S2N

Probably worth splitting this to another thread, but just scanning the article it seems to assuming that DHS SAVE is an accurate database. From personal experience with my mother, it’s not, and her US passport was the only record of her naturalization after losing her naturalization certificate as USCIS had no data stored on it within the databases and had to do a manual record search. I’m personally biased in favor of trusting State more to get it right than USCIS, since I’ve had nothing but positive interactions with them. Meanwhile USCIS lost my mother’s naturalization records. I’d personally feel much safer if my kids only had a passport than only had a CoC because I have more faith in DoS to keep their records up to date.

Thats an example of an initial passport issuance after parent naturalization. Once a passport is issued that is evidence of citizenship and the record of its issuance in a file search would be sufficient. You’d need the same evidence for a CoC after parent naturalization as the standard is the same unless you previously got a passport, in which case the passport would be proof. If you got a CoC first the CoC would be proof for the passport. They’re legally equivalent. Is there any evidence of State not accepting its own free file search records as proof of citizenship after initial issuance? That’s the question here.

I just linked to the USCIS administrative ruling stating the opposite, which also references the legally controlling BIA ruling. Anecdotal evidence is great; and many people file N-600 because they don’t understand the law and want to be safe, but as a matter of law a passport or record of a passport having been issued is legally equivalent to a citizenship certificate, and this is recognized by DOJ, DHS, and DoS. Edit: Here is where State discusses how to get a passport if you’ve lost one and have no other proof: file search at the bottom

Incorrect. This was actually the case I was thinking of. The Secretary of State has authority to make definitive judgments on citizenship status. One of the ways he he exercises that authority by issuing passports (all passports are issued under his authority.) Based on BIA precedent, the issuance of a passport is conclusive proof of citizenship. USCIS does not have independent authority to make a contrary determination if the Secretary of State has ever issued a passport, even per there own internal ruling, and they must follow the State Department on this. Individuals might want a citizenship certificate in case they lose a passport, but it’s costly, takes time, and ultimately it’d be cheaper and quicker to get a replacement passport after losing one since the State Department will conduct a free search of passport records issued after 1994 and considers that sufficient proof of citizenship to reissue. Before 1994 it costs $150, which is still cheaper than a citizenship certificate.

Department of State is not part of DHS. They have independent statutory authority. Not all that important here but it’s important to note because in many cases their determinations outweigh DHS. USCIS and CBP are both part of DHS. Yah, pretty sure we’ve had this discussion before: some CBP officers are sticklers on that and it ends up working out fine (your case.) Some endorse as CR-1 and USCIS screws up and the person has to file an I-90. Others are happy to endorse as IR-1 if the marriage certificate is in their system or if you have it on you, and in these cases USCIS almost never screws up. It doesn’t hurt to ask. I just wouldn’t make a big deal about it if they say no.

Just saw an I-130 approval after K-3 come in for Texas Service Center with a PD of 9/25/24 on one of the I-130 discords. K-3 filed in April 2025. No expedites filed or anything else that would make them jump the line. The one thing I’ve seen consistent in all the supposed “K-3 approvals” is they were originally routed to Texas. Why TSC would be acting in a different way than the rest of USCIS is beyond me, especially since I-130 is all electronic now and they share cases. That’s a hard case to explain otherwise, though (assume the discord user didn’t omit anything.)

CBP almost always endorses, but if they don’t remind them to. If they forget to endorse it you go to a deferred inspection site and they can fix it there.

Correct, but most of the stories of them making mistakes are from when CBP notes CR-1 and they don’t bother double checking. Like I said, not an end of the world thing either way, since it’s easy to correct, but removing opportunities for human error is always positive if it can be done.

It’s a free form to fill out and fairly simple. Just takes a while (current processing time is 21.5 months) and you’d be using the visa in the passport/ADIT stamp until they reissue. You’d probably have to get USCIS to reissue an ADIT since it will be more than a year. They typically mail it to you after reaching out to the contact center, but it might be in person. See link So an inconvenience but not the worst one. That’s why it’s best to ask CBP to note IR-1 as the class of admissions so theres less room for screwup, but also not the end of the world if they don’t.

It was at 11 months a few years ago so not out of the question necessarily. They’ve been processing approximately one month every 2-3 weeks since the change in administrations in January until you hit March 2024. They’re about to finish March 2024 and move to April. 26 weeks left in the year/2.5 weeks per month =10.4 months processed by 12/31. That’d put January as having December approvals. At 3 weeks/month that would put us as being processed in January 2026. I think it’s overly optimistic, but there’s a mathematical basis for it if they keep up the pace.

