odd letter from Immigration and Naturalization Service

P

postholedigger

Registered Users (C)
Hi! I'm new the the forum. I have an odd situation that I hope someone could either explain to me or give me some idea what I should do. Thanks in advance for the listening ear.

I entered the country on Oct 19, 2006
Filed for AOS on grounds that my spouse is a USC on Jan 17, 2006
I went in for biometrics on Feb 28, 2006
I changed address with AR-11 on May 30
We went in for the interview at Garden City on Aug 3, 2006 (yesterday)

At the interview the agent was very nice and helpful. She also told me that this would be the last interview and that all that needed to be done now was the back-ground security check and that the GC should arrive in 6 to 8 weeks.

We got home yesterday and found a letter from the Department of Homeland Security which stated that I have an appointment to appear there on September 18th.

Needless to say we are kind of confused as we were told everything was in order and that all we needed to do was wait till the GC arrived. Also there were a few things that didn't look quite right on the form such as the paper used, over-use of capital letters in an official letter, time for the appointment listed as 1:00:01PM, etc. I will list the contents of the letter in its entirety here (except for my personal information).


Envelope:
Top Right:
Department of Homeland Security
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
711 Stewart Avenue
Garden City, N.Y. 11530
____________________________
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300

Letter:
On regular green colored paper. No tamper or copy-proof designs or background seals. Lettering almost entirely in all capital letters. Contains no form or letter number or name.

Top Right:
Department of Justice seal

Top Left: U.S. Department of Justice
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services

711 Stewart Avenue
Garden City, N.Y. 11530

Main part of letter:
My name, address, file number (has my A# printed as my "file number"), and date 7/27/2006
Please come to the office shown below at the time and place indicated in connection with an official matter.

Table:
Office Location: 711 Stewart Avenue Garden City, N.Y. 11530 Room No. Sec. 245 Floor No. 2nd.
Date and Hour: 9/18/2006 1:00:01PM
Ask For: District Adjudication Officer
Reason for Appointment: Adjustment of Status
Bring with you: See Attachments
End Table:

Non-English speaking applicants -- in order for the Service to schedule a translator for your appointment, you must indicate below language and dialect you require, along with a daytime phone number, and return a copy of this letter to the above address. Without this information, the Service will not be able to conduct your interview.

Language and dialect_______________Daytime phone______________

It is important that you keep this appointment and bring this letter with you. If you are unable to do so, state your reason, sign below and return this letter.

Warning: If you consider departing from the United States to any country, including Canada or Mexico, before a decision is made on your application, consult with this office before departure from the United States will result in termination of your application.

Table: I am unable to keep the appointment because:
Signature:
Date:
End Table

Attorney Name:
Attorney Address:

If someone out there thinks the attachment is necessary to be listed here, I can type it up for you. It's listed as a "Supplemental Information for Filing I-485"
This is printed (photocopied) on normal A4 sheets of paper. A really dirty/splotchy/spotted photocopy job (not really something I was expecting from USCIS).

I tried calling the USCIS hotline and was told that without seeing the letter they couldn't tell me for sure if I could ignore it or not and whether or not my application would be terminated if I didn't show up for that meeting.

I tried calling the Garden City office to get in touch with the agent that interviewed my wife and I. I was asked by the automated operator for an extension (which I don't have) and then it says the operator is not there and then "exits the system" (or rather, hangs up on you).

Can anyone tell me what this is, if they've gotten something like it, if there's something I can do about it, if I can take care of it without having to go all the way to Garden City (I live around 5 hours away from there). Thanks so so much.
 
Schedule an INFOPASS asap!

If you live in Manhattan, the appointment will be at Federal Plaza downtown (no need to go to Long Island).
 
Is there a way around Infopass? If I went to the office (Federal Plaza or Garden City) would I be turned away or is there a way I could queue up and get an appointment right then and there?
 
Schedule an Infopass - ask the I/O what the letter means.

The letter you received does not sound like an AOS Interview letter, Check your application status online and check your mail for the welcome letter ( If your AOS was approved and name check cleared ) .

If you did not receive any more information, this could very well be a STOKES interview , or perhaps a computer data problem that generated a letter ....

