N-400: 1 yr since interview...still waiting

S

SCT

New Member
Hi! I had my N-400 interview in Nov. of 2002 and am still waiting for my oath. Went to the local congressman and they said that my application is pending FBI clearance.

Does anyone know how long this takes normally and what I can do about this unusual wait? I'm waiting to get my citizenship so that I can adopt internationally and have been very frustrated waiting...

Please help!! Thanks.
 
1 year is *VERY* unusual. Your congressman must have been more responsive in helping you out. Did you try writing to your Senator and visiting the local office ?
 
One year is unsusal but there are examples where people had to wait more than one year. I know somebody who waited more then one year and finally area congressman helped.
 
Thank you! I did contact my congressman's office yes'day and they said they'd follow it up "soon" , if greater ferver. If I don't hear anything until Feb, I will go to the Senator's office. Hadn't thought of going to the Senator as well!

I have been waiting on this so I can adopt a girl from India. Has been a very frustrating wait. Still dreaming of that day...

Thank you for your help!

Sasi
 
Sasi,

If I were you, and I dont get a satisfied response from the Congressman, Id go to the Senator immediately. Go with one. Prepare a letter, write it in all earnesty, call the senators office
and speak with his/her aide that handles immigration issues, explain ur case, explain adoption etc.... they may ask for a letter.
send it to them.

Also, there are instances where people have called the FBI
and found out status of name checks themselves... Pls refer
to other threads
 
Sasi,

I had my interview on Feb. 20, 2003 and am still waiting for my Oath. At the end of July I called the national 1-800 BCIS number. They told me that everything depends on the local INS office at this point and the most they can do is sent an inquiry letter to them. Twenty days later I received a letter from the local BCIS office stating "Your case is currently pending schedule for an Oath Ceremony". Still waiting for one...

In the first week of October I went (in person) to my congressman's office. They told me that it will take 30 days for reply from the INS and that they will contact me. After receiving no response I contacted them in the middle of November. I was informed that another e-mail would be dispatched. I could not believe it! All the action they took regarding my case was to send one e-mail. No phone call or any effort to communicate with the INS. To this moment I have receive no response of any kind from my congressman's office. Tomorrow I am going to my Senator's office for help. I wanted to do this in Dec. but decided that it would be better to wait after the holidays.

MTG
 
Thank you, everyone, for your experiences and your advice. I will go to the Senator's office next week.

Sasi
 
Hang in there

It took me over a year to get naturalized and I had absolutely no complications. My interview lasted 10 minutes and I was told that I was approved upon completion of the interview. However, there were delays throughout the process - for my timeline see the posting titled 'finally' on the us citizenship page where all the forums are listed. I learned from the officer interviewing me that my delay was caused by a backlog in cases at VSC as well as the local distric office (Philly).

I thought of contacting the senator's office - I know someone that works for our senator but learned that all they can do is check the status of the application. They will not be able to expedite your background check.

The bottom line is that everyone is bound to have somewhat of a different timeline. The district office that you apply to can largely expedite or delay your application. Some offices are quicker in processing than others, primarly due to lower volumes and better staffing.

Hang in there and best of luck.
 
Liberty,

I am OVER a year already and almost one year after I had my interview. I am sorry, but waiting a year or more after an interview for an oath letter is not normal, especially when I received 5 mo ago a letter from the BCIS stating that the status of my case is "Currently pending schedule for an Oath Ceremony". Today I was in my Senator's office. His staff said the same. They tryed to contact the BCIS to find out the reasons for the delay. However it was close to the end of the workday and they were unable to speak to the BCIS. I hope in the next few days to have a response.

MTG
 
Update

I just found out the reasons for my delay. After the interview my file was put in a temporary folder and after this nobody bother to move it up to Nov 25. What I can't figure is, why this wasn't fixed when I made my inquiry in late July. Instead it continued to stay in the temporary folder. They told me I should be getting an oath letter any moment.

MTG
 
MTG

hello...well finally u can breath easy knowing that ur case is now moving. thats good news i am sure the time u already waited makes u angry but u are bit relaxed now.

