MaLo

Posting just is case anyone else is in same situation. I became a US citizen with I 751 pending. I thought USCIS closed I 751 when they approved my N400 but that was not the case. I took the oath in July 2019 and got called for I 751 interview yesterday. The officer was shocked the I 751 was not closed, took a copy of my naturalization certificate and closed it. No questions asked. My timeline is up-to-date.

On 10/16/2019 at 12:06 AM, Downloader said:

Be extremely careful to whom you make the claim of being a Citizen. You are not a Citizen until you have your i-751 & N400 approved and have taken the Oath Of Allegiance. 

They are the people that will make you a Citizen so when you are one they’ll

know. 

I'm claiming to be US citizen because i've taken oath of allegiance, have my US passport and have travelled out of country and came back.

On 8/28/2019 at 3:56 PM, geowrian said:

When was your I-751 approved? I'm presuming it was done before or at the same time as the N-400. As noted by both law and policy, it would have been a mistake to have approved the N-400 with a pending I-751.

I-751 still pending. Just got mail that I-751 interview is scheduled for November. So will see what happens...I'll call and tell them that I'm citizen. what is the interview for.

On 8/28/2019 at 2:24 PM, USS_Voyager said:

Something is wrong there. It probably was approved. It might not show but it had to be approved. Or are you saying you were naturalized and everything but your I-751 is still pending?

I-751 still pending. Just got mail that I-751 interview is scheduled for November. So will see what happens...I'll call and tell them that I'm citizen. what is the interview for.

On 8/28/2019 at 2:25 PM, Nitas_man said:

Seems your ROC got approved during that gap.

I-751 still pending. Just got mail that I-751 interview is scheduled for November. So will see what happens...I'll call and tell them that I'm citizen. what is the interview for.

14 hours ago, USS_Voyager said:

Well the N-400 cannot be approved until the I-751 is approved.

14 hours ago, geowrian said:

As noted, it is impossible (without there being a mistake) to approve the N-400 before the I-751. Successfully removing conditions is a requirement for your naturalization.

My N400 was approved without approval of I-751. So it is possible. 

Interview in November 2018, RFE in January 2019, approved in June 2019. Hope this helps you. 

17 hours ago, maestro said:

What u mean i751 inquiry response was waiting for security checks?

USCIS response to I 751 inquiry about outside normal processing time was that they are waiting on pending security checks. 

Hello. Not sure if this happened with anyone else. 

Applied for I 751 in March 2017. Applied for N400 March 2018. Passed N400 interview in November 2018. RFE for all marriage evidence docs in Jan 2019. Responded within a week. N400 approved in June 2019. Became citizen in July 2019. No update to I 751, USCIS website shows 'Transferred to Local Office', so still open. Got the US Passport within a day due to travel to Canada. No issues at the border. 

I 751 inquiry response was waiting for security checks.

Finally took Oath yesterday at Newark, NJ and became a Citizen! Also my I-751 is still open (lol) but not going to care about that. 

2 minutes ago, debbiedoo said:

its not about getting into canada so much as getting back INTO the US 

yeah...i just figured that out. Just booked an appointment with US Passport Agency for July 22 for one day passport, so we should be fine. Thank you!

13 minutes ago, Allaboutwaiting said:

You can enter Canada with your foreign passport, but, the law clearly states that ALL US citizens must enter the US presenting their US passport.

As stated before, the naturalization certificate is NOT a travel document, just a proof of citizenship. 

Land crossings allow you to also use Global Entry or Enhanced Driving License as valid ID to enter USA.

See my reply above. I think for driving, its ok. Certainly not for flying or by sea.

57 minutes ago, USS_Voyager said:

U.S. nationals, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/Advice-about-Possible-Loss-of-US-Nationality-Dual-Nationality/Dual-Nationality.html

The Naturalization certificate is not a travel document. You said both Canadian and US border say it's ok?

Yes. 

Canada website: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/ivc-rnc-eng.html

Quote: "If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you must carry proof of citizenship such as a passport, birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship or naturalization, a U.S. Permanent Resident Card, or a Certificate of Indian Status along with photo identification. "

US website: https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/us-citizens-travelling-internationally

Quote: "If you were not born in the United States, carrying your valid U.S. passport is your best option to prove your U.S. citizenship. You can also use your original naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship."

Hello. My oath ceremony is on 18th July and I travel to Canada (drive) on 24th July. We will try for one day passport, but upon reading the Canadian and US Border agency website's travel requirements for documents, it seems that naturalization certificate works as proof of citizenship. We have to go to Canada for a wedding, and other people (old and unable to drive) are dependent on us to drive, so we must go. Just wondering if anyone has travelled to Canada by road using naturalization certificate?

Hello. Has this happened to anyone?

