Timeline help

[kaibosh 3]

Another question for the group. I just applied for citizenship, my green card expires march of 24. My case says average time until decision for citizenship is 19 months which puts me at march of 24.... I assume there will be some kind of delay as there always is. Do I need to renew my green card just incase citizenship takes loner then 19 months?

 

Thanks for all your help.

[arken 4,197]

20 minutes ago, kaibosh said:

Do I need to renew my green card just incase citizenship takes loner then 19 months?

No as long as you don't need one for DL renew or job application and such while citizenship remains pending.

[kaibosh 3]

Thanks for the response Arken, I appreciate all the help this community has given me over the years. 

Looking at a few timelines I see ppl that have filed and done their bio appointment on the same day? I just got the letter saying they received my car and to wait for a letter from them to Schedule the bio appointment. How are ppl getting their bio appointment done the day they file? Is there a way I can schedule it before I receive the letter?

[Mike E 11,723]

I disagree vehemently with the advice you been given.  
 

You 100 percent do not need to renew your green card.  
 

The reason you don’t need to renew your green card is that you filed N-400 with more than 6 months left on your green card.  Because you did that, USCIS will give you free I-551 stamps whenever you need them.  

[arken 4,197]

1 hour ago, kaibosh said:

Is there a way I can schedule it before I receive the letter?

The biometrics appointment is scheduled automatically by the uscis not the applicant. Depending upon the local ASC backlog, one could get it scheduled asap while for some it may take a while.

[kaibosh 3]

9 hours ago, Mike E said:

I disagree vehemently with the advice you been given.  
 

You 100 percent do not need to renew your green card.  
 

The reason you don’t need to renew your green card is that you filed N-400 with more than 6 months left on your green card.  Because you did that, USCIS will give you free I-551 stamps whenever you need them.  

Thanks Mike, appreciate it, I won't need to renew my drivers license for another 4 yrs, and I don't plan on getting a new job anytime soon. Again excuse my ignorance but what is an I-551 stamp? Is that what was put in my passport when I first entered the country?

[Mike E 11,723]

4 hours ago, kaibosh said:

Thanks Mike, appreciate it, I won't need to renew my drivers license for another 4 yrs, and I don't plan on getting a new job anytime soon. Again excuse my ignorance but what is an I-551 stamp? Is that what was put in my passport when I first entered the country?

An I-551 document is issued when you become a lawful permanent resident (LPR)

 

Most I-551 documents   are green cards. Look closely at your copy of green card. Somewhere on it you will see in fine print “I-551”. On my wife’s card it is on the back top left. On both my green cards, back bottom right. 
 

There are other kinds of I-551s, including but not limited to:

 

* a stamp on a passport 

* a stamp on a paper I-94 

 

In your situation you would get one of the above when you needed it.  

[kaibosh 3]

Since applying, my timeline on USCIS has gone from 19 months to 13 months, no need for finger prints to 10 months. Now I got a interview letter with an interview date for October. Is this the interview where I have to prove proficiency in english and US history? It seems like this is going very quick. What is left after the interview?

[Mike E 11,723]

1 hour ago, kaibosh said:

Since applying, my timeline on USCIS has gone from 19 months to 13 months, no need for finger prints to 10 months. Now I got a interview letter with an interview date for October. Is this the interview where I have to prove proficiency in english and US history?

yes 

1 hour ago, kaibosh said:

 

It seems like this is going very quick. What is left after the interview?

 

1. oath 

2. Reception of naturalization certificate (same day as oath),

3. apply for a passport and passport card for you and any children of you under 18 who who acquire citizenship through you.  
4. Apply for new social security  card using passport card as evidence of authorization to work and as ID

[kaibosh 3]

On 8/30/2022 at 8:22 PM, Mike E said:

yes 

 

1. oath 

2. Reception of naturalization certificate (same day as oath),

3. apply for a passport and passport card for you and any children of you under 18 who who acquire citizenship through you.  
4. Apply for new social security  card using passport card as evidence of authorization to work and as ID

Thanks Mike, appreciate the response.

Getting ready for my interview this week, have all the paper work requested from the invite. (marriage certificate etc) Anyone get asked for something else not on that list before? Should I bring last few yrs tax returns? Kind of surprised that isn't listed.

[Mike E 11,723]

53 minutes ago, kaibosh said:

Thanks Mike, appreciate the response.

Getting ready for my interview this week, have all the paper work requested from the invite. (marriage certificate etc) Anyone get asked for something else not on that list before? Should I bring last few yrs tax returns? Kind of surprised that isn't listed.

At interview I was asked for passport photos. 

[kaibosh 3]

I have all our passports ready.. did they want an actual copy of the passport photo? Did you have one?

[Mike E 11,723]

1 minute ago, kaibosh said:

I have all our passports ready.. did they want an actual copy of the passport photo? Did you have one?

No the officer wanted a brand new, recently taken passport photo such as what people get when they apply for a passport. 
 

In theory each USCIS office has a digital camera where each N-400 applicant has a photo taken during the interview. My IO was incredulous that I didn’t bring passport photos:

 

Me: “the interview letter explicitly said no need to bring passport photos”

 

IO: “I need them for your naturalization certificate”

 

Me, points to his digital camera on his desk, “so use that”

 

IO: “it’s broken”

So I came back the next day with photos. A month stern had oath and the naturalization certificate used a photo I had never seen before and must have been from my biometrics a year prior. 
 

I asked an immigration lawyer why would they need passport photos at the interview and she explained that the for security reasons device that prints naturalization certificates, permits just two attempts with same photo.  USCIS wants extra photos so they can have at least 4 attempts.  

 

[kaibosh 3]

4 hours ago, Mike E said:

No the officer wanted a brand new, recently taken passport photo such as what people get when they apply for a passport. 
 

In theory each USCIS office has a digital camera where each N-400 applicant has a photo taken during the interview. My IO was incredulous that I didn’t bring passport photos:

 

Me: “the interview letter explicitly said no need to bring passport photos”

 

IO: “I need them for your naturalization certificate”

 

Me, points to his digital camera on his desk, “so use that”

 

IO: “it’s broken”

So I came back the next day with photos. A month stern had oath and the naturalization certificate used a photo I had never seen before and must have been from my biometrics a year prior. 
 

I asked an immigration lawyer why would they need passport photos at the interview and she explained that the for security reasons device that prints naturalization certificates, permits just two attempts with same photo.  USCIS wants extra photos so they can have at least 4 attempts.  

 

Hmm interesting.. how long was your interview?

[Mike E 11,723]

2 minutes ago, kaibosh said:

Hmm interesting.. how long was your interview?

30 minutes. I told the IO to skip the English  test since I was seen at 5pm (4 hours after I was scheduled) and we both wanted to go home.