Experiences with rescheduling interview

K

klmasters

Registered Users (C)
I'm married to a US citizen and GC app is pending (RD April 12th - see details below). We got the request for the initial interview very quickly (ID was July 17th), but unfortunately that date was during the time we are both going to be in China (my husband is already there, I'm leaving actually on the 17th). So I sent a letter to the DO (Boston) to reschedule the interview. I haven't heard anything about it since then (letter was sent June 5th).

Does anyone have any experiences with rescheduling the interview that they would like to share. Was it a really bad idea? Is this going to drastically lengthen the process? When should I expect to hear back with a new interview date? Should I worry that I have heard nothing? The notice says if you don't appear your application will be denied..... is there anyway to check they recieved my letter?

Any advice appreciated.
 
It is my understanding that you suppose to call to reschedule the interview, I am not sure since they change the process so often.

You can call the 800 number and check about it.

Good luck,
 
I did call the NSC initially and they told me to write. I also called again to check what was going on and they said again that writing was the correct thing to do and that my request was probably stuck in a long line for rescheduling.
 
Rescheduling a second time

This is no joke. I recieved the notice with a rescheduled interview this evening in the mail - and get this - we're still in China on the rescheduled data which is July 26th. I can't believe it! I'm amazed that they rescheduled it so quickly (I was expecting a date months in the future), and amazed at the bad luck that we can't make this time either.

So what now? Please offer advice.... It says on the new letter:

"This is your second request to appear for your premanent residence interview. You were initially requested to appear on July 17 2006 and failed to do so.* Failure to appear at this interview will result in the denial of your application.

*failed to appear/requested reschedule"

Does this mean I cannot reschedule a second time? It appears that they treated failing to appear and rescheduling equivalently for the first interview time - so will they do the same again and deny my application if I try to reschedule again? To appear at this interview we have to basically cut in half our trip to China (from 2 weeks to 1 week). It also gives instructions on the letter for how to reschedule if you can't make the time, so that's a bit ambiguous.....

Does any one have any experience with rescheduling their interview more than once?! If I want to do this would it be better to get an INFOPASS apt and try to explain the situation (I can do that tomorrow, after that I'm in China until after this date), or just send a letter (as suggested on the notice).

FYI the notice appears to have come direct from the Boston DO.
 
Well, apparently this time the rescheduling is going faster...sometimes it was taking 3 months after the initial one, now things are going way faster.

Anyway, since is a generic letter it can be a little confusing but I think you should call again and ask if you can reschedule it. Take in account that you submitt your first request at the beginning of June for interview in more than a month and this time you are asking for a second reschedule for an interview that is in 2 weeks.

If you reschedule it that does not mean that they will reschedule it in 2 more weeks, when they just move it one week from last time, so anyway you will be (probably) in your trip if they reschedule it again. And both of you must be at the interview, especially if it's marriage based.

I will call the number again and ask if that means that you cannot reschedule it or if you can reschedule because you will be out of the country, but I won't leave until know what is the outcome.

Be advice that if you decide to leave (since is in few days) and you do not know what happened with the reschedule and when will be the new date for your interview, you are jeopardizing all your process and not only that, if you get denied remember that you are using an AP, which is attach to your AOS.


Good luck,
 
Thanks, that all sounds like good advice. I will call the 1800 number and see what they say and then write a letter to Boston to reschedule. As to your second worry, can't I request that they not reschedule until we're back in the country? I presume that not telling them the length of the trip was the main mistake the first time, but it never occured to me that it would be rescheduled so quickly. FYI if they reschedule for 9 days later again we will be back in the country.

I do realise that my AP depends on all this, and I need to get it straight before leaving. Unfortunately that leaves only today as my flight is early Monday morning. I'm just glad I didn't leave with my husband yesterday. If that had been the case we would not have go this latest letter until after we got back from China - ie. after the interview date itself. Presumably that would have been a big mess to deal with (if they even would have let me back in on AP).
 
Well, remember you are the one who are asking to adjust status not them. They are the ones who set the date that you must show up not the other way and there are thousands of people waiting for an interview date as well. Just imagine that they acommodate every single immigrant that is traveling or because this or that...will be a mess. You are the one, even is unfortunately in this case, that must acommodate to the circumstances.

You can send the reschedule including the dates and if the reason is to visit a sick family member (which would not sound like it is for pleasure) and see what happens. The issue here is that if it took more than a month to received an answer back from them, how long that will take if you send it now since it is in 2 weeks? Are you going to risk to travel without knowing when will be your interview schedule or what happened if they don't get back to you on time and the date of the interview arrives? do you want to jeopardize the entire process?

