AustinCanada

5 minutes ago, Zombie69 said:

Just called USCIS, the officer told me I have already been approved and there's nothing to worry about, I am getting this message because all 751 cases in my city are all getting the same update being transferred to another office, she told me if i don't get my card in 30 days, please call them. 

About the 400, i also talked to the officer, they would not have scheduled my oath if they didn't approve me, so that is weird,,,oh god, i wish this were over already. I know I am fine, but all this system glitches are driving me crazy. 

I've just received the same notice a couple of minutes ago!  

Application Type: I751, PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS ON RESIDENCE 

Your Case Status: Initial Review 

On May 7, 2018, we transferred your Form I751, PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS ON RESIDENCE, Receipt Number WAC**********, to another office for processing and sent you a transfer notice. The notice explains why we transferred your case. Please follow the instructions in the notice. If you do not receive your notice by June 6, 2018, please go to www.uscis.gov/e-request to request a copy of the notice. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address. 

During this step, USCIS initiates the background checks of the applicant/petitioner and identifies issues that may need to be addressed either during an interview or by asking the applicant/petitioner to submit additional information or documentation. USCIS reviews the applicant's/petitioner's criminal history, determines if there are national security concerns that need to be addressed, and reviews the application/petition for fraud indicators. If you have filed an I-485, I-589, I-751, N-400, I-90, I-821, I-131 or I-765, you can expect to receive an appointment notice to appear at an Application Support Center to have your fingerprints and/or photographs taken. The timing of your appointment is determined by the number of applicants ahead of you that also need a biometric appointment. We try to schedule biometric appointments as quickly as possible and in most cases you will receive your appointment notice within 30 days of submitting your application. We will send your appointment notice approximately 14 days ahead of your scheduled appointment. It is important that you keep this appointment. If absolutely necessary, you can request that your appointment be rescheduled however, please be aware that rescheduling may delay the processing of your application. Please follow the instructions on your appointment notice if you need to reschedule. Occasionally, you may receive an appointment notice to appear at an Application Support Center to have your fingerprints taken when you have filed a form other than those listed above. In these situations, you may receive your appointment notice more than 30 days after submitting your application or petition. 

1 hour ago, Zombie69 said:

I just checked. The USCIS manual unfortunately says pretty clearly I will be rejected, it says the American citizen spouse dies anytime before the oath ceremony, the applicant who applied for 400 based on 3 year rule will lose his or her eligibility. I expect to, anything other than that will be a miracle. I just want this to be over, get my 751 approved green card and use it to re apply next August. 

Do they mention anything about making an exception under humanitarian compassionate grounds?  

18 minutes ago, Zombie69 said:

My 751 was approved on the 26th last month, and I got the approval notice in the mail to, but this morning I got an update saying my case has been transferred to another office? Still waiting for my green card. Has anyone who got your green card thought 751 got this update after the approval before? Got me worried a bit. Please share, thanks. From approval back to initial review??

Your Case Status: Initial Review

On May 7, 2018, we transferred your Form I751, PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS ON RESIDENCE, Receipt Number WAC**********, to another office for processing and sent you a transfer notice. The notice explains why we transferred your case. Please follow the instructions in the notice. If you do not receive your notice by June 6, 2018, please go to www.uscis.gov/e-request to request a copy of the notice. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

They may have sent your case back to NBC for processing your Green Card?    I don't think you have anything to worry about.  

