Can applying to N-400 actually delay I-751?

[vinnie&andy 118]

Hello!

 

I filed for ROC 25 months ago (December 2020- joint). Unfortunately, I was assigned the Potomac Service Center (YSC) and estimated processing time for 80% of the cases is at 26.5 (Keeps increasing every month). I am eligible for naturalization now; however, I don't know if at this point is just better to wait for the ROC to be approved or if applying for N-400 can actually speed up the process. I have been tracking about 3,000 cases before my number in YSC and I do not see a lot of movement. My local office is Louisville, KY and estimated processing time for N-400 is 11.5 months.

 

If I apply for naturalization, can it be that I have to wait the full 11.5 months of N-400 to get a combo interview? Is it like restarting the I-751 process again?

 

Thank you for your help. 

[Rearviewmirror 397]

When is your 5 year permanent resident date?

 

It might be worth waiting to apply under the 5yr rule just to save yourself some printing/application hassle. 
 

From going through other Potomac timelines it looks like filing N400 does “unstick” I-751s. Obviously your decision, but I plan to apply for N400 as soon as I’m eligible (also a YSC filer). 

[Boiler 45,661]

Looks like they are expecting I 751's to take 3 to 4 years so I would say go for it.

[Crazy Cat 41,980]

When we filed my wife's N-400 (after waiting 40 months for I-751 processing), I think the USCIS estimate for N-400 (5-year rule) was 11 months.  In reality, the interview took place 4 months after filing......and the Oath Ceremony 6 weeks after the interview.

Edited February 8, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[Rocio0010 5,579]

46 minutes ago, Rearviewmirror said:

some printing

OP can file online. No printing needed!

[Dashinka 24,592]

I agree with @Boiler, especially with the proposed rate increases (although not as much for N400), and if naturalization is the ultimate goal, why wait.

 

Good Luck!

[Mike E 11,740]

10 minutes ago, vinnie&andy said:

My local office is Louisville, KY and estimated processing time for N-400 is 11.5 months

Don’t know about Louisville, but at some offices filing N-400 can delay both cases. I’ve seen reports for Seattle and St Albans. 
 

The high percentage play is to file N-400 especially since USCIS is putting most of its resources on N-400s.  

[D-R-J 192]

They guy interviewing my wife said that applying for naturalization helped us. We were still down in the queue for an I-751 interview, but the n400 interview queue was shorter and they processed together.

[Fromthemit 23]

filing my N400 sped up my i751 massively. During my 3rd ADIT stamp appointment the IO suggested i file the N400 as in her words (my I751 was not going to go anywhere until i do, and that USCIS was waiting for me to file the N400) Took her advice and now my I751 was approved on Jan. 4th of this year, just waiting on an oath ceremony date. Detroit FO

[Rafagus 68]

I've been checking the processing time on the Case Tracker app.  It seems they are approving cases around the October/November 2020.  It would probably take a couple more months to get to December 2020, might be worth waiting a little more.

[Crazy Cat 41,980]

11 hours ago, Fromthemit said:

the IO suggested i file the N400 as in her words (my I751 was not going to go anywhere until i do, and that USCIS was waiting for me to file the N400)

Pretty shameful for them to just sit on our money with no action. Take a look at these numbers from the last qtr of FY 2022.  They are really pushing N-400 processing:

 

N-400s Received During the Qtr: 194,819   

 N-400s Processed During the Qtr: 323,793

 N-400s Still Pending: 543,838

At that rate, there soon won't be a backlog of N-400s.

Edited February 10, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[Rearviewmirror 397]

24 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Pretty shameful for them to just sit on our money with no action. Take a look at these numbers from the last qtr of FY 2022.  They are really pushing N-400 processing:

 

N-400s Received During the Qtr: 194,819   

 N-400s Processed During the Qtr: 323,793

 N-400s Still Pending: 543,838

At that rate, there soon won't be a backlog of N-400s.

It’ll be very interesting to see where they divert resources if they eliminate the N400 backlog. 

[Dashinka 24,592]

27 minutes ago, Rearviewmirror said:

It’ll be very interesting to see where they divert resources if they eliminate the N400 backlog. 

Asylum requests?

[Bjh 39]

On 2/8/2023 at 2:15 PM, Rearviewmirror said:

When is your 5 year permanent resident date?

 

It might be worth waiting to apply under the 5yr rule just to save yourself some printing/application hassle. 
 

From going through other Potomac timelines it looks like filing N400 does “unstick” I-751s. Obviously your decision, but I plan to apply for N400 as soon as I’m eligible (also a YSC filer). 

Just an aside, but I thought you only had to be a LPR for 3 years if you gained that LPR through marriage to a US citizen?

[Rearviewmirror 397]

16 minutes ago, Bjh said:

Just an aside, but I thought you only had to be a LPR for 3 years if you gained that LPR through marriage to a US citizen?

Yes you can, however, because the 3yr rule is marriage based you need to submit a raft of evidence much like the original I-485/I-751 as part of your N400, versus very little evidence if you're submitting under the 5yr rule.