ineedadisplayname

I would do the Canadian citizenship first regardless of what you are planning to do.  You are super close obtaining it and you never know when it will become handy.

I don't think this is a do it yourself case anymore unless on this site somebody is actually well versed in both and can advice you what to do.

Probably you will need a criminal and immigration lawyer or one that knows both very well.

Most likely the airline won't let you board the plane back to the US with an expired GC so you won't be gaining any entry.

Did you have a 10 y.o green card that expired or a 2 yo one? if you had the 10 yo then you file I-90 right now and wait until you get the extension letter and then travel.

https://www.uscis.gov/i-90

1 hour ago, serret said:

Hi,

 

I’ve recently moved here with a K1 visa. I landed in the US on September 3 and we got married on September 16. We sent our AOS package on October 11.

 

We live in Minnesota. For Thanksgiving we want to fly to El Paso, Texas to spend the holiday with my husband’s brother and his family. My husband’s brother will be moving abroad soon and we probably won’t be able to see him for a year or two. 
 

I don’t want to be apart from family but I also don’t want to risk my AOS by going that close to the US-Mexican border. Especially since we’re also going by air. My gut feeling says not to do it but I also tend to be a scaredy cat so I might also be exaggerating. So please tell me fellow visa journey members, is this a risky move?

As long as you are not leaving the USA you will be fine. (So do not cross the land crossing in El Paso. In any circumstances DO NOT go over to Mexico, not even for lunch or dinner, check out the area and so on. It is easy to leave, hard to come back)

Bring your passport and the I-485 receipt with you.

If you all driving around Texas or just outside of El Paso make sure you have these on you because there are US Border Patrol Checkpoints within the US where they will pull cars over and check ids/ may ask people in the car if they are citizens.  (Some of these checkpoints are even on google maps lol, if you search for US Border Patrol Checkpoint or immigration checkpoint)

Never lie. If the officer asks probably the people you are traveling with in the car (your husband/friends/family) will be citizens and even if it is inconvenient for them you should point out that you are not a us citizen and if asked provide your documentation Probably if they asks for ids it will be obvious to the officer that you are not a citizen.

Most of the time these checkpoints are painless and fast since there are a bunch of cameras (at the bigger ones) so it scans license plate etc so they will know at least who owns the car and probably the owner's info.

Been through 2 different checkpoints multiple times in the last couple of years in south Texas, close to the gulf. (I was already a resident at that time). My experience was fine. The longest I've been there at a small checkpoint it was like 5 minutes because it was like super duper close to the boarder and the officer was interested of what I was doing down there because I don't live in Texas + checked my green card and there were literary 0 traffic behind me. The other 3 times they didn't even ask if I was a citizen or not, just gave them my driver's license, got it back in like 15 seconds and drove away.

Noticed that it's definitely helps if you "look american" unfortunately.

39 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Not sure why that would be the case.

 

Do N-400 oaths for the St Louis field office normally use federal court?

I think in STL there are two that does oath ceremonies, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and the Eastern District of Missouri's District Court. Probably the Western District does their own around Kansas City region. So that is why i said it probably depends based on where you reside.

4 hours ago, Mike E said:

St Louis is slow:

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/citlist.php?op6=All&op7=Saint+Louis+MO&op1=8&op2=&op4=1&op5=5%2C10%2C11&cfl=

 

Since they are from IL I would assume the oath will be administered by an IL court....

5 hours ago, Timona said:

If you get your certificate right before travel, even better. Get emergency PP appointment and have PP within same day or 3 days max.

You know those are not guaranteed right?

5 hours ago, Evan757 said:

When talking to CBP at the airport on an IR1 visa before they let us through customs, do they ask a lot of questions or scrutinize much? I'm curious so I can prepare my wife for it. We'll be entering the US together (and I'll be going in the foreign passport line with her). 

