Who to report a issue with US Citizenship N-400 application

C

cshekhar

New Member
Hi friends,
My case is a little strange.

I have applied for citizenship in May 2009 . I got the confirmation and the finger printing notice and completed finger printing around 10th of june.
After that i got a notice to attend for a interview in washington DC office and after i went there on july22nd which was my interview date they informed me that my file has not arrived and they will post me a new noticel

After waiting for few days i got a notice that i did not show up for interview and i have to go to local office and explain them why i did not . I have written them and also went to local office using info pass . I was shocked to hear that my file was in new york which i visited only once and they will get the file to local office and will mail me new notice. After waiting for a month i again went to local office on sep10th , again a shock that the new york office closed my file as i did not show up :eek:.and they said they will call me again for a interview. i did not get any call or letter from them , so i went in october again and the officer wrote some letter and said that i will receive it ASAP. IT is nov20th now after so many trips to local office i am tiered of going there again .

Can any one please let me know if there is a alternative way that i can atleast get my case status .

Please let me know.

Thanks in advance
 
Such things happens. I am not sure if it helps if you withdraw the application
and reapply :(. It seems USCIS is very awkward if mismistaek occur in transportation of files
 
It could happen that local office is waiting for NBC to deliver and NBC is waiting for local DO to request. And when they send to a wrong place
another party is also waiting for instruction what to do with it and no one is giving instruction. It won't be this forever but perhaps it will
take a long time for USCIS to correct it
 
cshekhar said:
Hi friends,
My case is a little strange.

I have applied for citizenship in May 2009 . I got the confirmation and the finger printing notice and completed finger printing around 10th of june.
After that i got a notice to attend for a interview in washington DC office and after i went there on july22nd which was my interview date they informed me that my file has not arrived and they will post me a new noticel

After waiting for few days i got a notice that i did not show up for interview and i have to go to local office and explain them why i did not . I have written them and also went to local office using info pass . I was shocked to hear that my file was in new york which i visited only once and they will get the file to local office and will mail me new notice. After waiting for a month i again went to local office on sep10th , again a shock that the new york office closed my file as i did not show up :eek:.and they said they will call me again for a interview. i did not get any call or letter from them , so i went in october again and the officer wrote some letter and said that i will receive it ASAP. IT is nov20th now after so many trips to local office i am tiered of going there again .

Can any one please let me know if there is a alternative way that i can atleast get my case status .

Please let me know.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...


Write to your local Senator first and also speak to a lawyer. Your case deserves special attention without any further delay on your part.
 
cshekhar said:
Hi friends,
My case is a little strange.

I have applied for citizenship in May 2009 . I got the confirmation and the finger printing notice and completed finger printing around 10th of june.
After that i got a notice to attend for a interview in washington DC office and after i went there on july22nd which was my interview date they informed me that my file has not arrived and they will post me a new noticel

After waiting for few days i got a notice that i did not show up for interview and i have to go to local office and explain them why i did not . I have written them and also went to local office using info pass . I was shocked to hear that my file was in new york which i visited only once and they will get the file to local office and will mail me new notice. After waiting for a month i again went to local office on sep10th , again a shock that the new york office closed my file as i did not show up :eek:.and they said they will call me again for a interview. i did not get any call or letter from them , so i went in october again and the officer wrote some letter and said that i will receive it ASAP. IT is nov20th now after so many trips to local office i am tiered of going there again .

Can any one please let me know if there is a alternative way that i can atleast get my case status .

Please let me know.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Did USCIS have a different address on file for you ?
Contact the USCIS Ombudsman to intervene in your case.

http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/editorial_0497.shtm
 
If one's case is in the gray area and USCIS has excretional power to give decion either way, will Ombudsman and congfressmen interferences enrage USCIS enough to deny one's case?
 
WBH said:
If one's case is in the gray area and USCIS has excretional power to give decion either way, will Ombudsman and congfressmen interferences enrage USCIS enough to deny one's case?
Click to expand...


Once a case is reported to Ombudsman, USCIS loses jurisdiction over the case. It goes to court where a judge will decide the case. As for a senator, I saw lots of people who took the help of a local senator but never saw anyone complaining that USCIS retaliated by denying the petition.
 
spiderman03 said:
Once a case is reported to Ombudsman, USCIS loses jurisdiction over the case. It goes to court where a judge will decide the case. As for a senator, I saw lots of people who took the help of a local senator but never saw anyone complaining that USCIS retaliated by denying the petition.
Click to expand...

