Potential impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) epidemic on the citizenship process (and timelines)

[SP&DT 33]

43 minutes ago, Lucky Cat said:

I would think so....but a new medical could be required....

I don't mind doing another medical, I just worry that I'll be forced to do the whole process again if this goes on...

[mseck8688 16]

i didn't regret to not file for citizenship  now  i have my 10 year green card in pocket i can file citizenship whenever i feel like it 

thats  why i like to do one step at a time but not doing like most doing 

not even done with roc and filing for citizenship so get ready to suck the delays and nightmare 

[kmurray3241 4]

On 3/8/2020 at 12:38 PM, N400NYC said:

I don't see many people discussing the topic here but I think before long it will become a reality we all have to deal with: the negative effects of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak on the citizenship process. 

 

One thing is for sure - this past week was just the beginning of what is going to be a prolonged period of societal disruption relating to the spread of this infection/illness throughout communities across the country. As more testing is done, more positive test results will occur and more restrictions relating to travel and daily life will be put in place. 

 

Already we have seen one field office temporarily closed: SEATTLE. And USCIS last week issued an alert advising people of the necessity to reschedule appointments if they are sick, have traveled to an area severely impacted by coronavirus, or have had recent exposure to someone with the infection. I also heard of an instance where questions were being routinely asked, at the time of checking in for an interview, about recent travel to areas where there have been severe COVID-19 outbreaks (e.g. China, SK, Italy, Iran etc.). 

 

I see the *potential* for a negative impact on the citizenship process in the following ways:

 

- temporary field office closures (in certain areas): e.g. the SEATTLE office was ordered to close for 14 days this past week after an IO tested positive for COVID-19 (read that story here) 

- temporary closures of support centers where biometrics appointments are conducted

- applicants having to self-quarantine (for up to 14 days) depending on recent travels

- USCIS staff being away from work (due to illness or recent travel or recent exposure to COVID-19)

- rescheduling of interviews

- rescheduling of oath ceremonies

- worsening of existing backlogs resulting in further delays...delays...delays...

 

Also, just this past week, we saw individualized case completion times disappear from my.uscis profiles. Not sure if that's related to the above or merely a coincidence. 

 

What do others think?

Yes, my date went from July 30th to December 31st, 2020...it would be a year for 1st acceptance; CR-1, Nigeria. The delay is so horrible. As people stated the flu is worse. I'm devastated. 

[geroaj 46]

On 3/8/2020 at 3:38 PM, N400NYC said:

Thank you! Fingers crossed! <1 week to go...

Good luck..mine is the 26 ...so i am mentally ready for a cancellation:(

[A&D25612 32]

17 hours ago, SP&DT said:

I don't mind doing another medical, I just worry that I'll be forced to do the whole process again if this goes on...

I'm wondering the same thing. My k1 visa was approved in February. My US fiancé was supposed to visit me in the UK for 13 days, then we were to go back to the US together on 31st March. Due to the new coronavirus travel restrictions including UK and ROI (the layovers would have been in Dublin as well), we have had to cancel our trip. I’m currently in the UK. Like many I'm also wondering if there will be an automatic extension (if an extension is even considered at all!), in case the travel ban isn’t lifted in time of the expiry date. Or whether we have to apply for one now. The k1 visa stamp on my passport says it expires 9^th July 2020 (although the lady at my interview in Feb said I need to be gone by June?).  

But either way, we are all just waiting for answers. I understand a lot of officials wont have answers yet themselves but it's just frustrating with all this uncertainty and no answers let alone no one to contact (besides using online forms as the Embassy can't answer visa related things over the phone anyway).

Stay safe!


UPDATE: This is the email I received from the London visa medical center

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Unfortunately we are unable to answer any of the below, as we have no information on this.

 

You need to travel to the US with a valid medical.  As far as we know, the visa should be valid until the medical expires. Medical is valid for 6 months from the day you had it done.

 

The rest – you will need to get the answers FROM the Embassy, how it is going to work with the ban and all. I know they have a meeting at the Embassy today in afternoon in regards to the current situation, but we do not have any information what is going to happen and how it is going to work.

 

Kind regards,

Hope this helps some!
Ash ~


Edit: Which makes me eye roll and chuckle a little because getting any answers from the embassy was a joke even before this whole virus situation. But I totally sympathise and understand that's all they CAN recommend. 
 

Edited March 16, 2020 by A&D25612

[Marimar04 22]

I applied in December and I do not know when I will have my interview. I would like to know if applying for unemployment due to Coronavirus will impact negatively my application. 

[A&D25612 32]

17 minutes ago, Marimar04 said:

I applied in December and I do not know when I will have my interview. I would like to know if applying for unemployment due to Coronavirus will impact negatively my application. 

That's a good question and I'm sure something a lot of us will have to think about, including myself. I did received another email recently that I've posted on another thread but wanted to pop it here too. 

 The Consular Information Unit London replied:

 
 =============================================================================

Thank you for your email. We understand your concern regarding visas and travel in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19). We hope that this email will help answer your questions. 