Depending on the airport there might be a whole separate line for immigrant visa holders.... Keep an eye out for that too

8 minutes ago, mepck said:

Hi, when you use these two documents for I9 (DL + unrestricted SS Card), which one should we tick on the USCIS Form I-9? - I am not sure if it should be (2) or (3):

 

1. A citizen of US --> definitely not this one, because I am in the ROC process

2. A non citizen national of the US

3. A lawful permanent resident (Alien Registration Number/USCIS Number)

4.  An alien authorized to work

 

Thanks!

If you are doing ROC it means you have a green card, hence you are a A lawful permanent resident. Tick number (3).

Number (2) is an interesting category and based on some google searching it comes down to US territories.

23 hours ago, gabluc said:

Her attorney said

Why does she has an immigration attorney as a tourist?

11 hours ago, Celebi said:

OMG yes. I'm sorry. My mind was still in shock that I got rejected for this volunteer position. And I also forgot how to edit my post as I haven't been here since I got my GC 2 years ago. 

I told them that my GC won't expire till Oct which is why I went ahead and renewed it (did not explain the 90-day rule since she said she will ask their lawyer about it). 

I didn't want to continue the convo anymore since it was voluntary so I didn't want to spend another day explaining to her the wonderful immigration system we have here. 

I just realized that the reason why a lot of immigrants apply to big companies is because they have the resources to deal with immigrants like us. But then, no one's really hiring  

 

That is why I always do driver license + unrestricted ssn card... nobody bugs you until your driver's license expires....

11 hours ago, Marrienne said:

Hey everyone!!

My N-400 interview is in 2 days.

I am so nervous!!

Nothing weird about my case. No criminal record, just a straight laced white gal, worked hard, nothing funky in my past ever.

 

Any last words of advice??

Do's and don't?

Anything you wished someone had told YOU?

 

Tia!!!

 

Good luck and hope you don't need to travel in the next 3 months or so. Apply for a passport as soon as possible because unfortunately it takes around 3 months with regular processing. Emergency passport is a hit or miss, sometimes there are no appointment event for emergency as far as I read so it's not a 100% that you will get a passport a couple of days before your travel date.

Know your answers for the 100 questions.

Not sure if you practiced them by somebody reading them to you and you answering or you read out loud for yourself and answered it but that might help if you didn't do that since you hear the question but you can't see the it.

The tablet and pen sometimes is strange. I wanted to write an s and it ended up looking like a strange c. I told the officer that my s is looks like a c and she told me to cross out the word and write that word again,  then I continued with my sentence. In retrospect I would try to write slower and make sure to press the pen against a screen. it is on tablet holder so it is strange to write like that. It is almost like writing on a chalkboard.

My advice is always if something is not clear, ask!

I didn't have Global Entry before getting the GC. Probably you will need to go to a Global Entry enrollment center and update your documents to add the green card to your existing profile.

Once that is done you would scan your GC as instructed instead of the passport.

Not sure how being UK citizen with already existing global entry would complicate the process, but I would call the closest center to your location and try to add your GC.

52 minutes ago, Rocio0010 said:

Thank you. Sadly, I don’t even have an interview date yet. And yes, I’m aware of the residency requirements. This is just my short yearly trip where I go back home and eat home- made food hahaa

That should be fine. I think if you look around on this forum in the N400 sub forum you might find some information on which month and year people are getting interviews from.

Since it is a short trip after the notice you have around 45 days before the interview so it's unlikely you will miss it due to a short trip.

22 hours ago, Rocio0010 said:

Just checking to see if it’s ok to travel out of the country with a pending N400. I am 100% positive, but just wanting to double check.

And yeah I know I need the extension letter+passport+expired green card and the marriage certificate due to a name change!

Yes, Just make sure to time your trips around your expected interview date. usually you have like 45 days from the notice. They are not going to reschedule the interview just because you are on vacation (for other stuff they might)

Also make sure you meet the continuous residence and physical present requirements if you plan to take a lot of trips or a very long one.

Otherwise you are free to travel.

