What happens if I miss my BIO Appointment?

[EspoMan]

Hello guys. Ok here is my situation. I applied for USC (N-400) May 4th. On May 30th I got an e-mail saying that USCIS sent me my BIO appointment letter. It has been two weeks and I have not gotten that letter. I truly believe it got lost in the mail. I called the customer service number and both times they said that I have to wait 30 days. I asked her to confirm if the letter was indeed mailed out on the 30th and she said it that it was. I asked if it was possible to get another letter or if it was possible for them to fax me a copy of it so that I did not miss my appointment and she kept saying I have to wait 30 days. I then asked her, what happens if I miss my appointment that's on that missing letter that you guys sent, and she refused to answer. She just kept saying to wait 30 days. Worst service ever! My question is, what happens if I miss my appointment, which I am sure that I will now. What will USCIS tell me when I call them June 30th and say that I missed my appointment because I never got the letter? Any help would be great guys. Im starting to freak out.

[-me-]

You don't show up for fingerprinting - you abandon your petition. I would recommend to schedule infopass and get the IO to print out a copy of the BIO appointment form.

P.S. Usualy, USCIS is not that hard on missed BIO. Even if you get fingerprinted a few days after the appointment, they keep processing your case. Well, if you do not show up at all, they may give you another chance, but I wouldn't wait for that.

[daniyatom]

Hello guys. Ok here is my situation. I applied for USC (N-400) May 4th. On May 30th I got an e-mail saying that USCIS sent me my BIO appointment letter. It has been two weeks and I have not gotten that letter. I truly believe it got lost in the mail. I called the customer service number and both times they said that I have to wait 30 days. I asked her to confirm if the letter was indeed mailed out on the 30th and she said it that it was. I asked if it was possible to get another letter or if it was possible for them to fax me a copy of it so that I did not miss my appointment and she kept saying I have to wait 30 days. I then asked her, what happens if I miss my appointment that's on that missing letter that you guys sent, and she refused to answer. She just kept saying to wait 30 days. Worst service ever! My question is, what happens if I miss my appointment, which I am sure that I will now. What will USCIS tell me when I call them June 30th and say that I missed my appointment because I never got the letter? Any help would be great guys. Im starting to freak out.

you can call them back, talk to them and ask for a 2nd level customer service. those officers will be able to tell you more about your appt and even fax you a copy of your notice.

[cafeconleche]

First of all, relax. When you get the appointment letter, you will see that it states you can get fingerprinted several weeks after the appointment date too. You should definitely call CIS and get your call escalated so you can speak to someone with authority who can fax you a copy of the letter.

[-me-]

When you get the appointment letter, you will see that it states you can get fingerprinted several weeks after the appointment date too.\

You and I must have filed petitions with two different USCIS, recevied two different I-797C notices and ultimately living in different countries, both called U.S.

Here is what's on my notice

PLEASE APPEAR AT THE BELOW APPLICATION SUPPORT CENTER AT THE DATE AND TIME SPECIFIED. If you are unable to do so, complete the bottom of this notice and return the entire original notice to the address below. RESCHEDULING YOUR APPOINTMENT WILL DELAY YOUR APPLICATION. IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR AS SCHEDULED BELOW OR FAIL TO REQUEST RESCHEDULING, YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE CONSIDERED ABANDONED.

[cafeconleche]

Oh yeah, that's weird. I was in NY, but my family in CA also got similar letters to mine. They said if I missed my appointment, I had 3 months to walk-in (on any Wednesday). Anyway, I did an early walk-in.

[baikal3]

Oh yeah, that's weird. I was in NY, but my family in CA also got similar letters to mine. They said if I missed my appointment, I had 3 months to walk-in (on any Wednesday). Anyway, I did an early walk-in.

Both of my FP appointment letters (I had to do FP twice, because of an over a year FBI Name Check delay after the first FP) also gave me a 3-months window after the scheduled appointment date and said that if I miss the main FP appointment, I could come on any Wednesday within that 3-months window.
However, that was quite a while ago - my second FP appointment was in Sept 2008.
My understanding is that this was the standard USCIS practice at the time.

It is possible (and even likely) that at some point since then the USCIS procedures have changed and now they give a firm date for an FP appointment, without specifying a three-months window after it.
It'd be interesting if more people with recent FP letters could comment here.

[rjackal]

My understanding is that this was the standard USCIS practice at the time.
It is possible (and even likely) that at some point since then the USCIS procedures have changed and now they give a firm date for an FP appointment, without specifying a three-months window after it.
It'd be interesting if more people with recent FP letters could comment here.

My FP notice was sent in Feb 2012. Mine is just like user -me- said above. They do not mention a 3-month window. Here's what it says verbatim:
"PLEASE APPEAR AT THE BELOW APPLICATION SUPPORT CENTER AT THE DATE AND TIME SPECIFIED. If you are unable to do so, complete the bottom of this notice and return the entire original notice to the address below. RESCHEDULING YOUR APPOINTMENT WILL DELAY YOUR APPLICATION. IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR AS SCHEDULED BELOW OR FAIL TO REQUEST RESCHEDULING, YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE CONSIDERED ABANDONED."

(gives address of ASC) (gives date and time of appointment)

"If you have any questions regarding this notice, please call 1-800-375-5283"

[NotBonJovi]

EspoMan called the USCIS customer service and spoke to Level 2 IO who faxed him a copy of the Biometrics appointment letter that never arrived by mail.
The OP's issue is resolved and this thread can be closed.

[baikal3]

My FP notice was sent in Feb 2012. Mine is just like user -me- said above. They do not mention a 3-month window. Here's what it says verbatim:
"PLEASE APPEAR AT THE BELOW APPLICATION SUPPORT CENTER AT THE DATE AND TIME SPECIFIED. If you are unable to do so, complete the bottom of this notice and return the entire original notice to the address below. RESCHEDULING YOUR APPOINTMENT WILL DELAY YOUR APPLICATION. IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR AS SCHEDULED BELOW OR FAIL TO REQUEST RESCHEDULING, YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE CONSIDERED ABANDONED."

(gives address of ASC) (gives date and time of appointment)

"If you have any questions regarding this notice, please call 1-800-375-5283"

Interesting. I guess this means that at some point in the last couple of years or so the standard text of an FP appointment letter has changed, and they now do not offer a 3 months window after the main FP appointment date.

On the other hand, it also seems that doing an early walk-in FP has become much easier and now essentially always works.

[good_y]

My case same they told me sent the FP notice on May 4 th and never got it, I waited for 30days called them and they said they will resend, which never happened until 14 th June, I took Infopass and the officer printed the receipt and he called the fingerprinting and asked them to do ours. (FP date was May 31). Everything was done in 30 minutes- I mean infoass and the FP.
Do not worry too much take Infopass and go and do the FP. Good luck

[baikal3]

My case same they told me sent the FP notice on May 4 th and never got it, I waited for 30days called them and they said they will resend, which never happened until 14 th June, I took Infopass and the officer printed the receipt and he called the fingerprinting and asked them to do ours. (FP date was May 31). Everything was done in 30 minutes- I mean infoass and the FP.
Do not worry too much take Infopass and go and do the FP. Good luck

Actually, as you can see from my signature, I already got my U.S. citizenship three years ago. But your information may be useful for the others reading this thread.