Moses E

Hi everyone. Submitted N-400 application for my mom 4 weeks ago, does anyone know the average time this process would take? 

Hi guys, jumping in here for October. Everything was submitted on the 24th, got a REF on December 5th, to upload the original birth certificate for my husband with a translated copy, I uploaded his password instead by mistake lol! Also, they asked for 1099 for my joint sponsor. I uploaded the requested documents right away, and the sponsorship got ACCEPTED the next day, but the birth certificate is still showing SUBMITTED. So just waiting for them to accept the birth certificate too. Anyone got any updates for resubmitted paperwork?

Thanks a million. This says it all. I will reply the ref now and send them some pictures as supporting documents to consolidate my point. If they still cannot accept my explanation and picture proof then i will suggest they expunge the document from their record. 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Nigeria.html
 
Check this page, under "Marriage, Divorce Certificates":
 
Exceptions: The vast majority of customary marriages will have no written record.
Comments: Submitted Nigerian marriage certificates will be reviewed by a consular officer at the time of interview
Nigerian law recognizes multiple types of legal marriage, each with their own requirements.  The two main types are customary marriages and registry marriages. 
1.) CUSTOMARY MARRIAGES:  While customary marriages are legally binding, no registration or written record of the event is required by law.  As a result, documentation of customary marriages generally does not exist outside of photographs taken at the ceremony.  Individuals will sometimes, when necessary, swear an affidavit in a court that they are married in order to provide written proof of such a marriage.  Some Local Governments will issue a certificate based on that affidavit by virtue of the Registration of Customary Marriage bylaws.  Absence of an affidavit or certificate of this kind cannot be taken as lack of marital status.  [Note: The bylaws mentioned vary from state to state and authorize Local Government Authorities (LGAs) to register customary marriages that take place in their jurisdiction.  The bylaws do not exist in all states and several states that have them do not make registration compulsory.]  There are two types of Customary Marriage:  marriage under native law & custom (also known as traditional marriage) and Islamic marriage. 
1.)a.) Marriage Under Native Law & Custom: Traditional marriage ceremonies are based on local, unwritten customs.  In the case of Lagos residents, the customs of the local area or village where the family originates from (usually outside Lagos State) should also be considered.  Cultural context will determine whether a legally binding marriage ceremony took place, versus an introduction or other non-binding ceremony.  Some local customs permit proxy marriages, where the groom need not be present at the ceremony.  In nearly all Nigerian cultures, payment of a dowry or bride price is a key component of a traditional marriage ceremony.  The dowry may be in the form of money, gifts, or a combination of both.  Yams are a typical part of the dowry in many areas within Nigeria.  [Note:  Modernization has led to some evolution in traditional marriages, and payment of the bride price in some recent marriages is merely symbolic.]  Traditional marriage also allows for a man to legally marry more than one wife. 
 
EDIT for clarification: I think what you need is a sworn affidavit/explanation, and attach this to the marriage certificate you previously provided. Otherwise, the NVC agent will be looking for a standard marriage certificate as described in the main part of that page.

I apologize. Got my date wrong. I submitted on the 22nd of October and yes I got a ref today.
My parents had customary marriage in 1977 and the document issued by the govt is called testimony of native law and custom marriage act.  Don’t know how to explain this to NVC and certainly don’t know if I could ask them to ignore the document and proceed with the others that have been marked as accepted. 

That is totally normal. There is no email notification that your documents are submitted. Case status showing that you need to submit required documents is totally normal too. The status will change once they review documents which will happen in approximately 50-60 days.

I just sent an email to NVCExpedite@state.gov
 
I included in the email my parents’ case numbers, full name and date of birth together with my information. In the body of the email, I humbly asked if they can expedite their cases as I need assistance with childcare. 
 
Update to their petitions: They arrived here in the US on April 18, 2022. I went back home to bring them here with me. Immigration officer at POE just asked me where do I want their greencards mailed.
 
Hoping for everyone to be reunited with your parents. 

Hello, you are fine, you will need to submit the 1-864 when you get to NVC stage, there are links in this website you can read for you to know the process of applying visa for your family

Wow.. this is certainly mind draining. Well, I hope they conclude everything very soon. You should have applied for naturalization. I’m Pretty sure the biometric wld hv come in sooner if you did. 

Finally, after 16 months, I went in to do my biometrics.  I am hoping they will just mail me the green card!  Just wanted to tell someone this happened!  

Hello,
You can see the documents on the website below (under Step 7. Civil Documents, click the Documents Finder and select the country on the left).
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-1-submit-a-petition.html

Hi everyone,
My wife had her I-175 interview yesterday (and 6 days later she was scheduled for the N400 interview).  Some mentioned possibly getting a call the morning of to inform it would be a combo interview, which we did NOT receive.  
The I-175 portion was very relaxed and the officer was friendly and not at all intimidating.  Asked us simple questions about time outside the U.S., vacations we took together, what states we've visited outside Illinois (Chicago), date of marriage and where, how we met and where and then he reviewed new evidence we brought - we're selling our condo, plus new lease, most updated bank statement, plus title of new car bought together, plus recently filed 2020 taxes.  That was it and we asked if it were possible to do the N400 interview since it was scheduled for next week, he said, "oh, you have that next week.... let me see if I can".... a couple minutes on his computer and he says, "sure, I can do it" -- omg!!!!!  Luckily she had been studying the N400 test questions just in case.
 
