I’m thinking of filing a mandamus against the State Department because of a visa delay, but I’ve heard it’s better not to go to federal court. People say it could somehow affect getting citizenship later. Is that really how it works? Has anyone filed a suit and then gone through naturalization — was it a problem?
Mandamus is a lawsuit for inaction, not a claim against specific officers — it doesn’t affect naturalization at all. A friend of mine filed a mandamus when AP (administrative processing) dragged on for 14 months; five years later she smoothly obtained citizenship, and no one even remembered it. If the State Department really needs more time, they’ll just request an extension, not deny because of a lawsuit.
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