Mrs O.

Use this calculator to see the soonest you can file http://www.uscis.gov/early-filing-calculator. It seems like it will be May 12 at the earliest provided you have lived in the same district for the past 3 months and you meet all the other requirements.
Heres the document checklist http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/article/attachments.pdf
http://www.uscis.gov/forms/citizenship-and-naturalization-based-forms/document-checklist-form-n-400-application-naturalization
and the instructions http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/n-400instr.pdf
heres the form http://www.uscis.gov/n-400
You can also use the VJ guides
You will send a check or money order with your application.
Time to do some research, good luck

Hey, want to help...? start with your timeline and interview details.
It will help others.

I don't think they will schedule her before the anniversary, if they do I would re-schedule to avoid any problems.
I knew I should've join the coast guard while guetting my degree in Marine Biology, now its too late, anyways congrats messybrownhair.

I taught ESL in China for a year so I understand how your wife feels. If we lived close I would have volunteered to be her study buddy. Some advice I can give is turn it into a fun activity and not a chore, not something to be intimidated by. Write the questions on flash cards and pick one or two a day to work on, play the audio cd in the car. The Chinese I worked with were preparing for much harder tests like the toefl and gre etc and they were petrified but very determined. Motivation is a huge factor. Maybe if she understood the implications of not being a USC then she will be more motivated? Goodluck and I would at least tell her to try

Congratulations! Now I'm really looking forward to mine with your detailed description.

Uh..NO. It is crazy that anyone would wait to send in their N-400 until they have studied for the test. At bio metrics I received a handy guide to study and have been doing so online as well:
http://amaruk.atspace.com/tests/NewCivicsTest.html
If I don't pass I'm a complete MORON!!!

USPS tracking says "The delivery record shows that this item was delivered on April 3, 2014 at 10:23 am in LINCOLN, NE 68501 to M HAZUD." Now I wait... Hopefully it won't be too long to receive a notification. Goodluck to all!

You read other posts? Well, did you also read the official instructions from the USCIS?
In the event that you didn't, I've posted the link here: http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/n-400instr.pdf
Reading it will comprehensively answer your question.

If you leave the US for more than a year, you lose the green card regardless of the green card being good for 10 years. It's considered abandoned.

If you want to be able to work and travel freely, why not apply for citizenship so you're free to live / work in both places?

1) Nope, but that doesn't mean they can't "go on vacation" to Canada for months at a time (within the allowed limits for purposes of applying for naturalization)
2) Yes in the sense that if you're a permanent resident, you're supposed to live in the US, maintain a permanent address, pay taxes, etc. You can keep your address in Canada as well, that's fine, but you can't claim to be a resident of two places without it being a problem in the eyes of USCIS.
3) It's still 5 years, but they have to be physically in the US for more than half of those 5 years (so 30+ months) and maintain continuous residence, meaning any absence of 6+ months will be subject to USCIS scrutiny.

Really? You've seen actual cases where an early filing (as long as it takes place within the permitted 90-day window) results in a later interview and oath? How would you even be able to determine that? Just curious...

Your case is unfortunate. It happens far more often than you think since this is a country with a very mobile workforce so I sympathise with your case. However:
1) You must not have looked over the instructions carefully because this requirement is not only mentioned very plainly in black and white, but it is very common knowledge. It must have slipped your attention
2) The Immigration Officer did you a considerable favour by advising (not forcing, per se) your wife to withdraw her application. Your wife was ineligible at the time unfortunately, and the officer would have been well within her rights to deny the application outright. If that had happened, your wife would have had to declare this denial in all further dealings with the USCIS which would only subject her to additional scrutiny and likely processing delays
3) The additional $680 fee does not go to the officer, neither is the office compensated for cases that are denied and appealed and invariably generate more revenue for the USCIS. You seem to imply she had financial motives
I wish you better luck in your new application. Make sure there are no seemingly harmless conditions you're not fulfilling, and your wife ought to be alright this time.

If you aren't sure, then answer "No".

The standard fee for an application for naturalization is $680 ($595 + a $85 biometrics processing fee). Applicants age 75+ are not charged the biometrics fee, but that doesn't apply to you, so under normal circumstances, the fee for your mother is $680.
If you would like to apply for a fee waiver, I suggest you start by reading the instructions for form I-912: http://www.uscis.gov/i-912 -- to see if you qualify. You can also read http://www.uscis.gov/feewaiver regarding the USCIS general process on waiving fees.
You should also read the instructions to form N-400 (see http://www.uscis.gov/n-400) carefully to see if she is indeed eligible to take the citizenship test in Spanish. Just because she's 65 doesn't mean she can.

