How Do I Correct A Mistake I Made On My N-400 Naturalization Form?

So you've patiently waited for five years (or three years if married to a U.S. citizen) and you're finally eligible to apply for naturalization to become a U.S. citizen. You gathered all the evidence, filled out the N-400, Application for Naturalization, checked your responses to all questions two and three times, made a copy of the petition packet and submitted everything to USCIS with the filing fee.

Now, it's weeks later, you're looking over your paperwork and realize that there is a mistake on your application! Depending on when you catch the mistake and the seriousness of that mistake, there are several options when it comes to correcting mistakes on your N-400. It's important to note that if you find the mistake shortly after submitting your packet, it's best to wait until USCIS sends a receipt notice, which typically arrives within 2-3 weeks from the date of receipt. Prior to receiving a receipt notice, it will be quite difficult for USCIS to locate your file, so its best to just wait for the receipt notice to arrive.

TYPOGRAPHICAL MISTAKES ON IMPORTANT INFORMATION

For these types of mistakes, you will want to move quickly to get them corrected. Important information includes, your name, social security number, birthday, your address, any information pertaining to your spouse, important dates, etc. In this situation, you will want to have your receipt notice close by and call the USCIS Contact Center (1-800-375-5283) and make your changes over the phone upon speaking with an agent/representative. They will provide a reference number, which you will want to save, so you can follow up to ensure that the change was made. Furthermore, you will want to notify the USCIS officer interviewing you that you've made those changes to ensure that they have the most updated information.

TYPOGRAPHICAL MISTAKES ON NON-IMPORTANT INFORMATION

For these types of mistakes, it is typically not necessary to take any action. For example, if you provided the wrong zip code for a former employer or you write down the wrong weight (assuming it's not a big difference), then you can just move on and wait to receive your interview notice. These are minor mistakes that generally don't go towards the substance of your petition or affect your eligibility to naturalize. Accordingly, you can take a sigh of relief that your application will continue processing as normal.

ANSWERING "NO" TO A QUESTION THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID "YES"

These mistakes are often caught after speaking with an immigration lawyer or even a friend or colleague who has gone through the naturalization process. The most common mistakes typically revolve around questions related to criminal activity or offenses. These questions can be tricky to answer especially if you've been told by a judge or prosecutor that your case is sealed, expunged or vacated. However, the main emphasis here is generally on questions to which you answered no, when you later learn or realize that you should have answered yes. Depending on the question and situation, when initially filling out your N-400, it's often best to err on the side of caution and be transparent with USCIS. The last thing you want to encounter is a USCIS officer accusing you of fraud for lying on your petition.

For these types of mistakes, where you send/deliver your response depends on when you discover the mistake. However, whether you discover the mistake shortly after filing or a week before your interview, the form of your response itself will be the same. If the mistake is discovered well before an interview is scheduled, you will want to submit a cover letter, a new N-400 with the correct responses filled out, an addendum explaining the yes responses to any questions, and any accompanying evidence that is responsive to the question to the USCIS Field Office processing your N-400. A simple zip code search at the bottom of the webpage will guide you to the address of your field office.

If the mistake is discovered shortly before your scheduled interview, you must still prepare an addendum with explanations for any yes answered questions as well as attach the evidence that is responsive to those yes questions. However, you can bring this addendum and evidence directly to your interview and hand it to the officer. They will go through the addendum with you and make sure the corrections are made to your file. Depending on the seriousness of the corrections and the volume of the accompanying evidence, this could delay when you receive a decision on your application.

If you have any questions about the N-400 Naturalization petition or have questions about a mistake on your petition, please do not hesitate to give us a call at (212) 547-8857 or schedule a consultation online and we'd be happy to discuss these issues further and help you reach a resolution. Our experienced immigration attorneys are here to provide the advice you need.

Disclaimer: This blog post and similar posts are not to be considered as providing legal advice. The discussion here is meant for educational and informational purposes only and shall not create an attorney-client relationship with the readers of this content.