Let's forget the entire yada yada that I just said, the point is:
1. If you send the reschedule request when they will get back to you?
2. Have you decide to start your travel on Monday even without knowing the answer of the reschedule?
3. Do you prefer to cut your trip in half? and playing safe.

Good luck,
 
Can't you just come back a few days earlier? It'll cost a couple of bucks to change the plane ticket, but come on, in the grand scheme of things, is it such a big deal? I think the USCIS has been more than accomodating so far, don't push it.
 
I see your point, and I was amazed that they rescheduled so soon - I figured it would take months - that's certainly the impression the forums here give. It would indeed only be a few dollars to reschedule the flights and cut the trip in half (or almost). That's not really the point though. I think we're forgetting in this process though that we do all have a right to a life - just because we're not American Citizens doesn't mean everything else has to be put on hold. Obviously the USCIS has a lot of cases to deal with, and rescheduling will cause some extra hassle, so shouldn't be done lightly - but I'm not talking about feeling like not going that day - we're talking about major changes to a long planned trip... I wonder if maybe in these forums it looks worse than it really is because people only post when they have problems? You all seem very alarmist about rescheduling interviews. I spoke today to the international advisor at the university I work at and she was very calm about it and told me that as long as I follow the procedure they lay out to reschedule and keep a record of what I sent and the date I sent it it should all work out fine. So I did that today, and I am leaving on Monday. I doubt that we will hear back from the USCIS before we get back from China but I have a friend checking the mail in case. I understand that this will delay the case further, but I'm willing to accept that trade off.
 
Hi klmasters,
I think it's just the matter of the perspectives between people. I totally understnad your point of the long planned trip and the "inconvinences" USCIS has caused so far in your process by rescheduling a few days after the original date. But you have to understand that a lot of people on this forum has been waiting for months and years before they received the precious interview letter. The grueling waiting process is not what you can understand because things are going so well for you, which is a great thing because I am glad that USCIS finally is getting their acts together and expediating some of the applications.

The truth is, we are all here to help the visitors of this forum, and you came to this forum for advice. I might be too bald to speak for everyone who had responded to your post so far, but I feel like I must say this, "When you come asking for advice, please don't turn around and label us alarmists." Because you chose to post, we did not force you to. I might be harsh, so I must apologize to you - I'm sorry if my comment seemed mean.

You are correct, the trip is your choice. You are absolutely right about everyone has a right to life. But if I may remind you, you are not yet a citizen, nor a legal permanent resident, of the United State of America, hence legally and THEORATICALLY gives you no rights provisioned by the United States Consistution. Therefore you are at the disposition of USCIS.

Perhaps, staying in the US is not as important to you as to many of us. We, most of us, desire to stay in the US or have our love ones stay in the US. So we proceed with caution because we know the risk of missing an appointment means starting the process again. But hey, if you have money [got the dope to pay lawyers and applications] and you have time, knock yourself out in China.

Mind you, by not showing up (regardless of your reasons or stories) COULD delay your case, and USCIS could also drop your case; USCIS COULD also note on your record, so when you apply again, it comes up against you.

If you have a pre-determined mindset before you even post your message, what's the point of wasting everyone's time? If you don't care about AOS that much, why bother applying and taking someone else's spot?

So stop wasting the time of everyone who try to help on this forum because we could allocate our effort to help someone who appreciates our help.

Oh, and please don't bother reapply when and if USCIS drops your case because I don't want people like you wasting MY tax dollars.

Good luck,
Jimmy C.
 
Even jimmy could sounded harsh I have to say I am agree with. I never thought I was sounding alarmist!!

You are free to make choices and decision by yourself and be accountable for those made. I am agree that everybody has a life and should have one (I did enjoy during my AOS lifetime) and I don't think that USCIS is denying you that, is just not according to your plans but as I said there thousands who are waiting as well and as JimmyC said even years. Is as simple as going to the doctor and make an appointment...if you are sick does not matter how sick you are or what are your plans, the doctor has a schedule and not necessarily will be in your earliest convenience. And that is a fact of life is not being alarmist.

What I recall is that you posted first and it was because you apparently have a problem. If you just posted because you wanted that somebody tell you what you wanted since day 1, that probably was hey just go to China and have fun, well LIFE is not like that.

No one who answered here told you that they were experts on re-scheduling interviews in the first place, but we know by fact that there have been some people before that posted here and express concerns about it and they have been others who even rescheduled apparently did not work well and they got denied and had to reopen the case even it was not their fault, but bad things happens to good people, that is not being alarmist just make a wide search.

