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meowmie

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    How to fill out n-400 section part 8 & 9

    in US Citizenship Case Filing and Progress Reports

    Posted

    Hi!

    I am stuck with my n-400 application. I am a Swedish citizen and just received my permanent green card through marriage of an American citizen. I want to file my application for naturalization ASAP and have a couple of questions.

     

    In part 1: information about your eligibility I ticked in option B; that I have been a lawful permanent resident of the US for at least 3 years through marriage (got married in 2012 and received GC nov 2013). 

    The confusion is how I should fill out part 8 and part 9 of n-400 where they want you to list your employment/schools attended for the past five years and the time you spent outside of the U.S. for the past five years. Five years ago I was still living in Sweden so does it really make any sense to include that, or should I just list for the past 3 years since I became a permanent resident?

     

    I really appreciate your help!

    Thank you!

    One year extension passed & waiting on response to RFE

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    Hello Matmat!

    I am also based in NYC and I thought getting an info pass app was hopeless because there were absolutely no available time slots. However I managed to get a time the same day for 1.30pm when I checked the website around 10 am in the morning. I read somewhere on this forum about someone rented a car and went 1,5 hours away from his home town to just find out they would not serve him. So I recommend you trying to get an appointment at least within NY state, otherwise they might not help out out.

    Wishing you all the best!

    Ok thank you. I am in NYC so I imagine it's as busy as it can get. I am looking at other locations within a few hours drive, and I am finding a few open slots, so there is hope. I'm going to keep trying for NYC for a day or two, and if it doesn't work out I'll just make an appointment somewhere in NJ.

    So, I am assuming they give you the stamp right there during your interview, no need to wait?

    And is it just valid once? If I still haven't received the new card by next time I travel, I'll have to get a new stamp?

    Thank you again for your precious advice.

    I-751 October 2015 Filers

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by meowmie

    Just sent in my RFE documentation to USCIS on monday visa certified mail and the tracking shows that it was delivered today. Let´s hope it doesn't take another year for them to get to the RFE :crying: Hopefully the documentation is enough.

    This is what I submitted:

    • Copies of joint tax statements for year 2015

    • Documentation from my husband’s 401k reflecting myself as a beneficiary

    • Copies of bank statements from our joint checking and savings accounts

    • Copies of Car insurance documentation covering both my husband and myself

    • Copies of NationalGrid and ConEdison and Time Warner Cable bills in my husbands and my

      name reflecting our shared address

    • Copies of pay stubs from my employer and my husbands employer reflecting joint address.

    • Copies of my husband’s drivers license and my drivers permit showing the same address.

    • Copy of travel itinerary from a joint vacation trip to Japan.

    • Photographs from our vacation in Japan & South Korea

    I-751 October 2015 Filers

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    I got the I-551 stamp because I lost my expired Greencard. I made an INFO pass appt and they assured me that travelling with my passport with the I-551 stamp was just fine. I have yet to do it.. but they tell me I will be fine!

    anyone else have any stories about this?

    I just came back from a 2 week trip abroad. I got an infopass appointment before my trip and got the i-551 stamp in my passport. They told me as well that all I needed was my passport to travel and to be able to come back to the USA. Being paranoid as I am I also brought my expired green card and extension letter with me. When I got back to New York they just looked at the passport and they told me that when you travel with the i-551 stamp they always have to do some extra verification so I was taken into the side room. The lady looked through my passport and checked her computer. Took an extra 5-10 minutes - then I was good to go. Wish you the best of luck.

    I-751 October 2015 Filers

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    Thank you so much Alphaland,

    I feel so much better now after reading your reply. I will definitely take everything you mentioned into consideration when I am gathering my new evidence. I will definitely keep the stronger evidence in the beginning and weaker towards the end.

    THANK YOU SO MUCH!

    I am so happy I have you and everybody else's support going through this.

    So happy for the visa journey community!

    Will keep everybody updated how things are going!

    Thank you!

    To meowmie,

    Sorry that you got an RFE. The best advice I can give you now is set aside any negative emotions and don't panic. These things happen from time to time, even cases with strong evidence will sometime get randomly selected to provide more evidence. That's because it's been almost a year since the initial applicant was sent in, things could have changed (eg marriage fell apart, no longer living together, marriage dissolution or separation has occured, etc). It could be that your case was randomly selected to provide more recent (and strong) evidence, that' all.

