FriendlyUser

I can only recommend you a great immigration attorney, who I know has been dealing with some really tough immigration cases, including deportation. However, she is located in NYC, so you need to call her office tomorrow to see if she accepts out-of-state cases. She has a very high rating in winning very difficult cases. There are tons of reviews online about her, which you will be able to check out yourself. If you want to give it a try, I can send her office info in the DM.

If I were in your situation, I would first handle the divorce and then submit the N-400 form. During the interview, they will likely ask why it took three years to file for and finalize the divorce. Simply explain that stress and depression from the difficult/"traumatic" relationship made it hard to deal with the divorce immediately. You only had the energy to physically leave the situation. Did you move to NYC after the separation? If so, mention that it takes time to adjust to living in NYC, finding a job, and so on. If you were already living here before the separation, you can say it takes time to rebuild your life from scratch in this city.

If his wife still hasn't filed for divorce (7 years later), then there is a chance they are indeed on good terms, only as friends, not as a marital union. However, I agree, if he set up a payment plan with the IRS only after or just before he filed N-400, then he is indeed in big trouble.

I applied for my first US passport through a Passport Agency two weeks before my international travel (Passport Agency is operated by the US Department of State). I called the Passport Agency exactly 14 days before the travel (that's the earliest they accept expedited applications) and requested an appointment in NYC. They gave me an appointment slot in 10 days (so 4 days before the due date). I had an appointment for 8am, and I received my passport at 5pm. I brought them my certificate of citizenship, passport photos, passport application, proof of ticket booking, and proof of hotel booking (they looked through all of it). You pay a regular passport fee and an expedited service fee of $60 with them. If they operate in the area where you live, consider using their services. It's legit (Government operated), fast and cheap (only $60 more than a regular, non-expedited service).

I wouldn't worry about the previous K-1 in your case. You will be interviewed later. They will most likely ask you a question about the first K-1 case. As long as you answer the same way as here, you will be fine.

I agree with @Family: he will have to respond to the NOID. Given the circumstances, I'm surprised the officer didn't ask him about his marriage and taxes. 1) Though he stated in the application for naturalization that he was married, he most likely stated different addresses for him and his wife for the past 7 years. For some reason, the officer didn't ask him why they lived together only for the first three years and why they have been living separately afterwards for the past seven years. It may be a misrepresentation in their eyes (just a supposition). The good news here is that he is still on good terms with his estranged wife, who can vouch for their truthful marriage in a written notarized statement. He just needs to ask her to write it down, notarize it, and send it to him asap. I would also include any evidence of mutual co-living for the first three years. 2) As far as I know, they usually ask at the interview if you have ever owed any tax payments. This is one of their standard questions. If this question wasn't asked, that's one story: he can provide proof of his payment plan in his response to the NOID. If he was asked this question and he somehow misrepresented himself by withholding the truth or otherwise, that is a different story. If he has consistently owed taxes for a number of years in a row, it may also have added additional complications to his case. If I were in this position, I would do everything possible to pay off the whole debt today or tomorrow. But if he can't do that at all and/or if he owes taxes only for one year, then at least provide them not only with a freshly created payment plan, but also that he's been doing monthly payments for the debt period, whatever months/years it may be.

I had the same day oath ceremony in Manhattan in May this year. I got my certificate 15-20 min after the interview, so I'm pretty sure they print them out right there.

😂 Seems like this officer decided to get creative. It could have been more impressive if he had pulled out an old-school paper map and asked the wife to show the exact route from their house to her husband's work, or point out restaurants they go to, grocery stores they shop at etc..

I also thought so, and I was surprised to be the only person without a lawyer in the waiting area before the N-400 interview. When I got to the waiting area, the first question I was asked by a person checking your interview invitation was if my lawyer was running late. I waited for about 10-15 min before I was called to an interview room, so during that time I could hear lawyers talking to their clients to the left of me, to the right of me, behind me and in front of me 😅 Based on the questions I've heard, it seemed like most of them met their clients for the first time in person. Maybe people hire lawyers to accompany them just to feel more confident 🤔 Idk, I think I would be more stressed seeing that a lawyer is reading your case for the first time right in front of you.