My DO takes in walk-in for infopass on a wait basis. Fill a appointment information sheet and wait till they call your name .....

Please keep us informed as this is a %${*&}^[]&*(@#^&#! letter ..


Good Luck ..
 
ps182 said:
Schedule an Infopass - ask the I/O what the letter means.

The letter you received does not sound like an AOS Interview letter, Check your application status online and check your mail for the welcome letter ( If your AOS was approved and name check cleared ) .

If you did not receive any more information, this could very well be a STOKES interview , or perhaps a computer data problem that generated a letter ....

My DO takes in walk-in for infopass on a wait basis. Fill a appointment information sheet and wait till they call your name .....

Please keep us informed as this is a %${*&}^[]&*(@#^&#! letter ..


Good Luck ..
Click to expand...

I am puzzled by the letter -- what does the supplement ask for? It appears like a request for additional information "interview letter", but it could have been sent erroneously. The only way to know would be an Infopass or to show up for the "interview".
 
it is SO odd, but then to show up for an interview would mean another 8 hours of travelling....it really is a wierd letter...
 
I got the same letter!!!

I got the same kind of letter, also dated July 27, but from the Fairfax VA district office. Same thing, totally unofficial looking, typos, no "to reschedule, call" or anything. Just a bad photocopy job with a change of address form attached to it. It didn't have my I-485 application nuber on it, but it did have my A#. I have not had my first interview yet, it's on August 24. The second letter said we have an interview on Sep 14. I tried calling, but nobody knows anything, they told me to write a letter. A LETTER! I'm calling the rescheduling people tonight to see if they know. Anyways, let's both post as we find out what this letter is. I am also traveling far for the interview (from Afghanistan).
 
Did you also filled the form AR-11, may be that is the reason why you guys are getting the second letter.
 
Yes, i just filed AR-11 since I recently moved (within the same city)! What makes you ask that?! What's the connection between the AR-11 and the second, unofficial looking interview letter? Will we have to go to the second interview? I've never heard of anyone with two green card interviews. I can't wait to hear back from you--I need to make travel plans for this whole ordeal. Thank you!
 
Is this a phenomenon linked to filing AR-11? Has anyone else had this happen to them besides Anja and I?

The supplement says:

Supplemental Information for filing I-485
Unmarried minor children of USC's
Parents of USC's
Certain employment based preferences and
Derivative spouse and children

1. Medical Exam (I-693) completed by a medical doctor on the INS list, signed by you and the doctor. If you are unable to have an x-ray due to pregnancy, the doctor on the INS list may be willing to give:
-A time test or
-A PPD test (Purified Protein Derivative)

2. Evidence of financial support:
-Job letters on Letterhead paper.
-Pay statements for past two months.
-Current and Previous W-2's.
-Bank letters on bank stationery for all accounts (showing title of account(s) date opened, current balance).
If you are supported by someone else, all the above must be submitted with their affidavit of support (I-134) completely executed and notarized.

If you have been in the U.S. more than three months, submit sworn affidavits and supporting documentation (as above) showing how you supported yourself or were supported since your arrival in the U.S.

3. If you or your spouse has ever recieved and public assistance (welfare, food stamps, SSI, Medicaid, etc.) submit evidence from the department of social services that you are no longer recieving assistance. Also, submit verification from the department of social services that they are aware of your marital status and the date you married.

4. If you have ever been arrested by anyone, anywhere for any reason whether there was a dismissal an exoneration, a guilty plea or a conviction, you must submit complete documentary evidence of the disposition of your case with your application. This applies even if you are arrested between the date you file your application and the date you are notified of action taken on your case.

5. Original or certified copies of supporting documents must be submitted. A certified English translation must be submitted for every foreign language document.

6. Form G-325A completely filled out.

7. Color Photos and fingerprint charts (FD 258) - Although the instructions on the application require that you submit two (2) photographs and one (1) fingerprint chart, it is highly recommended and strongly suggested that you submit four (4) photographs and two (2) fingerprint charts when you file your application for Adjustment of Status. This will avoid any unnecessary delay in completing your coase and additional trips to this office if your fingerprint chart is rejected by the FBI for any reason or the Texas card facility in Arlington, Texas, cannot issue I-551 (alien registration card) to you because the photograph has been damaged.