The majority of the people who post here are looking for advice and a solution to their doubts, problems and fears, it is in them to take it or look for legal advice outside as even many of our advices told them to do so and even "call the 800 number", but people sometimes like to tell a friend who has no clue even for what USCIS stands for and get advice from the wrong source instead to call them directly, at the end is their call and their responsability. People post here experiences and what they know about the process and many can give you way better advices since they know the process first hand. You can take it or not, but please do not judge easily the people who take their time to give you a consistent/sympathetic and nice advice over a post that you made asking for opinions in the first place.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
WELL DONE JIMMY C & CHERR1980.... U lot could'nt have said it a better way, there r choices in life we all make, sometimes good/bad..Klmasters good luck...
 
klmasters,

I agree with you that these forums make things seem a lot more difficult than they are. Nature of message boards I guess, you hear about the problems, not the vast majority of cases that sail smoothly...you never heard about 99.99% of planes that land safely on the news.

But at the same time, you have to remember that you (and me and everyone else here) as the immigrants, are asking the US to do something for us, ie let us become permanent residents/citizens. It is not a right and the US has every right to say no to you.

With a few exceptions, about 3 seconds after making this request, the bitching and moaning starts. It takes too long. They ask for too much documentation. It costs too much. They ask too many questions. It's not fair. They made me upset. They rescheduled my interview when I want to take a trip. Well boo hoo, cry me a river. That is how the system works. Ever deal with the IRS and a nasty audit? You'll wish for being treated as "badly" as the USCIS treats people. As far as government bureaucracies go, these guys aren't too bad.

Making a small sacrifice like cutting a vacation short is not the end of the world. It's your choice of course and you've made it, but when the USCIS delays your case 6 months, don't come back here crying about how the delay is so awful.


klmasters said:
I see your point, and I was amazed that they rescheduled so soon - I figured it would take months - that's certainly the impression the forums here give. It would indeed only be a few dollars to reschedule the flights and cut the trip in half (or almost). That's not really the point though. I think we're forgetting in this process though that we do all have a right to a life - just because we're not American Citizens doesn't mean everything else has to be put on hold. Obviously the USCIS has a lot of cases to deal with, and rescheduling will cause some extra hassle, so shouldn't be done lightly - but I'm not talking about feeling like not going that day - we're talking about major changes to a long planned trip... I wonder if maybe in these forums it looks worse than it really is because people only post when they have problems? You all seem very alarmist about rescheduling interviews. I spoke today to the international advisor at the university I work at and she was very calm about it and told me that as long as I follow the procedure they lay out to reschedule and keep a record of what I sent and the date I sent it it should all work out fine. So I did that today, and I am leaving on Monday. I doubt that we will hear back from the USCIS before we get back from China but I have a friend checking the mail in case. I understand that this will delay the case further, but I'm willing to accept that trade off.
Click to expand...
 
I totally agree with you guys. My husband and I are flying back from freakin Afghanistan for a week to attend the interview, which was scheduled much sooner than I thought. You think that's cheap or convenient? No, but for me my green card is more important than anything else (barring family emergencies). Immigrants like us have no right to feel entitled when it's not appropriate.
 
Well I'm back safey from my trip. I apologise for not responding earlier to all the comments, but I was in China. I guess I caused a small storm!

I'll start with an apology. I honestly didn't mean to be rude by calling other posters "alarmists" or anything else I said (but I see that it can be taken that way). I was interested in an actual debate about if we're all just getting too stressed about this. It has been very stressful for me, and I'm apt to get over worried about it I think.

As cherr1980 said I probably was just looking to hear that it was OK for me to go on my trip - and lucky me I got that advice from a lawyer a the university international student and scolar office. So I went, albeit with many misgivings based on concern about what I was doing from postings here. Perhaps I was wasting the forum's time since I was looking for this one answer, but on the other hand you're all posting voluntarily right...? Also I appreciate eddie_d's comments about the nature of message boards being that you only hear the problems. I'm not a usual message board frequenter, so I guess I missed that point a bit. :) Silly really since I ran across this in the first place once I started to get stressed about whether I would get my AP in time for my trip (it arrived with a week to
spare) and Googled the question!

As it turns out everything seems to have worked out fine for us. We got a letter while away asking for appearance on August 9th next week. So I guess I'm amazingly lucky on this. I hope we can use this to get back to the title of the post - is there anyone else out there with actual experience with rescheduling? Do we know any real or anecdotal evidence of people who suffered terrible problems because they rescheduled? All I could find on the internet was a woman who rescheduled twice because her husband was posted overseas in the US military. In her case it extended the process by several months - which was what I expected for the outcome of my rescheduling. I have been amazed on both occasions how quickly the interview was rescheduled for me (FYI it's Boston DO).

