Should I delay my interview OR cancel my international traveling schedule for an interview??

E

eastcoast80

New Member
Hello everyone,

I have recently received a letter for "Naturalization Initial Interview" (question; is there more than one interview? the letter says that I will take a test but Im just confused as why it would say "initial").

While the letter asks me to show up to the USCIS office on May 18th, I have scheduled an international travel several months ago (simply, Im going back to my motherland for a month). It reads that if I can't make to this appointment, I must return "this letter immediately to the USCIS office address listed below with your explanation and a request for a new appointment"

I am wondering if i should try to move my traveling schedule, which would cost me ~$1000. If not, whether delaying an interview on my side would delay my application process significantly or anything like that. And lastly, if to delay, should I honestly say that I have a traveling plan and I would like to have an interview in July?

Please let me know if you have any idea. While I would like to get my citizenship asap, I am still a frugal student who'd hate to see wasting 1000 bucks. If I can get my interview rescheduled on July, that'd be great.

Thanks for your help!
 
eastcoast80 said:
Hello everyone,

I have recently received a letter for "Naturalization Initial Interview" (question; is there more than one interview? the letter says that I will take a test but Im just confused as why it would say "initial").

While the letter asks me to show up to the USCIS office on May 18th, I have scheduled an international travel several months ago (simply, Im going back to my motherland for a month). It reads that if I can't make to this appointment, I must return "this letter immediately to the USCIS office address listed below with your explanation and a request for a new appointment"

I am wondering if i should try to move my traveling schedule, which would cost me ~$1000. If not, whether delaying an interview on my side would delay my application process significantly or anything like that. And lastly, if to delay, should I honestly say that I have a traveling plan and I would like to have an interview in July?

Please let me know if you have any idea. While I would like to get my citizenship asap, I am still a frugal student who'd hate to see wasting 1000 bucks. If I can get my interview rescheduled on July, that'd be great.

Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

If you aren't desperate to get the citizenship (like needing to bring immediate family over ASAP; Need Citizenship for job etc) , by all means ask for a reschedule and save the $1000.
USCIS will usually push the interview back between 1-3 months (you can't really ask for a specific date though)
Also, if at any time you feel like throwing away $1000, please send me a PM and I'll send you the address where you can send the check for $1000... :)
 
eastcoast80 said:
Hello everyone,

I have recently received a letter for "Naturalization Initial Interview" (question; is there more than one interview? the letter says that I will take a test but Im just confused as why it would say "initial").

While the letter asks me to show up to the USCIS office on May 18th, I have scheduled an international travel several months ago (simply, Im going back to my motherland for a month). It reads that if I can't make to this appointment, I must return "this letter immediately to the USCIS office address listed below with your explanation and a request for a new appointment"

I am wondering if i should try to move my traveling schedule, which would cost me ~$1000. If not, whether delaying an interview on my side would delay my application process significantly or anything like that. And lastly, if to delay, should I honestly say that I have a traveling plan and I would like to have an interview in July?

Please let me know if you have any idea. While I would like to get my citizenship asap, I am still a frugal student who'd hate to see wasting 1000 bucks. If I can get my interview rescheduled on July, that'd be great.

Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
The decision is yours: delay interview and add a few weeks to process or go to original interview and loose $1000 (cost of airline ticket I assume).
 
Thanks for replies.

Is there anyway to arrange an interview a few days earlier? Perhaps either by calling or going to the USCIS office? I am leaving only a few days before May 18th and it'd be perfect had my interview scheduled a few days before.

Also it does seem that there is only one interview, which includes a naturalization test. Do they just call it "initial interview" for a sake of being ambiguous?

Thanks!
 
You can't get an earlier interview. All you can do is ask to reschedule it, then they will pick another date of their own choosing, which could be anywhere from a month to over 6 months later.

There normally is just one interview, but they can request another interview.
 
eastcoast80 said:
Thanks for replies.

Is there anyway to arrange an interview a few days earlier? Perhaps either by calling or going to the USCIS office? I am leaving only a few days before May 18th and it'd be perfect had my interview scheduled a few days before.

Also it does seem that there is only one interview, which includes a naturalization test. Do they just call it "initial interview" for a sake of being ambiguous?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Sending a request to reschedule your interview is anothe black hole..you never know when you will get your letter.
Did you think of another option? Since you haven't departed yet, some airlines allow a change in your itinerary with a nominal fee and price difference. I don't think this would be like $1000, may $150 - $250 which is still much lower than $1000. In case if you have booked your tickets through travel agent, he/she will be able to help you on this.

Good luck.
 
Does the interview letter have a space to explain why you need your interview rescheduled? If you mention your travel dates, won't they take them into consideration and schedule the interview for after you return?
 
They don't pay any attention to your convenience or requests when they reschedule it. They set the new date to suit themselves, not the applicant.
 
Thank you all for comments. Just FYI, a flight change will cost me $1000 because of a >$200 fee + large price difference (I bought my ticket last year) :(

Anyhow, I understand the situation better now. My last question; if I ("my application") got to become a citizen after the interview, can I easily delay my oath ceremony? I have seen people timelines where an oath ceremony takes a place mere 2 weeks after an interview. If I change my travel schedule, I will still not be in the US for at least a month right after my interview.
 
At the end of the interview, if they give you a "recommended for approval" decision, you can request the oath to be after a certain date.

Otherwise, if you don't get an immediate decision at the interview, you'll have to wait for the oath letter in the mail, and then request a reschedule if you can't make the date.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Jackolantern said:
They don't pay any attention to your convenience or requests when they reschedule it. They set the new date to suit themselves, not the applicant.
Click to expand...

That was not my experience. My interview was originally scheduled for September. I wrote and requested my interview be rescheduled as I was (temporarily) out of the country working on a film location. I requested my interview be rescheduled after my return on Jan 1st. My new interview was scheduled for Jan 6th. It may have been coincidental, but, it appeared as if my request was taken into consideration.

Just a FYI, my initial letter requesting rescheduling "went astray" - despite my having a USPS delivery confirmation, it never reached my USCIS file. I received a "please explain" letter after I had missed my initial interview, at which time I re-wrote, attached copy of original request & DC etc.

To the OP, even if you did chose to delay the trip, you then get into the area of having to make a specific request for your oath date, possible having someone check mail at home during your absence - or, if your office offers same day interview/oath - it would be problematic as you would then need to ensure you could get your passport before the trip.

In your situation I would recommend writing and requesting your interview be rescheduled. Just be sure you mail to the full address on your letter, send with Delivery Confirmation and keep a copy.

And, enjoy your trip!
 
Auscal, good to hear your experience was great! but certainly your points make me think more about my options. i have been leaning towards doing the interview/test before my travel (changing my traveling schedule), since rescheduling might take much longer than i want.

from my reading of this forum, i thought I can "easily" postponed an oath date (whether the same day interview/oath or recommended for approval). Isn't this a case even if im offered the same day naturalization?

Jackolantern mentioned that one can ask an oath date to be after a certain day. please give me your 2 cents on this.
 
Auscal said:
That was not my experience. My interview was originally scheduled for September. I wrote and requested my interview be rescheduled as I was (temporarily) out of the country working on a film location. I requested my interview be rescheduled after my return on Jan 1st. My new interview was scheduled for Jan 6th. It may have been coincidental, but, it appeared as if my request was taken into consideration.
Click to expand...
Others have not had such good fortune.

However, perhaps yours worked because you simply asked for it to be after a certain date, rather than asking for a specific month or particular range of dates.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top