N-400 and follow up questions.

G

gcfordesi04

Registered Users (C)
Hi experts,

I have finished 4 years and 10 months after receiving my green card. I'm ready to apply and I have the following to questions before I could post my application form to USCIS. I plan to apply for both me and my wife.

1. Can I mail both of our applications in one envelope by using a paper clip to tag the pages along with the checks?
2. I have 3 kids, 1 is with us and other two(twins) are in India. Will there be any questions/issues as the kids are India if we mention their India address in the N400 form?
3. N-400 doesn’t talk about attaching any documents along with the application, does it mean that we’ll needing later (such as experience letters, places where we lived in the last 5 years, etc).
4. Does the dates travelled/stayed outside of US have to be accurate? I do have them but does it matter to be perfect or one or two days here and there?
5. How long the whole process takes? Btw, I live in San Francisco bay area, California.
6. My wife likes to change her name and I believe this can be done while taking Oath, with that said, are there any other formalities should be done to have it changed fully? What kind of document proof would they ask as an evidence to change the name?
7. Do the dates have to perfect on where we lived in the last five years. I’m asking this as we live in an apartment and when we give move out notice and/or move to a new apartment, there’ll be a overlap? Do all that matter for USCIS?
8. I heard there is a special requirement in the SIGNATURE where in all the letters in the name should appear in the signature? Is that true? Do the signature should combine the first/last name or there should be space?
9. If I'm married only once to the current spouse, what should I out in the form? should it be "0" or "1"?


Thank you
 
gcfordesi04 said:
Hi experts,

I have finished 4 years and 10 months after receiving my green card. I'm ready to apply and I have the following to questions before I could post my application form to USCIS. I plan to apply for both me and my wife.

1. Can I mail both of our applications in one envelope by using a paper clip to tag the pages along with the checks?
YES
2. I have 3 kids, 1 is with us and other two(twins) are in India. Will there be any questions/issues as the kids are India if we mention their India address in the N400 form?
Are the twins in India temporarily (visiting grandparents) or on a more permanent basis (going to school there). If the former, then put your own address. Otherwise address in India (and be prepared to explain why moving part of your family to India is not a precursor to all of you leaving for good)
3. N-400 doesn’t talk about attaching any documents along with the application, does it mean that we’ll needing later (such as experience letters, places where we lived in the last 5 years, etc).
Check the sticky by JohnnyCash at the top of this sub-forum - Documents needed for Naturalization...
4. Does the dates travelled/stayed outside of US have to be accurate? I do have them but does it matter to be perfect or one or two days here and there?
Perfect is better than not. If you're putting approximate dates then say 'approx.'
5. How long the whole process takes? Btw, I live in San Francisco bay area, California.
There are 2 District Offices in the SF Bay Area San Francisco and San Jose. Check the respective threads for more accurate dates, but expect 3-4 months
6. My wife likes to change her name and I believe this can be done while taking Oath, with that said, are there any other formalities should be done to have it changed fully? What kind of document proof would they ask as an evidence to change the name?
The name change request is best made at the time of filling out the N400. No additional documents are needed.
7. Do the dates have to perfect on where we lived in the last five years. I’m asking this as we live in an apartment and when we give move out notice and/or move to a new apartment, there’ll be a overlap? Do all that matter for USCIS?
It doesn't matter too much as long as there isn't a gap. You can rent 2 places but can live on only one at a time. Provide the dates you actually lived at an address. A day here and there isn't going to make a difference unless you just moved to the DO before applying for Citizenship.
8. I heard there is a special requirement in the SIGNATURE where in all the letters in the name should appear in the signature? Is that true? Do the signature should combine the first/last name or there should be space?
They need your Complete name. First and last name (Spaces aren't and issue). What they really mean is that if your name is Donald Duck, you can't sign "DD" or "Don D" or "Duck" or "Donald" or "D Duck" etc
9. If I'm married only once to the current spouse, what should I out in the form? should it be "0" or "1"?
1
Thank you
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See Answers in Bold Above...
 
Thanks much for your reply GungaDin.

I'm very clear now. I need a little bit clarification on two things.

