waiting for her interview abroad and hopefully it happens this month. One of the question in the applications asks for her physical address. Do I provide her present address abroad or should I wait until she arrives here?
• I may move in another 3-6 months, how easy would it be to update the address for the application so I don't lose my mail? It is the same process of  updating your address within 30 days? or is there another way to update the address in the application for both me and my wife. 

 

Thanks!

[JrGoldMiner 63]

For the question below. I've been working for the same company even before last five years so i'm just including that. I did school part time but I graduated 2014 so before 5 years and I'm not including it. Finally, I have an LLC that I use for side contracting. Should I include that? 

 

Where have you worked and/or attended school (full time or part time) during the last 5 years?

Provide where and when you have worked or attended school full time or part time during the last 5 years. Include all military, police, and/or intelligence service and provide information for the complete time period.

[Just Paul 4,591]

59 minutes ago, JrGoldMiner said:

I have an LLC that I use for side contracting. Should I include that?

Yes - wouldn't it be on the tax returns as well - of you are providing them?  Jobs and taxes should match up.

[JrGoldMiner 63]

Just now, Paul & Mary said:

Yes - wouldn't it be on the tax returns as well - of you are providing them?  Jobs and taxes should match up.

Thanks for the quick reply. 

 

It's a one person LLC so the taxes are passed through to the owner which is me and would be reported to my taxes (1040). So I think I should add it to my application. Thanks.

[JrGoldMiner 63]

6 hours ago, JrGoldMiner said:

Few follow up questions - 

 

• Where do I find the USCIS Online Account number? Before I clicked on file online it prompted me to login to https://my.uscis.gov/ where I have an account and proceeded to start my application. It tells me to login online and look under my profile and I can't find that in https://my.uscis.gov. I think I don't have one as I have applied for anything online ever. Just want to confirm that's the case. 
• My wife is waiting for her interview abroad and hopefully it happens this month. One of the question in the applications asks for her physical address. Do I provide her present address abroad or should I wait until she arrives here?
• I may move in another 3-6 months, how easy would it be to update the address for the application so I don't lose my mail? It is the same process of  updating your address within 30 days? or is there another way to update the address in the application for both me and my wife. 

 

Thanks!

Online application is forcing me to select status for my wife. There are two option "Lawful Permanent Resident" or "Other" which has an additional field to explain the situation. Wondering what's the right approach here? I'm leaning towards selecting "Other" and explaining wife is waiting to be interviewed on consulate abroad and provide her USCIS and NVC case number. Is that what folks do? I can also wait for wife to be here but I don't see why I should. I've searched VJ and found no similar case. 

Edited January 26, 2020 by JrGoldMiner

[JrGoldMiner 63]

I've been reading a lot about of scenarios regarding traffic tickets. Official instructions suggests, if it's less than $500 and not drug or alcohol related it doesn't need to be included. I have read countless posts where some didn't list in application while other did. For the folks who didn't it was brought up during the interview and they had papers to show it was taken care of. Looks like completely dependent on IO.

 

I have three tickets from more than 10 years ago all were minor traffic violation i.e. speeding etc. I paid for it and moved on. I don't have the receipts for all. Even the courts don't have that in their records. I'm planning to answer yes and explain my three tickets and  upload the tickets that I have and bring along my DVM  driving record (which only goes back 11 years :( ) Does that sound like a good idea?  What should I take to the interview to satisfy it has been taken care of?  I mean really if I hadn't paid my tickets all these years there would be outstanding warrant for me :/

 

@arken @SusieQQQ @Paul & Mary Thoughts?

[arken 4,197]

13 minutes ago, JrGoldMiner said:

I've been reading a lot about of scenarios regarding traffic tickets. Official instructions suggests, if it's less than $500 and not drug or alcohol related it doesn't need to be included. I have read countless posts where some didn't list in application while other did. For the folks who didn't it was brought up during the interview and they had papers to show it was taken care of. Looks like completely dependent on IO.

 

I have three tickets from more than 10 years ago all were minor traffic violation i.e. speeding etc. I paid for it and moved on. I don't have the receipts for all. Even the courts don't have that in their records. I'm planning to answer yes and explain my three tickets and  upload the tickets that I have and bring along my DVM  driving record (which only goes back 11 years ) Does that sound like a good idea?  What should I take to the interview to satisfy it has been taken care of?  I mean really if I hadn't paid my tickets all these years there would be outstanding warrant for me 😕

 

@arken @SusieQQQ @Paul & Mary Thoughts?

I’ll just say it’s up to you. For minor tickets, they usually don’t care. I had one ticket for around $100 several years ago before applying for citizenship, and i didn’t even include that in the form.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

I’d personally include it for peace of mind. 

[JrGoldMiner 63]

Thank you both for replying.

 

 I'll just list those citations in my application. But I don't have any documentation to upload so I'll take the DMV record with me to interview.