I really would not want to do anything to help a gang banger, hopefully others will take the same view.

If his green card was taken away, he's not a citizen or LPR anymore.
One less gang member around is to the benefit of us all, anyway.

He will need a police certificate for every single country he has lived for over 12 months (or was it 6?) since he was 16. So if he has lived in South Africa, then yes he needs one.

This is a USPS screw up and you need to go "postal" on them. Go back to the local post office and raise royal hell until they look into this matter. Contact the local postmaster. It amazes me how our government tells us to be careful with official sensitive personal IDs and yet the cannot even send the GC via certified mail with a signature requirement. At least now they are using tracking, but as in your case that does not prevent it being scanned as delivered and placed into the wrong mailbox. At least if the signature card gets misdirected the GC would be returned to the USCIS and you would not have to try and prove you did not receive the GC.
Get they to your post office and make them show you where it was delivered. At the very least file an undelivered mail report with them so they have to research it.
Good luck,
Dave

My advice ;
apply now based on the 3 years, you don't need your husband for that.
2- after you get the citizenship then you can file for your parents. you can file concurrently( i130 & I485) since they will be immediate relative to USC. [ you can review the AOS guide or start educating yourslef about the process]
3- your parents WILL NOT need a waiver , since they didn't leave the country.
again you can't do anything for your parents untill you become a USC

Given the unpredictability of USCIS, I would wait until returning from your trip to file. What's the rush now? What's a few more months after 17 years? What happens if Atlanta suddenly speeds up and you have the bio appointment in March and your interview in June right when you are travelling? That's just MHO.
Good luck,
Dave

I would advice you to put at least 4 hours into that just in case it takes to long. It could take less but I've seen some people saying that their oath ceremonies took 4 hours. Of course it depends on how many people will be naturalized that day. I would advice you to arrange a baby sitter ( a friend or a family member to watch the kids that day) Good luck.

Received email/text that they mailed my new card. Good luck to everyone that's still waiting.

Why do you have friends like that?

My N400 window opens sometime in Sep this year. I will be applying for Naturalization based on marriage to a USC of 3 years.
In addition to the standard ones, such as cert of marriage, husbands birth certificate proving he's a USC, etc -- Is having the joint tax returns in the last three years enough?
Do I need to keep holding on to this massive binder of proof of bonafide marriage from the I-751 app and bring them with me during the interview, just in case? Do they need this?
Gawd, sometimes I feel this journey is never going to be over! Phew.

Received my card in the mail! All done with ROC
Starting to gather the paperwork for citizenship -- give myself a headstart lol
Lots of luck to everyone in all your endeavors.
And Happy Halloween!
Overall (45 applicants, 32 approved - 71%)

California Service Center (44 applicants, 31 approved - 70%)

