Travel during N-400 Application

[NycBra 4]

I know there is a thread about this topic but I could not find it.

What are the restrictions on traveling abroad after you submit the citizenship application?

Can you travel after you do the interview (and pass) but before the oath?

Or, what happens if you are abroad when you are called for the interview?

My timeline allows me to submit my application for citizenship in late September. However, I will be away of the country for 10 days in late November. I am just rethinking if it would be ok for me to travel, or if I should delay my application...

Thanks!

[Lansbury 19]

There is nothing to stop you traveling except the need to attend the appointment for your biometrics and the interview. Once you have the letter for the biometrics appointment most places will let you do a walk-in early.If they send you an appointment for your interview and you do not attend you run the risk of them canceling your citizenship application and having to apply again and pay another fee.

Why not wait until you are back in the US to apply or post the application just as you go on the trip. Nothing will happen in the first 10 days so it would be being processed while you are away.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Lansbury

[Captain Oates 910]

I will get my fingerprints date end of next week I reckon

I will try a walk in but by all accounts the 6 weeks or so to the interview will start from the ORIGINAL fingerprints date

Nobody has reported a gap of less than say 5 week from fingerprints to interview

I will time my UK holiday (10 days or so) straight after the ORIGINAL fingerprints date

Have a look around people's time lines but nobody gets a snap interview straight after fingerprints so you are safe to go straight after them

Doing a walk in does not seem to speed the process as it seems queued to go to CIA/FBI etc after the original FP date

I will try the walk in just to get it out of the way...

[NycBra 4]

Thanks to you both. These are all very good info to have.

Due to a job opportunity with a January deadline (that I prefer not get into details here), the soon I get the citizenship the better.

I don't really want to delay submitting application unless strictly necessary. I like the idea of a walk-in for fingerprints and traveling right after.

I will have a look at the timelines for people applying in San Francisco.

[v333k 59]

A few things to keep in mind:

1. If you travel during the application is being processed, make sure you have someone checking your mail for you. Biometrics and interview can be rescheduled (if there's no other way) so there is nothing to worry about.

2. You can travel on your GC and your home country passport as long as you do not take the oath. Once the oath is taken, then you are a USC and you MUST exit/enter the US on a US passport.

3. You need to make sure you meet the continuous residence and physical presence rules - but this only applies if you are a frequent traveler.

Lastly, 10 days is not a long time, and normally you will get biometrics appointment 2-3 weeks before it is scheduled. You can always go for a walk-in if the dates are during your travel time.

Same goes for interview that it will be scheduled about 2-3 weeks later....

[Captain Oates 910]

A few things to keep in mind:

1. If you travel during the application is being processed, make sure you have someone checking your mail for you. Biometrics and interview can be rescheduled (if there's no other way) so there is nothing to worry about.

2. You can travel on your GC and your home country passport as long as you do not take the oath. Once the oath is taken, then you are a USC and you MUST exit/enter the US on a US passport.

3. You need to make sure you meet the continuous residence and physical presence rules - but this only applies if you are a frequent traveler.

Lastly, 10 days is not a long time, and normally you will get biometrics appointment 2-3 weeks before it is scheduled. You can always go for a walk-in if the dates are during your travel time.

Same goes for interview that it will be scheduled about 2-3 weeks later....

Hi there

are you saying the actual scheduling of the interview can be two or three weeks after the bio ?

I understood that around 5 or 6 weeks for all the cia/fbi stuff was normal (from bio date) and then they give you 3 weeks notice of the interview after that

I can't believe interview actually happens 3 weeks after bio - that can't be right

[v333k 59]

Hi there

are you saying the actual scheduling of the interview can be two or three weeks after the bio ?

I understood that around 5 or 6 weeks for all the cia/fbi stuff was normal (from bio date) and then they give you 3 weeks notice of the interview after that

I can't believe interview actually happens 3 weeks after bio - that can't be right

No I meant that 2-3 weeks after the letter is received.

[Captain Oates 910]

yes that sounds right

so two or three weeks notice of bio then 5 or 6 weeks before notice of interview which itself is say 3 weeks after the appointment letter ?

Does this sound right ?

Also the word is out there that doing a walk in three weeks before bio appointment saves nothing - and the interview notice letter will still be 6 week or so after the original bio date

Have you heard that ?

[v333k 59]

not sure about the timeline... but correct, biometrics walk-ins do not affect or speedup the process. Biometrics are processed by the FBI. Therefore, whenever USCIS gets to the application, they will check the FBI's background check and will move on to processing the application.

[Captain Oates 910]

not sure about the timeline... but correct, biometrics walk-ins do not affect or speedup the process. Biometrics are processed by the FBI. Therefore, whenever USCIS gets to the application, they will check the FBI's background check and will move on to processing the application.

With a walk-in, they must either:

A not send em to FBI until the original FP date

or

B send em straight away but not resume processing until their plan date, even though the FBI has returned a report

This must be a USCIS policy so people don't all start doing walk ins thinking they will speed it up ... that's the only thing that makes sense..

[v333k 59]

With a walk-in, they must either:

A not send em to FBI until the original FP date

or

B send em straight away but not resume processing until their plan date, even though the FBI has returned a report

This must be a USCIS policy so people don't all start doing walk ins thinking they will speed it up ... that's the only thing that makes sense..

I think B is correct. Some members called the FBI to see if their biometrics cleared or even were processed and some got back a reply that they were processed almost a week after they were taken. So those members were waiting for a while and never heard anything from USCIS.... hence they were searching for possible reasons for the delay. Therefore, the delay is at USCIS and it is a matter of them getting to your application when it reaches the top of their stack.

[Captain Oates 910]

I think B is correct. Some members called the FBI to see if their biometrics cleared or even were processed and some got back a reply that they were processed almost a week after they were taken. So those members were waiting for a while and never heard anything from USCIS.... hence they were searching for possible reasons for the delay. Therefore, the delay is at USCIS and it is a matter of them getting to your application when it reaches the top of their stack.

That would suggest that when they come back from the fbi, they just go into the pile and they are not deliberately delayed

If they are not deliberately delayed, then doing walk ins would speed it up as they would get into the pile quicker..

we need a spy !

I don't think they have the technology to schedule them for the original FP date - I think it's like you say, that they just flow when they flow

So walk ins would speed em up compared to going 3 weeks later...

Research time on people's timelines needed !

Not now as I am trying to clean the carpets ready for the return of she who must be obeyed tomorrow... Its a new carpet shampoo machine and has sucked up what looks like 50 cats worth of cat hair...

Edited August 14, 2010 by saywhat

[babyjk 2]

My bf is in a similar position. His LPR is dated Nov 7th and I think he is eligible for citizenship now but he is deciding to wait until later in the month around the next time he gets paid. He wants to come back for my graduation from university late October but it will only be for about 4 - 7 days because it is all the vacation time he has accumulated so far and he is wondering if it would be a problem.

[Captain Oates 910]

My bf is in a similar position. His LPR is dated Nov 7th and I think he is eligible for citizenship now but he is deciding to wait until later in the month around the next time he gets paid. He wants to come back for my graduation from university late October but it will only be for about 4 - 7 days because it is all the vacation time he has accumulated so far and he is wondering if it would be a problem.

yes he is entitled to file now

however end october is critical time and he may be on interview about then if he filed now

I filed this week and i am guessing fp letter next friday, walkin monday, and interview mid october to end october

i will do my uk trip straight after fp walk in - within 2 weeks

Edited August 14, 2010 by saywhat