8 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

I am going to see if I can make an info pass appointment regarding my scheduled oath ceremony. I am supposed to have lost my citizenship eligibility due to the passing of my husband, he passed 3 days after the 400 interview, but I was thinking wouldn't the officer who recommended the 400 approval be aware that my husband passed away because I submitted his death certificate? Either he was clueless about INA 319(A) or his supervisor or district director overrode the law and really went ahead and approved me, if that is the scenario, that will be a miracle for sure because I did submit a request at the 400 interview to expedite the oath ceremony based on a special circumstance and humanitarian ground, my attempt was to get them approved both my 751 and 400 and swore me in because my husband was dying and I already knew about INA 319(a). I am not getting my hopes up though, and I fully expect to lose my citizenship eligibility. My lawyer told me to fill out the form 445 and  take it to the ceremony and they should and they will reject me after i check "YES, I AM WIDOWED" on the form, but my lawyer told me if they discrentionarily approved me despite my husband's passing, I need to demand something in writing to protect myself so I won't run the risk of being de naturalized. Anyway, I will find out, my expectation is low, and I wish they would reject me already so I won't have to go to the oath ceremony and get rejected there, it is like rubbing salt into my wound. I am willing just to wait till next year and use my 10 year green card(still waiting for it to arrive in the mail) to re apply 400 next August. I want to do everything right and I want to be careful. What a drag, but I am thrilled and grateful that my 751 was approved on my late's husband's birthday, what a birthday gift from him. Good luck to you all.  

Infopass appointment, 10-year Green Card, and oath ceremony!?   You still got a lot of things going on! 

42 minutes ago, Ozgirl1981 said:

I just got the case update for "Interview scheduled" today for the Seattle office. It's moving I wish you get yours in the next few days also. 

Your interview is scheduled!!??  

Well, your NOA is Sept 16 and mine is Aug 25 (3 weeks before yours)!    But...but...but.... I have nothing!!!       Well, I'm one of the unluckiest people when it comes to immigration process!  

1 minute ago, Zombie69 said:

My oath has been scheduled, so I have to go to be rejected, ugh

Can you be a no-show at the oath ceremony if it'll be the same result? 

11 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

I just got the oath ceremony notification, but I will have to fill out a form at the ceremony, disclosing the death of my husband and they will deny my 400. I wish they would just deny me already.

Do you even have to show up the oath ceremony if they will deny you?  

11 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

I will in 2020,lol. Thanks for being so supportive. 

Well, I may end up becoming a US citizen in 2020 since nothing seems to be moving at the Seattle office!  

1 hour ago, dlmbtltk said:

I will have an interview in 3 weeks, thats what the letter was.

1 hour ago, Zombie69 said:

Perfect. You will be fine. Congrats on advance.

Nice!    I hope the Seattle office was as fast as the LA office!  

21 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

CSC is the problem, now the processing time for 751 at field offices is 2 to 4 years, wow. They seem to try to discourage people from applying for 400 while 751s are pending by arbitrarily creating "normal processing time". Pretty scary, and it is definitely Trump. I am glad and grateful my 751 was approved. I hope you will get your interview soon. 

It takes 2-4 years for the I-751 application now!?  

21 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

Congrats, so happy for you.

Yes. I promise I will continue to be part of this community and help out as much as I can and keep you guys updated. Thanks for your support.

I hope I have some good news in the next 3-6 months!     Fingers crossed!  

On 4/29/2018 at 10:03 AM, Zombie69 said:

Yes, it is hard to deal with the loss of my husband, I knew him for 21 years, but his passing and even the period when he was dying gave me strength to be brave and did whatever I had to do reduce the impact of my husband's illness and death on the process of immigrantion in addition to the personal and emotional stress/sadness. I visited Stan at the hospital before I went to interview, but my man was already almost unconscious, but he nodded after I told him to wish me luck, and I passed the 400 interview, but decision could not he made because Stan wasn't there to do the 751 interview despite my  packet of request with loads of evidence to expedite the adjudication of 400 and 751 on humanitarian ground(Stan's last wish to see me become naturalized, DOMA and Prop 8 prevented us from getting legally married until 2013 where the Supreme Court legalized same sex marriage immigration by finding prop 8 and DOMA unconstitutional). They did accept my packet, but the officer said he had to talk to his supervisor, and 3 days later the interview, my husband passed, but the update on my late husband's birthday gives me hope and I know he is somewhere watching over me. I am glad you find our story inspiring. Things do get better, but you have to have hope and you have to try when it is hopeless in life. I did it with my husband, I tried, I could not save him with the doctors, I tried with USCIS, it did not work out then, but I think I will get my 751 approval soon after the update, and I will be able to re apply for 400 next August based on the 5 year rule. There is always hope, and I can't lose hope. Good luck to you too, I will keep you updated. Fingers crossed.