VJName............Date of I-751....NOA1 Date.....Biometrics......Approved...
MNELEVENTHIRTY......05/29/13.......06/03/13.......06/28/13.......10/03/13...(Card received --/--)
BB & MJ.............05/31/13.......06/05/13.......07/02/13.......09/12/13...(Card received --/--)
RITASEAN............06/02/13.......06/06/13.......07/09/13.......09/26/13...
CBM.................06/03/13.......06/05/13.......07/02/13.......--/--/--...
BIRDYGIRL85.........06/03/13.......06/05/13.......07/02/13.......08/30/13...(Card received 09/16)
OZMA................06/04/13.......06/07/13.......07/05/13.......09/11/13...(Card received 09/28)
ENTRIDIAN...........06/04/13.......06/05/13.......07/02/13.......09/25/13...(Card received 10/09)
CHRIS&ANGELA........06/07/13.......06/10/13.......08/06/13.......09/24/13...(Card received 10/12)
JUAN & NAN..........06/10/13.......06/14/13.......07/12/13.......09/05/13...(Card received --/--)
UWANW00.............06/10/13.......06/14/13.......07/11/13.......09/05/13...(Card received 09/19)
MISHELLIBELLI.......06/13/13.......06/17/13.......07/12/13.......--/--/--...(Early Bio 07/02)
TATISVANS...........06/14/13.......06/17/13.......07/12/13.......08/28/13...(Card received 09/16)
LAURASAUROD.........06/17/13.......06/20/13.......07/15/13.......--/--/--...
RUSHTON50...........06/17/13.......06/20/13.......07/19/13.......10/07/13...
MRS O...............06/19/13.......06/21/13.......07/18/13.......10/02/13...(Card received 10/16)
HOBBITOFOHIO........06/20/13.......06/21/13.......07/18/13.......09/03/13...(Card received 09/21)
4690................06/20/13.......06/26/13.......--/--/--.......10/04/13...
1947 BALJEET........06/24/13.......06/27/13.......07/22/13.......09/17/13...(Card received 10/03)
MANILABOY83.........06/25/13.......06/29/13.......07/29/13.......09/13/13...(Card received 09/30)
OLARU_STEVE.........05/29/13.......06/03/13.......07/09/13.......09/17/13...8/19 xfer from VSC(Card Rec'd 09/30)
KIKOLINA092069......06/01/13.......06/06/13.......07/10/13.......--/--/--...8/23 xfer from VSC
HELLRAISER..........06/04/13.......06/10/13.......07/09/13.......09/30/13...8/22 xfer from VSC
CESTLAVIECHERI......06/07/13.......06/11/13.......07/15/13.......10/10/13...8/22 xfer from VSC(Card Rec'd 10/28)
THEMERLINS..........06/04/13.......06/12/13.......07/16/13.......10/04/13...8/22 xfer from VSC(Card Rec'd --/--
YOUS................06/07/13.......06/12/13.......07/12/13.......10/02/13...8/22 xfer from VSC
SACHIN1901..........06/10/13.......06/13/13.......07/11/13.......10/07/13...8/20 xfer from VSC(Card Rec'd 10/10)
BOSTON_MA...........06/10/13.......--/--/--.......--/--/--.......09/25/13...-/-- xfer from VSC
RESTONGOD...........06/10/13.......06/17/13.......07/16/13.......--/--/--...9/18 xfer from VSC
BESTHOPES...........06/12/13.......06/17/13.......07/11/13.......09/19/13...8/19 xfer from VSC(Card Rec'd 09/30)
MAGDASAL............06/15/13.......06/19/13.......07/17/13.......09/17/13...8/19 xfer from VSC(Card Rec'd 10/09)
INNSU...............06/15/13.......06/20/13.......07/23/13.......10/17/13...8/22 xfer from VSC
AMERIBRIT...........06/17/13.......06/20/13.......07/18/13.......10/21/13...8/20 xfer from VSC
JCAN2ATLGA..........06/17/13.......06/22/13.......07/22/13.......09/30/13...8/22 xfer from VSC(Card Rec'd 10/09)
JURAI...............06/17/13.......06/20/13.......07/24/13.......--/--/--...9/04 xfer from VSC
KARISHA.............06/18/13.......06/24/13.......07/27/13.......--/--/--...8/22 xfer from VSC
GUMMIBEAR...........06/19/13.......06/21/13.......07/30/13.......--/--/--...(Divorce Waiver) 9/06 xfer from VSC
BLEW................06/19/13.......06/24/13.......07/20/13.......--/--/--...9/05 xfer from VSC
SARAH278............06/21/13.......06/24/13.......07/31/13.......09/25/13...(Early Bio 07/15) 8/28 xfer from VSC
SHAWNA AND JAMES....06/21/13.......06/25/13.......07/31/13.......10/02/13...8/23 xfer from VSC(Card received 10/16)
H and M.............06/24/13.......06/27/13.......08/01/13.......--/--/--...9/05 xfer from VSC
LITTLE_MY...........06/25/13.......06/26/13.......07/26/13.......--/--/--...9/09 xfer from VSC
KOUCKI..............06/25/13.......06/28/13.......08/01/13.......10/03/13...8/22 xfer from VSC (Card Rec'd 10/17)
YOUNGHAMLET.........06/12/13.......06/14/13.......07/15/13.......10/16/13...9/17 address change filed xfer from VSC

Vermont Service Center (2 applicants, 1 approved - 50%)
VJName............Date of I-751....NOA1 Date.....Biometrics......Approved...
JAHBEAUTY...........06/05/13.......06/07/13.......07/30/13.......--/--/--...
AYOLA...............06/11/13.......06/24/13.......07/30/13.......09/14/13...(card received 09/20)



IMPORTANT!

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