N400- waiting for test-interview since my biomatrics done in Oct 2015!

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USCanada009

New Member
Guys- I have applied for Citizenship ( N400) from Baltimore, Maryland area sometimes at the end of September 2015. My biomatrics was done in a month time like in October 2015. The online status with USCIS still showing "On September --, 2015, we received your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization , Receipt Number NBC*-------, and sent you the receipt notice that describes how we will process your case. Please follow the instructions in the notice."

I called a couple of time since then. And I simply get a standard answer from the customer service that, I need to wait till I get the interview or citizenship test call. Is this taking so long ( like over 8 months since biomatrics) in this area ? Does anyone advise me to get infopass with USCIS to find out , if my case is stuck somewhere? The customer service don't have any more information than what I see online! Please share your views ( especially anyone applying from this Baltimore area)my options here. Thank you .
 
be patient...where have you been lately? where are you from?.....
Once you get interview letter, it means you are "clean"
as long as they dont have a response, you cant have one.
be patient.
 
Thank you for your reply. I live in Baltimore, Maryland. Originally from India, I also am a Canadian citizen. Most of my friends that I know ( other states) have got the interview letter within 6 months or so. And another Maryland friend also got her interview letter within this time period. As you mentioned, I need to simply wait somewhat longer . So, do you think the info pass won't benefit in this "delay" situation ?
 
USCanada009:

Indeed there is something you can do to speed up the process. You can call the 1 800 number on your form/receipt. They will probably keep you waiting and provide you with an option to leave a call back number. Please do. Within a few hours someone will call you. Expalin you case to them. They will do something called a "trigger". There is a better name for it. I can't remember. They won't promise anything but they will say if your case got stuck for no reason, the trigger will release the file and you will be scheduled for an interview. But if there are no problems and the delay is just a backlog, nothing will happen and you will just have to wait. That was the case with me. My trigger worked and the very next day after calling the number I was scheduled for an interview. I live in Maryland and this story happened one year ago.

Indeed, a similar thing happened to me when I was granted asylum 10 years ago. My case was pending for too long and so i had applied for a work permit. I called them to inquire about my work permit which was taking too long. The IO asked me a few strange questions and told me she was forwarding my work permit application to another office. A few days later, I got my asylum approval letter in the mail. I found out that it had been approved soon after I spoke with IO even though I had inquired on something else !

The conclusion I drew is that you must always call to "shake up" your case in case it got stuck in the system. It doesn't cost you anything to try

My 2 cents

Augustasylee
 
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hi Augusta.. As per your advice I called them once again. He had exact date when they received my Biometrics application, and the date that Baltimore center is processing other cases. Based on that, the processing time for my case have gone beyond the regular time frame by almost a month. Hence, he created a Service request and I should be receiving another letter within a month or so, that will explain why my case is stuck and what else they might need from my end. I;m glad I called them and asked to release my file. Thanks.
 
Hi guys,

I am in a similar situation. I also live in Baltimore, MD and my case was submitted to the local office after biometrics appointment on January 20th along with wife's application. Since then she has been called for an interview and now scheduled for an oath ceremony on July 21st. On my end, there has not been any changes in my case status. I have called couple of times and inquired; both times I was told there was not anything wrong and I have to be patient. Now that I know about the "trigger", I will give them a call tomorrow. I will keep you posted.

USCanada09: Please keep us posted as well.

Thanks,

Batti
 
USCanada009 said:
hi Augusta.. As per your advice I called them once again. He had exact date when they received my Biometrics application, and the date that Baltimore center is processing other cases. Based on that, the processing time for my case have gone beyond the regular time frame by almost a month. Hence, he created a Service request and I should be receiving another letter within a month or so, that will explain why my case is stuck and what else they might need from my end. I;m glad I called them and asked to release my file. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hey USCanada009, did you receive response from USCIS for your service request? I'm in similar situation, I have been waiting on my interview since Sept-2015, Called USCIS and requested "Service request" Now it been two weeks and nothing yet.
 
I had received a letter from USCIS after a month regarding my service request inquiry. As per the letter, it says something like my processing falls into regular time period and I would be sent further updates when my case is ready. The strange part is, they have already started working on Jan 2016 applicants. Whereas my finger printing was complete on Oct 2015. My case is obviously delayed by a couple of months by now. Do you think, an INFO PASS appointment would help or should I wait some more?
 
USCanada009, Thank you for your replay.

Your case and my case does not fall to regular time frame. The normal process is 5 to 6 months. I got mail from them too for my service request; which says, your documents are processing & they cannot tell how long it will take, so it is nothing helpful. I think, info pass might help and you will be able to see officer face to face, have your questions ready before you go there. My case might be delayed because I came from middle east, is it same for you?

Best,
Kingn
 
Guys,

I was in your shoes. Maryland is terrible. Lack of officers. They all leave after 6 months.

I waited 1 year after biometrics to have the interview. And then I wasted another year to be scheduled for oath.

I drove every month for info pass appointments. Useless. Calling 1800... Useless.

After the interview and 120 days I got an expensive lawyer to put pressure on them. Useless.

Until I told them I give them another 2 weeks before I go to submit an 1447b they did not touch my file.

So I don't know to tell you. Maybe it's fall bad luck.
 
Ultimately I got the interview call and passed my interview last week. It took around 10 months after getting the biometrics done in Baltimore area. Thanks.
 
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