RaginKhmer

San Antonio Field Office. Exactly 8 months to the day for processing:

N-400 application 10/14/2018

Biometrics  11/05/2018

Interview 05/13/2019

Approval 05/13/2019

Notification of Oath Scheduled 05/23/2019

Oath  06/13/2019

N-400 application 10/14/2018

Biometrics  11/05/2018

Interview 05/13/2019

Approval 05/13/2019

Notification of Oath Scheduled 05/23/2019

Oath  06/13/2019

This will have taken 243 days (8 months on the dot) to complete the Naturalization process. Surprised at how quickly we went from Interview to Ceremony, just 1 month on the nose. Along those lines this entire process from date of marriage to the Oath ceremony will encompass exactly 6 years to the day. 

N-400 application 10/14/2018

Biometrics  11/05/2018

Interview 05/13/2019

Approval 05/13/2019

Notification of Oath Scheduled 05/23/2019

Oath  ???  (Shows Estimated Wait time of 4 months)

Looks like I could be out of the norm for the SA USCIS field office. Just received notice that the oath has been scheduled 10 days after the interview and approval. I will update when I get the actual oath date but I'm assuming it will be sometime in mid-late June as they probably don't schedule these things months out.

N-400 application 10/14/2018

Biometrics  11/05/2018

Interview 05/13/2019

Approval 05/13/2019

Oath  ???  (Shows Estimated Wait time of 4 months)

Interviewed and passed today at the SA USCIS Field Office.  Immigration Officer Brigid Oman. It's over but from the recount of happenings the Officer is just a rude, ignorant individual. If you draw this woman be prepared to have her exasperate about how little time there is, how you're wasting her time (spouse was called in just shy of 2 hours past the scheduled appointment time so who is wasting who's time?), lots of fast speaking and complaining if you ask her to repeat a question due to her rapid speech. The actual immigration test portion was very easy. The additional 30 or so questions regarding drug use, illegal activities, etc etc, is what eats up time. The demeaning and derogatory language used by the USCIS officer that is off-putting and puts shame to the organization.

Just replying to follow this topic for the SA field office. Looks like interview and approval are coming quick but there's a wait for the actual oath. I didn't find any good info from searching the timelines either.

N-400 application 10/14/2018

Biometrics  11/05/2018

Interview 05/13/2019

Approval ???

Oath  ???

On 4/7/2019 at 11:39 PM, ThePeck said:

What time requirements is there for Citizenship for a Foreign Spouse after getting Green Card.

It's already been answered but to reconfirm, 3 years.

On 4/7/2019 at 11:39 PM, ThePeck said:

How long after getting her green card is she eligible for citizenship?

Again, 3 years

On 4/7/2019 at 11:39 PM, ThePeck said:

If that time she must remain in the USA regardless of my job location?

Basically yes with no extended absences from the US. She could, however, leave the country every year for 1-3 months. I travel back to Cambodia with my wife yearly for a month at a time.

On 4/7/2019 at 11:39 PM, ThePeck said:

If able to claim time outside the USA what are the rules and regulations about it?

Your I-130 is likely to be denied early on because to be a Petitioner and file an I-864 you must be Domiciled in the US. You are not currently domiciled there as you stay gone 330 to hit that tax break. BUT you could have someone (family, close friend?) file the I-864 who is domiciled in the US and take responsibility for your spouse financially. You would still be the Petitioner.  At this point you have two options,  prove you are a 1 : " U.S. citizens who are employed abroad by the U.S. government, U.S research institutions, U.S. firms involved in foreign trade, U.S.-related international organizations, or U.S.-related religious organizations. " or 2: " I-130 petitioners who intend to establish a domicile in the U.S. either before or at the time of their beneficiary’s arrival in the U.S. "   

I forgot to specify that I am a  WAC1705x receipt number if that helps anyone.  But it seems fairly random in the processing stream.

18 minutes ago, mycase17 said:

RAGINKHMER..........11/16/16.........12/05/16.....12/09/16......--/--/--

STATUS UPDATE

RAGINKHMER..........11/16/16.........12/05/16.....12/09/16......05/23/18

23 hours ago, shane_war said:

It looks like a bulk update ? Same status for me with my other WAC number.

It looks like a bulk update. I get the same deal.

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved
RAGINKHMER          11/16/16.........12/05/16.....12/09/16......--/--/--

On 4/21/2017 at 11:03 AM, lucybelle said:

 

Accountant told me to change it so I did.

