N400 Online Application or renew geencard?

[Dee Bee18 1]

Hello All,

Happy Holidays!

 

I've been a GC holder since 2009 and have been planning to do my N400 for a while but kept delaying it for other reasons.  Now that I decided to apply for N400 via online, I did not realize how much of a delay in processing (16months +) COVID19 has caused the USCIS system.   If I apply now (dec 2020) will I make it in time before my GC is set to expire March 2022.  Would it be advisable to renew my GC for now and apply for citizenship after I receive my new GC since the delay is unknown?

 

need your advise. 

 

Thanks -)

 

Timeline:

Permanent Resident since 2009 via marriage to US citizen husband

 

 

[Mike E 11,741]

1. There is a good chance you won’t get your citizenship before your green card expires.  
 

2. because you are filing the N-400 with more than 6 months left on your green you don’t need to file to renew your green card.  if your green card gets near expiration while you are waiting to naturalize, you can get an I-551 stamp on your passport by arranging an appointment with your USCIS field office.  
 

 

 

[millefleur 5,047]

I would try the I-551 route if they allow it (some field offices will be nicer than others about giving out the stamp.) March 2022 is still pretty far out, depending on what field office you have, you might end up with your N-400 completed before the card expires.

 

What's your local office?

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Hugely depends where you are. Some FOs are still only taking a few months to do the whole process, others are taking well over a year.

[ThaOne 101]

On 12/30/2020 at 12:27 AM, Dee Bee18 said:

Hello All,

Happy Holidays!

 

I've been a GC holder since 2009 and have been planning to do my N400 for a while but kept delaying it for other reasons.  Now that I decided to apply for N400 via online, I did not realize how much of a delay in processing (16months +) COVID19 has caused the USCIS system.   If I apply now (dec 2020) will I make it in time before my GC is set to expire March 2022.  Would it be advisable to renew my GC for now and apply for citizenship after I receive my new GC since the delay is unknown?

 

need your advise. 

 

Thanks -)

 

Timeline:

Permanent Resident since 2009 via marriage to US citizen husband

 

 

You need to understand that the processing times are not definitive. There are many people even in "busy" regions who got their situation sorted in much less time than what is even listed. Not sure where you got the 16 months from, but usually USCIS gives two months (a bracket). so maybe in the case you are referring to it would have been 16  to 20 months. That means per their data 50% of cases were done by month 16 and 93% of cases were done by the 20th month. Now that means that a percentage of people got theirs done before the 16th month. It really has to do with so many variables, no one can predict your case. Also note that this is a forum where people usually participate and seek answers based on atypical circumstances. While a lot (maybe the majority) of people on this forum have long waits, it doesn't mean everyone has had long waits. It's only when things become "weird" that people most of the times start posting in forums, so you will see a lot of disappointed people here but that doesn't mean that the hundreds of thousands of people who apply have to wait that long. How many happy customers call Customer Services to share happy smooth experiences?

If you file your n400 now, chances are you will be done by March 2022. If not when you get close to that, why not just get the stamp while waiting for the n400 if still waiting?

 

Keep in mind that renewing your GC now, could still take up to 12 months and comes with all the fees and additional documentation...

Just do your n400 now.

If you need to travel when the GC is expired you can get a stamp or whatever they call it while/if the n400 is pending. But aside from traveling, your LPR status is not expired even if your GC is.