stockmktgenius

Thanks. We have a mailing address, but they have moved and is different from the address on my wife's oath ceremony invitation. Just wondering if we might have problems using the new (changed) address, or should we go on using the same (no longer real) address as on the invitation? We're right at the end, hate to have problems at the ceremony.

Hi! On the Oath Ceremony paperwork, they want my wife to sign her name and address. Our lease was up the end of May and we're now traveling- so we really have no fixed address. Our mailing address also has changed, though it's still in the same area. She could just write the same (old)address that's on the letter they sent her, and anything they wrote would be forwarded to the new mailing address, but it's not really her address anymore so worried it might invalidate the whole document. Could put the new mailing address, but they might question why it's different from the address on the letter, opening up a can of worms (about us having NO address for now.) At this point, not sure all this matters, but still feeling a little paranoid as it's very important for us to have everything go smoothly. Anyone know anything about this? Thanks!

SUCCESS AT LAST!!! A week after I wrote the Senator, I called again and was told by the caseworker that there had been some t's that needed to be crossed, some i's that needed to be dotted, but USCIS had promised to do that quickly. AND THEY DID! Got Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony, a couple of days later. We are so excited!!! Now, we cannot be sure that writing our Senator is what got this quick response, or if it would have come anyway. But I pretty much hated just waiting around in the Twilight Zone for some notice. The Senator's caseworker made in inquiry, she didn't file a complaint. That's exactly what we wanted as we didn't want to antagonize USCIS- we just wanted to get DONE. My wife and I planned things so we would be in America 7 months a year and overseas 5 months a year during our 3 year process. And when I filed the form where they asked where you were the last 3 years, I decided to let them know where we were EVERY DAY. (That way they couldn't say it was incomplete.) This meant saying we were at the LaQuinta LAX one day, flying the next, etc. This made for a very long answer, and this may have been why our interviewer said he'd have to check and be sure we were in the US long enough. Would have taken awhile to count the days up, hence (I think) the delay. Anyhow, I hope our story will give those of you some hope and inspiration and maybe a way to go. Thanks to all of you who helped us with your thoughts along the way, and also to those of you who just read and followed our journey. We're very happy to finally be able to cross the finish line and I bet sometime soon, you will too. Bye for now, Alan

We got tired tired tired of waiting... and nothing happening. So called our US Senator Monday, then faxed him a request to check into our case. It's now Thursday, called back, and was told they had a caseworker call USCIS. USCIS asked for time to check. I bet they'll be a lot quicker getting back to a Senator than they have been with my wife. And I bet if there's a problem they'll tell what it is and if there's no problem they'll tell the Senator's caseworker when she'll be sworn in.

This to me is a lot better than just waiting. I have a friend who's been waiting to clear up mess with his Green Card- for two years! Waiting hasn't done him any good that I can tell. In any case, I'll get back to you all when we hear anything from USCIS via the Senator, which I bet will be quite soon.

A simple question: When my wife had her interview April 11, the interviewer gave her a paper that said they could not approve her at this time. (Her 3years were not up till April 28th. Also interviewer said he wanted to be sure she had been in the U.S. enough days) Since that date, we have heard NOTHING. She wrote the interviewer to ask for a status update, but didn't hear back. Question: Should she have gotten another sheet stating that she was approved? Or is the next time we will hear from them when she gets her invitation to take her oath? I feel like we're in the Twilight Zone!

Thinking of asking our senator's office for help, but not sure if we should have gotten an updated status letter. Our office normally takes 5 months from date of application, and that won't be till July 1. Help please!!!

I'm getting smarter and smarter about all this. Went to google just now and typed in the name of my city, plus "oath ceremony 2011 citizen". Found out this very website, visajourney.com has a place called "Citizenship timelines" where people write down the dates they applied and the dates they got their oath. I found out it takes the average person in my district 4 1/2 to 5 months. There was a ceremony April 25. Further, someone who took his or her test the same day as my wife- April 11- still has not gotten an invitation or been sworn in. This makes me feel lots better. Seems like these USCIS people just keep your application around for 5 months, then let you become a citizen. We're at 3 1/2 months now. So most likely, we'll be no different from them and in a month or so my wife will also have her ceremony. Don't know what her application is doing or why they don't speed things up, but I guess that's just their way. Wish us luck!

I'd appreciate anyone's opinion of what to do:

I once read a book entitled "Something Happened." Well, in this case, to update you all, "Nothing Happened." Haven't heard a thing. No invitation to swearing in. The interviewer never replied to my wife's letter asking for status of her application. Nothing.

We've thought of going to our Congressman/Senator for help. But the interview was only April 11- a little over a month ago. True, the interviewer told my wife she should expect to be sworn in the beginning of May, but still, it's not all that long. She applied February 1- about 3 1/2 months ago. And the average in our district- and nationwide- is 5 months. So I'm thinking I'll come across as a bit of a maniac if I complain now to Congressman. Also, don't want to set up an adversarial situation, in which Congressman demands to know why she hasn't been approved yet... and perhaps the interviewer would try and find something wrong with the application. I'm inclined to just wait out the 5 months- just 1 1/2 months more, expecting that, like most people, she'll be send an appointment in the usual time. Then, if she's not,, then might call our Congressman or senator for help.