Your son is entering the U.S. to live with you, correct? If so the second CBP endorses the visa he’s a U.S. citizen and you can apply for his US passport. You would follow the travel.state.gov instructions for child citizens. A US passport is definitive proof of U.S. citizenship and you do not need to file any other form or deal with USCIS ever again unless you want a citizenship certificate (form N-600) I see no benefit to the N-600 other than unlike a passport it doesn’t expire. A passport is quicker and cheaper and the State Department has explicit statutory authority to definitively determine citizenship status. Applying for a passport is all you need to do. Others prefer a citizenship certificate to have proof they never need to renew. End of the day it’s up to you. AOS would not be applicable because he would gain citizenship automatically as an action of the law itself.

If there’s any errors you spot you can upload the additional answers sheet with your correction (part 9 of I-130; page 12 of the PDF) as unsolicited evidence making a correction. You’d select “Additional Information” or whatever is closest to that in the drop down. Worst case they ignore it and you get an RFE. Best case they review it and skip the RFE. Immigration officers have done AMAs on Reddit that they usually review all unsolicited evidence before deciding to issue an RFE. Sometimes they will reject early if there’s an error. Other times it’s an RFE more than a year later.

The only service center where there’s even anecdotal evidence of K-3 working to speed up is Texas, fwiw. Even there I’m not entirely convinced.

Current last name. Peoples’ last names change because of previous marriage or adoption so it’s common to have this question on marriage applications.

January 2024 is on the late end of average processing at this point. They’re approving late March 2024 on average and they’re about to move to April. The ones from before that are typically the more complex cases. OP — what is the country and are there any anticipated red flags?

You would just request NVC schedule for Naples. You can send them the message yourself.

@TBoneTX was graciously telling me to stop before I stuck too many feet into my mouth. Best of luck and keep us updated.

Have you filed yet? USCIS generally doesn’t concern itself too much with bona fides in consular cases beyond an initial review to see if it passes the smell test. The deep dive there is mainly handled by the consulate. AOS they do look a lot closer. That being said that’s very fast and might even raise questions from them. If you’ve already filed I would recommend uploading a lot of unsolicited evidence since filing showing that you have a real marriage and it’s ongoing. Time together is most important. If you haven’t filed include that evidence in the initial filing. It will definitely be brought up at the consulate so you should have a lot of high quality evidence to counteract the possibility for fraud. What country is this?

A felony would add jail time to that and potentially require repayment, which for me is bigger than just the lifetime ban alone, but yes, agreed on that count as well.

Reddit says that there is an office in the ministry of interior (مكتب العلاقات مع المواطن بوزارة الداخلية) that handles same day passports for emergencies. Might be worth contacting them and seeing if they could issue a new passport in the week leading up to the interview if it’ll have less than six months validity. (Edit: mods, sorry for the Arabic but figured giving the specific name in a foreign script would be useful in this case.)

To be honest none of this is even the biggest concern. It’s that welfare fraud is usually a felony and there’s a decent chance they’ve committed it already. That’s the biggest red flag for why they need a lawyer. Even the false documents stuff is lesser, and that’s a huge deal in immigration.

No. I was saying once you meet in person you can immediately file. After filing, you can continue adding evidence — it’s pretty common in cases where the petition is being filed without ever having lived together to add additional evidence such as trips to visit the other person. As an example, my husband and I married in-perdón in the U.S. in December and he returned to Chile in January. I uploaded all our evidence until that point. On 1/1/25 when I filed the I-130. We go back and forth a decent amount to visit, so every visit since then I upload proof of the visit (plane tickets entering and leaving Chile for me. I-94 and CBP travel history for him) with 1-2 pictures as unsolicited evidence to aid what was (imo) an already strong case since it helps with USCIS if needed, and will get sent to NVC and the consulate automatically. The consulate is where having strong evidence matters most. Also see the comment above on DCF — if you’re eligible for it, that’s definitely the way to go, but you’d need to meet in-person even for that. Maybe use leave to meet in a third country at some point? Would help you either do DCF or start your petition to USCIS earlier.

My understanding is that SSA gets immigrant’s information from CBP and not USCIS, so the USCIS address change probably wouldn’t have an impact on this. Still good to check and update if needed, though.

If you meet in person after the online wedding you can file after that. No need to wait for the deployment to end. You’re allowed to continue adding evidence after the initial I-130. So long as you have a prima facie case for bona fides at filing, strengthening it along the way via unsolicited evidence doesn’t hurt. The true test of bona fides is at the consular interview; and between filing and the interview you have time to accumulate more evidence.

This is what it’s saying — it’s what USCIS uses to get around BIA’s binding ruling that pre-conceived intent isn’t sufficient to deny spousal AOS. Claim it as misrepresentation to CBP and they don’t have to worry about following a binding legal interpretation they don’t like. It’s irrelevant for people doing consular processing.