 

Can I travel to the United States?/What does the recent travel order mean?

Entry is suspended, per Presidential Proclamation, of non-LPR foreign nationals who were present in the People’s Republic of China, not including the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the 26 countries that comprise the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, excluding overseas territories outside of Europe of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or the Republic of Ireland within 14 days prior to their arrival at the port of entry in the United States.  Please review the Presidential Proclamation for detailed information: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-suspension-entry-immigrants-nonimmigrants-persons-pose-risk-transmitting-2019-novel-coronavirus//

 

The Department of State recommends the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website regarding COVID-19 for the most up-to-date information https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. 

 

The latest travel restriction does not apply to American citizens, legal permanent residents, most immediate family members of U.S. citizens, and other individuals who are identified in the proclamation. The Department of Homeland Security will direct those who have been in the Schengen Area who are exempt from these restrictions, including American citizens, to travel through select airports where the U.S. Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures. Travelers are advised to visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website, www.dhs.gov/news-releases, for further guidance on U.S. travel restrictions.

 

Will the U.S. Embassy in London be closing?/Will my visa interview appointment be cancelled?

 

As of March 17, 2020, the United States Embassy in London is cancelling routine nonimmigrant visa appointments and reducing immigrant visa appointments, and no visa appointments will take place at the Consulate in Belfast. We will resume routine visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this time. 

 

If you have scheduled a visa interview appointment, the Visa Appointment Service will contact you if your appointment is being postponed. The MRV fee is valid and may be used for a visa application in the country where it was purchased within one year of the date of payment. Please note that visa fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. If you wish to apply for a visa through another Embassy or Consulate, you will be required to pay a new MRV fee and complete a new Form DS-160.

 

Please monitor our website at https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas/ and the email account you used when registering with the Visa Appointment Service (including any junk or spam folders) for the latest information and any further updates. 

  

What will happen with my visa application that is currently being processed?

If it is not possible for your visa to be issued prior to the Presidential Proclamation taking effect, your passport will be returned to you. 

 

If your application is subject to additional administrative processing, or under review pending a decision on a waiver of ineligibility or for any other reason, that will remain the status of your case until you are advised otherwise. 

 

If information or documentation other than your passport has been requested in connection with a nonimmigrant visa application, you can still send it in. Your case will be reviewed when routine operations resume. However, you should not submit your passport for a nonimmigrant visa case, even if it has been requested from you. 

 

If any information or documentation has been requested for your immigrant or fiancé(e) visa application, you can still send it in. Your case will be reviewed when routine operations resume.

 

Can my U.S. visa be extended?

Nonimmigrant visas cannot be extended. However, the majority of nonimmigrant visas are valid for several years. Please check the visa in your passport to confirm the validity period of the visa in your case. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions section of our website at https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas/non-immigrant-visa-faqs/ for more information about visa and passport validity. If you were issued with a J, O or P visa and it expires, check our website at https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas/visa-reissuance-program/who-is-eligible/ to see if you may qualify to apply for a new visa by courier. All other visa applicants aged 14 to 79 inclusive are required to attend a visa interview appointment when reapplying for a visa.

 

Immigrant visas cannot be extended. However, if you find that you are unable to travel within the validity period of your visa due to circumstances beyond your control, you can request visa reissuance. You should reply to this message after your unused visa has expired, at which time we will send you information about how to submit your passport, visa package (if applicable) and a letter explaining why you were unable to travel and requesting visa reissuance. Please note that you will be required to undergo a new medical examination and pay a new visa fee before the visa can be reissued. 

 

Can I have a refund for a U.S. visa that has already been issued?

As explained at the time of fee payment, visa fees are non-refundable. The application fee is levied to cover the costs of adjudicating and processing an application. Please see above for information about visa validity, provided that your new purpose of travel is consistent with the type of visa you hold.

 

Any other questions

If you have any further questions about visas, please see our website at https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas/, including the Frequently Asked Question (FAQs), for detailed information. If your question is still not answered, please reply to this message. Please note that we will be unable to respond if your question is addressed in this email or on our website. 

 

If your question is about ESTA or the Visa Waiver Program, please note that those programs are administered by CBP, not by this office. If you have ESTA questions after checking our website (including the FAQs) and the official ESTA website at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ (including the Help section), you can find additional information and contact details for CBP through their Info Center website at https://help.cbp.gov.

 

If you have general questions about coronavirus (COVID-19), check our website at https://uk.usembassy.gov/covid-19 for a list of useful resources.

 

If you have question about flights, please contact your airline. 

 

 =============================================================================



Hope this helps others on here.


Ash~

[Suze1 366]

By the way -

https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-03-16-20-intl-hnk/index.html

First participant in coronavirus vaccine trial given dose

From CNN’s Michael Nedelman

A novel coronavirus vaccine trial in the US has now given a dose to its first participant, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced Monday.

The study aims to enroll a total of 45 healthy adults over a six-week time frame. Each participant will receive two injections about a month apart in varying doses. 

