Documents needed to submit along with application for Naturalization (N-400):
Each applicant for naturalization SHOULD submit the following along with their naturalization application:
[1] Cover letter: Though submitting a cover letter along with your naturalization application is not necessary, however it is highly recommended, wherein applicant should explain briefly about the basis of his/her eligibility for naturalization, such as whether applicant is filing the application under 3 yrs rule being a spouse of USC or under 5 yrs rule, or under any other eligibility in the law. This helps greatly to adjudication officers to know the basis of applicant’s eligibility right away at very first glance, otherwise sometimes some people’s eligibility is very hard to determine being complicated. And, not every adjudication officers are that much familiar with all the eligibilities for naturalization even though they are adjudication officers since laws and policies on immigration are kept changing very frequently and rapidly. Besides, at the time of naturalization, adjudication officers do pay attention to a cover letter, believe it or not.
[2] Copy of front and backside of green card. It must be a very clear copy so that information could be read very clearly from there.
[3] Two identical colored photos, wherein applicant’s full name and A# should have written by light pencil in the back of them. Photos should be as same style and size as we need for a passport, means- a front view of the applicant and not the side view as the pictures with side view are no longer accepted for immigration purpose. Further, photos should be taken within 30 days of filing the application.
[4] Check or money order for the right amount of the processing fees for the application: Though it doesn’t make much difference how you would choose to pay the processing fee, however it should be known that sometimes Service Centers, particularly TSC, and some district offices (if you would file any other petition/application with them with fees) do wait for a receipt (NOA) to send out to an applicant until a personal check gets cashed out if an applicant pays the processing fees with his/her personal check.
Nevertheless, it is always better to pay the processing fee with a personal check because if you choose to pay the processing fee by money order then it would not only be hard but also a time and money consuming to track down the proof of payment. Because, then you would require to file a paper work with postal service if money order is purchased from a post office, wherein you would be ended up paying some money (maybe $2 or $3) to track down whether such money order is cashed out or not. And it also takes almost 60 days for a post office to furnish this request. But if you would pay by your personal check then you would be able to receive the cancelled check back from your bank once USCIS will cash that out, which means-there won’t be a waste of time and money, and you would also have a solid proof to prove to USCIS about them having the processing fee from you on your application. But make sure to write your A# and the N-400 on the topside of the check where your name and address is printed.
Actually, there are pros and cons of both these methods of payment towards processing fees.
Using Money Order to pay processing fees:
Advantage: USCIS will post the payment/processing fees right away without any waiting. That means, a quick acceptance and initial processing on the application.
Disadvantage: It's time and money consuming to track down whether it is cashed out or not. Money Orders from American Express, MoneyGram and other private entities are easily traceable but Postal Money Orders are hard to track down right away. Plus, one would need the actual copy of paid money order in order to contact USCIS if they ever have any question on their application in the absence of any receipt from USCIS. It takes up to 60 days and few more bucks to have actual physical proof of cashing it out. That means, one will not have any proof of paying the processing fees to USCIS in the meantime if the application gets lost/misplaced with USCIS, which could be the possibility. However, if USCIS sends you a receipt then one doesn't need to worry about tracking it down.
Using Personal Check to pay processing fees:
Advantage: It's easily traceable, One can check with their bank if it's cashed out or not. Plus, the cancelled check would be the proof right in hand to prove that processing fees was paid to USCIS if application is ever happened to be lost/misplaced.
Disadvantage: USCIS waits for it to be cleared for few days. That means, a little delay in processing.
[5] Divorce/Annulment Decree: If you were previously married, then you must need to send the divorce/annulment decree to INS to prove that your previously marriage has ended legally.
[6] Certified Court record(s): If you ever been arrested or charged for a crime, then you must need to send certified copy of the disposition of your case to INS. If your criminal case is still going on, then don’t bother to file Naturalization because INS will deny your application anyway.
[7] Status Information Letter from Selective Service: If you are man, who was required to register with Selective Service, must need to send Status Information Letter’.
The following additional items MUST be submitted if you are applying as a spouse of a U.S. citizen:
[1] Proof that your spouse has been a U.S. citizen for more than three years, such as birth certificate, naturalization certificate, certificate of citizenship, or U.S. passport.
[2] Your marriage certificate.
[3] Proof of termination of ALL prior marriages of both- you and your spouse (if any).
[4] Evidence of bona fide marriage - bring any documents which would assist in establishing the validity of your marriage such as (but not limited to) joint tax returns, deed, lease agreements or home ownership documents, credit accounts, joint tax returns, proof of joint ownership of other property such as investments, stocks, bonds, automobiles, life insurance, health insurance.
[5] Birth certificates of your children, if any.