I would also like to debate anjafromsweden's comment that we have no rights to feel entitled. I do feel entitled to live with my husband (either here or in my home country of the UK). I hope that USCIS feels that it is their job to prove people are applying fraudulently and not the other way around (innocent unless proven guilty), but maybe I'm being naive. They have to be careful of course... I understand that, but if you're really married legitimately I don't see the problem.

Finally I would like to say that despite my positive experience, it really does seem like the sensible move to avoid rescheduling as much as possible as per everyone's advice. Until further experiences come a long I have to assume I've been incredibly lucky, and I have to say I did worry a bit while away about the outcome, so for peace of mind coming back early might have been better anyway. As charchamps says we all make choices in life, sometimes good, sometimes bad. I'll add that we have to accept the outcome, and in my case it has turned out OK so far.

I'll post again after the interview to let you know if they give us a hard time about the rescheduling.

FYI the trip to China was great. :) My first time in Asia.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
klmasters said:
I have to assume I've been incredibly lucky...

FYI the trip to China was great. :) My first time in Asia.
Click to expand...

Absolutely! There's no doubt about it..
Rescheduling not once, but twice.. and back in time for the interview.. this is nothing else but PURE luck :D

Glad that you were actually able to enjoy ur trip, not so much being nagged by the thought of the rescheduling process.

I saw ur post on the AP thread and have a question -
You mentioned that the POE officer just saw the forms - did you mean the AP doc only? And was Boston your POE?
 
I agree with klm... (are u dutch?)

AOS application is definitely important.
But, at least IMO, it is NOT the most important thing in our life, not even close.
USCIS have all the rights on us (we're asking for the benefit, not them), but I don't see the problem with rescheduling the interview, even twice.

There's something more important in life than getting a green card or becoming a US citizen (even though I want to do both).

My wife is taking me to the Caribbean for my 30th birthday. She paid with her internship money she's making this summer (not a lot, believe me). And also, we're going back to the Caribbean at the end of November.
Well, should I receive the interview notice in one of those days, I wouldn't even hesitate a second to reschedule it. Even twice, even three times (not that I hope it'll happen).
Even though it's not the case (we saw in klmaster's case), if USCIS decides to drop my case and not let me reapply...well, guess what! We'll go live in some other country. I'd rather be with my wife and enjoy a vacation than having a Govt agency control our lives.

Also, I'm reading that we should CUT our trips (it's not just vacation...it could be important business, it could be family emergency...) to be there at an interview that we could reschedule, but then I read people that want to sue the very same agency because their background checks are not completed in 120 days.....
You guys tell me where I'm wrong.
 
jenimmi said:
Absolutely! There's no doubt about it..
Rescheduling not once, but twice.. and back in time for the interview.. this is nothing else but PURE luck :D

Glad that you were actually able to enjoy ur trip, not so much being nagged by the thought of the rescheduling process.

I saw ur post on the AP thread and have a question -
You mentioned that the POE officer just saw the forms - did you mean the AP doc only? And was Boston your POE?
Click to expand...

Thanks I did have a nice trip, and I appreciate how lucky I am. :)

My POE with the AP was actually Newark (there is a Newark-Beijing direct flight which goes over the pole). The officer just had my passport, the two copies of AP I have and also I had filled in the white landing card (the one you normally use for entrance with a visa).
 
klmasters said:
I'll post again after the interview to let you know if they give us a hard time about the rescheduling.
Click to expand...

So just to finish the story we had the interview this morning and my Greencard was approved. There was not a single question about the rescheduling of the previous two dates. We had a very friendly officer, who was very excited by our wedding photos and even called in another (soon to be married) officer to come look at the pictures of my dress. The photos were all we were asked for as proof of our marriage, although we did also show her the marriage certificate. We had all sorts of stuff with us, but none was asked for.

She took away my I94, my AP and EAD card (which I didn't even have to use yet), and told me that since the biometrics and name check are all done I should get the Greencard in the post within 2 weeks. :)
 
klmasters said:
So just to finish the story we had the interview this morning and my Greencard was approved. There was not a single question about the rescheduling of the previous two dates. We had a very friendly officer, who was very excited by our wedding photos and even called in another (soon to be married) officer to come look at the pictures of my dress. The photos were all we were asked for as proof of our marriage, although we did also show her the marriage certificate. We had all sorts of stuff with us, but none was asked for.

She took away my I94, my AP and EAD card (which I didn't even have to use yet), and told me that since the biometrics and name check are all done I should get the Greencard in the post within 2 weeks. :)
Click to expand...

Congratulations!
You definitely deserved it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top