N400 Date Calculator - "Filing Date"

[bobyang3]

Hi, I check the date I can submit my N-400 on the web site: http://www.uscis.gov/dateCalculator.html

I have a question about "Filing Date", it takes us about 5-7 days to reach TX by mail from the past experience. does "filing date" means the time we mail out by mail stamp? or that's the date they receive it?

thanks!

 

[Jackolantern]

The filing date is supposed to be the date they receive it.

But you should still avoid mailing it before the 90-day cutoff, because

1. It could get delivered unexpectedly fast -- somebody mailed his 3 days before, expecting it to take 3 or more days to reach, but it reached in 1 day and his application got rejected.
2. There was a report of somebody who had their application rejected because it was postmarked before the 90-day cutoff, even though it arrived after the cutoff.
3. USCIS sometimes miscounts by a day or two, wrongly rejecting applications for being filed too early.

When they reject the application for being too early, that is usually done without an interview, so if they make a mistake you don't get a chance to argue that they were wrong.

To be safe from all of the above, you should ensure the postmark and signature date are both 3 or more days after the 90-day mark.

 

[bobyang3]

thanks a lot for the information!