AffableAndy

So at my oath ceremony in Minneapolis, SSA officials were actually at the ceremony, and they had us update our records during the ceremony online and then turn the paper forms in. So I actually updated mine on the day of my oath ceremony (along with a significant number of the other ~1000ish people there), and got my updated, restriction free SS card in the mail about two weeks later.

YMMV obviously, but I'd probably just go.

Congratulations!

In Minneapolis, the social security people were at the oath ceremony and we filled out the paperwork and submitted our there itself. We had to file online and in paper.

I got a new, unrestricted card about two weeks after naturalization. No need to wait ten days!

I had my interview in Minneapolis on March 10th, and I got an approval notice on April 19th. The Minneapolis office doesn't approve anyone on the spot as far as I can tell - they wait for your physical A-file to reach them for review before approval. 

After my interview the officer told me it could take up to six weeks or so before approval, just FYI.

Congratulations on passing the interview!

Hey! We were at the same ceremony!
 

So each row was numbered, and they told us not to swap seats. They took our appointment forms and arranged the certificates in the same order. Pretty low tech but it was very impressive!

Congratulations! Now to go apply for a passport…

On 4/20/2023 at 1:08 PM, Gyyomme said:

Congrats. Mind sharing your experience and some of the civics questions? Thank you.

Sorry I missed this, wrote about it a few pages ago.

I still haven't received a physical notice in the mail, which is wild considering my oath ceremony is also on the 10th. I'm so glad they update things online!

My case was approved this morning, and oath ceremony is scheduled for early May!

I got my 48 month extension after I got my 10 year card. I think they are automatically sent out, but obviously approval doesn't cancel the process!

On 4/8/2023 at 3:06 PM, Mekulisch said:

How does it help to file N-400 if you are still waiting (filed November’21) on I-751?

I had my N400 interview already prior to my I-751 approval. It cuts down the waiting time.

Also, a lot of people notice that their I-751 has no action taken until you file for citizenship. Then your files have to be reviewed.

So I got my approval notice on Monday and new card in the mail on Tuesday.

Yesterday I got a 48 month extension letter, dated *after* my approval notice. Got to love USCIS! 😜

• Can I file i-130 and i-485 together?

Yes, this is called concurrent filing. You can also file I-765 and I-131 which will allow you to work/travel during the approval process (once those specific petitions are approved).

• OPT expire June marrying in May/June suspicion?

Not if you provide good evidence showing that the relationship is genuine, but honestly remember that your legal marriage and social wedding can be on different days. It can take quite some time for the I-765 to be approved so I recommend not waiting till the last minute.

• Can we move to a different state while it is processing? for example, we live in Kansas and decided during the process, we want to move to Arizona?

Yes. I moved across the country during my AoS process.

• When we file for i-130 and I-485 can we also file I-765?

Yes

• What if my parents never met my bf but only through Facetime? Will that be a issue? 

My parents met my husband for the first time after we had already been married for six months. It wasn't an issue. 

• Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, how much annual income for a marriage green card?

125% of the annual federal poverty guidelines for a household of your size -  for two people in the contiguous states that's $24,650. More information here: https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p

We talked about my I-751. The IO had a scanned copy available to her. She just confirmed that we were still married and living together, and after the naturalization interview she said everything looks good but my A-file needs to be shipped over from the service center (LIN) to my local office before they can approve my cases. She did say that barring anything else coming up she everything looked good for approval.

You don't necessarily need an interview for I-751 at all so I can't tell if it was a combo interview or my interview was waived by the IO.

Definitely ask other people at your location and make your decision! 

If you get a same day path, traveling back right away might be complicated. My state doesn't allow for it but I'm not sure about CT.

The issue is that individual experiences vary so much that it is really difficult to give you a concrete answer other than to prepare for every situation.

I had my N400 interview last Friday, with a pending I-751. My husband came along with me. The IO didn't need him to come inside for the interview so he just waited in the USCIS lobby. Before the interview I prepared an updated binder for all the new stuff since filing for citizenship: 2022 taxes, updated insurance, current bank statements, recent vet bills. However, we had submitted a pretty large binder for both I-751 and N-400, so she said she didn't need any more documentation from us. So all in all if my husband hadn't taken a day off work I think I would have been absolutely fine, though we did enjoy a really nice sushi lunch together post-interview and day home.

On the other hand, you read stories about IOs wanting to interview spouses or refusing to proceed if both partners aren't there. I'd probably play it safe and have your wife attend if at all possible.

I think this is an issue for anyone with their I-751 at LIN. 

At my N-400 interview yesterday in Minneapolis my IO said it's taking anywhere from 2-6 weeks after the interview to get the A-files from Nebraska, and then it takes up to a week for the local office to do a review, but (at least in my office) they will approve them together. Hopefully you'll hear in the next few days.

Just had the interview this morning. The IO didn't need my spouse to join so he waited in the lobby area.

Very comfortable and straightforward interview. IO wanted to see my green card, passport and state ID, and then after that did the civics test, then had to read "What do we pay the government?" and write "We pay taxes." (long sentence, right? :P) She ran through the eligibility questions and then said that the I-751 looks good, but she cannot approve either petition until my A-file comes in (so same situation as @Vpanda85). IO was great, very nice and it was a very comfortable interview.

I took some additional documentation along (2022 taxes, W2s, current shared insurance) but she said she didn't need anything else. Apparently they have a single naturalization ceremony every month, so depending on when my A-file gets there I will be scheduled either in April or in May.

Questions:

- one promise you make when you become a US citizen

- one state that borders Canada

- who vetoes bills

- what happened at the Constitutional Convention

- who is the current Vice President

- what are the two major parties currently in the US?

It literally took just under twenty minutes. Hoping to hear from them soon!

I am also printing them out and taking them with me. Interview tomorrow morning!

On 2/23/2023 at 12:24 PM, pcms1224 said:

It seems like things are moving faster at least with N400. I filed it in January and already have an interview scheduled for March 15 with ROC pending (filed in Dec 2021). But there has been no notices so far that it will be a combo interview. Should my wife plan to be at the interview just in case? 

I have ROC pending (Filed Sept 2021) and an N400 interview on March 10. I'll let you know how it goes, but at the moment my husband is going along with me and we're preparing for a combo interview.

I just got my notice too! Interview on March 10. Doesn't say anything about I751 but I'll take my husband along, really hoping they get adjudicated together!

Time to update my binder and get ready!

I have very similar PDs though my I-751 is at the Nebraska Service Center, and I filed my N400 online.

Haven't heard anything other than biometrics taken for both cases. Hoping for some movement soon!

It's not hard, especially if you're still married. 

It's basically a repeat of the evidence of bonafide marriage you sent in for AOS.

Congratulations to both of you!

My pd is at the end of September 2022 so hoping for an update soon!

Same here - I don't think any LIN cases have shown much movement. 

When travelling internationally or near the border I do carry the original letter + gc, but otherwise I only carry a photocopy of the letter.

I usually just use my driver's license within the country, the only time I've needed to show my GC + letter in the US was to renew my license.

I wouldn't worry about it, no updates on my I-751 since I got my biometrics notice last October. Some FOs are just going much faster than others.