Changed Jobs before Green Card

I have applied N400 for my self and my wife (PD 12/27/2006) and both received FP notice and appeared for FP on the same date. Now, my wife received interview letter but I haven't yet (over 3 weeks now). Might be stuck in "name check"? I have also changed job - 2.5 months after GC.
Does anyone know what will happen to her case? Will she be got approved evenif I am primary on the Green Card? What kind of questions will she be asked?

Mario123 --- Can you please share your wife's interview? I noticed that your wife's interview was scheduled few weeks ahead of yours. Was she asked your employment related questions? Was she granted oath date (you have marked ?? in your post). Were you with your wife at the time of her interview?
I will appreciate anyone who has similar situation and can post reply.
 
It all depends

It depends on whether the issue comes up during the interview.

A friend of mine had his interview earlier this week and he changed his job after 1 month of 485 approval but the issue never came up. I am sure he could have defended it since he is again working for the sponsoring co. and the company he shifted to was a sister co. of the sponsoring company.


koolvik7 said:
Well that is a positive thing, would be great to see if people were "approved' for N-400 if they changed their jobs in couple of weeks to <3 months after getting the GC.

Does anyone know of any case or experience?
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Mario..some questions

Mario,

Your posts are very informative and scary too:)

OK here is my situation:
1. I worked for my sponsoring co from 1997 sept to 2002 Nov. I got my GC in apr 2002. so I worked for my co for 6.5 months after I got my GC. They let me go after that because my project ended. I do not have letter from them saying they laid me off but do have a letter from them stating I worked for them for so and so dates. I filed for unemployment after that.

My question is I do not have a letter stating they laid me off. What would I need so that they will be satisfied.

Thanks in advance for your help
 
waitingforins2 said:
Mario,

Your posts are very informative and scary too:)

OK here is my situation:
1. I worked for my sponsoring co from 1997 sept to 2002 Nov. I got my GC in apr 2002. so I worked for my co for 6.5 months after I got my GC. They let me go after that because my project ended. I do not have letter from them saying they laid me off but do have a letter from them stating I worked for them for so and so dates. I filed for unemployment after that.

My question is I do not have a letter stating they laid me off. What would I need so that they will be satisfied.

Thanks in advance for your help
Click to expand...

I think you are probably okay as far as not having a letter - just make sure you have PROOF of payroll & tax filings while you were with that co. In my case IO wanted W2's & tax returns . For all other stuff, just refer to my previous posts on this thread - all the docs. that they asked for I pretty much explained: Tax returns (last 5 yrs.), W2's and exact dates of emp, birth certificate, all passports incl. expired ones that show EXACT dep/entry dates into/out of the U.S. Also remember, I think my case was a little different (although I'm not sure how different) in that I own my own co. and have been self employed since I left the GCSponsoringCo. back in 1998...... but if I were you, I'd wouldn't leave any stone unturned.
 
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Thanks

Mario,

Thanks for your prompt response.


I have
1. W2 for 6 yrs
2. Copies of my tax returns for 6 yrs(also I have ordered tax transcripts)
3. Birth certificate
4. letter from employer stating when I worked with them.
5. unemployment stubs
6. 1099 from unemployment for 2003..thats when I received checks
7. Passports old/new(even plane tickets:)
8. Going to get court dispositions for traffic tickets

I am only nervous about this employment thing. I have not yet applied I will be eligible in april but getting information together before I jump in.

My congratulations to you on getting through and hope that you will get your oath letter soon.

Regards
 
Mario,

Can you please reply on my earlier quote which I have reproduced here again:
I have applied N400 for my self and my wife (PD 12/27/2006) and both received FP notice and appeared for FP on the same date. Now, my wife received interview letter but I haven't yet (over 3 weeks now). Might be stuck in "name check"? I have also changed job - 2.5 months after GC.
Does anyone know what will happen to her case? Will she be got approved evenif I am primary on the Green Card? What kind of questions will she be asked?

Mario123 --- Can you please share your wife's interview? I noticed that your wife's interview was scheduled few weeks ahead of yours. Was she asked your employment related questions? Was she granted oath date (you have marked ?? in your post). Were you with your wife at the time of her interview?
I will appreciate anyone who has similar situation and can post reply.
thanks in advance,
 
diku123 said:
I have applied N400 for my self and my wife (PD 12/27/2006) and both received FP notice and appeared for FP on the same date.
Will she be got approved evenif I am primary on the Green Card?
Click to expand...

