Okay - I think you are on to something here Fly-doggy-dog. Or should I just call you "Doctor Dog"?
I have been going nuts with this process and I know by most accounts when you see my case you will wonder why I'm worrying, but........ the closer you get the more agonizing it becomes. In our case, it's been close to 2 months since my wife's interview and nearly a month since mine. We have not yet received oath letters and as each day goes by, the anxiety builds up. I'm almost to the point where I can't even think of anything else - it's like everything is on hold - it's like a major mental block. And as far as the mailbox - well, lets put it this way - it's never looked cleaner on the inside - I can't remember the last time there was a piece of mail left in there past 3:45 p.m.
I know!
We applied in Sept 05. Our interview letter (for an interview the first week in May) didn't show up until the end of March - I was getting a little antsy, but, I knew they were slow.
We went on a small vacation in early/mid April and I drilled my wife on the 96 questions (she was very nervous about that). About a week later, I found out that my interview as "descheduled". That's not even a word!
So, I began a long summer of going nuts - InfoPasses once a month, trying to find a lawyer. In the end, it as all just caused by typical USCIS incompetence.
That was compounded by the fact that the USCIS was all in a tizzy trying to reduce the "backlog". In order to do that, they had redefined "backlog" as "any application that had absolutely nothing slow it down (even USCIS incompetence)". If you were on the "fast track", you could fly through the system. If you fell off for *any* reason, you weren't going to get any processing until the fiscal year ended.
Finally, I got an aid to my senator to intervene and my interview letter went out the day she phoned. 14.5 months after my PD I took my oath.
A couple of things to remember when you need to chill:
- What ever you do, make sure that you stay on the fast track (try not to reschedule things, double check the checklist before submission, anticipate the IO's questions and bring stuff to the interview to help answer them
- Whenever you get anyone involved in your case, sympathy and empathy are important. As a result:
- Don't cry wolf, wait until 6 months from PD goes by before engaging anyone, don't nag them,
- Similarly, give the USCIS 4-6 weeks to do anything - that's their "think time". I'm pretty sure it takes them 4-6 weeks to decide to tie their shoes if they come untied.
- Be very pleasant with whoever you are dealing with, particularly if you are trying to enlist them to your cause (like a congressman's or senator's immigration aid). You want them to believe that helping you right the USCIS's injustice is the best thing the can do that day
- As far as I can tell, the 800-number folks are only good in limited cases. They see the "major transactions" in your application. Other than that, all they can tell you is "your application is at stage X". The things they see are:
- You application has been entered into the system
- Your fingerprint notice has been sent
- The date on your fingerprint notice has passed
- The various checks have been completed
- Your interview letter has been sent
- The date on your interview letter has passed
- Your oath letter has been issued
- From the time your interview letter is sent (or perhaps 3-5 weeks later) until the time you take the oath, the DO is the only place where you can find out what is happening. Asking the 800 number "why was my interview 'descheduled'?" or "why is my oath letter taking so long?" is like asking your dog "why is the sky blue?" The 800-number folks don't understand those questions.
- The default answer to "why is this taking so long?" is "It's probably the FBI's fault - you are probably in name check". Passing the buck is so easy - even if it's not true
So, my advice. Sit back, open your mail every day, and, when 4-6 week have passed since your interview (about now) take an InfoPass. Don't take "oh, it's probably a security check" as an answer. Press them (politely) to find out why. I was able to convince an InfoPass officer to request my file and to go over it (in the process I found out what happens to a letter you send the DO director asking "can you tell me what happened to my file" - they find your file and stick the letter in it).
It's important to actually take the InfoPass - I've seen several cases of the USCIS mis-addressing letters or them getting lost on this forum.
Don't worry so much. You have your interview completed, and the "congratulations" checkbox checked. They will send you an oath letter. I've been reading this forum for more than a year, and I've seen no one write "I got the congratulations letter, but they threw me into Name Check hell again". And, the 120 day clock has started counting - that's the only clock in the entire process.
It's March, and it's Texas, enjoy the wonderful spring weather. And don't worry, your oath letter will come.