Just got email that my N400 application was closed and Oath will be scheduled but my I751 application is still open. N400 interview in November 2018 recommending approval but on hold due to open I751. RFE for marital status evidence in January 2019. No interview done for I751. 

So I called on Friday and found out that the I751 file is at NBC, not at USCIS Newark. The USCIS rep was able to confirm that they are working on N400 case. But it has been 120 days since the N400 interview, so I'll write a letter to my congressman if I don't hear anything in April.

16 hours ago, MohU3 said:

Did you take your wife with you to the interview for a chance of a combo interview ? Probably you didn't and that's why they issued a RFE for the marriage.

Yes we both went, But the interview was not a combo interview.

9 hours ago, Sercanned said:

So I can send proof since after I applied i751?

I would recommend you go for the 5 year rule, much easier compared to 3 year rule, with way less documentation. Unless there is a reason you want citizenship right away.

17 hours ago, missileman said:

That's what the letter usually says...but it means the I-551 card itself.......that's why I asked.  I've not seen one which referred to the stamp. Please let us know exactly what it says, when you get a chance, please.

So it does say the card and not the passport stamp. So then its worthless? 18 months from the card is already expired!! as it's been 23 months since the card has expired. I'll call USCIS tomorrow and confirm. The notice date on the I797 did change to 3/14/19. 

49 minutes ago, missileman said:

It actually said the extension was from the date on the I-551 stamp in the passport?

Dont recall at the moment, so I'll check once I'm back home. It definitely said I-551. I assumed it must be the stamp as obviously the green card expired in 2017.

We applied for I751 in March 2017 and got a one year extension letter at the time. After that expired, we got I551 stamped in passport twice which expires now in September 2019. Yesterday, March 19, we received another I797 indicating that conditional resident status has been extended another 18 months from the data on the I551 stamp in passport. We got mail from NBC. I've already given my N400 citizenship interview and got an RFE asking for evidence of marriage, which I sent. The I751 is on processing hold due to pending security checks per the service request I submitted last month. 

1. Very surprised I got a letter extending my status another 18 months (guessing from September 2019). 

2. Very very surprised the letter came from NBC instead of Newark, NJ USCIS office, where I gave N400 interview. Does this mean the I751 file is at NBC and NOT as USCIS Newark, NJ office?

3. Anybody else in similar situation?

16 hours ago, TheKingmaker said:

Where did you hear that about the Newark office? Makes me slightly worried about our case.

I read in the Newark/Mt Laurel forum:

1 hour ago, WeGuyGal said:

I've read about USCIS scrutinizing the N400 indepth of late, sometimes going back to review an entire immigration file since US entry. Any flags in your CR1? Any age/religious discrepancy that led to the RFE or 'security' checks?

No flags. The security checks for N400 were completed, thus the interview. So I dont see how there would be any (incorrect) flags for CR1. Nothing unusual about my marriage, pretty standard. I'll try and call USCIS to see if I can convince them to look at security checks for N400. I've read here that the two offices dont talk to each other at Newark. 

14 minutes ago, GBOS said:

The "interview" can happen even if the security checks are incomplete.  The "approval" CANNOT happen if the security checks are incomplete.

On more research, it says this on the USCIS website (https://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartB-Chapter2.html) in the section A:

"The background and security checks apply to most applicants and must be conducted and completed before the applicant is scheduled for his or her naturalization interview. ^[2] 

^{In section C, it says:}

The FBI name check must be completed and cleared before an applicant for naturalization is scheduled for his or her naturalization interview.

52 minutes ago, USS_Voyager said:

 

The I-751 is linked to the N-400. The I-751 has to be approved before they can approve the N-400. You mentioned you passed the N-400 interview. Was it a combo interview or just the N-400? Did you ever have an interview for the I-751? Has the N-400 been formally approved? 

Not a combo interview. N400 result was that, "A decision cannot be made at this time'. Interview was on Nov 13. On Jan 4, got an RFE to provide evidence of marital status, so I sent the same documents that were in I751 plus some additional ones along with a letter indicating the pending I751. No interview for I751 yet. Very frustrating. 

So, if the security checks are pending, I don't think the interview would have happened? So I need to somehow tell the I751 department to look at security checks that were completed for N400? And what checks? I already has a green card, this is just a permanent one! 

Hello. I filed a service request for I751 processing outside normal time. The response was that the processing is on HOLD due to incomplete security checks. I'm confused by this as I already PASSED my N400 interview (which is on hold due to RFE more evidence of marriage, which is in I751 package). Isn't the N400 interview conducted after the security checks?? Normally if passed, you get scheduled for Oath ceremony.  So either the response seems incorrect to me or the I751 file is not linked to N400 file? Anyone else have the same scenario??

Here is the Newark thread.