You both applied for citizenship... your wife's case will be processed separately, so she may be approved earlier, even more chance for this since females name check may take less time... does not matter anymore that you were 'primary' on green card...
 
diku123 said:
Mario,

Can you please reply on my earlier quote which I have reproduced here again:
I have applied N400 for my self and my wife (PD 12/27/2006) and both received FP notice and appeared for FP on the same date. Now, my wife received interview letter but I haven't yet (over 3 weeks now). Might be stuck in "name check"? I have also changed job - 2.5 months after GC.
Does anyone know what will happen to her case? Will she be got approved evenif I am primary on the Green Card? What kind of questions will she be asked?

Mario123 --- Can you please share your wife's interview? I noticed that your wife's interview was scheduled few weeks ahead of yours. Was she asked your employment related questions? Was she granted oath date (you have marked ?? in your post). Were you with your wife at the time of her interview?
I will appreciate anyone who has similar situation and can post reply.
thanks in advance,
Click to expand...

First of all, compass is 100% correct: yours and your wife's are 2 separate apps., even if you mailed them together :)

I was told by the IO several times that women in most cases don't even go through a name check! And I guess the fact that my wife's interview was almost a whole month before mine proves that. Her interview was EXTREMELY smooth. Part of that is because she has not worked for the last 5 yrs., has NEVER had any traffic tickets or brushes with the law, etc. Infact the DAO was joking with her at the end of her int. saying "you have never even been pulled over ?". He was surprised. As far as questioning on the GC stuff: Well, she was questioned quite a bit about HOW she got HER GC, how long she's been in the U.S., what I was doing, how I got MY GC, etc., but nothing about my length of time with the GC co. No, she has not gotten an oath letter yet - I think San Antonio is just freakin' slow with oaths!

As far as you not receiving an int. date, well.......... hunker down and be prepared for a long wait. The sec. checks are elaborate and depend on where you were born, your nationality and name. Needless to say, if you are Muslim, Chinese, or east European it's going to be a long wait.
 
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Thanks to Compass and Mario123 for your prompt response. I got some hint for my wife's interview.

I understand that I have to be prepared for long wait. I am gathering all the docs for my wife so her interview goes smoothly.

Mario123: Were you there during your wife's interview? (might be waiting somewhere in the room). I just wanted to know whether my presence will be helpful or not on gc related questions. BTW, we will be facing interview in Boston DO.
thanks,
 
mario123 said:
First of all, compass is 100% correct: yours and your wife's are 2 separate apps., even if you mailed them together :)

I was told by the IO several times that women in most cases don't even go through a name check! And I guess the fact that my wife's interview was almost a whole month before mine proves that. Her interview was EXTREMELY smooth. Part of that is because she has not worked for the last 5 yrs., has NEVER had any traffic tickets or brushes with the law, etc. Infact the DAO was joking with her at the end of her int. saying "you have never even been pulled over ?". He was surprised. As far as questioning on the GC stuff: Well, she was questioned quite a bit about HOW she got HER GC, how long she's been in the U.S., what I was doing, how I got MY GC, etc., but nothing about my length of time with the GC co. No, she has not gotten an oath letter yet - I think San Antonio is just freakin' slow with oaths!

As far as you not receiving an int. date, well.......... hunker down and be prepared for a long wait. The sec. checks are elaborate and depend on where you were born, your nationality and name. Needless to say, if you are Muslim, Chinese, or east European it's going to be a long wait.
Click to expand...

Mario if you don't mind, do you have kids? my thinking is having kids should make the wife's interview go smooth? Am I talking nuts or does it make sense?
 
diku123: Were you there during your wife's interview? (might be waiting somewhere in the room). I just wanted to know whether my presence will be helpful or not on gc related questions. BTW, we will be facing interview in Boston DO.
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Yes I was. There is a waiting room, but you cannot go up to the IO's office at the time of the int.


Ignorantperson: Mario if you don't mind, do you have kids? my thinking is having kids should make the wife's interview go smooth? Am I talking nuts or does it make sense?
Click to expand...