Beautiful and inspiring story from an actual experience! 

But...it does make me feel angry that Stan didn't get to see you become a US citizen because you couldn't get married until 2013 and apply for immigration (plus the CSC backlog drama)!  

14 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

Hi, guys after 1 year and 8 months and 25 days of waiting. My 751 was finally approved this morning. I wish my husband were alive to see this. I think he helped from heaven. Good luck to those of you who are still waiting. In the midst of sadness and immigration complications, finally some good news, I want to thank those of you who have been supportive of my circumstances. I did not get my "card in production" update though. Probably due to my 400, they still have to reject my 400 due to my husband's passing 3 days after the 400 interview. Anyone got the approval notice first and card in production second? Thanks.

You got approved!?     Congrats!!!  

You had the most difficult immigration journey so I'm so happy that your I-751 application got approved!  

I hope they approve your N-400 application under the humanitarian compassionate ground since you've passed the citizenship exam!  

9 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

Yes, thank you, that would be so wonderful. Maybe I am getting my green card soon. Hope you can vote this year. Finger crossed.

Well, I'm not sure if I'll be able to vote in Nov since I'm one of the unluckiest ones when it comes to the US immigration process!  

My congressperson informed me that USCIS had combined my I-751 and N-400 applications and they're currently at the Seattle office (which has the longest processing timeline)!  

13 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

Thank you so much for your condolences and support. Yes, I have done research myself, many applicants that got an update like that ended up being approved. Hopefully that is the case. We will see what happens, they updated right on my late husband's birthday yesterday, maybe my husband is protecting me from heaven making sure my immigration journey will be smooth, we will see. My expectations remain low, I am just cautiously optimistic at this point.

Notification on your late hubby's birthday!?     I have a feeling that you'll get your 10-year Green Card soon!   

6 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

I hope i don't have to take that route of write of manumus because it is very expensive, but that may be the only way to solve your immigration problems these days if you can afford it. Well, my lawyer told me to wait for another month and see what happens. I will have to renew my 551 by July. Ugh, what a mess. and how unlucky for me and many August or July 751 filers who also filed 400.       

How much does it cost to file for manumus?    I suggest that you contact your congressperson or senator before paying lots of money!  

I'll need to get another I-751 stamp in my passport in July!     All I can hope for at this point is to become a US citizen before the Nov election!  

On 4/7/2018 at 2:40 AM, Zombie69 said:

751 pending still, My 400 will be rejected because my husband passed away 3 days after the 400 interview, I had my 400 interview on the 26th last month, I was trying to persuade the officer to adjudicate both on the spot by putting an expedited oath ceremony request based on humanitarian ground with tons of medical evidence and dr's letter saying my husband would like to see me become a citizen before he potentially passed which was 100 percent true arguing that as a same sex couple, if it weren't for DOMA and Prop 8, we would have gotten married a long time ago, and we would not be in this situation facing the possibility of his failing to fulfill his last wish to see me become a citizen due to his age and declining health, the officer was somehow sympathetic but he said he was only in charge of 400 and could not make a decision and he said he would talk to his supervisor. He took my emergency expedited oath request though, 3 days later, my love passed, my lawyer told me to submit an emergency request to convert my 751 to an individual waiver application to avoid complications because if they approved my joint application after my man's death, they could undo it and have me file a new 751 all over again, and that would be s huge screw up and a big nightmare, so I did so by going to my field office as an emergency, and they took my request to cover my 751 to a waiver one right there. I submitted as much evidence like mortuary letter and medical record telling them I will submit the death certificate as soon as it is available. It takes my county a while to produce the death certificate. So at this point, I am waiting for my husband's death certificate so I will make another emergency visit and submit his death certificate. At this point, I think they are just waiting for the death certificate, but how long are they going to adjudicate my 751 is unclear, hopefully soon. My 400 will be rejected because my husband passed before the oath, and my 751 is pending because they want to see the death certificate, which should be ready by next week. What a mess, I am just so tired, on top of grieving for my love that I knew for 21 years, I have to deal with the immigration. I tried everything, and it just did not work. Hope this nightmare will end soon, hope I will get my 751 approved and I can re apply for 400 next August. My case is just complicated and kind of rare unfortunately. Hope better days are coming. 

