N-400 December 2015 Filers

[moemac59 192]

I was placed inline for interview scheduling this morning. I received an e-mail update and my online case status was updated around 11:30am. I did not receive a text message, which is why it took a couple of hours for me to notice. My status now says that USCIS "started the interview scheduling process." Not sure if this is related to the online inquiry I made last week, but I'm inclined to say that it is.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS!!! wooohooo!!! I'm so excited for you.

[moemac59 192]

Just got an email for each of us that our passports have been sent. What a relief! It was completed very quickly but I spent each day worrying that there would be a problem processing with the kids and then worrying about the USCIS lady telling me I HAD TO get the NC for the kids before applying for passports. I'm glad that she was just trying to "up-sell" my USCIS experience so I would spend more money with them than necessary. HAHA.

Obviously this is for our NC progress but our group discussed this before so I wanted to share the update so everyone knows that the certificates for the kids were definitely not needed!

U.S. Passport Application Status

If you applied for both a U.S. Passport Book and a U.S. Passport Card on the same application, the newly issued documents, as well as your returned citizenship evidence, may be mailed to you in separate packages at different times. Therefore, it is possible to receive 3 separate mailings; one with your returned citizenship evidence, one with your newly issued passport book, and one with your newly issued passport card.

Your passport application locator number is XXXXXXXXX.

We have finished processing your passport, and it has been mailed to you using overnight delivery.

You should receive your passport on or about 04/30/2016.

Good to know. I had a run in last week with the same ahole cranky customs agent at the Whirlpool bridge using my NEXUS card. As I haven't had an opportunity to get my passport yet, I was using my naturalization certificate along with my NEXUS card as instructed by the NEXUS office there. Well this guy, Officer Frank, gave me such a hard time, lectured me about getting a passport and that I shouldn't be using my Naturalization certificate as proof of citizenship. This man is awful. He always, always gives me a hard time when I cross over.He also told me that I need to get a replacement NEXUS card as my citizenship status had changed. I informed him that I went into the NEXUS office the day of my oath ceremony to inform/show them that I was now an US citizen. He told me that I was wrong and that I needed this replacement card. Well I called the NEXUS office about this and they informed me that he was incorrect and that they have never heard this before and they would know since they take care of all NEXUS related items. They told me to speak to his supervisor the next time that I crossed over.

I also called in sick to work the next day, got an expedited enhanced driver's license and will be using it tonight in conjunction with my NEXUS card. Stay tuned!

[JimmyHou 610]

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS!!! wooohooo!!! I'm so excited for you.

Thanks! I appreciate the support.

Now get a passport! Just a bit of friendly advice!

I think your planning on doing this anyway (I believe you said that at some point) but you haven't had time).

For other readers:

The only written regulation around the passport issue is the Department of State regulation stating that all Americans should use a US passport to enter and leave the US. But that isn't a law, which is why there's confusion and why Officer Grumpy and Supervisor Grumpier can give us a hard time. Everything else CBP and the Nexus folks tell us is their interpretation. There's actually even no law that says that you have to enter the US at an airport with a US passport... but because of the DOS regulation, anyone trying this will likely face a serious delay. One applicant even had a delay trying to LEAVE the US without a US passport... quite unusual. On the other hand, there IS a law that says that you need a passport to enter or leave the US (but it doesn't say a US passport)... however, this isn't always enforced at the land borders. And even where it is enforced, the law doesn't say that you'll be denied entry... more confusion.

Best to avoid the issue and get a passport... I would get a passport card too and stick that in my wallet so I can leave my passport book safe at home.

Edited April 28, 2016 by JimmyHou

[Maria2012 16]

I did the same today. Haven't heard anything since biometric and my case was received 01/12/2016

/2016

If you log on to your case page, you'll see a section at the bottom for Case Inquiry.

That will take you to a page with several options, the most logical of which is Case Status Inquiry, but if you try to submit a case status inquiry too soon (6 months for some people and 8 months for others), the system will reject it.

So I did as another applicant (Groovyaardvark suggested), and submitted a Notification Not Received Inquiry, since I haven't heard anything since biometrics in January... all I really wanted was confirmation that my biometrics were taken successfully.

After that, it's just a standard form... you just type in your info and at the bottom it asks you what the last action on your case was (biometrics in my case).

Let me be really clear that I do not think that inquiries will do anything at all if your background check isn't done... in my case, i think that the check must have been recently completed, but USCIS isn't very efficient at going back and checking up on cases, so sometimes they just sit there until someone goes to check. In these cases, an inquiry helps.

[quan12 6]

Oath Ceremony Will Be Scheduled....

We placed you in line for your oath ceremony and will send you a notice for Receipt Number NBC*.. Thank God.

[boy15 23]

Both my parents was scheduled for interviewes today 4/28. So excited for them! )

[mananto 36]

It would be interesting if you're right... what are you assuming? Exactly five weeks from the day after the scheduling notice?

You're probably right that there's a general rule for when to send out letters, although I would expect discrepancies at busier offices because of the tighter schedules.