Civics Questions (she passed with first 6 questions):
1)What is the judicial system set up for?
2)The gov't is based on the idea of self-governance, what are the first 3 words of the constitution?
3) FORGOT
4)What is the political party of the current U.S. President?
5)Who is the current President of the U.S.?
6)For how long is the President elected?
 
English Test- he held up paper, and she had to read aloud the first sentence:  Where is the White House located?  Writing part - he gave her paper and she had to write what he said - "The White House is located in Washington, D.C."  SUPER EASY!  

Then he asked if he could keep the new taxes and our new lease to upload to the file and he approved both cases!  Final step is oath ceremony, which he said could be a couple months, but others I know have finished in a couple weeks.  
Here's our general timeline:
12 April 2017 - arrived in the US with marriage-based conditional Green Card
14 January 2019 - applied for Removal of Conditions
February 2019 - I-751 Biometrics completed
March 2019 - I-751 Ready to schedule interview
24 August 2020 - applied for US citizenship
30 December 2020 - N400 Biometrics reuse notice received
5 March 2021 - I-751 interview scheduled, which we had to reschedule due to being out of country
30 March 2021 - N400 interview scheduled notice
30 April 2021 - I-751 interview date - WHICH in the moment (no advance notice) became a combo interview for both ROC and citizenship
6 May 2021 - N400 interview date
Pending  - oath ceremony
 
I hope this helps everyone.  This has been such an entirely exhausting, daunting, stressful process with the 2 year wait to remove conditions and now with N400 approved, it's just DONE.  HANG IN THERE EVERYONE, YOU WILL GET THERE.

hello all , i am a January filler too, my case changed to ready in december and filled n400 and had a combo interview yesterday, i started with n400 interview it was very easy finished in almost 5 min than he moved to i751, he was very rude and all he wanted is to see something to deny the case, he insisted why we dont have a joint bank account, i asked him we have a joint tax return he answerd that he doesnt care about tax return it is financially benefit to file joint , he looked at pictures with sarcastic face, showed him the  lease agreement he said that show him just we are roommate, he did not asked anything else not even one basic question he went just with proofs of what we sent he did not even asked about birth certificate of daughter, i asked him if he want to interview my wife too she is in  the waiting room inside he said no , he ended up that he needs more time and will receive his decision in mail in 30 days, what really scares a little that whenever we go through proofs he seems not convinced and telling that this is not helping your case even we have one child. any thoughts.

Well, I filed on the 20th of February and just like you, haven't heard a thing from them since covid-19 interrupted my biometrics capturing in March. My service center is Texas too and things seem to be on a halt over there. So cheer up cos you are not alone.

Thank you for showing this ,
I had an RFE as well in February and with everything happening I couldn’t send it to May , only thing I mainly couldn’t do was show our licenses were address cause everything was shot down here and by the time I sent everything it still wasn’t open, with how ur timeline is I should hear something by next month I am hoping.
 
if I sadly do get an interview and not approval I know what extra to bring there. I plan to renew my address this week since DMV is finally opened .

Hello fellow filers!
I used to get an email notification every time somebody posted here but I haven't gotten one in the past two months so I figured nobody had posted anything... Decided to check today and BAM!! 
Anywho... Thanks to you guys I also checked my case status today to see that they're using my old biometrics. It makes me breathe a little. I know they said they'd still work on cases but I had this feeling that the past two months just didn't matter. Now I feel like they did work on cases which makes me officially 88 days in!!
About 300 more to go but still 😂😂😂

Thank you so much. I sent that 3 days ago and also called USCiS. The 1st person I spoke 2 wasn’t able to give an answer to me and escalated my case to her supervisor who told me the form was irrelevant cos USC need to fill the form only when they have a pending case. Thanks once again for your help. Truly appreciated. 

Hi, I would recommend yes send them a copy of it that you filed a change of address. That’s also what we did on our removal of conditions. Make sure you file the AR-11 and your spouse also files for a change of address (it’s a different form for the USC). There’s no fee for changing your address with USCIS.
Everything then should be fine. I just received my 10 year GC today. Approved without any RFE or interview.

Hi December fliers, I filed my i-751 package on December 17th, and it was delivered by UPS on December 19th. Today, December 24th, I got a notification from USCiS, that my case has been received.

This is very odd. Looking at your post history you have had some very irrational fears about the whole process - worries that a 1-week honeymoon will look suspicious (despite the fact that many people - me included - didn’t have a honeymoon at all), fears of misrep bans, fears of lifetime bans for having no photos of the two of you, fears of home visits by USCIS or ICE... it’s quite possible that the stress has all been too much for you. Immigration is a very stressful operation. Her visa is good for 6 months from the medical date. Maybe take a breath and postpone her arrival? Or maybe it’s better she gets here as soon as possible so you can work through the issues together rather than through messenger or Skype?

absolutely !
Go into the same SSA office where you applied,
the day after you applied (or any day after)
and ask the clerk for the number.
They'll give you a printout.
Good Luck !

Beautiful! Congratulations... our CC on 5/4/18... waiting and manifesting the best. 

Congratulations 

Congratulations 

Great news !!!! 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾Welcome to your wife tooo