Becca and Doody

Became a citizen today 🇺🇸 
Our ceremony in Cleveland was smaller. We had an awesome judge who was very personable and took the time to take photos individually with each person and their families and friends. He asked all of our names and was super super nice. I think this photo shows just how fun he made it. It wasn't just taking an oath, we were truly welcomed as family, as citizens. The location in the courtroom was also beautiful. Couldn't have dreamed of a better experience. We were very fortunate for this process to be a very quick one from filing to oath. Wishing everyone else here quick journeys.  

Became a citizen today 🇺🇸 
Our ceremony in Cleveland was smaller. We had an awesome judge who was very personable and took the time to take photos individually with each person and their families and friends. He asked all of our names and was super super nice. I think this photo shows just how fun he made it. It wasn't just taking an oath, we were truly welcomed as family, as citizens. The location in the courtroom was also beautiful. Couldn't have dreamed of a better experience. We were very fortunate for this process to be a very quick one from filing to oath. Wishing everyone else here quick journeys.  

Thank you!
We brought the documents however they were never requested. We also submitted them online in advance. Was questioned about it. It was obvious that they already looked through everything. Because we answered "yes" to the question that was asking if since being a permanent resident if we didn't file taxes. We didn't one year because we were students and didn't have any income the whole year. The other two years we submitted transcripts. The officer said that that he changed our answer to "no". Because the gist of the question was did you ever not file when you were supposed to. But that shows me that they did already look at our submitted documents in advance.
We brought everything (that was already uploaded online) just in case. Would rather carry that around and not need it than not have something that was needed. 

Congratulations!!
Did you need to bring the tax documents to the interview? I submitted them online but just wonder if you need to bring hard copies to the interview. 

Became a citizen today 🇺🇸 
Our ceremony in Cleveland was smaller. We had an awesome judge who was very personable and took the time to take photos individually with each person and their families and friends. He asked all of our names and was super super nice. I think this photo shows just how fun he made it. It wasn't just taking an oath, we were truly welcomed as family, as citizens. The location in the courtroom was also beautiful. Couldn't have dreamed of a better experience. We were very fortunate for this process to be a very quick one from filing to oath. Wishing everyone else here quick journeys.  

Congrats. A day to remember. 

I was bold and asked how they select the questions.  The Officer responded that the questions are randomly selected by a computer.  The questions I was asked were:
- Name the representative for my district
- Name 3 of the original 13 colonies
- Name the two parts of congress
- How many amendments in the Constitution
- Name one branch of the government
- Name one state that borders Canada
 
Good luck!

Just wanted to provide everyone with an update after my interview this morning.  I waited about 45 minutes to be called in, but that was due to the snow storm in Buffalo slowing everything down.  Once I was called in the whole process was only about 15 minutes.  I provided my ID, completed the reading and writing portion of the test which consisted of reading a short sentence and writing a short sentence.  The Officer then asked me 6 questions from the civics test because I answered the first 6 correctly.  The Officer then asked me some questions from my N-400 application such as whether I pay my taxes, ever been in the military, ever been arrested or convicted of a crime, etc.  The Officer did some quick paper work, advised me that I was being recommended for approval, and then scheduled my Oath Ceremony for November 21. 
 
Best of luck to to everyone!

In our case we could see on the app that they immediately scheduled the interview (as we were driving home from biometrics) and it took a couple days for the letter to be uploaded. But it was scheduled right after the biometrics. Our local office is never busy though. So it might depend on the location.

Restored

When you login, under "Your Cases", it will be right next to your receipt number and submitted date.

Just submitted the application online just now  Thank you for creating the Google Doc. Added my info. It's exciting to see people already finishing biometrics! Where does everybody get the case completing estimate from? From our USCIS account? I just submitted only about a min ago so my account will need time to update.

Just got I751 approval notice in the mail today! The petition was received 10/26/2018 and the notice date for approval is 08/26/2019. Checked the case status online and it gave us a tracking number for the 10-year card and it is already at the post office and will be delivered to our home tomorrow. Now to apply for Citizenship  our window is already open.

