N-400 Help

[rahc]

The recommendations for filling out the N-400 form indicate that you should type N/A in any empty spaces. I filled out the form directly on the PDF using adobe acrobat. Is this still necessary? Example: I have lived in the same address for the last 9 years. Do I put N/A in every other space available for addresses? Same tih kids, only two kids yet there are 4 spaces for children.

The "If yes" questions do not allow you to answer anything if the answer is no. Can you type N/A in pen after filling out everything else electronically?

Thanks in advance for the responses!

[rayb]

Rahc,

I think you are 'over-analyzing' the instructions. For questions which "require" a response, but a response does not apply, "N/A" or "None" is appropriate. To fill every single field area, when primary questions are already answered, is overkill and not expected.

For example, for children fields beyond the children you have, simply leave those areas blank.

Same with the "If yes" questions, simply don't respond to those questions if you already answered "no."

In the form design process in government offices, State and Federal, updating or redesiging is often done by new employees for training or 'grunt work," and anal-type instructions they provide do not follow common sense form completion expectations.

I complete a couple of these forms every month and follow the conventions I describe above.

One interesting change is that the form no longer specifies ALL CAPS, which all prior versions of the N-400 specified. I've been completing the various versions of this form since about 1994, so was surprised to see the "ALL CAPS" instruction deleted. I still use all caps, as it makes review easier for USCIS staff.

--Ray B

The recommendations for filling out the N-400 form indicate that you should type N/A in any empty spaces. I filled out the form directly on the PDF using adobe acrobat. Is this still necessary? Example: I have lived in the same address for the last 9 years. Do I put N/A in every other space available for addresses? Same tih kids, only two kids yet there are 4 spaces for children.

The "If yes" questions do not allow you to answer anything if the answer is no. Can you type N/A in pen after filling out everything else electronically?

Thanks in advance for the responses!

[rahc]

Thanks!

Rahc,

I think you are 'over-analyzing' the instructions. For questions which "require" a response, but a response does not apply, "N/A" or "None" is appropriate. To fill every single field area, when primary questions are already answered, is overkill and not expected.

For example, for children fields beyond the children you have, simply leave those areas blank.

Same with the "If yes" questions, simply don't respond to those questions if you already answered "no."

In the form design process in government offices, State and Federal, updating or redesiging is often done by new employees for training or 'grunt work," and anal-type instructions they provide do not follow common sense form completion expectations.

I complete a couple of these forms every month and follow the conventions I describe above.

One interesting change is that the form no longer specifies ALL CAPS, which all prior versions of the N-400 specified. I've been completing the various versions of this form since about 1994, so was surprised to see the "ALL CAPS" instruction deleted. I still use all caps, as it makes review easier for USCIS staff.

--Ray B

Ray,

Thank you for your response. That is exactly what I was thinking but a few years back when I was applying for my H1 visa (before I became a permanent resident) the person checking documents at the embassy in Caracas was one of this anal-type individuals who made me add N/A to everything. I never did it again for any immigration forms after that but just wanted to be sure this time. I filled out everything all caps as well.

Thanks once again!

[rayb]

My guess is that the screener in Caracas was a Venezuelan national, as local nationals are used in almost all U.S. consular posts. I have a whole book of stories about how these screeners misunderstand the "spirit" of requirements and tend to interpret the requirements too literally, and often just don't understand requirements at all. "English as a second language" problems are often at work here, with seemingly very well-educated people still not having a full grasp of nuances of written and spoken English.

My experience has been mostly with the U.S. Embassy at Manila, and all the screeners (sometimes as many as four before the U.S. citizen interviewer is reached) are Filipino nationals who often lack understanding of U.S. income tax documents or the different formats of U.S. divorce documents, or who can't explain clearly how a co-sponsor completes sponsorship documents (usually because it's not clearly understood by the screener himself).

The biggest problem I've seen with forms has nothing to do with "N/A" or "none" or capitalization, but rather how the barcodes are used for the Affidavit of Support (I-864). The corrections seem to be generated by scannning of barcodes and comparing with field entries, with minimum human intervention. Sometimes user input problems, very minor, result in the forms coming back 3 times, until NVC staff finally send a message that they are passing the "incomplete" Affidavit on to the Consulate, but the applicant will need to take a corrected version to his interview.

--Ray B

Ray,

Thank you for your response. That is exactly what I was thinking but a few years back when I was applying for my H1 visa (before I became a permanent resident) the person checking documents at the embassy in Caracas was one of this anal-type individuals who made me add N/A to everything. I never did it again for any immigration forms after that but just wanted to be sure this time. I filled out everything all caps as well.

Thanks once again!

[sbasu_007]

Travel plan while N400 is in process

Hello,

Currently my N400 is in process. I applied on 3/21/2017. I have a family trip coming up in August where I need to go to Alaska via Vancouver. Is that going to interfere with my N-400 processing? I have valid GC.

[NettieL]

You may need to make an infopass appointment and notify them of your travel dates, so that you won't miss your interview.

Hello,

Currently my N400 is in process. I applied on 3/21/2017. I have a family trip coming up in August where I need to go to Alaska via Vancouver. Is that going to interfere with my N-400 processing? I have valid GC.

[sbasu_007]

You may need to make an infopass appointment and notify them of your travel dates, so that you won't miss your interview.

Thanks for the feedback. Just quick question I don't have my interview scheduled yet, should I still make an infopass appt?

[xmaxboxx]

Question about the N-400 Part 12 Question 2

Good afternoon guys, I have a question about the N-400, part 12 question 2 that says: Have you EVER registered to vote in any Federal, State, or local election in the United States?

I problem is the following: I am currently applying for citizenship and a couple of months ago I found out that I was registered to vote, it just so happened, that I was registered to vote in 2012 and I did not even remember registering to vote, but what happened was registered by a person that called while I was taking my dog for a walk. To make the story short, I filled out the form without knowing what it was, but on the question fist question that says, "Are you a citizen of the United States of America?" I put that I was not! So I went to the Voter Registration office and I unregister.

So this is my question, now that I am unregistered to vote and I have the proof that I am no longer registered and that I checked No in the question that ask if I was an US Citizen, should mark No on the question 2 part 12 of the N-400 form?

Thank you in advance and I am sorry to make this post so long, but I wanted to be as accurate as possible.