Paper Filing N-400 While on Foreign Trip

[JD2 196]

We are thinking of paper filing my spouse's N-400 89 days early based on the 3 year rule.  Two weeks before that, we have a foreign trip planned that is a 2 months long.  We don't want to wait for our return to file.  We're eager to get her citizenship for several reasons including filing for parent.  We know our exact departure and return dates so we can fill in those dates in Part 8 of the form.  But, the return date would obviously be in the future (after the date of signing the paper N-400).  We expect biometrics to be reused because they were just collected less than a year ago for I-751, which was already approved.  Does anyone see any issues with this?

[OldUser 10,831]

13 minutes ago, JD2 said:

We are thinking of paper filing my spouse's N-400 89 days early based on the 3 year rule.  Two weeks before that, we have a foreign trip planned that is a 2 months long.  We don't want to wait for our return to file.  

What if she's called for biometrics while you're outside the US?

[OldUser 10,831]

No issue with me, it's your wife's case. Why not file online?

[JD2 196]

2 hours ago, OldUser said:

What if she's called for biometrics while you're outside the US?

She'd have to fly back but I think it's highly unlikely.  I've never seen a case where the I-751 had biometrics done and they were not reused for N-400.

[JD2 196]

2 hours ago, OldUser said:

Why not file online?

I'm not sure if the website will let you enter a future date for the foreign trips in Part 8.  Also, just easier for me to print out things than format PDFs.  But no real reason other than habit and that's how we did the I-130 and I-751.

[Gabriel5454 30]

It is not necessary to put your future travel dates on the N-400.  At the interview they will ask if you want to make any updates to your application, and you can tell them the dates you travelled.  This is very common.  Also, I would seriously consider filing online.  This seems to be the general recommendation as there is less of a chance of things going missing.

Edited yesterday at 07:47 AM by Gabriel5454

[JeanneAdil 7,328]

10 hours ago, JD2 said:

She'd have to fly back but I think it's highly unlikely.  I've never seen a case where the I-751 had biometrics done and they were not reused for N-400.

Called for my biometrics little over a week after filling online

 

and its 90 days not 89 and u need to be careful of the time zones as many file a little too early to be at the correct time and date of where the case goes

[Sarah&Facundo 621]

My husband had to do biometrics again! We had no RFEs the entire process, no issues at any stage at all whatsoever, but for some reason about a week after filing N400, he received a letter asking him to come in later that month for biometrics. Other than that, he had his interview a few months later and was at his naturalization ceremony an hour later.

 

For reference, this was last year.

[OldUser 10,831]

12 minutes ago, Sarah&Facundo said:

My husband had to do biometrics again! We had no RFEs the entire process, no issues at any stage at all whatsoever, but for some reason about a week after filing N400, he received a letter asking him to come in later that month for biometrics. Other than that, he had his interview a few months later and was at his naturalization ceremony an hour later.

 

For reference, this was last year.

Congrats! Maybe the fingerprints were lost or not clear 

[OldUser 10,831]

7 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

Called for my biometrics little over a week after filling online

 

and its 90 days not 89 and u need to be careful of the time zones as many file a little too early to be at the correct time and date of where the case goes

Agreed, cannot count on biometrics being reused. Agreed, I wouldn't file file this early, at least few days after window opens.

Also, need to be careful and ensure N-400 is filed when 3 years of marital union is achieved, and not always this works with 90 day early filing window.

[Sarah&Facundo 621]

47 minutes ago, OldUser said:

Congrats! Maybe the fingerprints were lost or not clear 

No clue what happened, but I did want to bring it up because it's not a 100% guarantee biometrics will be reused. As I mentioned, in our case, we had to do it again about a month or so after applying.