Monday, January 11, 2021

My i751-ROC(Removal of Condition) and N400(Naturalization) Timeline

ROC TIMELINE / N400
Greencard issued Sept. 15, 2016

90 days before the expiration of my conditional greencard, I sent an application for the Removable of Condition(ROC). 

July 8, 2018 - Packet Sent
July 20, 2018 - Cashed Check
July 30, 2018 - Received the 18month extension letter for both of us (with K2)
May 31, 2019 - Case was transferred to a new office(same as my K2). It was transferred before that, i don't remember the date.

Fast forward...

September 2019, we decided that me and lance will stay in the states while waiting for the i751 as well as some other things, like my husband's medical needs. When my window for n400 opened, I decided to apply as well while we're stateside that way it will be easy to attend biometrics and interviews. But still, I waited for another 3 months before I started the filling online,

Nov 29, 2019 - I filed n400 online.
Nov 30, 2019 - received biometrics appointment online
Dec 16, 2019 - Biometrics for N400
                         ROC updates the status that it has been transferred to a new office again.
Feb 2020 - Got passport stamp as extension letter was expiring.
Nov 09, 2020 - Interview was Schedule
Dec. 08, 2020 - I attended my interview.


HOW WAS MY INTERVIEW??

When I got the notice of the interview, I know that it will be a combo interview as ROC is still pending. But I want to make sure, I called USCIS and asked if I should bring my husband and kid with me, and they said NO! as its just for me. I read online and most of them had a combo interview. They have to adjudicate ROC before approving N400..thats how it is. 
To be prepared, I asked my husband to join me on the interview and he need to fly to San Diego. Since it is Covid, it is really hard to get in and out of the base, plus the quarantines and sort of. I have to fly to San Diego also as I am in Nebraska and I did not change my address on file. Told my husband, they might call him or not but either, we should be ready on whats going to happen. Told him, if he didnt let him inside the building, just wait on the parking lot with lance and I am pretty sure they will call him.

We arrived 15minutes early and theres a long line already, I am the last one. When we approach the door, they checked my appointment letter and had me put down my mask so they could see my face. after that, I told them that I also have a pending ROC, can my family come inside too? the guard said NO, and the officer will call them if they needed too.. i went Inside and pass the security check.
One guard told me if I am a Filipina and I say yes, and he said I am pretty and he had me say that I will pass the test.. and we both laugh. Went upstairs and shows my id's and appointment letter to the lady on the window..asked about covid things... then I proceeded to the waiting area, i turned off my phone.

I was the last one, the officer called me. She looks strict and I noticed that she already bumped and tired. She's carrying a big file of papers which i believed are mine. She didn't introduced herself, she right away asked where is my husband. I said hi to her but she did not respond. I told her my husband and son are in the parking lot. She seems surprised. Good! that whats she said, "I will need him".. Before entering the room, and Im on my first step going inside the room she then had me swear an oath, raised my hand,, but i couldnt as I am holding my documents. I rushed to put it on the chair and it fell, but I didnt picked it up.. she was rushing me.....she bombarded me with many questions about our marriage and stays in Gtmo. but before all of those questions...she told me about our age gap. and then those questions..one after another, even I wasnt done answering yet, she will asked the next one. while typing and writing. She wrote down my stays in Gtmo. and i was told i never live in the states..DUH!!! yes ofcourse i have to live with my husband(ofcourse i did not say that) I stayed Calm. She told me she will do combo interview, will start with i751. I thought we already started lol..
here's are some of the questions I remembered she asked.
  • My husbands full name
  • his birthdate
  • parents name
  • previous marriage and their divorce date
  • name of his child
  • how did we met
  • where did he propose
  • when did we met
  • does my husband knows my sons school and teacher
  • so on.. 
And then she told me to text my husband, I asked if I can call him instead. She said yes. She called the security and told them let my husband and son inside the building. Then, we went to the lobby, and she told me to wait while they went back to the room with my son too. Same thing... she didn't say hi or introduce herself, he had my husband swear an oath and also bombarded with questions...husband said he said the same questions she asked me. She also asked my son if we were sleeping on the same bed.
When she called me, she said that I passed the ROC interview and then we will go on for N400.
Before starting for N400, she said I stayed most of my time in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (US Base) to where my husband works. She asked me if I wanted to withdraw my application or just go ahead and she will review my papers. Ofcourse, I was ready. I told her to go on with the interview/test and do her research afterwards. She go over with my form.. most of them.. and the yes/no questions... and then she asked me the civic questions.. and I answer all of it with flying colors (will post the questions soon) She had me write a sentence and read a sentence too. So, I passed it too. BUT the decision cannot be made. We talked about my stay in Gtmo, She said that we were not Military nor DOD and i said yes,my husband is a contractor, and their company works for the government. Then she pause, she said she needs to review my husbands company and she needs to read the papers she's holding. and then she will not issue me a greencard coz what is the sense if she will send me to oath, just need to review my paper. Oh wait, she found out that we are in Nebraska which is out of her jurisdiction. she said I should change my address online when I get home so I did. I was so down after the interview, its like the end of the world lol. I was expecting this will be over. 
We went back to the hotel and our status for ROC changed to approved. After, 4 days I think, Got my 10year greencard, Lance's status still CASE WAS APPROVED. Called USCIS last January 8 and asked if they can send him a greencard as his stamp will expire next month. The guy said yes, and he checked my status too and he said they are still in the decision making on my case. so, they might send me oath letter or greencard. I dunno...just hoping it will have a favorable result. I really wanted to be with my husband. 


as of today, January 11, 2021 - N400 is still INTERVIEW WAS SCHEDULE.

praying for favorable decision...


UPDATE:

we received a biometric schedule for my son and his greencard was sent after a week.

126 days passed from the date of my interview, my status changed to OATH CEREMONY WILL BE SCHEDULED...I am so happy. It means that my stay in US Base Guantanamo Bay Cuba is counted!!!!

can't wait for my oath schedule, hoping it will be so soon!!! 

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