N-400 Re-Interview - CQ

T

teas

Registered Users (C)
My wife recently had her first interview in San Francisco for N-400 application based on 3 year marriage. She passed the civics and english tests and received an N-652 from indicating so. She also received an N-14 requesting additional documentation to show that we have no overdue taxes. Although she had the official IRS tax transcripts for the year in question with her in the first interview, this request for additional documentation was still made. We requested, received and forward to CIS additional documentation from IRS clearly stating that we have no overdue taxes or penalties for the past four years. I was hoping that this would be sufficient to satisfy the N-14 requirement and she would receive the oath letter but instead we got an email saying that a notice was sent requesting additional evidence. We never received such a letter but instead received a notice inviting for an appointment with title: Re-Interview - CQ. In it, she is invited for a second interview with the standard documents and " any documents/information which may be used to overcome the denail of your application for naturalization ". This was a little disappointing for us as we were hoping that the submission of the additional tax documentation would be sufficient to close the issue raised. Regardless, we will go back to the interview with all the documentation we have, but we are wondering:
  • is this 2nd interview always held in requesting additional evidence with N-14 or is this an indication that they have found what we submitted insufficient or maybe never received it ( we have receipt signatures of the certified mailings )
  • what does CQ mean in the title?
  • should she prepared to take the civics test again just in case?
If anyone has experieince with such a case that might shed light on our confusion, we will be very thankful.
 
I have the same problem. After the interview (I passed the English and Civic test) IO gave "A decision could not be made" letter. I have submitted 4 yrs joint tax transcript, utilities, lease and bank statments. They did not ask any additional docs but a couple of days after the interview I saw RFE in the case status. I was worried and made an appointment. The officer said it was a mistake. Don't worry, I will get a decision, wait. After 5 month of the interview the status show "case sent for a standard interview." After 3 days I got another interview letter which was from NBC. The system is up dating recently and NBC does not know the status of the file which is on DO. I think that's why I got the 2nd interview letter. I think the systems is generating the Interview letter and that's why I got it again. Anyway, I went for the 2nd time. The officer was surprised to see my 2nd interview letter which was unexpected. He said I have passed the test and everything is okay on the file, they don't have enough manpower to work on my case, I will get something on the mail, wait. There was not a second interview. In the same way, I think it was a mistake. No need to worry, just wait, call frequently to 1800 number asking the status but you have to attent the 2nd interview. At least the officer will get a chance to see your file again. Its an opportunity to talk to a real IO. Let us know what happened at your 2nd appointment.
 
Thanks for the replies. On the question from whichway2go, the answer is "yes, we always filed taxes jointly after we got married and the transcripts were in joint names"
 
Hi Teas,

That's a bit weird then. If the 2nd interview is not too far out then just have your wife go to that with all the papers you had last time.

Is there anything else like arrests etc that might have triggered the "no decision?"

Trips out of the country in the past 5 years back to back or almost back to back?

If that interview is within the next say two weeks, I would suggesting just going to it. If it is longer away then make an Infopass and ask them.

It does sound a little like a system foul up if her case is straight forward.
 
Thanks whichway2go, there are no arrests, no trips out of the ordinary except for a vacation of 2-3 weeks every other year to the country of origin etc. She has only been residing in the U.S. for 3 years so the first two years of the last 5 years was abroad. We thought it should have been a straightforward case and the IO in the first interview seemed to act that way other than just supplying the letter from IRS that all outstanding taxes are fully paid, whiich they were. The 2nd interview is in 3 weeks and we will go back fully prepared but we are a little puzzled about the whole thing
 
Preparing for the second interview, I asked my wife her recollection of the first interview and other than the tax documents requested whether there was any other aspect of the interview that she felt did not go smoothly. She said indeed there was when the IO asked her what I did for a living and my wife answered to the effect that I was currently not working. This puzzled the IO as to how we were supporting ourselves and my wife's answer with her imperfect English was in effect " but he has worked hard before for a long time ". She noticed that this whole discussion left the IO quite uncomfortable. In reality, although I have not been working full time since early this year after a 23 year career as an executive in technology companies, I remain on the board of directors of two technology companies with partial ownership of one, actively invest in technology companies and continue consulting on a selective basis. In this manner, our current income is quite adequate to support ourselves and more. I intend to document this state of affairs so she can clean up the confusion she has created. I am wondering though whether CIS has an established position in cases where the spouse of the N-400 based on 3 year marriage is unemployed. I did not see any written mention of such a criteria in the law or any of the documented regulations but perhaps there are some unwritten rules.
 
