vinnie&andy

We took a page out of @Crazy Cat's book and added a letter in the evidence section of the N-400 specifically requesting a combo interview. 
 
Here's a template of what we used:
 
[NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[ADDRESS]
 
[DATE]
 
US Citizenship & Immigration Services
P.O. Box 25920
Overland, KS 66225
 
RE:     Notice of Pending I-751 & Request for Combo Interview
 
Dear USCIS Officer:
 
This letter is to provide notice that I currently have a pending I-751 Petition for Removal of Conditions, which was accepted on or about [DATE] with the receipt number SRC##########. Please consider this notice as an official request for a combination I-751/N-400 interview (or waiver of the I-751 interview, if applicable) if the I-751 is still pending at the time my Application for Naturalization is adjudicated and processed.
 
Thank you,

[NAME]
 
Edit: Just to clarify - we did not mail this, it was uploaded as a pdf with the online N-400 application.

Go ahead and file your n400 if the interview comes up with a pending ROC, they will do a combo interview if they have all your files ready. You do don’t need to request for a combo interview because they will handle your case accordingly.

Include I-751 receipt with your N-400 packet.
 
In cover letter mention you have a pending Removal Of Conditions petition and ask for combo interview.

I've been checking the processing time on the Case Tracker app.  It seems they are approving cases around the October/November 2020.  It would probably take a couple more months to get to December 2020, might be worth waiting a little more.

When we filed my wife's N-400 (after waiting 40 months for I-751 processing), I think the USCIS estimate for N-400 (5-year rule) was 11 months.  In reality, the interview took place 4 months after filing......and the Oath Ceremony 6 weeks after the interview.

I agree with @Boiler, especially with the proposed rate increases (although not as much for N400), and if naturalization is the ultimate goal, why wait.
 
Good Luck!

Don’t know about Louisville, but at some offices filing N-400 can delay both cases. I’ve seen reports for Seattle and St Albans. 
 
The high percentage play is to file N-400 especially since USCIS is putting most of its resources on N-400s.  

They guy interviewing my wife said that applying for naturalization helped us. We were still down in the queue for an I-751 interview, but the n400 interview queue was shorter and they processed together.

When is your 5 year permanent resident date?
 
It might be worth waiting to apply under the 5yr rule just to save yourself some printing/application hassle. 
 
From going through other Potomac timelines it looks like filing N400 does “unstick” I-751s. Obviously your decision, but I plan to apply for N400 as soon as I’m eligible (also a YSC filer). 

Looks like they are expecting I 751's to take 3 to 4 years so I would say go for it.

Case processing time now showing 26 months…

We are the ones linked to as a warning of what might happen. We're still waiting on the second application to get an interview scheduled after reapplying. I wouldn't recommend risking the 3 months. I believe we were in the right, but our officer didn't and it's probably going to cost us 1 year and $700.

Sure, you can certainly try. The worst that can happen is losing $725. Please come in the future and let us know how it went. Good luck.

Just for the sake of clarity, it wouldn't get rejected. It might get denied. "Rejected" and "denied" are two different things for USCIS. Yes, for the N-400 you will have to pay again. The 751 is going to be trickier because they might question the validity of the marriage if you are living apart for so long.
 
Nobody really knows. Some people say yes, it does help with the ROC process, some people suggest waiting until ROC is approved.

December 2020 filer. Hoping to hear something soon. It’s discouraging to read about people who filed in the summer of 2020 and still haven’t heard anything….. 

December 2020 filer. Hoping to hear something soon. It’s discouraging to read about people who filed in the summer of 2020 and still haven’t heard anything….. 

early September 2020 here and still nothing since fingerprints.

If you don't mind sparing $700, then by all means go ahead and apply.
But if you are in no rush, I would just wait until March 2023. And in that way, you are certain the timing will work.
Plus, if you file in March 2023 we will be N400 buddies!😆

I would try if I were you. You were and remained married.

1. There is no early filing window if you have not been in a martial union for 36 months. We both agree that you have not been in a martial union for 36 months. 
 
2. As the link I provided shows, USCIS can (even illegally) deny your N-400 case if it determines you have not been in a martial union.  My unprofessional opinion is that the martial union needs to be 3 continuous years and you needed to have been in each other’s physical presence on day 1 and on day 1095 or (if there was a leap year) day 1096 of the period of marital union, with no “significant” breaks in the union. You had a 9 month break.  The law might be on your side, but the IO might not be on the side of the law or you.
 
 If you want to file when you have 36 months of discontinuous union I think you should do it with a lawyer who is capable of quoting chapter and verse from case law and statute when you have your interview.  
 
Otherwise I think you should file March 2023 when you presumably have 36 months of continuous union.  

Nope.  The rules are for continuous US residence.  For marital union, it just states:
 
 
No mention of "continuous"

if it were me, id rather be safe than sorry, and just go and have them done again. in our case, its just a day off work (its about a 2 hour drive each way) and getting to go to civilization lol
 
the letter stating you need to have them redone is the most RECENT letter. Another reason to go by THAT one....

Case received at the AZ lockbox: 12/30
Check cashed: 2/4
 
Now waiting for the NOA1
 

Case received at the AZ lockbox: 12/30
Check cashed: 2/4
 
Now waiting for the NOA1
 

Case received at the AZ lockbox: 12/30
Check cashed: 2/4
 
Now waiting for the NOA1