I guess I looked at it at a different angle: I chose to provide only required evidence with the application because I got an impression that volunteering to submit anything unrequested may prolong the review process of the case. The online application stated that you may upload additional evidence even if it was not specifically requested, however in this case USCIS will consider the timelines and relevance of unrequested evidence when making a decision on your case. I do understand that certain percentage of applicants get RFEs. I do not know how it works and why some people are not asked for any tax docs, while others need to provide them. That’s why I’ve underlined that each applicant should make their own decision in this regards.

I don't understand how this happened: "without him or his family ever realizing it, someone had filed an application on Velázquez’s behalf for a visa offered to victims of abuse". Don't you have to sign an application? If Velázquez can't read English and the lawyer provided him with a false translation, then I think Velázquez has chances of returning to the US. If he can read English or was provided an accurate translation of the application, then I don't see any chances of him returning to the US.

Imadajoubar, please research on the website of the US Embassy/Consulate in the country your parents reside in. Wating time varies immensely depending on the country of residence or the country of origin: from a couple of weeks up to a year or even longer.

I finally understand your point now. Seems like we just have a different approach in this regards: you prefer and recommend to be over-prepared with the application no matter what, while I think that submitting supporting evidence with the application itself is not always necessary. it all depends on a personal case, in my opinion. For example, in my case all the taxes since 2011 have been quite straightforward (submitted on time, immediately fully paid whenever necessay, no exemptions, etc.) + I brought all the transcripts and even extra-extra evidence for the interview. In the first link, the applicant had an unusual situation with being exempt from paying income taxes with one of the employers, and whatever eveidence they provided for that must have been either insufficient or whatever else. => in this particular case i would have definitely provided a full concrete package of additional tax evidence straight with the application. In the second link, the applicant wouldn't have gotten an RFE if they had simply brought those tax returns with them for the interview. I still think each applicant should carefully evaluate their own case and then decide what to submit with an application based on their circumstances. In some cases you need to do some extra work in regards to providing additioanl evidence with the application. In other cases, there is no need for that; just be properly prepared for the interview in case they ask you about it.

I'm actually taking my words back. It's not as easy as it first seemed to me. See this link (dated 2019 though): https://www.bal.com/bal-news/uscis-marijuana-violations-prevent-good-moral-character-showing-for-naturalization-eligibility/ Seems like Mike E and Igoyougoduke are right and and you will have to do some extra work. According to 2019 USCIS policy guidance from this article, "Naturalization applicants who are involved in marijuana-related activities may be deemed to lack good moral character if found to have violated federal law, even if such activity is legal under state or foreign laws. [...] Possession of marijuana [...] may constitute conduct that violates federal controlled substance laws and could be considered a basis for denying naturalization for failure to establish “good moral character”—even where the person was never arrested or charged with a crime and complied with state (but not federal) law." On a positive note, it only "MAY" or "COULD" be a basis for denial, which means you still have an opportunity to prove them your "good moral character" and be approved for naturalization. So I agree with Mike E, get a lawyer to help you properly present all the possible evidence of your "good moral character".

It is B-2 or ESTA visa, as some of the VJ members have already replied. Application process depends on the country your parents reside in. You need to look it up on the website of the US Embassy located in your country of origin. If you can't travel with your parents: 1) let them know that they will provide an interpreter at the passport control (either in person, or over the phone). 2) Advise them what questions to expect at the passport control and how to answer them (e.g., "what is the purpose of your trip?" "Tourism and visiting our son/daughter"; or "how long do you intend to stay?" etc.). Again, practice possible questions/answers with them in your native language as your parents will be provided an interpreter. 3) Ordering a wheelchair assistance, as Mike E recommended, is probably the least stressful option for them to go around the airport upon landing in the States. 4) If they have smartphones, teach them how to use one of those voice traslator apps. It will be helpful during their visit or in case the wheelchair service will not be available at the airport for some reason. But first concentrate on getting a visa. Everything esle is easy-peasy