ResidentTC

17 minutes ago, bing10 said:

I'm hoping I can avoid the stress and expense of mandamus. I was going to give it a month in the new location, and then start proceedings if nothing changes.

I was also not sure how it would work if we filed mandamus, and then moved to a new state, ie: if the case would stay in the old state, or be moved to the new state with me.

I paid to one of the best lawyers(Wilson Purves, in case anyone wants to know the name) to do the mandamus for me, and he said this is gonna be useless and waste of my money, as courts do not operate at full capacity and there is a huge backlog at this moment.  So he said, the citizenship will come a lot earlier than they will at our mandamus, and he was right. I would've wasted money and efforts. 

The best you can do here, is to submit case assistance request to Ombudsman, https://www.dhs.gov/case-assistance, I did it twice. Not sure if they are helpful or not, but it is the best you can do at this moment. 

1 hour ago, bing10 said:

Did you ever find out any information about what may have caused your delay?

No, I don't think USCIS will ever tell it.

I didn't have anything complex about my case. Never moved, never traveled outside, never had any troubles, easy interview etc.

It just felt that my case was just put aside and forgotten. 

1 hour ago, bing10 said:

I'm at 13 months since the interview, so not far off where you were, when yours was approved.

The wait just sucks. Hang in there! Hope you don't beat my record and get naturalized sooner.

It took me 14 months and 17 days since interview to get the status changed to "Oath Ceremony Will Be Scheduled".

Or 15 months and 20 days since the interview date to attend the ceremony.

Total case length from application to completion is 21 months and 5 days. 

Useful calculator I used to calculate my timelines above.

Current processing times for San Jose, CA is 13 Months to 18 Months  (during the time I went to interview, processing times were 6 to 8 months), my spouse was naturalized in less than 6 months since application, and we applied on the same day. 

I'm thinking to just mail passport card when it is ready. I thought it might take some time, hence worried about deadlines. I don't want to send passport book and naturalization certificate. 

Thanks for responses everyone! 

I don't see much differences between these two. 

2020 has 128 questions, so I guess they just added 28 more questions on top of existing questions.

and 2008 is only 100 questions. 

Hey, what is the process for updating SSN records after the naturalization? Is there a deadline? 

Can it be done remotely somehow? It seems our local SS office is closed due to covid19. 

On 1/5/2021 at 8:46 AM, NEW CITIZEN said:

Sorry, Im reading the "case status" it doesn't show you've had an interview.

Yep, it wasn't even showing that I had the interview whole time! On January 3, I submitted another Ombudsman request, haven't heard back. But today there is finally an update! 

53 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Grand sweeping assumption to make.  Unless you work there and know the workflows and case loads, you can't really say the workers are 'procrastinating.'

 

It's certainly not their fault if you have red flags or issues with your case that don't enable them to make a decision within your preferred timeline.

Your case is not anyone else's case.  Each is evaluated individually based on it's own merits.

You sound like an expert. You work there and can help with the case?

43 minutes ago, NEW CITIZEN said:

 

Also San Jose is the busiest immigration hot spot in the country next to LA.

We have a large community here, and every person I know, have completed their naturalization process within 6-8 months during 2020 even with covid19 lockdown.

A lot of people whom I know, have applied for naturalization back in 2020 and already naturalized. My wife had interview on the same day with me, and got approved immediately, and had oath ceremony a week after.

41 minutes ago, NEW CITIZEN said:

Mandamus doesn't apply until AFTER the interview.

Well, it's been 1 year and 2 months AFTER my interview.  It already happened on November 12, 2019. 

Passed test and interviews, but decision cannot be made. Officer said I should get decision in couple weeks, it is already second year I'm waiting. 

When I was attending the interview, I did see she had tons of folders sitting on the floors, shelves, table, and everywhere, covered with the dust. When i had interview, I was thinking...what if those are all the cases she is procrastinating on? What if my case will make to this pile too and I will never hear back from USCIS. 

I'm afraid I wasn't wrong. 

1 hour ago, millefleur said:

It's on the site you linked:

https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/

 

N-400 > San Jose, CA > Receipt date for a case inquiry: September 11, 2019

 

As soon as that "receipt date for case inquiry" changes to November 2019, you can have them officially investigate why your case is taking so long. So looks like November 2019 filers are up next!

Receipt date for my case is May 28, 2019.

On November 12, 2019 I had my interview which I passed, but officer said she can't make decision, but will update me in couple weeks. Now I'm waiting for a second year since interview already.

1 hour ago, millefleur said:

Since it says September 2019 is the latest they're processing, you might be next in line once they get through the September people.

Thank you! Where do you see it? 

I didn't know that I can see what cases they are looking at. 

1 hour ago, millefleur said:

What is your background? Are you from a "non-friendly" country or a country that has had historical rifts with the US? Do you have any prior military or government experience abroad, or worked at a place that had such connections? All of this can bog down the naturalization process.

The country is not "non-friendly", but we do have mandatory military service, so most of people serviced in the military in the past and most of people I know from my country, haven't had any issues with getting naturalization delayed.

My wife got approval immediately and had an oath ceremony in a week after the interview.

7 hours ago, milimelo said:

Contact your senator or congressional immigration aide - they all have at least one on their staff and those folks have direct line of communication with USCIS. Find their website, complete the information release form, send it in as well as any documents you have (timeline, correspondence from USCIS) and then follow up with them over phone. 

I did that before contacting Ombudsman. Just forgot to mention.

My interview was on November 12, 2019, and I'm still waiting.

Reps, Senators = no luck

Ombudsman = say I'm still within processing times, which are 13-16 months, my case been pending 19 months already.

Lawyers = says there are currently no courts are happening, so mandamus - useless. I have good lawyers, and trust them as they have helped me with a bunch of immigration matters before)

I have zero idea what else I can do. I have a very simple case, no convictions, no tickets, no issues, no traveling, no change of addresses. I don't get what takes them forever to process it.

Hey there,

I've written and called USICS thousands of times over the year, it is already been 1 year and 2 months since I passed the interview. Every time they give me a generic answer that my case being actively reviewed.
I consulted with immigration lawyers, and they said nothing can be done, and because of covid19, no mandamus is accepted.
I check my status online, and it says: "Invalid date Interview Was Scheduled".

I wrote to ombudsman, and they responded:
"While we understand your concerns, our review indicates that your case is within normal processing times as posted on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website at https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/.  Because your case is currently within normal processing times, our office will be closing this matter"

However, I checked processing times, it is 13-16 months for San Jose, CA. It is been 19 months, 7 days since I started naturalization process with them, and my case is still nowhere and not moving. I already out of any ideas what I can do.