cyanmavi

https://www.uscis.gov/i-407
 
My understanding from reading this page and the instructions, is that you need to file it from outside the US. So you can leave and mail your documents from Australia. I would take a close look at the IRS requirements linked at the bottom of the page to tie up loose ends before leaving.

Happy to report our journey is complete...
Oath ceremony (in person) at Tampa for my wife today...
 
Good luck to everyone here...

It may seem like overkill, however having a negative test doesn't prove anything. You could be asymptomatic or even symptomatic the very next day you have a negative result. That is unfortunate, as the tests are limited in what they can do, and some of them are very much inferior. I know several people that have had negatives from a rapid style test that were certainly symptomatic and very ill, one of them dying in the ICU. Because of the negative results some individuals have taken it as a sign of 100% clean bill of health and have taken risks, leading to family members being infected. There are several working theories as to why the false-negatives happen. Even PCRs are not foolproof and a false negative can happen for a variety of factors.
 
The CDC has always said if you have a risk of exposure, you should be quarantining yourself for the 14 days, as a negative on day one does not mean you will not be negative on day five. Incubation periods and all that are things people don't tend to think about in this context. It is additionally why, if you are ill, after recovery period and quarantine, the individual should be directed by their doctor to have several negative results over a period of days and not just a single negative result.

I called the USCIS number 800-375-5283. I have had to keep saying technical support, technical help etc. to be able to talk to a human. I told them that it has been more than 90 days since my receipt date and I have not heard anything (it had been131 days). She was polite and quick, and told me that she was filing a service request for me. I was notified about biometrics less than 30 days later.
Did you file a change of address with USCIS? The timeline requirements might be different since they will have to move your file to the new field office. Still does not hurt to call and ask.

I also had chicken pox as a child and just told the doctor that. Did not have documentation, just the memories (and a couple of little scars which I did not have to show to demonstrate evidence). I recently checked my paperwork and I got a waiver for Varicella vaccine.

To ua747sp - I am sure all cases are different, but my recent experience (December 2020) was that I was advised at the N-400 interview that my case was accepted.  I received invitation for the oath ceremony within days and the oath ceremony was held approximately 3 after the interview.  Good luck!
 

Ya this so long time to wait for biometrics and I think you can solve it by following up
 
May be they can still use your bio from 2015, I read today about someone had his bio in 2013 and got a reused notice
 
this group seems quite so my guess is Houston is also moving faster now than before, or may be not many people are filling anymore in Houston in comparison with 2019 and 2018

That's great news! I can only hope I get a similar update soon. it is incredibly frustrating at the same time to see that USCIS continues to service its caseload without any reason or rhyme, let alone process. The ASC was able to schedule an applicant from July 13 and not the applicant from April. Despite the fact that I have filed service requests and have been waiting 14 business day for a Tier 2 call that was supposed to happen within 7 business days. Its just a broken, awful system and I can only wonder what it must be like for people who are in desperate need of their Immigration to process (which thankfully isn't an urgent or emergent matter for me personally). 

I filed N-400 under the 3-year rule on July 13, 2020. Not hearing anything about biometrics I called and got in a service request on Nov 11th, and got a notice on Dec 4th that I was scheduled for a biometrics appt on Dec 31st. Right now my projected completion date is July 2022.

My wife finally got the te-use biometrics dated 12/14 but received 12/31. Online uscis account doesn’t reflect any change. But that’s ok I guess. SF office is finally moving. 

funny thing is that the letter was received a month after we reported through the account that biometrics letter had been lost. Maybe it worked may be it didn’t but we got it! 
 
now waiting for the interview date!! 

I had problems with Chrome, Firefox and Edge on a Mac, and finally was able to submit everything using Internet Explorer on a Windows computer. Internet explorer is preferred by USCIS, some people have used Opera and submitted their application successfully. Upload all documents in one sitting and submit the application. Do not upload documents, save and sign out. Make sure any single document does not exceed 6mb. You can also submit documents under Additional/Supplemental Documents section.

I had my interview today at San Antonio TX and Oath Ceremony after. It was about 15 minutes for the interview and about 10 minutes for the Oath.
Filed July 10th 2020
Completed December 10th 2020. Exactly 5 months. 

I think one could leave and come back but it was less than an hour so I just waited there.

N400 Interview Approved! 
 
I was interviewed in one of the windows in the waiting room, lol.  He asked for my 10 yr greencard and passport.
 
Civic Test Questions: 
What is freedom of religion?
Why are there 50 stars in the flag?
Why are there 13 stripes in the flag?
What did Martin Luther King Jr. do?
Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court right now?
What is the supreme law of the land?
 
Reading and Writing:
Who elects Congress?
The people elects Congress. 
 
NO WORD DEFINITIONS
 
Officer asked me a few questions to confirm a few details / info about myself and my husband:
Where do you work?
What do you do there?
Did you travel outside of the US in the last 3 years?
Where was your husband born?
 
He asked about the address change since the one we had when I filed was different from the current one in the system. He asked me when we moved to the new place and if I have the lease with me. I told him we actually bought the place, and I didn't have the title with me because the title company has not sent it yet and I have proof of that. I had a feeling that could be brought up and I am so glad I brought some paperwork with me that shows we did buy a condo: letters from the mortgage company + the printed email exchange I had with the title company proving that COVID delayed their process of sending out the deed of our home.
 
He also asked us why we filed our taxes separately during the last tax season (we have always filed jointly except for 2019) and I have a ready and printed out explanation for that as well. YES I CAME PREPARED! 😆 He asked for the 2019 Tax forms with the attached W2s.
He asked how our marriage is and if we plan to divorce each other, lol. 
 