This is what I figured, they update the status online on April 26. The mail out the following day April 27th and it takes three days most of the time to get to recipient and they have already figured that out. He/She gets it on April 30/May 1. Count thirty days from then, that takes you to May 31/June 1. I figured they schedule your interview and status changes online 35 days to your interview date. Hopefully we can find some examples right here on this thread:)

[JimmyHou 610]

Both my parents was scheduled for interviewes today 4/28. So excited for them! )

Excellent news!

Especially in Houston, where things can drag on.

Let us know the dates when you get the letters.

Also really great that their cases are lining up.

Edited April 28, 2016 by JimmyHou

[Spmaria 11]

Ok, I have a question. I want to schedule an info pass appointment because my application really bothers me. I didn't fill in the form 2 of my part-time jobs (during my university years) + one more thing. I didn't think about those jobs because my life in my country more than 7 years ago feels like a different life centuries ago. I forgot about those 2 places I worked for for less than 3 months maybe once a week. But I had that data in my student visa application and then my adjustment of status application. I want to correct everything to know for sure that such a long wait for a background check isn't the problem of my application. Should I wait for my inquiry answer (which obviously is going to be a statement that I'm still in the background check phase, otherwise I'd been in line already) or try to schedule info pass asap?

[JimmyHou 610]

Ok, I have a question. I want to schedule an info pass appointment because my application really bothers me. I didn't fill in the form 2 of my part-time jobs (during my university years) + one more thing. I didn't think about those jobs because my life in my country more than 7 years ago feels like a different life centuries ago. I forgot about those 2 places I worked for for less than 3 months maybe once a week. But I had that data in my student visa application and then my adjustment of status application. I want to correct everything to know for sure that such a long wait for a background check isn't the problem of my application. Should I wait for my inquiry answer (which obviously is going to be a statement that I'm still in the background check phase, otherwise I'd been in line already) or try to schedule info pass asap?

I am 100% sure that no one has even looked at what you wrote down in the employment history part of your application.

I am 95% sure that no one will have looked at that part when you sit down in front of your interviewer.

Now, setting that aside, if you want to schedule an infopasa appointment, I see no reason to wait. Schedule it now if it will give you peace of mind, but if you want my advice, don't try to correct something so minor through an infopass, they'll either ignore you or it'll slow down your application. Just make the correction at the interview. If you just want to make an appointment to check on your application, then do that, but maybe it would be easier to call first.

[Pete's Dragon 4]

I am 100% sure that no one has even looked at what you wrote down in the employment history part of your application.

I am 95% sure that no one will have looked at that part when you sit down in front of your interviewer.

Maybe, but my wife was asked about employment at her interview.

[JimmyHou 610]

Maybe, but my wife was asked about employment at her interview.

Oh, sorry... I didn't mean to imply that it's not important or that they won't look at it and ask questions about it. I meant that at this point (before being placed inline) the file isn't even in the field office, and no interviewer would have looked at it. Also, I was trying to say that it would have nothing to do with a pronged background check.

It's good that our fellow applicant is checking up on the status of the application... that's perfectly normal... but there's no reason to be overly concerned at this point.

[Spmaria 11]

I am 100% sure that no one has even looked at what you wrote down in the employment history part of your application.

I am 95% sure that no one will have looked at that part when you sit down in front of your interviewer.

Now, setting that aside, if you want to schedule an infopasa appointment, I see no reason to wait. Schedule it now if it will give you peace of mind, but if you want my advice, don't try to correct something so minor through an infopass, they'll either ignore you or it'll slow down your application. Just make the correction at the interview. If you just want to make an appointment to check on your application, then do that, but maybe it would be easier to call first.

I just don't understand what's going on and what did I do wrong?! I don't want them to assume that I hide something so minor and lie on the application. I'm in the panic mode now that I'm the last one to be placed in line. I'm trying to come up with something that can affect my background check. Before I thought it could be something to do with one of my immediate family member's job (that's what my family thought) but that person just got a tourist visa to visit me with no problems. So it's something else.

[JimmyHou 610]

I just don't understand what's going on and what did I do wrong?! I don't want them to assume that I hide something so minor and lie on the application. I'm in the panic mode now that I'm the last one to be placed in line. I'm trying to come up with something that can affect my background check. Before I thought it could be something to do with one of my immediate family member's job (that's what my family thought) but that person just got a tourist visa to visit me with no problems. So it's something else.

I don't know what to tell you except that if I were on your place (which I was up until Wednesday) I would not worry one bit about this.

Just in the last 2 weeks, May, June, October, and November 2015 applicants were placed inline. they've all been waiting.

It sounds like scheduling an appointment will make you feel better, so do that. It's not going to hurt.

[rperez687 0]

Hello! I am new to this site and have a question. My husband filed his n400 in december and just received a text todoy that his interview has been scheduled and to look for the letter in the mail! Our problem is that his permanent resident card expires this month. We have not filed to renew becase we wee hoping he would get his interview before the expiration date. Now I am reading that his interview may not be for at least another month. Does he need to renew his permanent residency?? Will they hold it against him if his card is expired at his interview??