N-400 Processing delays - My case experience


veni001

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11/12/2016 – Documents mailed for spouse and myself

11/14/2016 – Documents received @ Dallas lockbox

11/22/2016 – Biometrics notice issued for both

11/28/2016 – Biometrics notice received for both

12/08/2016 – Biometrics appointment scheduled for both

12/05/2016 – Biometrics completed – Walk-in

12/30/2016 – Interview process started for Spouse

01/13/2017 – Spouse case updated - interview scheduled

01/16/2017 – Scheduled info pass appointment for myself

01/17/2017 – Interview notice received for Spouse interview scheduled for 02/22/17

02/01/2017 – Infopass appointment @ local field office – no updates on my case, wait 30 days

02/10/2017 – Called 1800 number- service request created(T1DXXXXXXXXX)

02/18/2017 – Missed call from USCIS

02/22/2017 – Interview for spouse – case recommended for approval

02/24/2017 – Status change for spouse – in-line for Oath ceremony

03/04/2017 – Received call from USCIS, wait until 03/20/17

03/22/2017 – Called 1800 number- expedited service request (WKDXXXXXXXXX) - interview will be scheduled by 03/27

03/28/2017 – Called USCIS 1800 number, no change, case pending at NBC

03/29/2017 – Infopass for spouse @ local field office / Oath notice mailed for spouse

04/01/2017 – Oath notice received for spouse, Oath scheduled for 04/28/17

04/07/2017 - Called USCIS 1800 number-service request (WKDXXXXXXXX & online SRXXXXXXXXX)

04/28/2017 – Oath Ceremony for spouse

05/01/2017 - Called USCIS 1800 number, no change, pending at NBC, give two weeks to initiate another Service Request

05/24/2017 - Called USCIS 1800 number - service request (WKDXXXXXXXX)

07/12/2017 – USCIS updated processing times, case is now outside normal processing time

07/13/2017 – Called USCIS talked to L2 officer notified case is outside normal processing, no update processing is taking up to one year, just wait – service request(T1FXXXXXXXXX)

08/09/2017 - Called USCIS 1800 number talked to L2 officer notified case is outside normal processing, pending background check, just wait, no other update provided.

08/14/2017 - Called USCIS 1800 number talked to L2 officer, adjudicator not assigned, expedited service request(OVPXXXXXXXX), expect response in about 15 days.

08/14/2017 - Infopass @ Field office, application is in the process of transferring from NBC to local field office, will schedule interview within 30 days of receiving application.

09/01/2017 – Called USCIS talked to L2 officer, no change, application still at NBC pending security clearance.

09/07/2017 – Case status updated to in-line for interview

09/11/2017 – Interview notice received, scheduled for 10/18/17

10/18/2017 - Interview @ local field office – case recommended for approval

10/27/2017 - Case status updated to in-line for Oath Ceremony

11/08/2017 - Infopass appointment @ local field office

11/15/2017 - Case status updated to Oath Ceremony scheduled

11/18/2017 - Oath Ceremony Notice received, scheduled for 12/08/17

12/08/2017 – Oath Ceremony completed

In addition to my followups with USCIS I have contacted both of my state senator’s offices and also filed Form 7001 with DHS Ombudsman Office as soon as my case is outside normal processing time.

See below for their follow-ups and updates.

 

Senator1 Office

02/23/2017 – Contacted Senator1 office to contact NBC

03/01/2017 - NBC response to Senator1 office, background clearance pending

03/27/2017 – Contacted Senator1 office to contact NBC

03/31/2017 - NBC response to Sen. Udall’s office, background clearance pending

05/01/2017 - Contacted Senator1 office to contact NBC

05/05/2017 - NBC response to Sen. Udall’s office, background Clearance pending

07/14/2017 - Contacted Senator1 office, case is outside normal processing, request NBC expedite processing, Senator1 office request proof for expedited processing based on USCIS criteria for such requests

07/14/2017 – Responded to Senator1 office – no response

08/07/2017 - Contacted Senator1 office - no updates

09/01/2017 - Contacted Senator1 office - no updates

09/07/2017 - NBC response to Senator1 office - case is in-line for interview scheduling

09/11/2017 – Received response from Senator1 office

09/11/2017 - Contacted Senator1 office to contact NBC and requested to contact USCIS field office regarding interview date

 

Senator2 Office:

03/13/2017 – Contacted Senator2 office to contact NBC

03/14/2017 – NBC response to Senator2 office, background clearance pending

03/28/2017 - Contacted Senator2 office to contact NBC

04/05/2017 - NBC response to Senator2 office, background clearance pending

05/15/2017 - NBC response to Senator2 office, background clearance pending

06/19/2017 – Senator2 office contacted both NBC and FBI to expedite my case

07/12/2017 – USCIS updated processing times, case is now outside normal processing time

07/14/2017 - Contacted Senator2 office to contact NBC, case is now outside normal processing time

08/01/2017 – Senator2 office contacted USCIS Field office, case pending at NBC

09/01/2017 - Contacted Senator2 office to contact NBC

09/05/2017 – Senator2 office contacted NBC, USCIS requested to call back on 09/07/2017

09/07/2017 – Received call from Senator2 office, NBC received background clearance and will forward my case to Local field office to schedule interview. Application transfer will take about 2 weeks

09/11/2017 – Senator2 office contacted USCIS Field office regarding interview date, field office requested to call back in two days

11/07/2017 – Senator2 office contacted USCIS regarding Oath Ceremony

11/09/2017 - Senator2 office received response from USCIS – Oath will be scheduled for Jan-2018

