LV Couple

We need some quick advice, PLEASE. We are going on a much awaited vacation to Europe this Friday. My son (with a US Passport), who moved to Reno to go to school there, will be flying from Reno to Philadelphia and we all will take the same flight to Zurich. Problem is I have his Passport. The airline said he will need his Passport to check-in in Reno. Our options are either FedEx the passport to him or he can short-check in Reno to just Philadelphia then check-in from Philadelphia to Zurich. My concern with FedEx is, although from past experience they have been really good, there is a chance of a delay on the delivery and we don't have any room for error as the flight on Friday is very early morning. Short-check will depend on the Ticket Agent knowing or allowing it to be done. He will actually not check any bags in and carry on.

Any advice or sharing of experience would really be appreciated!

Updating our timeline.

Katulututu..........04/28/08........05/09/08.......05/28/08.........07/24/08.........--/--/-- VSC(Baltimore)

Tony1967...........04/29/08........05/06/08.......05/21/08.........07/16/08........--/--/-- TSC Jacksonville, Florida

omarchavez.......05/01/08........05/15/08.......05/30/08.........10/28/08.........--/--/-- VSC (NYC)

Tushar...............05/02/08........05/16/08.......05/29/08.........08/19/08.......--/--/-- TSC(Atlanta)

kkate2000..........05/04/08........05/13/08.......05/28/08.........08/21/08......11/07/08 TSC(Memphis)

BostonChick.......05/06/08........05/21/08.......06/06/08.........08/27/08......--/--/-- VSC(Boston)

Jelly100.............05/07/08........05/16/08.......05/29/08.........10/28/08.......--/--/-- CSC (Los Angeles)

coloradogirl........05/07/08........05/19/08.......05/30/08.........08/05/08......--/--/-- NSC Denver

happy220...........05/10/08........05/19/08.......05/31/08.........08/08/08......--/--/-- CSC SF

maunzebaer.......05/12/08........05/27/08.......06/24/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- TSC(Atlanta)

robandlucy.........05/15/08........05/19/08.......06/14/08.........10/08/08......--/--/-- VSC(Wash. DC)

smartie..............05/20/08........--/--/--..........06/20/08.........11/26/08.........--/--/-- TSC(Houston)

laura19angel...... 05/20/08........05/29/08.......06/13/08.........11/20/08.........12/11/08 NSC(Seattle)

jtee...................05/23/08........05/28/08.......06/27/08.........09/24/08......09/24/08 VSC(Newark,NJ)

lightpost............05/27/08........06/10/08........06/20/08.........09/02/08.....09/22/08 NSC(Chicago)

Cax&JL..............05/27/08........06/09/08.......06/19/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- CSC

aka.racer...........05/27/08........06/07/08.......06/20/08.........09/30/08.....--/--/-- CSC

shortie...............05/27/08........06/07/08.......06/27/08.........08/18/08.....--/--/--

lvcouple.............05/27/08........06/06/08.......06/25/08.........11/17/08........12/12/08 VSC(Las Vegas)

flames9.............05/30/08........06/03/08.......06/26/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- VSC(Wash. DC)

mrsbarnett.........05/30/08........06/05/08.......06/27/08.........09/03/08.........--/--/-- NSC(Chicago)

Updated our interview date. Hope to post good news on the interview!

Katulututu..........04/28/08........05/09/08.......05/28/08.........07/24/08.........--/--/-- VSC(Baltimore)

Tony1967...........04/29/08........05/06/08.......05/21/08.........07/16/08........--/--/-- TSC Jacksonville, Florida

omarchavez.......05/01/08........05/15/08.......05/30/08.........10/28/08.........--/--/-- VSC (NYC)

Tushar...............05/02/08........05/16/08.......05/29/08.........08/19/08.......--/--/-- TSC(Atlanta)

kkate2000..........05/04/08........05/13/08.......05/28/08.........08/21/08......--/--/-- TSC(Memphis)

BostonChick.......05/06/08........05/21/08.......06/06/08.........08/27/08......--/--/-- VSC(Boston)

Jelly100.............05/07/08........05/16/08.......05/29/08.........10/28/08.......--/--/-- CSC (Los Angeles)

coloradogirl........05/07/08........05/19/08.......05/30/08.........08/05/08......--/--/-- NSC Denver

happy220...........05/10/08........05/19/08.......05/31/08.........08/08/08......--/--/-- CSC SF

maunzebaer.......05/12/08........05/27/08.......06/24/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- TSC(Atlanta)

robandlucy.........05/15/08........05/19/08.......06/14/08.........10/08/08......--/--/-- VSC(Wash. DC)

smartie..............05/20/08........--/--/--..........06/20/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- TSC(Houston)

laura19angel......05/20/08........05/29/08.......06/13/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- NSC(Seattle)

jtee...................05/23/08........05/28/08.......06/27/08.........09/24/08......09/24/08 VSC(Newark,NJ)

lightpost............05/27/08........06/10/08........06/20/08.........09/02/08.....09/22/08 NSC(Chicago)

Cax&JL..............05/27/08........06/09/08.......06/19/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- CSC

aka.racer...........05/27/08........06/07/08.......06/20/08.........09/30/08.....--/--/-- CSC

shortie...............05/27/08........06/07/08.......06/27/08.........08/18/08.....--/--/--

lvcouple.............05/27/08........06/06/08.......06/25/08.........11/17/08........--/--/-- VSC(Las Vegas)

flames9.............05/30/08........06/03/08.......06/26/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- VSC(Wash. DC)

mrsbarnett.........05/30/08........06/05/08.......06/27/08.........09/03/08.........--/--/-- NSC(Chicago)

Road-block in Boston... I had biometrics on 6/6. I called USCIS today to inquire about my name check status, much like some of you did. The rep said that USCIS does not disclose info on name checks. She basically read whatever was available online in the Case Status section. She also said that normally USCIS does not post biometrics dates in the online case status section.

