Lion in Winter

Title says it all really. OH is a longtime PR (20 years) but never got his citizenship. We are thinking that it would now be prudent for him to do that, for assorted reasons. Any recent intel on how long that process is currently taking, start to finish? Estimates on the web seem to be all over the place. Also, are there any travel restrictions at any point during the process? He would be filing in Chicago, if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance.

rpjs

It's not so much where you file but which field office will handle the application. Here is how to find your field office and here is the current processing times. As a rough rule of thumb I'd say assume 6-9 months from filing to oath ceremony.

Lion in Winter

Thank you, that's very helpful.

For our field office it says "processing cases as of December 28, 2016" for citizenship. Does that mean that they are just beginning to look at applications sent in last December? And if that is the case, I assume that there are additional months now to go for those cases to be finished?

Or does that date mean they are finalizing the process and about to wave the flag over the December applicants?

ian-mstm

I think rpjs has given a good estimate.


None at all.

Ian

Lion in Winter

Great, thank you.

malch

Yup, and don't move while the application is being processed. I moved about 10 miles after submitting my application and that triggered a transfer of my case from one office to another. Then they "lost" my file in the process. So it took about 2 years.

However, I did benefit from the fact that they like to rush through as many citizenship applications as possible just before Presidential elections. I think this chopped 4-6 months off the process. When I went to the swearing ceremony the normal voter registration deadline had already passed. However, they told us how to invoke a special late registration rule for new citizens.

Pulaski

Well not as such, but I would avoid attending an oath ceremony immediately before you need to travel overseas because once you are a citizen you must travel on a US passport and so you will need time between the oath ceremony and your overseas trip to obtain a US passport. In practice it is very easy to just postpone the oath ceremony to a convenient date.

Two weeks is probably sufficient time to get a new US passport, but I would allow a month to be on the safe side.

rpjs

Yes that's the situation I might be in as I've passed my interview but am on an overseas vacation from the end of the month. I did explain that to my interviewing officer and she put an annotation on my file. My case status still has me "in line for your oath ceremony" though so I think the annotation has been noted.

rpjs

FWIW the processing times for my FO (NYC) says they were processing priority date September 10th 2016 as of June 30th 2017 but my PD is December 27th 2016 and I had my interview on August 3rd. Make of it what you will.

Awesome Welles

My wife had her interview and civics test in August 2016. She is STILL waiting for the oath ceremony and citizenship completion. Processed through Dallas TX - apparently waiting on background checks (for 12 months?). Mine took 6 weeks.

Rete

On top of that I would note that if travel while the application is pending would put him over the time allowed outside of the US for eligibility, then travel should be postponed until US citizenship and a US passport is obtained.

Rete

You don't know yet where your ceremony will be held. It could be any number of places. For hubby it was in Federal Court in lower Manhattan. Others have had it in Brooklyn and then again it could be in the White Plains court.

Shezi59

I did similar, interviewed at the beginning of July, went to the UK for the last week of the month and had oath ceremony in August. You can reschedule oath if necessary.

To the OP: I filed my N-400 10/18/2016, Memphis field office processed, interviewed 7/7/2017 and took the oath 8/11/2017. Ten months in total. There are groups organised by month filed in VJ so you can see how long it's taking, depending where you process. For example, there are several in Dallas who have been interviewed and approved but no oaths scheduled yet. It really does depend on which field office handles your case.

chawkins99

According to the first link, my county (Santa Rosa, FL) is handled by the Montgomery field office but in the second link, there is no Montgomery FO listed.

caleyjag

My time from N400 submission to Civics to Oath was very fast. Less than 2 months altogether

I'm in the Los Angeles area.