Just got I751 approval notice in the mail today! The petition was received 10/26/2018 and the notice date for approval is 08/26/2019. Checked the case status online and it gave us a tracking number for the 10-year card and it is already at the post office and will be delivered to our home tomorrow. Now to apply for Citizenship  our window is already open.

Added us to the list for Nebraska Service Center.
This is our current status according to USCIS Case Status Online:
As of July 9, 2019, we completed our review of your fingerprints and are working on your Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, Receipt Number LINxxxxxxxxxx, at our Nebraska Service Center location. We will let you know if we make a decision or need anything from you.
 
Hope this means that approval is around the corner. We've been interviewed at all other stages so I hope that we can skip that this time and just get the 10 year card. Our naturalization window is coming up at the end of August and debating whether or not to submit that petition at the earliest time (even if ROC is not approved yet) or waiting for the approval since it seems close. I've read many forums on that topic. I am still unsure just because of how close we seem to be for just getting the 10 year card approved.

So you'll have your driver's license renew for one year based on your stamp? And then renew it again in another year?
You should try to go back to the dmv as soon as you receive your 18 months extension letter and request an expiration date correction, so you don't have to wait to renew it in a year. You might avoid paying again.
 
We were just talking about different states and their different policies regarding federal laws. 
Washington state is definitely a good state for giving a good treatment to aliens regardless of their legal status.
 

Not true. I've gone through the whole process from K-1, AOS and now ROC with pasting digital photos on a Word Document  and have never had any RFE or any problems. See photo of an example from my petition. @banter you'll be fine with pictures on a Word Document.
 

 
I'm so relieved having sent our package off. Sent yesterday by FedEx. Our window has been open for a long time and I had the majority of the petition completed before our window, but somehow my procrastinating @#$ has almost missed the deadline. GC expires 11/07/18. But It'll be received in time. Only issue is that driver's license expires the same date as GC.
 
Just like one other member has mentioned, we're kinda young 27 years old, both of us, and don't have as much financial mingling as all of the example lists of evidence lists. It's kind of intimidating. But we're both college students (PhD) and our income comes from a stipend so we don't have all the things people with real jobs have. Ex. no medical insurance, nothing to list spouse and a beneficiary as. The only co-mingling is that we live together in a rented house, we have a car loan together and both our names are on the registration as joint owners, we filed taxes as married, and we share a single checking account. That's it. But I'm sure that's plenty. That's our life. We don't have kids but we have a fur baby as you can see he got his own page of pictures. Anyone with a husky should know it's basically the same as raising kids haha.
 

Not true. I've gone through the whole process from K-1, AOS and now ROC with pasting digital photos on a Word Document  and have never had any RFE or any problems. See photo of an example from my petition. @banter you'll be fine with pictures on a Word Document.
 

 
I'm so relieved having sent our package off. Sent yesterday by FedEx. Our window has been open for a long time and I had the majority of the petition completed before our window, but somehow my procrastinating @#$ has almost missed the deadline. GC expires 11/07/18. But It'll be received in time. Only issue is that driver's license expires the same date as GC.
 
Just like one other member has mentioned, we're kinda young 27 years old, both of us, and don't have as much financial mingling as all of the example lists of evidence lists. It's kind of intimidating. But we're both college students (PhD) and our income comes from a stipend so we don't have all the things people with real jobs have. Ex. no medical insurance, nothing to list spouse and a beneficiary as. The only co-mingling is that we live together in a rented house, we have a car loan together and both our names are on the registration as joint owners, we filed taxes as married, and we share a single checking account. That's it. But I'm sure that's plenty. That's our life. We don't have kids but we have a fur baby as you can see he got his own page of pictures. Anyone with a husky should know it's basically the same as raising kids haha.
 