What say you, guys? Touch luck - try another rep? Or just sit tight and wait?

Boston Chick

I have read that you can call the FBI, 304-625-5590, and ask for the status of your name check. They will only tell you if they received the name check request and if it has been sent back to USCIS. They will not tell you the result. I have not called the FBI yet because my wife just did her biometrics last week but will try to call next week. If you do call let us know how it goes.

Since you have time before your trip, you may want to contact the Philippines Consulate to change your passport name to your married name. For a Chinese passport, I was told they would just add the married name on the observation page. If you don't get the name changed, you would need to get the ticket with the name matching your passport for international travel. My wife traveled out of the US twice now with just her maiden name on her Chinese passport and the airline ticket in her maiden name. I hear many others doing the same with no problems.

Added our timeline

UserName......... Sent................NOA1........ Biometrics..... Interview.... Oath

Katulututu..........04/28/08........05/09/08.......05/28/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- VSC(Baltimore)

Tony1967............04/29/08........05/06/08.......05/21/08.........07/16/08........--/--/-- TSC Jacksonville, Florida

omarchavez..........05/01/08........05/15/08.......05/30/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- VSC

Tushar..............05/02/08........05/16/08.......05/29/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- TSC(Atlanta)

kkate2000...........05/04/08........05/13/08.......05/28/08.........08/21/08.........--/--/-- TSC(Memphis)

BostonChick.........05/06/08........05/21/08.......06/06/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- VSC(Boston)

Jelly100............05/07/08........05/16/08.......05/29/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- CSC

coloradogirl........05/07/08........05/19/08.......05/30/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- NSC

happy220............05/10/08........05/19/08.......05/31/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- CSC

maunzebaer..........05/12/08........05/27/08.......06/24/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- TSC(Atlanta)

robandlucy..........05/15/08........05/19/08.......06/14/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- VSC(Wash. DC)

smartie.............05/20/08........--/--/--.......06/20/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- TSC(Houston)

laura19angel........05/20/08........05/29/08.......06/13/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- NSC(Seattle)

lightpost...........05/27/08........--/--/--.......--/--/--.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- NSC

Cax&JL..............05/27/08........06/09/08.......--/--/--.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- CSC

aka.acer............05/27/08........06/07/08.......--/--/--.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- CSC

flames9.............05/30/08........--/--/--.......--/--/--.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- VSC(Wash. DC)

mrsbarnett..........05/30/08........06/05/08.......--/--/--.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- NSC(Chicago)

lvcouple............05/27/08........06/06/08.......06/25/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/-- VSC(Las Vegas)

We received the biometrics appointment letter 12 days after USCIS received the N-400. We got the appointment letter on June 14 and the appointment date is for June 25. There's a place in the appointment letter where you can request a new appointment. I hear that it's not a problem requesting a new appointment for the biometrics. My wife is actually in China right now and she is flying back home one day early to make the appointment. Our rush is if she can take the oath before our daughter turns 18 in October then our daughter will get the US Citizenship automatically. If not then she will have to apply on her own in 2+ years. So we didn't want to add any delays. It's already a long shot to make October.

Hey Fellow Vegan,

If you are going to be extending her passport, you should go ahead and get the name changed. We should have done the name change when my wife extended her passport (Chinese) but didn't think about it. For the extension, they just put the new expiration date on the observation page. I was told for the married name change, they would also put the married name on the observation page. If you don't get the name change, you would need to get the ticket with the name matching her passport for international travel. We actually didn't travel out of the US until my wife got her Green Card just to be avoid any problem although we didn't anticipate any. My wife traveled out of the US twice now with just her maiden name on her Chinese passport and the airline ticket in her maiden name.

Just for your info, my wife's AOS took 2 years but the good thing with the 2 years was she got her 10 year Green Card instead of the 2 year. We submitted her Citizenship app late May.

If you need any info or want to share experience, send me a message.

Here's our timeline. We sent personal check. If you send a personal check it will be easier to see when the check clears. I don't even know how you could check to see when a Money Order or Cashier's Check is deposited.

Certified Mail showed our N-400 was received on 6/2/08.

The personal check showed it was deposited on 6/3/08.

The check cleared our bank on 6/4/08.

USCIS sent NOA on 6/6/08.

I can understand how you feel and it's easy for me to sit hear and type this. But I would let it go. I also do believe that eventually people will get what they deserve. She's going to someone who either helped her planned this or agreed to her doing this to you. What kind of person is this. He could easily use her in the future or she use him. Let these people fight the wars between themselves. As hard as it may be, just use this as something to learn from and let it help you be a better person.

We just received the NOA for the N-400. USCIS sent the NOA in 4 days after receiving the application!

Question to the recent filers out there. Are you studying for the old test or new test? We know that if you file before 10/1/08 and interview between 10/1/08 - 10/1/09 you can choose either the new test or old test. We are predicting that my wife's interview will be between 10/1/08 - 10/1/09. Hopefully closer to 10/1/08!

One interesting piece of information. I talked to an immigration lawyer with some questions on the N-400 and she said that USCIS is trying to process as many applications as they can to get as many people to be able to vote. She said they are even working weekends and she wasn't joking!