Citizenship application

[dantarantado]

What is the name of your state? WA

I have a pending application for citizenship. I have already done the biometrics, and I am not sure when I will be called to get an appointment for interview. (been a US legal resident for more than 9 years)
I am now wanting to get a divorce. Will divorce affect my citizenship application? (I've been married for 12 years.)

 

[FlyingRon]

Probably not. Even if you got your green card on the basis of marriage, twelve years is probably a sufficiently long time to argue the marriage was indeed bona fide. You'll need to disclose it, but I can't imagine it will hurt you in the long run unless there are serious other issues with your application.

 

[LdiJ]

Probably not. Even if you got your green card on the basis of marriage, twelve years is probably a sufficiently long time to argue the marriage was indeed bona fide. You'll need to disclose it, but I can't imagine it will hurt you in the long run unless there are serious other issues with your application.

These days though its not necessarily a good idea to add in any kind of complication, even if its minor one.

 

[eerelations]

These days though its not necessarily a good idea to add in any kind of complication, even if its minor one.

Even something as minor as a white, healthy, apparently Judeo-Christian Canadian with a university degree, a good job and no criminal record, who is flying to Canada from Mexico and who has to spend a few hours in an American airport while waiting to board his/her connecting flight (for which he/she has tickets and boarding passes) to Canada.

This particular situation apparently sets off all kinds of heavy-duty fire alarm bells (+ related sound effects such as sirens, car alarms, gunfire, women screaming, babies crying, and lions roaring) (maybe dogs barking too) with US Immigration officials. Many Canadians have missed their connecting flights to Canada as a result of the ensuing uproar and mayhem.

(Though you'd think that if ICE was so anxious to remove said Canadians from American soil, they'd be doing everything in their power to get those Canadians onto their connecting flights to Canada asap. Huh.)

So OP if I were you I would postpone the divorce until after you obtain your US citizenship. I speak from hard personal experience.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

A divorce in and of itself should not affect a naturalization applicant. HOWEVER, divorce is messy, and if the spouse asks for a domestic violence restraining order in order to better his or her position in the proceedings, that could cause complications. I know nothing of OP's spouse and whether he or she would do such a thing, but it's something that should be considered.

It may not be long before you are called for the interview. For a single comparison, I mailed my client's N-400 on October 1, 2018. She was sworn in on Wednesday. Her biometrics appointment was late October, and her interview was early January.

 

[dantarantado]

A divorce in and of itself should not affect a naturalization applicant. HOWEVER, divorce is messy, and if the spouse asks for a domestic violence restraining order in order to better his or her position in the proceedings, that could cause complications. I know nothing of OP's spouse and whether he or she would do such a thing, but it's something that should be considered.

It may not be long before you are called for the interview. For a single comparison, I mailed my client's N-400 on October 1, 2018. She was sworn in on Wednesday. Her biometrics appointment was late October, and her interview was early January.

I have a very clean record, not even a single traffic violation, so I think that won't be a problem.

Really? I submitted my application in April 2018, biometrics was done late May 2018, I am still waiting for their call/mail for the interview.
Is it why it's recommended to hire a lawyer, to speed up the process?

 

[dantarantado]

By the way... sorry for my ignorance, but what does OP mean?

 

[FlyingRon]

OP=Original Poster (you in this case).

 

[dantarantado]

Oh, ok. thanks!

 

[FlyingRon]

submitted my application for citizenship on April 2018. Biometrics was done on May 2018. I am still waiting to be called for an interview.
My green card expires on Sept. 2019, do I have to renew it? Or I'm good since I already submitted my application for citizenship?

Yes, until you actually take the oath, you'll want to keep the green card up to date. While it isn't supposed to be required (your permanent residence isn't directly tied to the physical date on the card), it can make things sticky, especially if you leave the US for any reason.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

You can check the status of your case. Google USCIS case status and type in the receipt number from your biometrics notice.