My Experience

1. N-400, filed Feb-2006

2. Fingerprint: Completed Mar-2006.

3. Received interview letter April 2006.

4. Interview completed Jun-2006, tests passed, the FBI name check is pending.

5. Aug-2006, approached US congress Representative, office sent letter to FBI, answer received in October: Name Check is pending,
letter also stated the date when FBI received request from USCIS; knowing of this date was helpful; I was using this date in my

1. N-400, filed Feb-2006

2. Fingerprint: Completed Mar-2006.

3. Received interview letter April 2006.

4. Interview completed Jun-2006, tests passed, the FBI name check is pending.

5. Aug-2006, approached US congress Representative, office sent letter to FBI, answer received in October: Name Check is pending,
letter also stated the date when FBI received request from USCIS; knowing of this date was helpful; I was using this date in my
letters to elected officials. I also noted that name check and fingerprints were initiated same time.

6. October 2006: I sent letters to both Senators asking assistance in expediting the FBI name check. One of them answered that they
can do nothing, other sent letter to USCIS local DO. USCIS replied soon that the FBI background check is pending.

7. October 2006, I sent mail to Governor, office replied in Dec-2006 that this is a federal matter and they can't help.

== I started thinking about lawsuit, but decided to pursue all peacful ways first ==

8. October-2006, send letter to First Lady. In January-2007 received letter from FBI that my letter to First Lady was forwarded
to them and my name check "is still in process"

9. January-2007, send letter to Vice President, Received answer from his office on February-2007, that they send my letter
to Department of Homeland Security and asked to look into my case, and to send letter directly to me and copy to the
Vice President's office for their files.

10. March-2007, Received two letters almost same time, both from USCIS, one from Washington HQ saying that they received copy
of my letter from Vice President, my case is in a final stage of consideration, and I will be receiving decision from my local DO during
ten days, and the other letter was decision, the notice for Oath Ceremony (N-445) from USCIS local DO.

11. Long story shortly: Letters to White House worked for me. The main thing of expediting the FBI name check seems has been done
by the letter to First Lady. The other forum members reported also that they received similar letter from FBI as was mine
in point 8 above, and their name check has been cleared in a month or two after receiving that letter.
The address of the White House I got from here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
I was sending these letters by certified letters from the post office. These letters were simple; I wrote:
a) who I am, my profession, and where I am working.
b) my problem, the delay of citizenship application; and reason of the delay, the FBI name check
c) mentioned that an FBI representative stated at Congressional Testimony that in general the name check takes 3 days, and
"The FBI's goal is to have all requests completed within 120 days", while in my case it has been delayed much longer.
d) said that such delay influences very negatively on my personal and professional life
e) requested to expedite the name check.
f) gave information: my name, DOB, SSN, A#, address, etc.

12. I spent about 50-60 hours in reading this and other forums, and searching the information before writing my letters.
You don't need sample for your letters, just make clear the points a) b) c) d) e) f) above for your own case.
I tried to make letters as short and as simple as possible. If you wish you can look at few templetes of letters
which worked well here: http://boards.immigrationportal.com/...93#post1674893
I did not attach copy of any other documents to my letters, but some forum members noticed that attaching FOIPA can help.

13. Finally, it is my pleasure to mention very helpful contributions to these forums from Rahul Kumar, Publicus, Suzy, futureuscitizen,
LegalAlein99, _kot_ , JonnyCash, paz1960

14. My N-400 Timeline:
Priority Date: Feb-2006
Fingerprints: Mar-2006
Interview: Jun-2006 (name check is pending)
Letters to elected officials: Aug 2006 - Jan 2007
Oath: Mar-2007
== It took 400 days from applying to citizenship ==