[6] Applicants should take with them to the interview all the bills/rental agreement (lease), and bank statements which must show their name with their spouse name on them. And they should get these documents for the last 3 years. Lately immigration officers are specifically asking for bank statements and rental lease for the whole 3 years period. So, don't forget to take these documents with you at your interview. Also, adjudication officers in many district offices are specifically the applicants to provide life-insurance policy between the hu*****and-wife. Don't know why life insurance policy has been given too much weight to prove the legitimacy of the marriage but that's how it's going on right now. Many applicants were delayed and issued notice to re-appear for interview again after many months later with this specific document. So, I strongly suggest applicants to have a life insurance policy and take it with them to the interview if they have filed their application based upon 3 yrs rule of being married to the US citizen. Believe me, many applicants have been drilled by immigration officers for not having this documents.
Also, it's my suggestion to take your US citizen-spouse to the interivew, if security guards allow them in. And when officer calls your name and comes out to get you, try to be affectionate with your US citizen spouse but make sure officer sees it. This will definately help the applicants. The whole purpose of immigration officers to drill applicants under this eligibility is just to make sure applicants are still happily married and living with his/her US citizen spouse. So when officers would notice that your US citizen spouse is there and you guys are still happily in love with each other, it will eliminate the need of drilling you on the legitimacy of the marriage. Tons of applicants have lately reported to have an easy interview when officers noticed their spouses were there with them.
Furthermore, EACH and EVERY applicant for naturalization should also make sure- [1] that the application form [N-400] is the latest version and not the outdated one, [2] to submit the right amount for the processing fee; [3] that application should have properly signed by him/her, [4] application should be mailed to right address, depending on the jurisdiction. If applicant fails to follow any of these protocols then his/her application would be either returned or denied. Also, make sure not to staple pictures, check or any other document to the application. And, check or money order for processing fee should be placed on the top.
And applicants should also know that once an application for naturalization is mailed in, s/he should not try to mail additional document or updated/corrected information to INS Service center even if applicant would realize later on that s/he either has made a big mistake on his/her application or has forgotten to include an important document/fact on his/her application, unless USCIS specifically asks for that information/document thru RFE (Request for Evidence). Applicants are allowed to submit/correct/update those important document/information during the time of their interview. Also, always make additional copy of anything that you send to USCIS as USCIS has a tendency of loosing files very often.
And if an applicant EVER has any kind of run-around with law enforcement agencies, then it is my very strong recommendation to speak to an immigration attorney before filing naturalization application. Otherwise, applicant may end up in being deported. Since immigration laws are very complicated and there is nothing in 'black & white', it is in the best interest of applicant to first talk with an immigration attorney before filing naturalization application. Because, even if a criminal charge against an applicant has been dismissed without any conviction, arrest, fingerprint, detention or anything like that, still it is advisable to have your attorney reviewed all the documents relating to criminal charges if s/he is ever been charged for a crime. Because, under immigration laws, even a "nolo contesto' is considered a ground for deportation. I mean- a person may have avoided a jail time by doing some deferred prosecution thru restitution or community service, but still in some instances even agreeing to a pre-deal like restitution or community service can still be considered a deportable offense as USCIS may have different interpretation on these situations/laws. So, never file naturalization if you have any run-around with laws unless you first speak to a reputable immigration attorney who is specialized in immigration and criminal laws.
After a few days later of filing the naturalization application, maybe 2-4 weeks later, you will receive NOA [Notice of Action] as its receipt. Don't be surprised if NOA would state that there are still some documents missing on your application. Because, it is a generic computerized NOA, which they ALWAYS send out to everyone if you have checked in something that could be questionable for your citizenship chances, despite of them submitting all the required documents. Also, don't worry either if you don't receive an appointment letter for fingerprinting within a month or so after filing the application, even if you would know someone who might have filed the application after you has already received the fingerprinting appointment. Because, each officers in Service Center operate differently. Some may send out the fingerprinting notice right away within a month of receiving the application, while others might send that out after few months later. Either ways, it takes anyway only 1-2 business days to receive the fingerprints report back from FBI once fingerprinting is done as everything is done thru online between FBI, CIA and USCIS.
The only time fingerprinting report would take more than normal time if FBI would receive illegible fingerprints on an applicant to read them clearly, or if they have lost/misplaced the fingerprinting data on an applicant, or if applicant's name may have hit their list of "persons of interest". It's my observation that most of the time applicants from certain countries do go thru a higher scrutiny with FBI than applicants from other countries. And then it may take a very long time for FBI to clear them up. However, you can always call USCIS customer service to find out the status of your fingerprint report after a few days later of your fingerprinting. They will be able to tell you right away whether it is cleared or not. But you should wait at least 2-3 weeks after fingerprinting is done before calling USCIS since it takes at least 14 business days for a fingerprint report to show up in the USCIS computer system once FBI sends them back to USCIS.
And if couple of weeks have passed by and your fingerprinting report still doesn't get cleared then you should be proactive and should do everything in your power for FBI to send their report to USCIS on your fingerprinting. It applies to the applicants for adjustment of status too as fingerprinting report is also required in their cases as well. Contacting congresspersons on this won't help even a little bit, trust me.
Hope this helps.