    The best course of action is to start gathering new evidence. Do not resend anything that you have already sent, but you are welcome to write a separate cover letter listing all the evidence that were sent previously and include a paragraph like: "adding to the evidence previously submitted, we are including the following evidence that cover the period from the time the initial application was sent up to now"

    Now, pay attention, this part is important and could help you (and will do no harm to your case). When you compile your evidence (paperwork), place the stronger evidence before the weaker ones. Anything that shows joint financial assets and debts are good primary evidence (joint lease, joint loans, joint bank account with activities, jointly filed tax returns (add in the w-2s from both spouses or get the official irs tax transcripts)). Since your initial application, you should have a 2015 joint tax return ready for submission, so include it. Note that if any of your recent tax returns since your marriage was not filed in the category of "married filed jointly" then it is not considered strong primary evidence and you should write out a statement explaining why your taxes werent filed jointly. Don't forget to Include joint health insurance (get a letter from the insurer to "validate" that the joint health insurance is still active as of today, or, even better see if the insurer can add in the date the insurance policy became active with both of you being covered under the same policy); unlike homeowner or auto insurance polies which generally list out the time periods such policies are valid, health insurance often do not include this information on the insurance cards themselves, so get a letter from the insurer if you can.

    Weak (secondary) evidence should be placed toward the back of your paperwork. That would be your photos, affidavits, utility bills, vacation trip itineraries, christmas cards/correspondence, etc. if you are planning to include more of them.

    Note: for all evidence with joint names, take a yellow highlighter and highlight both names (spouses) on those paperwork. Do that for every piece of paperwork that include both names. This helps the case officers when reviewing your documents ; in effect it draws their eyes/attention to those strong documents with both spouses name on them.

    Also, find or buy some file tab stickers or post it note pad. For each type of evidence, place a tab sticker on the right side of the 1st page of eqch evidence type, hand write the name/title of that evidence type. Keep going down yoir evidence packet until you have covered all evidence types you are submitting. Besure to layer the stickers so they are easily for the case officer to access (like a filing tab system). This makes it easier for the officers to thumb through your evidence (and not inadvertently miss an important piece of strong evidence espeicallt if it was a single-page evidence)

    Please do not print anything double-sided. Uscis case officers (regardless of which office location) hate double-side printed evidence. Print everything single -sided (one printed side per page). Also, do not hole-punch (top or side) your evidence paperwork. Use a simple file clip to bind all the paperwork together, and do not use prong-hole style paper fastener....another thing they hate (cut accidents happen quite often)

    Submit your response to RFE as quickly as possible, do not delay it if all you are waiting for are weak evidence (like your utility bills that are just now being added -- kind of pointless at this point unless you have no other stronger primary evidence to include). Once Vermont service center receives your response, they have up to 60 days to adjudicate your case. If they pass the 60-day mark, your case would be considered "outside of processing time" and you could then follow up and request it to be escalated.

    The result of your response to the RFE is either going to be a straight approval or it's going to be an interview at the local office. You have nothing to fear as long as you have a bona fide marriage. It will not be a straight denial, so dont worry (honestly though, with your evidence this is unlikely to happen to you), no one case officer can straight out deny your case -- it takes 2. Before a case can be denied, the case officer making such a decision would need his/her supervisor to review and agree with that decision and come to the same conclusion that there is something very fishy about the case even after RFE and interview. Again, I doubt that will be your case so this really is just for informational purpose.

    Relax. Gather your evidence, stack them in the order of strongest primary evidence on top and weak ones at the bottom, highlight the pertinent portions (joint names), create a file-tab system for easy review, type up and sign a cover letter listing all the name/title of the evidence you are submitting (and the period they cover) as well as the ones previously submitted (and the periods they covered). Don't worry about missing the secondary "fluff" evidence unless you feel your primary evidence are lacking and the "fluff" actually make your case stronger when combined with primary evidence. All "fluff" evidence should be place at bottom of your evidence stack.

    Make a complete copy of the entire package before you send it to the service center. This may come in handy in the event that you are selected for an interview; it's easier when you have a complete copy of the evidence the interviewer is looking at when they open up your case file during the interview, and also as a reference point of what evidence have been submitted up to this point.

    I-751 October 2015 Filers

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    Thank you everybody with your support and feedback. I spoke to a friend of mine who happens to be an immigration lawyer. She told me that the people in Vermont especially they never bother to look through all the evidence they receive which is probably why they missed to list some of my evidence. She recommended me to re-submit the evidence they missed together with updated paperwork from everything that is applicable for my RFE. She also mentioned that it is normal to get RFE so I shouldn't worry (which made me feel a whole lot better). I wish everybody good luck with their applications!

    Meowmie,

    I think your documentation is thorough and your case should have been approved. Can't believe it wasn't. The documents noted with a "however" are obviously the issue, but you should call them to check whether the other documents were actually taken into account or for some reason were missing from your file, because they are not listing them and their list should be complete. For instance: car insurance documentation.

    A plea to other posters, especially those who had their case approved: Please state if you submitted more documentation than Meowmie did, so that others could evaluate their strategies from now on.

