Stressed Out

My husband decided to forgo out altogether. A friend nearby got hers approved in half a year, when they had record low cases, but now it's a record high we've heard with a waiting period up to 2 years.

So my husband has been living in the US legally since January 2015. He's been eligible to naturalization for over a couple of years, but we've procrastinated due to work and recently adding a LITTLE ONE to the family as of 2018 (yay!). Now that we moved into a bigger house and are settling in, he's decided he won't even bother submitting a Bbg with the German government to retain his citizenship. He's warmed up to calling America his permanent home, so he's prepared to move forward with his N-400 packet. Wish us luck! His is a pretty simple app since we've both only been married to each other, no criminal records, always paid taxes, recorded address changes, signed up for SSS, etc.

*shivers when remebering how stressful the IR-1 process was* So I'm getting ready to help my husband get his stuff together to be able to file for naturalization (yay!!) this coming January. Within the first two weeks (back in 2015) of living as an LPR, I had him get a social security card, switch to an Oklahoma drivers license, and signed up for selective service. When we moved out of my parents' house into our own last year, I filed a change of address with USCIS and the USPS. Is there anything I'm missing that I need to take care of before filing? I do NOT want any rude surprises with them saying "oh, you didn't complete a, b, and c..." I wish my husband was a bit more bureaucracy-savvy, but at least he'll owe me real good once this is all over...like buying me a new car, woohoo! lol

My husband's I-551 arrived in the mail just short of a two month wait earlier this week! He was also FINALLY shown on the system from Selective Service as having been registered with them as of 2/20/15. Now to just kick up our feet and relax until his naturalization in 3 years.

Thanks for all the help many of you on this site have provided me so I could file all his paperwork for him without any major delays!

Yep. Been here for a little over a week now. Just got back from applying for my husband's social security card so we can get the ball rolling on adding him to my bank account/signing him up for selective service, etc. We got there half an hour before they open and there was still a line outside in the parking lot and still took us over an hour to get out of there...ridiculous! At least it's over and we don't need to go back.

Und viele Grüße aus Oklahoma!

I'd expect them to update it in February, so I'd check back next week.

If you applied for a B-2 and left without one then it was just plain denied. It won't effect your application if you apply for a second B-2, though. If you're saying you're successful, have this "changed life" story to tell the CO and have stuff to prove you'll be returning to your home country then I can imagine your chances are better than last time. People receive approved tourist visas after having a previous denial all the time - my husband was one of them - you only have to prove to them that your situation has changed dramatically.

22, it definitely applies to him.

How long does my husband have to sign up for selective service before this is putting a stain on his record when it comes time for naturalization? I believe I heard somewhere 30 days but wasn't sure.

It's asking for his SSN which he of course doesn't have yet since we're only here since Sunday night, which is why he hasn't turned in the form yet.

I've heard of a couple embassies doing a biometrics interview and an interrogation interview, each on separate dates. Seems to me like the guides on here stay pretty well updated.

Agreed, makes things easier on you two with you already being back in the States. No real need to show proof of US domicile except maybe just a photocopy of an entry stamp in your passport from the US port of entry you can request there as proof of having entered the country. Don't even think that'd be necessary though.

A higher exchange TO the USD would be good for them, but not from the USD. For instance the Euro is still stronger (unfortunately for us, not nearly as strong as when I moved to Europe in 2011) at 1 USD = 0.85 EUR. 1 EUR = 1.18 USD. 18 pesos for 1 dollar sounds like....#######.

But, I agree you should try to call them. Worst they can say is you have to wait. When we scheduled our interview it only let me select dates 2 months in advance.

You can slow down the process in total by purposely procrastinating on turning in requested documents for each step. If you do everything as quickly as possible on your part then the process typically takes about a year for non-DCF filers. I'd recommend just taking your time handing in paperwork. The 6 months validity is 6 months from the date your medical was turned in to the interviewing embassy.

Since it's in NVC's hands at this stage I'd contact them regarding a change of address.

I'd say a majority of the spouses on here are separated during the process. It'll work actually more in your favor since later on he'd have to prove his intent on reestablishing US domicile for the I-864 requirements if he was living overseas.

I wouldn't bother filing for her until you both have some solid plans to move to the US. Penguin just summed it up for you...you can delay the process by, I'd say, maximum an extra year if you write them regarding the priority date that you wish to hold off for a while, but if you don't plan on moving in the next couple years then it's very likely that your money and efforts could all go down the drain.

Agreed. Getting a certified copy of their birth certificate would be the cheapest/fastest/easiest way to provide proof of citizenship.

Thanks, guys! Just wasn't sure how tight these new laws are and if moving to the US (our German coverage ends upon our departure) and waiting two or three weeks before starting work would be pushing it. Guess I won't sweat it this time.

So I'm aware that the so-called "affordable" healthcare act has made it a requirement for citizens and LPR's to obtain health coverage. My question is how long do my husband and I have to obtain such coverage before it might be considered a sort of black mark on our records when it comes time for his naturalization?

Yup all was fine. Just annoying that they had made a typo on his birthplace on his data summary sheet, so we had to send everything back and have the visa reissued the day after we got it. But, they were quick about it and we had it back within 3 days. Just one and a half weeks til our POE!

Like I said, I went through DCF so I didn't have to pay any AOS fees at all, but I believe the fee pertains to the number of immigrants being sponsored, not to the number of affidavits being submitted. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Yeah just leave it in the original language. I wrote my addresses in German as well, I only translated "Deutschland" to "Germany". Same as "Espana" to "Spain". The rest can stay the way it is.

I think we needed that as some point as well and I believe I just used the confirmation number from the DS-260.

I believe it depends on how long you're married when you enter through a US port of entry. They might have CR-1 written as the visa type when you receive your passport with the visa foil if you were married less than 2 years during the interview, but you apparently can make note of this at the POE and the Customs officer there can adjust your visa type from there so it automatically turns into an IR-1 when you enter the US if you've been married longer than 2 years when you move.