8 hours ago, carmel34 said:

The oath ceremony notice has a number your wife can call to reschedule for early 2024

I don't think it works like that. I had to reschedule the N-400 interview and there was no choice provided. Just got a letter with the new date. USCIS canceled the new date a day before because of bad weather. Got another letter with the latest date. Had a trip planned. Tried to reschedule it, it got denied because it had no basis (looks like paid trips are not a real concern of them that you loose a bunch of money on hotels/flights) so I had to show up or would needed to start over.

Not sure what happens if you try to delay the oath ceremony, at some point they might fed up?

3 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

You have to send either the original or a certified copy.  Yes, they are supposed to, and they routinely return the documents.  They returned wife's Naturalization Certificate 7 weeks after she received her passport.

I am not debating the fact that you need the original or a certified copy BUT also you need a simple copy of the certificate sent too, otherwise they are going to keep the original or the certified copy.

Good to know that it will take another 2 months to get the original back.

On 5/30/2023 at 5:16 PM, Gaps0214 said:

Hello everyone, 

 

I would like to get your suggestion on what I can do to follow up the return of my original Certificate of Naturalization from the State Department.

 

I received my passport last March 2023 and now it has been 2 months since and there is no sign of the CON in the mail whatsoever.

 

I think we deserve to have our original CON document back not only for all the financial resources we had to invest to obtain it but also its value and importance as the culmination of our long and significant journey and proof of our commitment to the United States .

 

I wrote to NPIC@state.gov and the reply I got is:

 

Thank you for contacting the National Passport Information Center. All  the information you need about current passport operations and services is conveniently located on our website at travel.state.gov. 

 

Note: If you are sending this e-mail to cancel your appointment at a passport agency, we will cancel it immediately. Thank you for making it available to another customer.

 

This is the only reply you will receive to your email.

 

It's almost unbelievable to note the absurdity of their auto-reply. Not very helpful at all.

 

Any suggestions will be gratefully appreciated.

 

Cheers,

G&A

 

 

 

 

Hope you also submitted a photocopy of the certificate with your application. Otherwise they are going to keep the original certificate....

1 hour ago, Riben said:

What about question 4 and 5 ?

I used the online tool to fill out the form (https://pptform.state.gov/?Submit2=Complete+Online+%26+Print)  and then printed it out in black and white and without instructions

Went to a USPS place and submitted it right there instead of mailing it in. Still took like a week until it finally showed up on the passport tracker and the received date was a week later. Not sure if it is faster if u actually mail it.

Make sure to have a photo copy of your naturalization certificate AND the original. If you don't submit a copy they will keep the original

30 minutes ago, Riben said:

Also, what is a locator ?

Locator is the number of the processing center for the passport.

Once you submit it you will know the locator

10 minutes ago, ineedadisplayname said:

And now she has to send in her nice and shiny certificate to be able to get a passport and hope the passport service returns it in 7 to 14 weeks or so. It is so stupid that they need the original... It's like there is no digital system to look it up.

 

Congrats!

And now she has to send in her nice and shiny certificate to be able to get a passport and hope the passport service returns it in 7 to 14 weeks or so. It is so stupid that they need the original... It's like there is no digital system to look it up.

6 hours ago, *Snowdrop* said:

I fly back to the US with him and we would marry in May.

What happens after? You stay in the US. leave the US after getting married?

1 hour ago, panetone said:

So, I went though the online N400 application. I am challenged with providing the travel history. I travel a lot for business and some vacation.

I can read out my trips from my United account for about a year. But beyond it becomes a challenge. I tried my best with emails I found. However, since I changed employer I do not have 5 year travel itineraries.  I did my best.... but will it be good enough? How detailed is this being reviewed? Frankly,  immigration would have a better record than I do....

 

 

It will be good enough. When it comes to that part be upfront. I am sure they know all your enter/exit dates. I bought a list of my travels after my n400 application was submitted and the officer had all the dates on the computer without me filling it out in the n400 application since they were trips after applying. The only real question if you met the physical presence and continuous residency  requirement due to a lot of trips