Step one, find a new accountant (if you haven't already). By filing that status you have committed fraud. Regardless of it being at the behest of your accountant or not. Step two is check to see if you have that direction in writing because if you do you can at-least hold that person liable for damages should you ever be audited. The final thing you should do to is file an amended return for that year as one of the other non-Married status' and pay any penalties and fee's accrued for incorrectly filing as MFJ/MFS. Of course you don't have to do anything as the likelihood of being audited is fairly low but that's your call.

You can look this IRS tax rule up yourself but as Ketsuban posted, Married status is determined by your status as of Dec 31st of the tax year you are filing for, NOT the Calendar year in which you are filing. And it goes both ways, if you were Married on 01Jan13 but divorced on 02Jan13 you are considered as Married the entire tax year of 2013 if you choose. If you married on 31Dec12 then you can consider yourself Married that entire tax year of 2012. If you married on 01Jan13 and were at no time on any day of 2012 in a married status (even if you divorced quickly) then you could not legally file as MFJ/MFS for 2012 taxes.

Thank you for the response. That was VERY helpful. The scenario you described is exactly correct (met once in Cambodia and started electronically communicating when I returned to the US). We met in a nightclub and only spent one night together before I had to go back so my communication from that time is only along the lines of "nice to meet you in PP". I'm hoping that coupled with my plane ticket and Khmer visa will be enough to prove the first visit. I can do another visit before applying, but I would really prefer not to have to delay the beginning of the whole application process by another 6 months to allow for funds and vacation time for the 3rd visit. Our chat records start from that time onward though.

My other question is how important is the method of electronic communication as evidence of the relationship? We text and video chat using the Line app so I only have screenshots of all our texts and call times. Should we be using Skype instead?

And I keep reading conflicting arguments about the importance of me accompanying him to the interview in PP. Some say it helps, some say it doesn't matter. Any thoughts?

Re: which communications method is best. That choice is really up to you and how easy it is to pull and print the messages for documentation purposes. They take screen shots, flat printed chat logs,everything. The investigators assume there is some falsification to the entire thing from the onset and all forms of communication can be faked. So just stick with what works for you. Remember, it's all about the details. Chat logs matching the applicants responses to interview questions, etc.

On accompanying or not accompanying, it does nothing except bolster the truthfulness of the application if you go. I suspect the "it doesn't matter" reports are more a statement that your absence from the interview wont be viewed as a negative rather than it being insignificant if you are present. I was unable to accompany my spouse to the interview for CR1 but the question was raised as to where I was. From the tone of the interview experience my presence would have been "extra credit" if you will but for others it could be that one piece that ties the whole application together as truthful. My spouse concluded the interview and was granted the visa soon thereafter.

Seh-n-Chru,

Could you share more about your experience and why you were denied? It seems like you know a lot about the PP Embassy. I'm just starting out the process and my main concern is that my fiance's English is a little shaky. We met in PP last November and have communicated ever since but we don't have proof of that meeting other than my plane ticket (no pictures together). I'm going back in June and will have the engagement ceremony based on your advice, but will that be enough? I'm wondering if I need to meet him a third time before starting the K1 application so we can document it with pictures. Thanks.

I am not Seh-n-Chru but I can give you my $0.02. While you don't have picture evidence of your first meeting you likely have some sort of email/chat/skype/etc correspondence from the time correct? Your plane ticket coupled with the Khmer Visa in your passport plus printed out emails/chats/phone call logs are perfectly acceptable evidence. Remember it's all about the details so if both of you are clear on details from your past trips (places you both went, activities you did) you'll pass that first smell test. Even if you met on say Nov 1 but didn't start electronically communicating until you returned to the US on Nov 15 that is ok. Likely your messages will show words along the way of "I really liked that Suki Soup restaurant you took me too last week" or "I'm really happy I met you when I was visiting Cambodia".

Of course a 3rd trip does nothing but help the situation.

To simplify this even further, you don't NEED to submit W2's. Being a USC you still filed your US taxes based on your overseas income right? As USC's we are taxed on all income earned worldwide but we have a Foreign Earned Income Exclusion for some countries and are not subject to double taxation so the filing is merely a paperwork formality at minimum. So you should have 3 years worth of tax transcripts available. If you did not file then you have technically broken the law and will get called on that later.

If you are on Maternity leave then you are currently employed. That is your status and there is no reason to go any further into it unless queried.