    I-751 October 2015 Filers

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    Hello!

    Today I received a letter from USCIS with a request for more evidence. I am so upset because they didn't even state all of the evidence that I had sent in. This was their reply:

    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reviewed your Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence (Form I-751) and supporting evidence. Your supporting evidence does not sufficiently establish that you and your spouse entered the marriage in good faith and continue to share a life together.

    You submitted in support of your marital relationship:

    - 2013 and 2014 joint tax documents.

    - 2014 and 2015 joint Bank statements, however they have little transaction history

    - 2013, 2014, and 2015 joint Bank savings statements

    - 2013, 2014, and 2015 Bank credit card statements, however, these were only in your spouse's name

    - joint health care cards

    - three affidavits, and

    - photographs of you and your spouse

    The problem with this is that they forgot a bunch of evidence that we actually did send in. This is the actual list of proof of our bonafide marriage that we sent in with our application (copied from our cover letter):

    • Copy of our housing lease
    • Copies of the tax statements for the previous two years (2013-2014)
    • Documentation from my husband’s 401k reflecting myself as a beneficiary
    • Copies of bank statements from our joint checking and savings accounts
    • Copies of our credit cards along with statements showing a joint account
    • Documentation from Health Insurance showing that I am a designated beneficiary on my husband’s plan
    • Three sworn affidavits by U.S. citizen friends, attesting to our relationship and marriage
    • Photographs from our wedding, vacations, family gatherings and everyday activities
    • Copies of my husband’s drivers license and my drivers permit showing the same address
    • Copies of Car insurance documentation covering both my husband and myself
    • Copies of ConEdison and NationalGrid bills in my husbands name reflecting our shared address
    • Copy of a Christmas card from my husband’s cousin and his fiancé addressed to my husband and I
    • Copy of a thank you card from our friends addressed to my husband and I

    So basically USCIS didn't care/lost/forgot about our joint car insurance in both of our names, our lease, they forgot the copies of our drivers license and drivers permit that reflects that my husband and I live on the same address, as well as the christmas and thank you card addressed to both of us (I can see why this isn't considered maybe strong proof).

    The reason why the utility bills were stated in my husbands name is because I only started working earlier this year because I was studying to become a teacher. As soon as I got the letter my husband made sure to add my name to all the utility bills (gas, electricity and internet) but I will only really have for 2 months worth of statements before my deadline for the request for more evidence.

    Now they want more proof - should I just resend the information that they OBVIOUSLY missed?

    I really don't know what else I could send them... Would my pay stubs from this year that highlights my address work as evidence?

    I really appreciate all of your advice in this.

    Thank you all!

    I-751 October 2015 Filers

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by meowmie

    Congratulations on your approval! I hope you receive your letter soon either to the correct address or if your roommate picks it up. I am logging into my case status everyday but still nothing has changed (My NOA is 10/13). But I am so happy things are finally happening for the October filers!

    I've been switching apartment every Sept 1st for last two years. I filed my I-751 using address A. I received RFE (luckily and correctly) at address B when I was living. Then I called to place a service request, the response went to address A and an old roommate picked it up. I called a week ago to make sure all stuff goes to address C which is current, and the rep told me I need to do infopass to make sure that happen. Last Friday the officer at infopass told me an approval letter went to address A! And he sent an email to service center to make sure the actual card will go to address C.

    Every Sept 1st I change address online and get verification on time. This is no guarantee that the correct address is being used. I even went to address B a few days ago and asked the new tenants if they can keep an eye on my uscis letters :(

    My online status has not changed at all and I'm waiting to hear from my old roommate at address A if she got anything.

    I-751 October 2015 Filers

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    Another VSC approval! My husband got his letter on Saturday saying that he has been approved for his removal of conditions and to expect his new green card in the mail within 60 days!!! The letter is dated 8/23/16 :D.

    Congrats. If you login online - does it say that your application was approved as well, or only in the letter?

    I am so excited that finally things are happening for VSC applicants

    affidavit notary signature OR no signature

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    For affidavit from my friend. We created it and went to bank for notary. Notary did stamp and embossed seal on it but did not sign it and we didn't know where notary need to sign it or not. So we did not ask.

    Does it need signature of notary or not?

    Great you went to the notary. I was debating whether or not to go to the notary for my affidavits, but decided not too. A stamp is probably significant enough. Good luck!

    I-751 October 2015 Filers

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    I think not until October for me bec my gc will expire January 2017, I cant think of anything else that would cause the delay, my friend that filed early January has already heard from uscis for RFE. It must be the moving, hang in there maybe yours will come soon :)

    I filed in October 2015 as well. I have not moved and I haven't heard anything from them - no request for evidence either. They must be super delayed. Or worst case maybe they lost everybody's cases :cry:

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