11/13/2017 - Senator2 office contacted USCIS regarding December Oath Ceremony

11/15/2017 - Senator2 office received response from USCIS-Oath will be scheduled for Dec-2017

 

DHS Ombudsman Office:

07/13/2017 – Filed Form 7001 with DHS Ombudsman Office

       -- Called DHS Ombudsman Office every week for updates

08/09/2017 – Contacted DHS Ombudsman Office, requested expedited processing

08/10/2017 - DHS Ombudsman Office request for additional information

08/11/2017 - DHS Ombudsman Office case pending analyst assignment

08/14/2017 – Contacted DHS Ombudsman Office, case pending analyst assignment

08/21/2017 - Contacted DHS Ombudsman Office, case under analyst review

08/30/2017 –DHS Ombudsman Office contacted USCIS (e-mail confirmation)

09/05/2017 – Contacted DHS Ombudsman Office, waiting response from USCIS, could take up to 60 days

 

Total time for Spouse application  - 5 months and 16 days

Total time for my application - 1 year and 26 days

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Wow that's long. Looks like I am also on the same boat. My wife got interview date but I didn't. It's been 8 weeks(11/17/2017) since I got my biometrics done. Online status still says "Received your application and mailed the receipt number". Will wait for couple more weeks then will take infopass.

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9 hours ago, pontevecchio said:

All's well that ends well. You mean you contacted both Federal Senators in your state. There does seem to be a slowdown deliberate or otherwise by the administration which is not so surprising considering the extremist view held. Please remember this and do not forget to vote at each and every opportunity, primary included.

Not sure it was deliberate or just gross negligence, they were just using background clearance as an excuse until my case is outside the normal processing time for my field office. Yes, i contacted both senators offices since senator1 staff is not really responsive. I strongly believe Senator2 office did a great job, they even contacted FBI regarding background checks. I also believe that case assistance request filed with Ombudsman Office greatly helped in waking up USCIS.

I am already registered to vote and i am absolutely going to make my voice heard!

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9 hours ago, jkolati said:

Wow that's long. Looks like I am also on the same boat. My wife got interview date but I didn't. It's been 8 weeks(11/17/2017) since I got my biometrics done. Online status still says "Received your application and mailed the receipt number". Will wait for couple more weeks then will take infopass.

Based on my personal experience i would not recommend wasting your time with infopass appointments. Call USCIS 1800 number every 4 weeks and request to speak to L2 officer, and each time you speak to L2 officer ask for a service request. If you don't get an update until your case is outside normal processing time for your field office based on your receipt date file Form 7001 with DHS Ombudsman Office.

I believe USCIS is not only under staffed for the case volume(s) it has been receiving but also dealing with the system implementation issues caused from its modernization project to go digital in 2016, which followed by the anxiety and confusion created by the current administration once assumed office.

Good Luck!

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Thanks Veni001. Will do that. When I call 1800, can I just ask for L2 officer? When I checked processing times for me field office... here is what it says

Field Office Processing Dates for Philadelphia PA as of: October 31, 2017

N-400 Application for Naturalization January 24, 2017

 

Last Updated: January 5, 2018

I don't how frequently they update :(

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8 weeks is too soon for you to get worried about it. The average would be 3 months at least for getting the letter. This was so in 2008 and I suspect is not any better now. Just hang tight for 2 months. As regards INFOPASS, it depends on your interaction with them. These are Officers on par with the L2 Officer and can be helpful in letting you know what's going on. The USCIS receives hundreds of phone calls an hour and that is not necessarily the only way to get results.

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10 hours ago, jkolati said:

Thanks Veni001. Will do that. When I call 1800, can I just ask for L2 officer? When I checked processing times for me field office... here is what it says

Field Office Processing Dates for Philadelphia PA as of: October 31, 2017

N-400   Application for Naturalization January 24, 2017

Last Updated: January 5, 2018

I don't how frequently they update :(

When you call USCIS your get to L1 agent who will see the exact same information you see when you use USCIS on-line case tracker, once they provide you that update request the agent that you would like to talk to L2 officer regarding your case, most of the time you need to leave your name and number to the automated attendent for L2 officer to call back.

I agree with "pontevecchio", 8 weeks is too soon to be worried about and also it is less than 3 months since you applied. USCIS updates processing times about every 4 weeks. I would at-least wait for couple more months before start making any calls and/or infopass appointments. In my case my field office is 2 hrs away and almost all of my infopass appointments field office did not provide any additional information than L2 officer.

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  • 1 month later...

How do you open a service request when the local office processing time is earlier than your case pd ? My case PD is July 2017 and my local office is processing April 2017 cases, so whenever I call the 800 number they refuse to open the service request . My wife's case is already in Oath ceremony stage. My case still shows "FIngerprint appointment was scheduled" . I had a congressman check on this and he was told case is in background check. Will try out the senator option. Also, does the senator check again and again (I see in OP's post that he had Senator1 and Senator2 check on his case every 2-3 months) ? 

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  • 2 months later...

First surprising thing is how fast your wife's application got processed and then considering my case, even yours was ok assuming your local field office is Dallas. In Dallas and Houston, the processing time is more than 12 months.

I've filed in November 2016 and my interview, oath was done in December 2017.

My wife's application was filed in July 2017 and she is still waiting for her interview. As per the current processing times, I guess we are not yet outside normal processing times but could we raise a service request or something since my wife's planning a trip overseas.

Anybody, please let me know if we have any options in this case.

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