Any thoughts on this idea? I've never been here. Also, our lease is up end of the month, so I guess we'll go traveling while we wait for the letter. Can't notify USCIS of address change as we'll probably have a new address every couple of nights! Sure hope this doesn't turn into a mess...

STILL no word from Immigration. I AM GOING CRAZY!!! My wife wrote the interviewer a week ago, said you told me you'd notify me if there were any problems and that I should expect to be sworn in beginning of May. Please tell me my status. He hasn't answered. So now our lease is up the end of this month, we had hoped to leave and do some traveling, but can't without her finishing up her citizenship. But also can't stay- at least here. So don't know what to do. There's nobody to call. We only applied Feb 1- 3 months 10 days ago- so can't complain to our Congressman. Infopass won't work, as I understand the agent you correspond with will just tell you to wait 120 days.

My best guess at this point, based on nothing, is that we'll have to wait 5 months total. Why? Because that's the average for our center, and usually you end up at the average of everything. Sure is a bummer not to know anything and not to even be able to ask anyone! Anyone else been here?

I was reading your posts and i felt like its quite similar to my case. I had my interview April 24 and i passed the test. But the IO questioned me why i stayed outside the country for 5 months last year. She ask additonal document. I told her my father and brother is sick. I was asked to give proof. I already sent the documents they needed but until i did not get any letter that they got my documents. I am just confused.

Newbie, The rule is that you have to be in America 6 months a year. You and my wife were here 7 months a year. I don't think it should matter if you traveled to see sick relatives or you traveled for pleasure- you and my wife were here long enough to qualify. So my best guess is that all this will work out in the next few weeks. Our letter to the interviewer should have arrived 2 days ago and I hope he'll look at her file if he hasn't already, and send her an invitation to be sworn in. One of my favorite quotes is from Will Rodgers, who said, "I've had a lot of troubles in my life, and most of them never happened," meaning most things we worry about don't ever take place. Probably you'll be fine and my wife will be fine. I'll keep you updated and you do the same, okay?

Thanks to both of you for your thoughts. No, every trip was separate, one for two months, one for three. Only thing might be a problem is that they were all to my wife's home country. Her parents are old and her mom isn't well. Plus, we have friends and other relatives we like to see. But we stuck to the rules, so I imagine (hope!) things will work out.

Today I mailed a letter to the interviewer, written by me and re-written by my wife. I didn't send it Fedex, didn't send it Certified or return receipt. Just made it a personal letter from my wife to the interviewer, sent regular mail. She recounted what he had said, asked for an update, and said she's writing because becoming a citizen is the best thing that's ever happened to her. It's possible he was waiting till her 3 years were up to mail her letter- that happened April 28. Perhaps he had set aside her file, but then forgot about it April 28- you just never know. So we sent a personal letter. It's my judgement this is a better idea than an Infopass, which would involve another official looking over his shoulder (and might cause our interviewer to feel defensive). So we won't do anything more- for now. Then, if another month or so passes and we still haven't heard, we'll go see our Congressman. Those guys always get immediate replies.

By the way, tried calling the 800 number of USCIS- just impossible to talk to anyone there, if there even is anyone there. Tried following instructions, tried pressing 0, tried pressing nothing, nothing worked. Why don't they just tell people there's nobody here?

She's been in the U.S. 21 months (7 months a year) over the past 3 years- far more than the 18 months she needed. No abuse of Green Card rules here. Today, we decided to informally write her interviewer a note and ask him re her status. He had told her she'd hear back from him in a couple weeks, and it's now been 3 weeks and 2 days. Of course, this length of time is laughable to those who have waited months and years. But it's still 50% longer than he said she'd be waiting. This is all I intend to do until 5 weeks or so pass. Then perhaps I'll visit my Congressman. He was helpful another time when USCIS failed to get back to us much earlier in the process. USCIS answers my Congressman right away, no need to wait for all that 120 days nonsense. But for now, I prefer to not contact anyone outside the process, just remind the interviewer we're here and hope we'll get done as a result. I'll let you all know how this works...

At the risk of boring you all, let me give the strategy we followed: The USCIS rules are that you have to be in the country 6 months a year to qualify for citizenship after 3 years if married to a US citizen. So we stayed in America 7 months a year, and figure that'll be enough. We followed their ules completely, and whether our taking vacations 5 months a year causes us problems has yet to be seen. Hope not!

Great idea- very creative. But now (2011) didn't work. The tape just said "Goodbye" and "Adios"- and hung up!

Warlord, Thanks for replying. We were never gone longer than 3 months, but we took two trips abroad each of the 3 years we needed to qualify. Partly this was because my wife's parents are elderly and sometimes ill. Partly just for fun- we have the money and time to go abroad, so why not? But yes I suppose USCIS might inquire as to whether we are serious about US residence- so many things in the process are ambiguous and can be interpreted in a negative or a positive way. I thank you for your opinion. I read all the posts with similar problems (not hearing back from USCIS after interview) and it seems like most get resolved and a letter arrives in 3 to 5 weeks, and probably ours will as well. I'll let everybody know. Meanwhile, anybody else with another opinion? Love to hear.