Sorry for losing your life partner of 21 years.   My father-in-law passed away over the weekend so I know how you feel in terms of dealing with losing someone important.  

If you got married soon after the US Supreme Court stroke down DOMA and applied for immigration, you did what you could given the circumstances!  

At least that's what I keep telling myself for my immigration journey!     

On 4/10/2018 at 3:09 PM, Zombie69 said:

Just walked into USCIS requesting an emergency visit, just done submitting Stan's death certificate. The officer was super nice, she even took my death certificate all the way to the 8th floor and handed it to the supervisor where I did my 400 interview. Monica, the officer told me the supervisor will mail me a decision very soon right after she got the death certificate. She told me it was positive. I asked her about 400, she told me she is not sure, but she sensed the positive attitude from the supervisor. Maybe I will get my 751 approval soon. Maybe my husband is from heaven protecting me. Maybe better days are coming.

Sounds like your I-751 journey will be over soon!  

You can take a break until you re-start your N-400 journey in Aug, 2019 (if they determine that your existing N-400 application is ineligible)!  

35 minutes ago, Zombie69 said:

No, INA 319D clearly says the spouse needs to be around when the applicant is taking the oath of allegiance, will have to reapply next year, I will just get my 10 year green card after i submit my late spouse's death certificate.

Any exceptions under the humanitarian compassionate ground since you passed the citizenship test?   

6 hours ago, Camelot13 said:

I can't believe how far behind all us Phoenix Lockbox folks are. This is so disheartening. I'm guessing my husband won't get an interview until sometime in summer. 

I hear ya....  Something tells me that I'll have an interview in the early fall.     I'm not sure if I'll be able to vote in Nov!   

1 hour ago, Zombie69 said:

USCIS screwed up through the unprecedented delay of CSC. That is why I am in the predicament. They could have balanced it out and let VSC handle some of the work load or something. 

Immigration process is just not a fair (or they don't know how to redistribute their workload)!   

If I had applied online for my N-400 application, I would be a US citizen by now!  

On 4/1/2018 at 6:00 PM, Zombie69 said:

Thanks for the prayer, maybe something miraculous will happen, but as much as I am trying hard to do everything I can for my immigration journey, I am tired and demoralized and I am at the stage of grieving for my love, but I do believe betters will eventually come, I have to have hope. Thanks for your kind words, VJ is a wonderful support group as well, we need to be supportive of each other and get through the ups and downs of the immigration journey. Hope you will hear from USCIS soon too. Fingers crossed. 

I understand how you feel!  I'm sorry for your loss!  

Well, my father-in-law (who is 83 years old) is now in the hospital.    I may have to fly to Chicago soon!  Well, at least I don't have an interview appointment this month. 

I hate the fact that I need to worry things like, "What if something happens to him on our interview date?"  If my applications were getting processed faster, I wouldn't have to worry about that!  Today, I'm just hating my immigration journey!  

10 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

Yes, if CSC did not back up this year, I would be a citizen by now and Stan would have witnessed it. I am now grieving and going through a tough time and I am not even a 10 year permanent resident yet. It is just all messed up, I had to go to USCIS as an emergency Friday and made an emergency request to convert my 751 from joint petition to a waiver application when evidence of Stan's death and tell them in writing that I will submit his death certificate ASAP when it is available because if they approve my 751 jointly after Stan's death, they can invadite it as make me start all over again, I did it and they stamped on the copy of the request saying they received my request, so that part is done and I will be back again submitting Stan's death certificate when it is available. N400 is over, I will have to re apply next year as the INA clearly suggests the naturalization for applicants like me requires American citizen spouses to be alive. My heart is broken and the best that will come out of this is my 751 approval. Tough times, but I will heal and survive, Stan would want me to.