Do they need such tax information to verify marriage or make sure you indeed don't owe taxes? If the later, why don't those based on 5 years of PR seldom
get such request? If the former, why do they care about you owe taxes or not rather than see whether return are jointly filed or single filed
 
Dear WBH, since I did not speak with the requesting officer and my wife was not able to convey this nuance, I don't know for sure the answer to your question, however, I assumed that the tax document request had nothing to do with verifying bona fide marriage because we have so much evidence to that effect including the fact that she went into the interview pregnant with our second child two days before her due date. We have always lived together since we have met and have a long and documented history of our relationship.
 
Good News. My wife's application was approved in the 2nd interview.

We went to the 2nd interview today well prepared with documentation. When my wife was called, I approached the IO with her and introduced myself as her husband and the family tax expert and offered to join the discussion in case any detailed questions remain regarding our tax accounts. The IO very kindly said " sure, come on in.". Once inside he explained that the tax documents we submitted in the mail were sufficient to answer all questions regarding our tax accounts but they were unsure about two other aspects of her application that they wanted to clarify face to face to make sure every detail was in order before they approve. Once I heard these topics, I must agree that these points could use some clarification.

The first point was a somewhat clerical discrepancy. My wife received her green card upon her entry to the U.S. for the first time 3 years ago. During that period of transition, we did spend the first couple of weeks in the U.S. staying with friends and moved to hour permamnet address two weeks after our entry. When reflecting this state of affairs in the N-400 form in part 6. " Information about your residence.." we started the top row from the date of our move to the current residence which put it two weeks after the date she gained her permanent residence. The previous residence was overseas. Although we left that residence about a month earlier and traveled for two weeks outside the U.S. and two weeks inside, just for logical consistency, we had entered the end date of that residence as the beginning of the next one. This created a possible question mark as to whether we in fact traveled back overseas right after entering the U.S. which we did not. Although this fact could be clearly established by the stamps on our passports and our entries in Part 7. of the N-400, they wanted to hear it from her mouth that this indeed is the correct reconciliation of the seeming discrepancy in the two entries in the N-400. We gladly clarified that is indeed so. Another point that was confusing to them was that we have an unusual situation with my stepson's legal custody which we were able to clarify right away with the documentation we took along with us. The IO was very constructive and candid. He responded very positively to our explanations and recommended the application be approved.

Here is all I can take away from our experience which may help others in similar circumstances:
 
My previous message was cut off ( assume due to length ) so here is the rest
...
Here is all I can take away from our experience which may help others in similar circumstances:
- If you submit documents in the mail in response to an N-14 request for additional evidence, it is not automatic that you are invited for a 2nd interview. It is possible that your application is approved without one as long as your response satisfies all remaining questions in the eyes of the examining officers. If questions remain, then you are invited for a 2nd interview.
- Although your facts and documents may be all in order and justify the approval of your application, the determining factor is that you make this impression on the examining officer. If some doubt remains because of difficulties expressing yourself in english, complicated documentation or unusual circumstances. It is possible that the application may be delayed for a second look to make sure no error is being made if everything does not feel right.
- The communication between the field office where the interviews are conducted and associated mail are sent and the central processing which is managing the web site and email notifications and the 800 is not perfect. When we received the 2nd interview notice, we got an email saying a notice for further evidence was sent. When we called in to say we did not receive any requests for further evidence, we received an email apology for confusion stating that an appointment for biometric measurements were sent. That did not make any sense either so we did not call again and assumed that they mean the interview notice, which turned out to be the case.
- As long as your facts support your application, be assured that this will come through and try to explain as patiently as you can. The applicants' english being limited is a challenge because what is expected is to leave a warm and comfortable feeling that the officer is dealing with a genuine person, with genuine facts. When the facts are complicated, it may be difficult to leave this impression when english is not your best language. In those cases, it can be very helpful if an able spouse is present to help achieve this. As far as I can see, the decision to accept the spouse to accompany in the interview is entirely up to the IO so the burden is on you to assure him/her that this is indeed a constructive approach. I doubt that they would ever allow that in a first interview when they are conducting the civic/english test as I can see the two person approach quickly getting out of hand during the test.
- If you had any payments to IRS or states after filing your returns in prior years, you should take a statement showing that you have indeed settled these tax accounts. My feeling after this experience is that the tax agencies are good in reporting pending payments or amounts in dispute but they are not as good in reporting that everything is settled.

Thanks to all who posted trying to help and good luck to all
 
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