Starting Citizenship Process

[Gorkhali 213]

Early filing calculator shows that I am eligible to file for N-400. However, I plan to wait till my 3 year GC anniversary date which is in couple of weeks.  Meanwhile, I am starting research and getting my ducks in row. As i was reading N-400 Guide in VJ, I saw a point which kind of didn't made sense to me. Can someone share some insight?

 

• What do you think? Apply based on being eligible for early filing date or wait for few more weeks. 
• Everyone is talking about Online filing. Is it better that way or should we opt for old school offline filing? Any preference and anything that stands out as pros and cons. 

 

The guide says send these documentation (see below in red). 

• For point one, Should i just send the copy of my spouse's current US passport plus Birth certificate (as my spouse is US citizen by birth). 
• And For Point one, How do i show that my spouse has not been outside of US for last 3 years?
• For Point 3, We never were married prior. This is our first marriage. Can we skip point 3?
• Point 4, Do we front load the application with proof of ongoing relationship as we did when we started CR1 Process. Do we still have to prove that we are happily married? If so what kind of documentation do we submit?
  • We already have tax transcript for last 3 years,
  • I am on our house deed. 
  • We have our will. 
  • We have financial documents showing we are beneficiary to each other's finances in case if anything happens to us.
  • She has a copy of my credit card which she loves to whip around when she goes out with her friend. 
  • We have family photos, flight tickets to show we both traveled to be with family in various occasion. 
  • We definitely can get our friends & family to write signed affidavit (if required). 

 

If you are applying for naturalization on the basis of marriage to a U.S. citizen, send the following four items:

1. Evidence that your spouse has been a U.S. citizen for the last three years: Birth certificate (if your spouse never lost citizenship since birth), or Naturalization certificate, or Certificate of Citizenship, or The inside of the front cover and signature page of your spouse's current U.S. passport, or Form FS-240, 'Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America', and 2. Your current marriage certificate; and 3. Proof of termination of all prior marriages of your spouse-divorce decree(s), annulment(s), or death certificate(s); and 4. Documents referring to you and your spouse: Tax returns, bank accounts, leases, mortgages, or birth certificates of children, or Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-certified copies of the income tax forms that you both filed for the past three years, or An IRS tax return transcript for the last three years.

Thank you all for all the help.

 

Cheers

 

[HRQX 4,145]

1 hour ago, Gorkhali said:

And For Point one, How do i show that my spouse has not been outside of US for last 3 years?

There is no such requirement to show that the US Citizen has mostly been in the US.

1 hour ago, Gorkhali said:

Can we skip point 3?

Yes

1 hour ago, Gorkhali said:

If so what kind of documentation do we submit?

• We already have tax transcript for last 3 years,
• I am on our house deed. 
• We have our will. 
• We have financial documents showing we are beneficiary to each other's finances in case if anything happens to us.
• She has a copy of my credit card which she loves to whip around when she goes out with her friend. 
• We have family photos, flight tickets to show we both traveled to be with family in various occasion.

That looks good. Treat it like a mini-ROC.

1 hour ago, Gorkhali said:

We definitely can get our friends & family to write signed affidavit (if required).

Not required. So, it's your choice.

1 hour ago, Gorkhali said:

Should i just send the copy of my spouse's current US passport plus Birth certificate (as my spouse is US citizen by birth).

Just one is sufficient.

1 hour ago, Gorkhali said:

Apply based on being eligible for early filing date or wait for few more weeks.

Apply now.

1 hour ago, Gorkhali said:

Is it better that way or should we opt for old school offline filing? Any preference and anything that stands out as pros and cons.

I say use online filing. It's efficient. It's been an option since ~2017.

[Gorkhali 213]

Thnks a lot

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

I like online filing because : it’s efficient, the form leads you to upload what’s necessary for your case depending on your answers (so you are unlikely to accidentally miss something you need), you get an immediate receipt notice/case number on submission, all updates are online as well as mailed, and you have a copy of your n400 form automatically saved. 

Edited May 30, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[Scandi 3,970]

Like Susie said, filing online is just easier overall. The online form removes stuff that doesn't apply to you based on your answers.

 

Filing online is smooth sailing, until you get to the upload part. Uploading isn't an issue, but the uploads aren't saved if you log out. So make sure to upload the documents right before you click "submit", no logging out in between. It's a glitch a lot of people have experienced. Other than that, filing online is by far the easiest and fastest way to file the N-400. Just make sure that all answers and uploads are there before you submit.

[Gorkhali 213]

thanks guys

so if i do online filing.. can i pay for it online or does it have to be offline

[HRQX 4,145]

2 hours ago, Gorkhali said:

so if i do online filing.. can i pay for it online or does it have to be offline

Online: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/paying-uscis-fees

If You File Online

If you file your form online, the system will guide you through the process of paying your fees with a credit, debit, or pre-paid card. Bank account withdrawals are also available when paying online. Once you are ready to submit your form, the system will automatically direct you to the secure Department of Treasury site, pay.gov, to pay your fees online.

 

We only use pay.gov to process fees. Always check the website address before you pay. Beware of scam websites and scammers who may pretend to be a USCIS website.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

2 hours ago, Gorkhali said:

thanks guys

so if i do online filing.. can i pay for it online or does it have to be offline

You must pay online, or it won’t submit. It’s the last step in the process.

[Gorkhali 213]

thanks a lot