- twin babies: they are 23 months old and they are there in India for the past 18 months. They aren't going to go to school there. It's just that we are taking my parents help to raise them in India since we both work and hard to take care. with that said, should I put our current address or India address?

- Signature: how is it different from entring full names all over except that I assume the name here should be typed in lower case? Example- DONALD DUCK should be TYPED as "Donald Duck".

- Name change: My wife plans to make a small correction in the first and change the complete last name. i.e the name change is not just last name change. would that still be ok with additional documents/proof be asked?

Appreciate your response.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
gcfordesi04 said:
Thanks much for your reply GungaDin.

I'm very clear now. I need a little bit clarification on two things.

- twin babies: they are 23 months old and they are there in India for the past 18 months. They aren't going to go to school there. It's just that we are taking my parents help to raise them in India since we both work and hard to take care. with that said, should I put our current address or India address?

- Signature: how is it different from entring full names all over except that I assume the name here should be typed in lower case? Example- DONALD DUCK should be TYPED as "Donald Duck".

- Name change: My wife plans to make a small correction in the first and change the complete last name. i.e the name change is not just last name change. would that still be ok with additional documents/proof be asked?

Appreciate your response.
Click to expand...

- Kids address - I don't know. - but if you/your wife are spending large amounts of time in India to be with the kids, that person may have a problem with their citizenship.
- Signature - What line are you referring to? You never 'type' in your signature. You take a pen and you sign like you were signing a check at the bank - only it needs to be your full name and not a short form of your name.
(DO NOT fill out the parts 13 and 14 as those have to be done in the presence of the Immigration Officer. In that section it doesn't matter whether your printed name is All caps or not. Your 'complete' signature needs to be as explained in the previous sentence)
- Name Change: No documents needed. (There is a list of restrictions - like she can't call herself Hillary Clinton, Minnie Mouse etc)
 
What is the kid's status? Are they in India as USCs, or have Indian passport with GC? I am trying to ascertain whether they are already citizen and you are worried about the address part, OR they need to be naturalized?
 
Hi GungaDin/sanjoseaug20,

Thanks for your response.

- The kids themselves are in India and we parents only visit a couple of weeks a year, so there is no problem for us as far as number of days staying outside of the US goes.
- Both of them were born here and they are on PIO status in India. We've also registered with the local police office as their stay is more than 6 months.
- I'm only worried about their address part as, if I say they are "WITH ME" which isn't true and at the same time if I give their overseas address, it isn't their permanent address; if you look it with the given situation they are staying in India for a long.
 
gcfordesi04 said:
- The kids themselves are in India and we parents only visit a couple of weeks a year, so there is no problem for us as far as number of days staying outside of the US goes.
- Both of them were born here and they are on PIO status in India. We've also registered with the local police office as their stay is more than 6 months.
- I'm only worried about their address part as, if I say they are "WITH ME" which isn't true and at the same time if I give their overseas address, it isn't their permanent address; if you look it with the given situation they are staying in India for a long.
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Report the correct address - India. Having your children with their grandparents only complicates the interview, it does NOT make you ineligible.
 
Understood... that's what I have printed in the form, just wanted to run it by the folks who have knowledge to be sure that I'm doing the right thing.
 
Triple Citizen said:
Why do you think this will complicate the interview? Just curious.
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Maybe the IO will ask about custody and child support issue. Child support is one criteria listed on N400 for
good moral character.

I think in case of OP, if they has legal custody of theior twins and twinss stauy in India is temporary nature,
I would list address as "Live with me (but are on travel in India)"
 
The OP needs to carefully word it. 18 months out of 23 does not appear temporary, at least relative to their ages.

WBH said:
I think in case of OP, if they has legal custody of theior twins and twinss stauy in India is temporary nature,
I would list address as "Live with me (but are on travel in India)"
Click to expand...
 
Triple Citizen said:
Why do you think this will complicate the interview? Just curious.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I should have said "MAY" complicate the interview. If the IO decides to dig into the situation and has some questions, it can be explained, but it is not straightforward as compared to the situation where the kids were living with the OP. While the eligibility is solely based on whether the OP is residing in US, having 3 children living outside the country ... and they are not adopted by someone, just living with grandparents ... can send different signals. However, legally, I see it only as a hassle (if asked) and not a blocker for citizenship.
 
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