Maste

Wow. I can't believe it's already come to the time for me to submit my N400. I've been here 4 years and it's already flown by!

Officially sent in my N400 application online today (July 27th, 2021). While it was time consuming, definitely the easiest of the forms I've had to complete.

Best brush up on my US knowledge in preparation, although current estimations for wait times is 15 months!

Maste

Updated today to “your case is actively under review”.

I got an online notice stating they’re reusing my biometrics yet again, so I guess I’ve skipped a couple of weeks ahead.

it seems from some brief research that actively under review means it’s on someone’s desk and I could hear anything from now until a couple years. Here’s hoping to a speedy process again (which I’ve been lucky for every time so far).

BenK91

Congrats! My estimated wait time was 13 months, but from filing to oath ceremony/cert of naturalization in hand only took 5 months, so fingers crossed for you!

Maste

Good info to know! I feel my timeline for each stage has generally been quicker than expected, so hopefully this last stage is too!

EdgeAA

How long did it take to complete the form and get all the evidence together? I'm eligible to file for my N400 next week so hopefully I won't be too far behind you.

Maste

A couple of hours? You have to send in evidence of marriage again so I just found updated forms and additional stuff to add.

tht

Depends how organized you are and if you have any special issues.

Stuff that could take time include getting your tax transcripts, dates of all your international travel longer than 1 day. Details of any clubs or organizations you are or habenden a member of. Then the special situations could include things like arrests or other convictions… search the threads people had tickets for passing on the highway etc.

EdgeAA

I think I have all those stored fairly easily. No trips out the country or any speeding/parking tickets either so hopefully will be fairly simple for me.

Maste

Yeah, what THT said. I have digital files of everything important pertaining to taxes, our personal details and life etc, on an encrypted HDD so it was super quick for me to just plug it in and upload any of the evidence we needed for submission.

Longest part was the international travel dates, but thankfully that didn't take too long because COVID wiped out 2 years of travelling.

ajmstevenson

Just a quick question on the supporting docs since you can file online; I assume a scanned copy is acceptable of the documents it asks for both me and my spouse? I'm getting ready to file and it being electronic is new to me.

tht

I filed under 5 years+ as a PR (I also have a USC wife but came on a employment visa and my GC was through employment) I uploaded scanned copies with my N-400 and took “originals” to the interview, some documents such as tax transcripts were downloaded from online anyways. I forget which, but they did examine/scan some of the originals at the interview.

Maste

Still waiting, but just a quick question regarding the N400 - I don't want to go into personal/private life details with my spouse but due to some family issues, we want to NOT do the name change I requested originally on the form. How do I go about removing this name change request? Or can I just tell them at the interview that I want to keep my original name and not do a name change?

Thanks!

Nutmegger

I made my mind up about my name at the interview, so I’m sure you can do it there.

tom169

I said no to a name change, and at the interview I was asked again, so I would say you can make your final mind up at the interview.

Maste

Got my interview notice - 24th March, Thursday.

All well and exciting, but... my passport is at the passport office in the UK being renewed right now, the wife and I move to Iowa City in a few weeks and the interview is in St Louis.... I was literally about to start the change of address stuff everywhere and we get this notice.

Naturally freaking out now of course, because I'm not where the interview is taking place, it's happening around the time of a big move/settling period, and my passport is out of country.

Any advice/words of wisdom please? Would be hugely appreciate because as exciting as this is, I'm also in panic mode.