My wife had her final interview for citizenship April 11. She had her interview before having had her Green Card for 3 years- that time was up April 28. The interviewer was nice and my wife passed her test. No additional information was requested. The interviewer gave her a "no decision can be made at this time" letter. He said there was just one thing-he would have to count that she was in America long enough to qualify. (We always made it a point to stay in the U.S. 7 months a year. It only takes 6 months a year to qualify, and I wrote all the dates she was here and abroad on her N400, so it should have been easy to see she qualifies.) The interviewer said he would get back to her in a week or two, and she should be sworn in by early May. It's now been THREE WEEKS and we have not heard from him. What should I do? Write him a note reminding him of her? See my Congressman? Wait a while longer?

I'm a U.S. citizen. My wife has a green card, and is eligible for citizenship next year. Our official address is in California, but we are in Florida and looking to move here. We're staying in a two month rental, and in May, we plan to give up the place and go to her country for three months, then come back to Florida and get another rental. My question: I want to establish residency for us in Florida, and I understand she needs to report the to the U.S. government when she moves. But we don't have an address- or won't in 1 1/2 months. I don't know how we can file taxes or get a new driver's license when we don't have a permanent address. Or how she can report her address, when she doesn't have one! Can we legally use a P.O. box/answering service address? Perhaps an attorney's address in this town? Any suggestions?

My wife has gotten her Green Card- and only 2 weeks after our interview at the Santa Ana California office! But there are no notations in her (Thai) passport. She just has a Green Card. We'd like to go visit Thailand next month. Is this okay? Does she need to have anything more than her passport and Green Card? Thanks for any advice you can give me.

That sounds like a blatant lie on the part of the interviewer trying to trick her. Never in my lifetime have I heard of that happening at the mexican border. It's always been an issue trying to keep illegals from crossing...why on earth would they just take their word for it?

The man is right. It used to be that you could just say, "I'm American," and they would wave you by. Maybe they would look at your race or your accent, and it would be easier for white people like me to just get waved by.

What did she say? I answered that she had never been to Mexico, and that was that. The interviewer was helpful, announced after looking at our tax return that she was going to make it, and she did! One week later, got "Welcome" form announcing she was now a Permanent Resident and would get Green Card in around 3 weeks.

The interviewer said, "You know, a lot of people used to cross the border from Mexico and just say, 'I'm American' cause that's all you used to have to say. You didn't used to have to show papers or anything... And I wonder," he says to my wife, "I wonder if you've ever done that?"

We are in very similar situation.

I think you should prep all forms from the coming packet 3 docs they will send.

We have done that & believe it may save us up to a month.

When the time is right I am going to attempt to let them know we have docs ready now & ask them to accept them without waiting for them to mail us again.

Forms can be found thru this site.

Thanks for your reply. I guess what I really need to know is what do they send with packet 3? If it's just a notice of our appointment a month later and I have to reply to them saying I'll be there, fine. I can have that shipped from Thailand to Australia. But if packet 3 has medical forms I need to fill out, or police clearance, that would be impossible to do from Australia. I did look up the forms as you suggested here, and for married people like us, they only have I-129 and I-130, which we've already filled out. (Or did I not look in the right place?) Thanks to all for any help you can give.

Thanks, first of all, to everyone who shared thoughts last time I asked. I much appreciate it.

On April 12, I was notified (in California) that my wife was approved for both I-129 and I-130. On May 2, I was notified there that her info would be transferred to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand.

Question: How long is it likely to take for them to notify her? And will they send her something we have to be in Thailand to receive in order to proceed with the process as quickly as possible?

We would like to visit friends in Australia later this month (May23 is when we were thinking of going), but could delay that if our going will hold up processing her visa.

Thanks again for any thoughts.

Alan

I just got approval for my wife of Form I-129F, Petition for Fiance.

Also approved for her was Form I-130, Immigrant Petition for Relative, Fiance, or Orphan.

I-130 says my application indicates my wife is already in America. This is not true, she's in Thailand. The form says since she is in America, they want me to file Form I-485, Application for Permanent Residence.

It says if she isn't in America, I should file I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application.

I'm not sure what to do at this point. Possibly they are assuming that, having had my Fiance Visa approved, she soon will be in America, and then I will file the I-485. In any case, the form says I cannot file it until she IS in America. They've notified me (at my American address) of all this, but a friend who's gone before me says it will take another 2 months for them to notify her, and only then will she get the Fiance visa processed. So I'm thinking, since she got her I-130 approved, perhaps if I filed the I-824, I could put those two months of waiting to good use. Perhaps we could even get both that and the Fiance visa processed in Bkk at the same time. Or, perhaps we'd be stuck, having the I-824 processed in Bkk while we will be in America, and the whole thing will be one big mess. Any thoughts?

Thanks for any help you can give