MTG how did u find out about ur file sitting in temporary folder? was it with senator's help?

i contaced my senator's office in NOV and they took my case and told me not to call them for 11 weeks ..lol they said uscis takes 11 weeks to reply to them, i dont belive them neither i belive they want to help. there are only **some** congressmans and senators who give sh** about it.

i been waiting for oath letter for more than 6 months now...

shaky1977.
 
Shaky,

Hello! In early October I contacted 2 congressmans. The first one refused to deal with me because I wasn't living in his district. Then I went to the one representing my district. They took my case and told me that they will have something after 30 days and will contact me. They never did. Month and a half later I called them and the reply was "Well, I can send another e-mail. We can't do nothing more. Just wait". To this day I have received no response from my congressman's office. But they did sent my husband 3 brochures about the congressman and why my husband should vote for him.

Yes, the Senator's office told me about my file sitting in the temporary folder. It set there a little over 9 months! The most frustrating thing for me has been the lack of communication. The BCIS does not respond to direct letters and there is no local phone number to call. When I try calling on the old one, it gives me a recorded message stating to call on 1-800 number which is the national phone number. When I called them they told me that at this point everything depends on the local office and only they know the reasons for the delay. The most they could do is send an inquiry letter which they did. But it didn't help at all because my file continued to stay in the temporary folder. Catch 22! And then 3 months without any response after contacting congressman's office.

My Senator's office has been very helpfull. I contacted them last Tuesday afternoon. On Wednesday they called to tell me about the temporary folder. On Friday they called again to tell me that I am scheduled for an Oath on Jan 23. The Oath letter arived Saturday. I am more relaxed now but am still under pressure and will be to the time when all is over.

I can understand your frustration! I felt the same way after reading about others contacting their congressman/senator and having everything in order in a few days. If everything goes well, it will be 11 mo from interview to Oath for me.
 
mtg

good work, congrats once again.

i was also told to buzz off from my senator charles shumer's office, that senator by him self dont look so mean but his secretary perhaps stays om PMS 24/7, and thats how she behaves with the ppl who go their for help.

i am planning a visit to my congresswoman mcarthy's office. i dont hope for much help there as well, NEW YORK is sucky place to live u know , but i got to try this too.

i will update about my visit to congresswoman's office.

thanx.... good luck.
 
Me waiting for 6 months for oath cermony... Its 1 yr since I filed.

Just contacted the senator..lets see whether he intervenes or not:mad:
 
ibm

its been 21 months since i applied LOL almost 2 years.

and looks like one year wait is possible maybe more for oath....

naturalization process suppose to be the fastest and more quality type...but for me and alot of other ppl its full of crap.
 
ibm

look u are a senior member now as well as me...

from junior member to member and from member to now senior member... and still waiting.... looks like we will post Our oath ceremony experience on this forum when we will be forum moderetors....
 
Security Check

Hi Guys,

I had my Citizinship interview in the first week of Jan. 04..
The officer told me that my application will be pending security check...
Is this check is different from the FP i did before...
Also, when this security check did strart ? Day of application,! day of interview!..
Also, is this check is the same as the one done with the I-751...
becuase I got my i-751 approved on 2003 and it was pending security check also...

Thanks
 
Here's an update for my case:

Faxed an status inquiry to the FBI 10 days ago - got a reply back saying name check was completed Dec 2002 - contacted INS with this info and they said that the "results were not valid and the name check has been placed on manual template"

Any idea what "manual template" means?
 
Originally posted by SCT
Here's an update for my case:

Faxed an status inquiry to the FBI 10 days ago - got a reply back saying name check was completed Dec 2002 - contacted INS with this info and they said that the "results were not valid and the name check has been placed on manual template"

Any idea what "manual template" means?
Click to expand...

Hi SCT:

r u from CA? (oakland was ur interview rt..). I do not know what manual template means. Me too faxed an enquiry 10days ago..waiting for response. Already did enquiries 2 times last december...the response said FBI name check pending.

U know I need to adopt to0.... only waiting for citizenship.:mad:
 
philadelphian

ur name check starts when u spend 6 months worrying after interview and when u start to panic, and it gets done and u get ur oath when u lose ur hope of being citizen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top