There is no expedite fee. You can request an expedite on the case but you must submit a valid reason as well as documented proof of said reason. You can find a list of acceptable examples at the NVC website and by using the search function here. You can also find this same question answered. It may seem unfair but there is no "small" mistake. You could have made 50 mistakes or just the 1, it's all the same. Many people have been in the same boat.

Sorry, I meant if you wished to stay in Cambodia...

Assuming that you mean if you, the foreigner, were to marry a native Khmer woman would you need to acquire a new Cambodian Visa on an annual basis then yes, you will need to apply for a new visa every year. Be aware that while basically anything can still be bought in the Kingdom of Wonder, regulations are slowly tightening and the Ordinary Visa that is extendable to a year will likely become more difficult to obtain. IIRC the price and name (Work Visa) of this visa changed as of 1 OCT 14 per the Dept of Interior. I cannot verify this because I bought mine in September of this year at the going rate of $285.

The only way to avoid purchasing a yearly Visa is to have a truck load of money and apply for citizenship.

Thought I would post this here. I received confirmation from the US Embassy in PP today that they schedule appointments 2 months in advance. Meaning if you are contacted in December then you won't be interviewing until February at the earliest. From all the data-mining I performed it seems that all K1 and IR1/CR1 visa applications are taking 5-6 months from Case Complete to actual interview. There aren't a whole lot of statistics to look at but those that are there fall into this approximation.

It will invoke the 60 day review. BUT if you have any other part of your application up for review before that 60 day window expires the review will be combined. IE: your application was sent in as the AOS package on 1 Jan and the IV package on 1 Feb setting review dates of 1 Mar and 1 Apr respectively. Updated AOS form received by NVC on 15 Mar. Since the updated form was received before the review date of the IV portion it will be combined and reviewed at the same time instead of 60 days later on 15 Apr. (DISCLAIMER:All dates are approximate and not factually correct)

6. Part6, Q13a.1-13c.1 (total income): She did file her tax returns with form 2555 (foreign earned income exclusion). She has last tax transcript....So does she write down 0$ or amount from 2555?

Q13a.1 MUST be the TOTAL GROSS income reported on the most recent Federal income Tax return. Not adjusted gross, not modified gross, but Total Gross. She should write down whatever is on her 1040 as Gross Income.

There is a lot of finger pointing in this thread by posters at the CO's for trying to force Muslim beliefs and Muslim values on your relationship by going so in-depth with the questioning and their attitudes. How it reads to me is that your Visa application reeks of human trafficking and they were doing everything in their power to prove that was or was not the case. Thankfully you were able to prove that not to be the case with good documentation and being prepared.

This was all in Sep and Oct and took 27 days for the document to be reviewed but it was piggy-backed on an already existing wait so it wasn't "extra" time if that makes sense. The updated AOS document was received by the NVC on the 23rd of Sep putting the 60 day review date at approximately 23 Nov. My 60 day IV package review date was the 13th of Oct (calendar days) or 11th of Nov (business days). Documents were reviewed (I assume) and case marked complete on 20 Oct. So at-least they combined the updated AOS document with the IV and reviewed it all at once rather than putting a 60 day timer on that updated document.

Now like most everyone else waiting and calling each day to see if we make the interview schedule.

All I can add is that things *seem* to be speeding back up at the NVC. From June until last month I would spend anywhere from 30-45 minutes trying to get through the busy signals and into the automated system then another 30-60 minutes on hold waiting for a live person. That has cut down to 2-10 redials and as short as 10 minutes but never more than 25 on hold at various hours. It would also appear that they are getting faster on the paperwork side or at-least smarter based on my experience with resubmitting a document which generated the 60 day review notice, but instead they reviewed the updated document on the same schedule as one i had submitted already when that other documents date arrived.

If you paid $100+ then you were paying an "expedite" fee and/or the "Barang Fee" because they saw the foreigner. Standard slow turn around Police Certificate is $40 and anywhere from a month to a month and a half wait for a Khmer. Cert of Single is $10-15 depending on how the local Sangkat feels that day.

This is a few days late but we're currently in the 2014 tax year so you won't have a return for it. Your numbers should probably represent 2011-2013 as opposed to 2012-2014.

To clarify you need to send at-least a Certified Copy of your Passport if you proceed with the ITIN application. Your husbands lawyer could be recommending this as it's still tax time and he may not have filed yet if he is choosing to use the Married Filing Jointly status on his tax returns. I just did this and the process takes approximately 3 weeks for the ITIN to be issued and paper return to be processed. But it is not a requirement of the Visa process. Although it could be a useful indicator of a bonafide marriage.