Thta may be beucause the applicants who ask senator fopr help, contact ombudsmen, or even sue USCIS are usually those with straight forward cases
 
cshekhar,

I empathize with you, but unfortunately, welcome to the bureaucratic nightmare known as USCIS, that most of us have to deal with. Incompetent and inefficient are too kind, in describing the tremendous financial and emotional burdens this agency unnecessarily heaps on people's lives.

Your Senators, Congressman and CIS Ombudsman, at best, will initiate a courtesy inquiry. This option is not as swift or as effective as most people think. By the time you contact these third parties, and by the time they contact USCIS, and by the time USCIS decides to resolve the issue (if they do), I'm sure 4-5 months would have passed.

Unfortunately, the only language that the USCIS respects and fears is that of an aggressive potential lawsuit or legal action or threat of one. You do not have any grounds to initiate any legal action against the USCIS, just yet, so I would suggest, considering re-applying for naturalization all over again. The processing times seem to have vastly improved and I'm seeing applicants in various parts of the country completing the process in as little as 4-5 months.

Trust me, it might be quicker, than trying to navigate the USCIS maze of "red tape". Plus, you might be able to apply for an application refund on your initial petition through USCIS Form G-266 ( which allows you to obtain a refund for an application fee due to USCIS error).

By the way, spiderman03 was wrong when he said that once the CIS Ombudsman gets involved, the matter is removed from USCIS' jurisdiction. Only the U.S. District Court has that power, relating to USC 8 1447(b) "120-day lawsuits". The Ombudsman's function is to attempt to resolve problems a petitioner might be having with the USCIS, but does not have the authority to compel or influence the USCIS in adjudications or making decisions. The Ombudsman can only SUGGEST solutions, and USCIS is not obligated to honor those suggestions.

**DISCLAIMER**
I am neither a lawyer nor an immigration consultant. My comments should NEVER be considered as legal or professional advice as they are not meant to be such.
 
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cshekhar

If any branch of the USCIS will move quickly, it will be Office of Internal Audit. Try them.

COMPLAINTS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT TREATMENT BY USCIS (U.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES)
USCIS Office of Internal Audit (OIA)
Written complaints are accepted only in the mail. OIA policy is that A. complaints will be kept confidential unless disclosure is required by law in a legal or administrative proceeding, and B. that there is a strict prohibition against any retaliation for submitting a complaint.
Contact:
Director, Office of Internal Audit
USCIS
425 I St., NW
Room 3260
Washington, DC 20536 USA·

**DISCLAIMER**
I am neither a lawyer nor an immigration consultant. My comments should NEVER be considered as legal or professional advice as they are not meant to be such
 
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Your congressman and senator are probably your 1st stop...i have seen many cases where they helped to move and/or expediate the process.
 
Hi all,
I have written to CIS ombudsman and after several calls to USCIS and trips to local office finally got a letter from USCIS that my case was closed on 9/3/2009 . I am totally confused now , why did uscis did not know that my file was closed when i went to their office and called them . When i called them to get a refund becuase of USCIS error they told me that i cannot be refunded .

Please advise what should i do . I am ready to reapply but is there any hope of getting my money back.

Thanks
Cshekhar
 
cshekhar said:
Hi all,
I have written to CIS ombudsman and after several calls to USCIS and trips to local office finally got a letter from USCIS that my case was closed on 9/3/2009 . I am totally confused now , why did uscis did not know that my file was closed when i went to their office and called them . When i called them to get a refund becuase of USCIS error they told me that i cannot be refunded .

Please advise what should i do . I am ready to reapply but is there any hope of getting my money back.

Thanks
Cshekhar
Click to expand...

It is very hard to get money back unless you file a lawuits and win. You can try to have your case re-opened.

But if money is not an issue, I suggest youy simply reapply. The only thing you need to be concerned about
is you do not know where your A file is if they transfer it around during your present application process.
If it is not back where it is supposed to be, it may affect your re-application.

Next time if you go to interview and then are told interview can not take place due to whatever reason,
make sure the receptionist scanned your interview letter anyway to have a record that you do show up
 
cshekhar said:
Please advise what should i do . I am ready to reapply but is there any hope of getting my money back.
Click to expand...

You can't get your money back. But you can contact the Ombudsman and Senator and ask them to help with reopening your case. USCIS has no right to just close your case like that. If you reapply, you will have to pay the application fee again, and your WOM eligibility clock would get restarted, so it is better to get it reopened.
 
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