Yes and No Questions followed.
He then told me he is approving my application, printed my oath ceremony appointment letter and told me to come back on December 4 to get sworn in.
 
Officer was so nice, greeted me "Happy Birthday" and told me that this is their birthday gift for me as it is my birthday 10 days after the oath taking ceremony.
 
A TIP: In the letter for the interview appointment, it tells us to bring the originals of everything we submitted online. Make sure you bring originals of everything you filed PLUS all evidences of your marriage that you incurred AFTER you already filed because the officer could ask you for those things just like what happened to me. Officer was very happy I came in prepared, makes his job easier he said.
 
Goodluck to all of you who are still in the process! Your time will come. Keep praying, be patient, worry less and back it up with great organizing skills. I really do believe it pays off being organized. As someone who's always been hands on to all of the benefits we filed, none of them took so long to process. K1 visa took 4 months, adjustment of status took 4 months, removal of conditions took  7 months and now my N400 took roughly 4 months from filing to oath taking.
 
AND IF YOU CAN, DO NOT HESITATE TO HELP THOSE WHO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS. PAY IT FORWARD. GOOD KARMA AWAITS YOU. HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE! 

I had my naturalization interview scheduled for 8:00 AM today at Phoenix ASC. Due to Covid-19 had to take a few extra measures - 1. Wear a mask 2. Enter the building at the most 15 mins before scheduled time 3. No company 4. Answer questions related to health
 
Security check was quick. Had to show the notice at reception and the clerk gave me the form back with token number stapled to it.
 
The IO called me just after 8. The interview couldn't be smoother. It was over in less than 10 minutes (not exaggerating).
 
She took my green card and asked if I know what I was there for. Then she told me that this interview is voluntary and I may leave any time. She then started with the Civic questions. 6 Civic questions were done within first minute. She asked me to read and write a simple sentence on the iPad. Then she went over few family questions, I had to just answer Yes or confirm it is correct. Then she asked about questions related to previous arrests, any bad groups membership, etc. Answer was NO to all of them. Finally she asked about allegiance related questions. I mentioned to her that my wife has used a different name at least once (on our son's birth certificate) and I forgot to mention it in one of the questions but she told me not to worry about it.
 
She had me sign a couple of forms on iPad: 
1. With my personal information - all was Ok
2. Acceptance to take the oath
 
Then she congratulated me and printed a form, told me that she can get me in for the oath ceremony at 9 AM. Escorted me to the waiting area. I texted my wife at 8:14, It's Done
 
Few minutes before 9, another office called about 15 names and took us to the ceremony room. They had us fill I-445. Then handed packets with passport form, SSA update form, voter registration form, etc. Completed I-445 and green cards were collected. Then an officer quickly explained the package content and answered few questions.
 
Another officer came in and explained the oath process and gave opportunity to ask any questions or if anyone had a change of mind. Then he asked us to rise, he said the Oath and we had to say "I do" (another Covid impact). We were called in random order to collect our naturalization certificate and if everything was ok, we were told that we are good to go! The entire oath ceremony took about 30-40 minutes.
 
Thank you USCIS, it was a great experience. 
 
I did not update the timeline but I had applied N-400 under 5 year rule on Feb 26. Biometrics was done on Mar 16. Interview notice was received on 11/5 and interview/oath was done on 12/10.

You can ask them to re-schedule your appointment for after your current date, but the new date might be a little further down the road than normal.

Also @Timona, I checked the spreadsheet but there is no field for biometrics letter announced, so I will fill it in when I receive the letter in the mail 😄.

Smart move. I believe there is an additional documents section you can upload them to. If you can't, I would not worry about it. If they need them, they will ask for them. I would still download them all from the bank's website though, just in case, sometimes there is a time limit how far back you can go.
 
Good luck with the wait now!

You do not need wills and power of attorneys. You can also add joint lease or mortgage information, joint utility bills showing same address.These are all extras, though, you have covered the basics.
 
You do need all months of bank statements (since ROC). Download as many as you can from the bank's website.

Filed on July 20th. Got biometric appointment letter today for Dec 7th. I have changed my address a month and half ago and updated my new address online but they still sent the mail in old address and it was forwarded to the new address. It was sent on Nov 14th but got on Nov 30th. Luckily got it before the actual interview date. 

Magic phrase is 'technical support'
Took me some time of trial and error to figure it out

800 375 5283
 
Someone just said there are no wait times to get through today...

Congratulations 👏. Update our little spreadsheet..
 
 
To July fillers...I can confirm the magic word works. Called today for someone and said "technical support." I was able to talk to someone after 15 minutes of being on hold. 
I didn't call for my case since I already sent a direct email from my inbox. Per another user, that is pretty much what the Tier 2 officer was gonna do. Or I'm wrong? 
Hopefully,  they reply to my inbox. 

 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UYpuRqSQkRAdX7Kr_nehvjsjCiNTyADPJ3CAc9qJHf4/edit?usp=sharing
 
Fill timeline, People

Magic Word is "technical support" and then "Technical Problem"
First i was disconnected but i called right back and No hold time. Spoke to them and they sent a request to field office. Gave me reference number and said i should hear something from them in 15 to 30 days. 
 
Call now before they figure out we figured out how to contact them and they change it

Hello Everyone!
 
The online tool sent me an error message when I tried to create an inquiry, as apparently my case is still within processing time (SFR office).
So I listened to @ToysneATX about calling USCIS anyway. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

If you want, give it a try: 800-375-5283.
 
I tried three times with the English menu and kept stuck in a menu loop until it eventually kicked me out. I tried in Spanish and it connected me to a human right away when I asked "representante". The person I talked to created a service request for me and provided a confirmation number.
 
I am hopeful to hear back before the 30 days she's asked me to wait.
 
Thanks,
 
UnaMexicana