gingajoy

Did anyone hear this one? In a nutshell, new FBI checks are holding up the naturalization process up to several years. (yikes!). This is not in all cases, but at least a third (according to the report).

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=11271832

I am in the process of applying for citizenship myself, but also making plans to move back home (love the States, but want to be nearer my family at least for a while while I have young kids). This story concerns me a bit, as I do not want to be waiting in limbo for naturalization and having to stay put. (I know you can travel, but you often don't get much time once they schedule an interview--or so I've heard).

Is anyone here waiting for citizenship? How long has it been?

fatbrit

Lot of naturalizations seem to be all done in 6 to 9 months these days. It's all a lottery though.

Bill_S

I applied in late February, and my interview will be July 5. My surname is quite rare, so perhaps that's why I didn't become mired in the name check.

Bob

speaking of, see the news about that soldier that's been missing in Iraq for a few weeks, from Lawrence MA?

they wanted to deport his wife.....they had applied for her to get citizenship because of him in the hot zone, and it comes out she's an undocumented illegal so they want to deport her, but the senators got involved and are trying to hold off on kicking her out, at least till there is some news of the husband.

TouristTrap

Maz

Only thing I could think of when I read that was "heartless bastards".

Jerseygirl

My daughter's application took 3 months...she became a USC Dec 2006. We got 3 day's notice for the bios...2 months for the interview/oath ceremony.

gingajoy

thanks for the feedback, all--this is reassuring

do they contact you by phone or email for the bios? Just curious how that plays out.

Jerseygirl

They contact you...our bios where done within a month of submitting the N400. No use phoning or writing...you'll be ignored. Any questions you need to ask them make an Infopass appointment on the USCIS website...you will need to go to the office in person.

Brit3964

I love the way they say "only 30%" That 30% is at least 329,000+ and counting.
My priority date is June 27th 2006 so almost a year already.

Ray

I have the opposing view ..

lapin_windstar

Working in a related field, I'm hugely skeptical of the value of any background check for which the service provider charges $9.

TaraC

How long the USC process takes depends on where you're located and the service center you use. Some people -- located where there aren't a lot of immigrants can take just a couple of months. Others can take up to a year to get the interview. I'm in the process now but being located in Virginia, my service center is Norfolk. Unfortunately for me, Norfolk is seriously backlogged due to the sheer number of people going through, and there's usually an 8- to 9-month wait to get the interview. A friend of mine in California had me on a list of references for FBI checks when she became a judge. I ended up being the one person that didn't get called, and when she asked why, they told her it was because I was in Virginia and the FBI is just too overwhelmed here to do the checks! Great, huh.

Jerseygirl

It also depends on how much checking the FBI have to do. We sent 3 applications in at the same time...our 21 yr old daughter's application took 3 months...ours took 6 months.

fatbrit

Some poor sod probably had to wade through all your BE posts to check for subversive activity.