Yes you will need to write a letter. You shouldn't need anything from your employer. Just explain why you were not required to file taxes.
My then fiance (now husband) had his interview in Saudi, but assuming it's the same for you, I'll tell you what worked for us.
My situation is exactly like yours, while I was in the US I had not had to file taxes because I was a student and not earning an income. I was living abroad in Qatar where I was earning enough money to be over the taxable amount, however since it is foreign earned income it did not reach an amount that is taxable.
I had a co-sponsor (my mother) and had all her tax info provided. I just had my I-134 but didn't submit anything on my part because I hadn't filed taxes but after my fiancee's interview they told him I had to send a letter explaining why I didn't have to file taxes. After I did that it was accepted. This is what I wrote and what I attached too:
To Whom It May Concern:
I, __________, am the fiancé of __________ and petitioning sponsor.
I did not file an income tax return for the year 2013 because I did not earn any income. I was attending university supported by my parents during that time period. According to the filing requirements for single taxpayers in my age category, I was not required to file an income tax return with the Internal Revenue Service because my income (0 USD) did not reach $10,150, the minimum taxable income.
I obtained employment as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Qatar University in Doha, Qatar from April 27, 2014 through June 30, 2015 earning 14,400 Qatari Riyals (approx. $3,954) monthly. In 2014 I earned 88,784.52 Qatari Riyals (approx. $24,384), which does not meet the minimum threshold of Foreign Earned Income Exclusion in 2014 at $99,200 under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 911. Therefore, I was not required to file an income tax return in 2014.
Please find attached:
- IRS - Foreign Earned Income Exclusion
- 26 U.S. Code § 911 - Citizens or residents of the United States living abroad
Sincerely,
Hope this helps

being stuck in administrative processing is like delivering a baby , that gets stuck, it is painful and at the same time you do not know the outcome.

It is unreasonable. Many Middle Eastern countries (especially the Gulf countries) are much nicer than the U.S. btw ... no reason for "escape". Most of the candidates I'm sure are sincere and just want to be together with their love. That is the entire purpose of having a face to face interview... to judge the character and detect fraud. If the applicant is the same in regards to evidence and doing well in the interview, the bias based on country of origin is completely unfair. If they want to make things strict, do it for every applicant regardless to where they are coming from or their religion.
Getting slightly irritated watching everyone get their visas while my fiancé is stuck in Arab Processing .... I mean Administrative Processing .
OP, I wish you success in this process and hope you get a second chance at the interview and all the best to everyone on their visa journey.

The majority of people I've followed through the Riyadh embassy have not had to go through extra administrative processing and typically got their visas in around a week after their interview assuming all their documents were in order.
My fiance was born and raised all his life in Saudi and he's only traveled to other Gulf countries which might be a reason for the extra long AP. But I wouldn't worry about it in your case. Being from the Philippines will not cause any extra AP, I actually think it's good to have ties outside of the Gulf.
I, like you, often meet my fiance in Bahrain because he could drive up there easily and I as a single woman could not go to Saudi easily. Bahrain is a beautiful country. He also came to Qatar where I was living. I really miss living there.

Anyways, I wish you a smooth ride through the embassy and good luck when you get to the interview.

Yep, they definitely will send it to the right one. I put Jeddah on our I-129F and they sent it to Riyadh with no delays.

It is unreasonable. Many Middle Eastern countries (especially the Gulf countries) are much nicer than the U.S. btw ... no reason for "escape". Most of the candidates I'm sure are sincere and just want to be together with their love. That is the entire purpose of having a face to face interview... to judge the character and detect fraud. If the applicant is the same in regards to evidence and doing well in the interview, the bias based on country of origin is completely unfair. If they want to make things strict, do it for every applicant regardless to where they are coming from or their religion.
Getting slightly irritated watching everyone get their visas while my fiancé is stuck in Arab Processing .... I mean Administrative Processing .
OP, I wish you success in this process and hope you get a second chance at the interview and all the best to everyone on their visa journey.

If you haven't already found it, here's a link for requesting your tax transcripts by mail - https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript. I understand you might also be able to call and have them faxed, but I didn't see the number for that. I received them within 5 business days, then scanned and emailed them to my fiancee in .pdf format.