A# on Check

[sampai]

I will be applying for US citizenship in a few days. According to the Guide to Naturalization, I'm supposed to write my name and A# on the back of the check that I enclose with my application.

This poster wrote his name and A# on the back of a cashier's check, and had his application returned to him because he had endorsed the check.

I plan to send a personal check, and write my A# on the memo line. Does anyone see a problem with that?

 

[MasterUSA]

I plan to send a personal check, and write my A# on the memo line. Does anyone see a problem with that?

No problem. Go ahead. I did the same thing and the applications were accepted and checks cashed.

 

[kblacwell]

Just my two cents. As someone who has gone thru the process successfully, my word of advice: Do not overthink the process. It is important to you, but just relax and do things in a simple manner.
The USCIS does not want the checks endoresed, they never asked you to.
Personal Checks are fine. Two checks, 330 N-400, 70 Biometrics.
They don't need an A number, its already on the N-400 application
Extraneous detail doesn't make you chances any better.
Just approach this is a more detailed loan/car/credit card application.
People have gone as far as attaching cover letters to the application, etc etc.
Nice touch but hardly necessary. The package should contain what is specified on the checklist.
Do NOT OVERDO things. It won't help you, it might hurt you actually!!
Good luck

Hope this helps.

 

[Aibolit]

I plan to send a personal check, and write my A# on the memo line. QUOTE]

That is exactly what I did. USCIS is notorious for losing and misplacing documents. One cannot be too careful with them.

BTW, you don't need to send two checks, one check for $400 is what they look for.

 

[NoJob]

Check endorsement

It is not the intent to either endorse or go overboard. Cashier's check does not include your informaton like your personal check would. The check is from the bank. Hence, if the check gets misplace by USCIS and then putting a trace through the bank could take 3 months. The obvious choice is to write info somewhere. USCIS said to write on the back side of the check.

Now, per USCIS, if you put your A# and print your name in block letter, is considered endorsing it. And they return it back to you, they will "actually" endorse it with a stamp saying ... deposit into DHS bank account #...; and then write a letter to you that they are returning an endorsed check back to you.

Interesting thing is that even though they return you the entire application with the check, they have already entered you in the system. How do I know that? The returned check had the LIN number written as I described it below.

If it is a personal check, then it's easier for you to trace it, put a stop payment, and issue another, but not easy if it is cashier's check. I would have preferred to have written a personal check, but I had run out of checks then, and didn't want to delay it further.

Nevertheless, I still ended up writing another cashier's cheque (I don't pay fees, so no hesitations for me) and having the cashier type in the name and a# in the memo line. USCIS was happy with this

So the moral to my story is:
1. Use a personal check which has your name and address printed
2. Write A# in the memo field. These two step are security measures in case USCIS loose your check, and step 1 will allow you to verify that your application is in the system. Look carefully, checks will have you LIN # listed, only the last 6 digits, you add the prefix i.e. LIN*000 and you can started checking on the web for receipt date before you even get the letter.
3. Write one check for $400.00 per application, i.e. do not write one check for $800 for your & spouse's application. Treat it as a separate package, although you can mail them all together.

 

[sampai]

Do not overthink the process. It is important to you, but just relax and do things in a simple manner.

I used to think so too, until I recognized just how incompetent USCIS really is. For example, the Guide to Naturalization says that photos must be taken side-facing. But USCIS issued a separate memo over two years ago that says photos must be front-facing, and will be rejected otherwise. If I hadn't been so obsessed with this board, I'd never have heard about that memo, and would have just followed the Guide.

USCIS' massive incompetence and unexplained long delays make this a much more harrowing process than it should be.