The study, which is a Phase I trial, is meant to establish that the vaccine is safe and induces a desired response from participants' immune systems. Proving that the vaccine is effective in preventing COVID-19 infection, however, will require follow-up studies involving many more participants, which will take many more months, experts say.

“Finding a safe and effective vaccine to prevent infection with [the novel coronavirus] is an urgent public health priority,” NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said in a statement Monday. “This Phase 1 study, launched in record speed, is an important first step toward achieving that goal.”

The trial is funded by NIAID and run out of the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. The vaccine, which uses genetic material called messenger RNA, was developed by NIAID scientists in collaboration with the biotech company Moderna.

The agency credited the speed with which it stood up a Phase I trial to its prior studies on related coronaviruses SARS and MERS. Scientists had previously worked on an experimental MERS vaccine targeting a protein on the virus' surface, which gave them a "head start for developing a vaccine candidate to protect against COVID-19," the statement said.

[alewis 5]

I got a notification that my fiances interview is canceled indefinitely this morning in Algiers. It was April 13. We were almost there. 😭

 

[N400NYC 380]

4 hours ago, alewis said:

I got a notification that my fiances interview is canceled indefinitely this morning in Algiers. It was April 13. We were almost there. 😭

 

Painful

 

They will reschedule at some point 

[JAC&MEH 34]

On 3/8/2020 at 11:38 AM, N400NYC said:

I don't see many people discussing the topic here but I think before long it will become a reality we all have to deal with: the negative effects of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak on the citizenship process. 

 

One thing is for sure - this past week was just the beginning of what is going to be a prolonged period of societal disruption relating to the spread of this infection/illness throughout communities across the country. As more testing is done, more positive test results will occur and more restrictions relating to travel and daily life will be put in place. 

 

Already we have seen one field office temporarily closed: SEATTLE. And USCIS last week issued an alert advising people of the necessity to reschedule appointments if they are sick, have traveled to an area severely impacted by coronavirus, or have had recent exposure to someone with the infection. I also heard of an instance where questions were being routinely asked, at the time of checking in for an interview, about recent travel to areas where there have been severe COVID-19 outbreaks (e.g. China, SK, Italy, Iran etc.). 

 

I see the *potential* for a negative impact on the citizenship process in the following ways:

 

- temporary field office closures (in certain areas): e.g. the SEATTLE office was ordered to close for 14 days this past week after an IO tested positive for COVID-19 (read that story here) 

- temporary closures of support centers where biometrics appointments are conducted

- applicants having to self-quarantine (for up to 14 days) depending on recent travels

- USCIS staff being away from work (due to illness or recent travel or recent exposure to COVID-19)

- rescheduling of interviews

- rescheduling of oath ceremonies

- worsening of existing backlogs resulting in further delays...delays...delays...

 

Also, just this past week, we saw individualized case completion times disappear from my.uscis profiles. Not sure if that's related to the above or merely a coincidence. 

 

What do others think?

You called it!  They just announced suspending all Visa processing in Mexico:

 

https://mx.usembassy.gov/status-of-u-s-consular-operations-in-mexico-in-light-of-covid-19/

 

[N400NYC 380]

7 minutes ago, JAC&MEH said:

You called it!  They just announced suspending all Visa processing in Mexico:

 

https://mx.usembassy.gov/status-of-u-s-consular-operations-in-mexico-in-light-of-covid-19/

 

Wow - that’s going to impact a lot of people! And the “until further notice” is unsettling!

 

”...the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and all U.S. consulates in Mexico will suspend routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services starting March 18, 2020, and until further notice.  The U.S. Embassy and consulates will continue to provide essential consular services to U.S. citizens as well as emergency visa services.  See below for more details.”

[JAC&MEH 34]

I'm afraid that other embassies and consulates are going to follow suit like a bunch of lemmings.

[N400NYC 380]

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health-care/virus-notes-casinos-closing-1st-cape-case/

 

 

Quote

For people about to become US Citizens, the naturalization ceremony is a day where they’re surrounded by attorneys and loved ones. But due to coronavirus spread concerns, the gatherings will become much smaller affairs.

 

According to sources at US Citizenship and Immigration Services who do not wish to be named, the agency is going to start limiting the number of people who can attend naturalization ceremonies to 25 people. The agency will be sending out notifications later this week on guidelines and will help people who would like to postpone their ceremony. Citizenship and Immigration Services is in charge of processing citizenship application and green cards, and has not otherwise suspended interviews or appointments in the local field office. The agency’s site recommends anyone who feels ill to skip appointments and remain home.

 

Attorneys like Mahsa Khanbabai, head of the New England chapter for American Immigration Lawyers Association, are pleased that the agency is taking steps to reduce the spread of the virus by limiting the number of individuals at the ceremonies.

 

But for families that have waited so long for their moment, it can be hard. “Naturalization cases are a particularly sensitive area because these individuals have been patiently waiting years and sometimes decades to finally have their turn in line,” Khanbabai said.

 

Edited March 17, 2020 by N400NYC

[N400NYC 380]

2 office closures