Yes, I do. Uummmm I think you are going nuts :D . On a more serious note, no, I don't think it matters. Just curious - what do you think it would matter for?
 
koolvik7 said:
aybak123,

You are not alone on this forum who is facing this delimna. I had a job change two weeks after getting the GC (it was a mutual agreement between me and my employer). Not sure if it will help you calm a little to know that:

  • I had worked for an Employer (H1B) for about 3 years during which they had filed for my GC
  • During the GC process, my employer let me work for other firms on H1B for about 2 years for different employers (INS has all that infomration with that too with different job classification)
  • I returned to my Employer (on a lower salary) and I was 'interviewed' during my GC approval
  • My Employer and I parted ways in very good terms two weeks after my GC approval
My assumption is that my case is more complex than yours but I have still taken a chance with N-400. Of course I am concerned how things will turn up as it can go either way. I believe that there are complex cases than mine and they do get approvals.... so am more optimistic about my luck (and the USCIS officer). Let's just see........:)
Click to expand...

Could you please advise me - you have mentioned you returned to your employer after 2yrs...was their any ques - why you didn't worked from day1?
 
mario123 said:
Yes I was. There is a waiting room, but you cannot go up to the IO's office at the time of the int.




Yes, I do. Uummmm I think you are going nuts :D . On a more serious note, no, I don't think it matters. Just curious - what do you think it would matter for?
Click to expand...

was just trying to understand why the IO asked your wife about your employer etc, sounded unusual, but obviously I don't have a valid theory here, so I take back what I said.

And I think you and your wife should be fine, the FBI security check theory may not apply to your wife given that only men go through a lot of scrutiny, my guess is that the oath situation is pretty backed up, just hang in there few more days and you should be fine. And thanks for being active on this forum.
 
Ignorantperson said:
was just trying to understand why the IO asked your wife about your employer etc, sounded unusual, but obviously I don't have a valid theory here, so I take back what I said.

And I think you and your wife should be fine, the FBI security check theory may not apply to your wife given that only men go through a lot of scrutiny, my guess is that the oath situation is pretty backed up, just hang in there few more days and you should be fine. And thanks for being active on this forum.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ignorantperson.

I just posted an update on the San Antonio thread:

http://immigrationportal.com/showpost.php?p=1634917&postcount=12
 
jbond said:
Could you please advise me - you have mentioned you returned to your employer after 2yrs...was their any ques - why you didn't worked from day1?
Click to expand...

JBond,

I am assuming you are asking about questions being raised by the Immigration Officer during the Green Card interview. I am not sure what you mean by not working for the Employer from day 1 (I had left them only in the middle and had come back to them later). Yes, my interview was much longer and I was asked many questions by the I/O. But the whole thing was ok because I was working for my GC Petitioner during the time of the interview, had taken the Employment Verification letter along with the Pay-Stubs. Another aspect was to answer why I would be willing to work at a lower salary for the GC petitioner.
 
Mario,
AC21 was NOT applicable to you( since your GC was in 98 when there was no sign of AC21 or HR 1045 & proposals) , so the officer would have gotten suspicious,
For the newer folks, certainly it is a different game.
 
mario123's situation is job change BEFORE AC21.
Not applicable to situations where people used AC21 after it was passed.
 
gc_guru said:
Mario,
AC21 was NOT applicable to you( since your GC was in 98 when there was no sign of AC21 or HR 1045 & proposals) , so the officer would have gotten suspicious,
For the newer folks, certainly it is a different game.
Click to expand...

Can you enlighten me on the AC21/HR1045 and also what changed since I got my GC in 1997?

Also, I don't quite understand your 1st. sentence: the IO would have gotten suspicious with me? If so, why, especially if there was no AC21 in 1997?
 
I believe USCIS has been quite liberal about the job change especially after AC21 (American Competitive Act for 21st Century). Even though Mario received the Green Card before the act (which was passed in late 2000), his case was considered quite favorably by the I/O.

I have been tracking the Employer based N-400 approvals where the candidate had either not worked for the Employer at all that was on the GC petition, or where N-400 applicants parted with the Employer soon after getting the GC ((laid off in my case after 3 weeks). From what I have seen on the forum, all such cases have been approved so far. Just like the following N-400 approval (Oath letter received by reddyrx just today) which was very complicated and odds were against him (so to speak)

http://boards.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=244715

As for the AC21, Mario you can do search either on the forum or on the net and will find a lot of information. Even though the act was passed, there have not been clear rules and regulations around it. But by the trend, it appears that the act has made USCIS consider the Employment based GC cases (as mentioned above) more favorably for the N-400 applicants.

aybak123, things are going in your favor of your N-400 application approval
 
laid off 3 weeks after GC

Hi Koolvik,

Did IO go in details of why you were laid off/letter etc?

also on N400 did you put exact dates of your employment?

Thanks in advance for your help.

-Manoj
 
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