I'm sorry to hear that you're going through a difficult time (which I totally understand).  

Your N-400 application is over!?     But...you passed your citizenship exam?  

1 hour ago, Zombie69 said:

Thanks for your wish. Yes, I passed the interview, but they have to approve 751 before they can approve my 400, my husband was critically ill and could not be there with me for the possibly 751 interview, so I submitted an expedited oath ceremony request based on humanitarian ground with loads of evidence of his medical condition and illnesses in hopes that they could waive the interview and approved both, but the officer said he needed to talk to the supervisor. Even If I were approved, Immigration Nationality Act states that naturalization based on 3 year marriage won't be invalid if the American citizen spouse dies before the the oath ceremony, that is why I was in double jeopardy and even if they approved my expedited request after my husband's death, my oath would have still been invalidated. My interview was on the 26th. My husband passed on the 29th, i would have been a citizen of they granted my oath before his death which I was trying to do but failed. Thanks for your condolences.

Can your attorney make a request so USCIS can make an exception for you since you have passed the citizenship test?  

It wouldn't be fair for you to re-apply N-400 (and re-pay the processing fee) since you passed the citizenship test and your citizenship journey was almost over!  

19 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

Thanks for the support. I need positive energy.

11 hours ago, ZA_US said:

This makes me very sad... They don't realize that there are lives, hopes and dreams at stake while they sit on our applications for years and stop our lives from being lived.

Yes, I'm very sad too!    We got really unlucky since our I-751 applications were being processed at CSC.    Then, they decided to combine our I-751 applications with our N-400 applications at the local field offices.  That delayed our I-751 applications.  

I've emailed my congressperson!    She replied to my email asking me to fill out the Release of Information form!   

I've just sent the form and supporting documents!  We'll see what she can do about this situation!  

5 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

Yes, it is heartbreaking, I have been with him for 21 years. Defense of Marriage Act and Prop 8 put us in this predicament of my husband not being able to see me become a citizen due to his age and health. Well, I did what I could, and I will try to stay strong 

I'm so sorry to hear that your hubby didn't get to see you become a US citizen.  

1 hour ago, Nikkosan said:

I can only imagine.

 

I'm also in a "May/December" relationship, and I understand where you're coming from. 

 

Please take care of yourself and keep your chin up.

 

Sending you positive thoughts from South Florida.

Sending you positive energy from Seattle too!  

5 minutes ago, Zombie69 said:

Thank you, I hope so too. I went to my congressman's office and they will follow up for me. I did my best, so just need to wait and see now.

I hope your congressman can contact the LA office tomorrow so you'll hear something before the weekend!  Fingers crossed!  

5 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

Congrats. My husband is in the hospital fighting for his life and I presented as much evidence as I could with a package of expedited oath ceremony during the interview, he could not give me an answer, and could not talk to his supervisor, but he said he would talk to him yesterday. I am happy for you, but if it weren't for DOMA that prevented LGBT people from getting immigration benefits, we would not be in this situation. It is so unfair, but it is what it is. My husband might not be alive to see me become a citizen. It really makes me angry, but anyway, I have to stay strong and just wait and wait. If my husband passes before the oath, my naturaization will be canceled, and I will have to make an appointment with USCIS and explain to them so they will issue my 10 year green card. Well, congrats, glad it went so smoothly with you, I wish u could take my husband with me, be he was in critical condition, with the evidence I submitted, they should easily weigh the interview and adjudicate both. I am just praying every day for my husband's recovery and the approval of my naturalization.

I really hope your hubby gets better and sees you become a US citizen!