New USCIS guideline might further DELAY your N-400 application｜US Citizenship News

Hi everyone, welcome back. I'm Jackie, and while I'm not a lawyer, I'm here to bring you the latest updates on U.S. naturalization. Last year, USAS released multiple policy memos that impacted the naturalization process. Over the past six months, many applicants have already been experiencing longer processing times, either from interview cancellations, rescheduling, or delays in getting their oath ceremony scheduled. And now, a new update has come out that could slow things down even further. Based on a recent report by CBS News, the U.S. government has introduced what they call enhanced security checks for immigration applicants. This means that USAS will now review more detailed criminal history from the FBI before making a final decision on your case. This change applies to many immigration applications, the possibly green cards and the N-400 application. The most important part of this update is that USAS officers are no longer allowed to approve a case until these expanded background checks are fully complete. Also, officers have been directed to resubmit fingerprint-based screenings if the FBI information for a case was received before April 27th. So in other words, even if you've already completed your biometrics or finished your N-400 interview, USAS may go back and recheck your fingerprints. As a result, your case could be placed back into review, which may lead to unexpected delays. In just the past couple of days, I've seen many applicants on Reddit reporting that their case status changed from oath ceremony scheduled back to case is being actively reviewed. In fact, one of the applicants that we worked with reached out after experiencing this exact situation. According to the government, the goal of this policy is to improve national security and to ensure the officers have access to more complete and accurate criminal records before making those final decisions. I understand this can be very stressful and it can cause a lot of anxiety. At the same time, it's important to focus on what you can control. If you haven't started the N-400 application yet, this is a reminder that it's more important than ever to be careful and be honest when completing your N-400. Take time to review every answer and make sure you're not leaving out anything important. Even small details that may seem unimportant now could appear in those expanded background checks. If you're currently waiting for your interview, review your application again. If anything's changed since you submitted it, make a list and be prepared to inform the officer during your interview. And if you've already completed your interview, make sure to check out my other video where I explain what you can do while you're waiting for your oath ceremony. Immigration policies are always evolving, but right now they're changing a little bit faster than usual. Delays are becoming a normal part of the process and unfortunately that part is out of your control. What you can control is staying informed and being prepared. Don't get discouraged. You're still moving forward, even if it's a little bit slower, and I will be here to help guide you and keep you updated on the latest immigration changes.