8. Every applicant under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to the interview, if one is scheduled.

9. I-130 visa petition and appropriate supporting documents or notice of an approved relative visa petition.

or

Notice of an approved I-140 visa petition accompanied by original or certified copies of supporting documents and evidence that the pricipal alien will continue employment with the same individual or firm for whom he or she is lawfully employed as a nonimmigrant (E.G. Hs Ls Es) (Submit a copy of nonimmigrant visa from alien's passport)

Note: You must comply with these instructions as well as those on the I-485 application itself.

United States Department of Justice Immigration and Naturalization Service.
26 Federal Plaza New York, NY 10278

Adjustment of Status (Spouse Cases)

1. Birth certificate
2. Identification for the petitioner
3. Beneficiary's passport and form I-94 (arrival record)
4. Social security cards for petitioner and beneficiary
5. Birth certificates for all children of petitioner and beneficiary
6. Leases on all apartments that petitioner and beneficiary have occupied, with rent reciepts
7. Hospital cards, union books, insurance policies, pay vouchers, bank books, charge cards showing the names of the petitioner and beneficiary
8. Affidavit of support
9. Letters from employers of petitioner and beneficiary on employer's letterhead, signed by an official of the firm stating date employment began, marital status, dependents claimed, whom to notify in case of emergency, and amount of salary
10. Federal, state and city income tax returns, signed and dated, as well as authenticated by the agency that accepted them for the years that beneficiary and petitionerhave been married
11. Marriage registration from the civil authorities
12. Wedding pictures of petitioner and beneficiary
13. Any snapshots taken of petitioner and benficiary together since their marriage
 
postholedigger said:
Is this a phenomenon linked to filing AR-11? Has anyone else had this happen to them besides Anja and I?

No, this is not linked to AR11. Much more likely that this was sent erroneously to you - INFOPASS is in order.
Click to expand...
 
I called the USCIS customer service line again yesterday, and the woman said that she's "never heard of such a thing", that interview notices usualy come on official USCIS letterhead, and that there's no way we have to go to both interviews. She also told me to send a letter asking them to clarify, which I have done, but I don't expect hearing back until we leave for the US on the 17th. So my plan is to go to the Aug 24 interview and hope that they'll take us. Once there, I'll ask what the second letter is about. Postholedigger, what's your plan? You doing an Infopass? Would love to hear what you find out.
 
I've been trying to get through to the office in Garden City to try and get an appointment with the agent that interviewed us first but it seems like if you don't have an extension, all you get is an automated response on how to get to the GC office by car and then it hangs up on you. I will probably either go to Federal Plaza in Manhattan some time soon and hope they can do something for me without an infopass appointment or I'll just have to show up for the interview. One other idea I had was if I got my green card by that time, I can just phone and tell them "I have my green card already! What the hell is this other interview?"
 
So I went to Federal Plaza to try and get a walk in appointment. The screening agent told everyone that without an infopass appointment you can't talk to an agent. I managed to show him my letter and he told me that it WAS pretty odd since I'd already been "penned in" (when they write a pre-approval in your passport) but without actually going to the interview that I've been summoned to they wouldn't be able to tell me if I would have been able to skip the interview.
Anja, I think if you take the letter to your first interview, they'd be able to tell you for sure if you can skip it since they'll have your entire file right there during the interview.
As for me, I think the only options left are to either:
1.) Play the "I already have a green card" card once it arrives (or when the welcome letter arrives)
2.) Actually show up for the interview.
 
When you guys filled the AR-11 did you include a copy of the letters from uscis? may be they are not sure of your status. if you had included those letter from uscis they would not have requested for you to come for an intreview
 
justnew said:
When you guys filled the AR-11 did you include a copy of the letters from uscis? may be they are not sure of your status. if you had included those letter from uscis they would not have requested for you to come for an intreview
Click to expand...
I assumed that USCIS was on top of things like that. I guess I should have sent it in with the form. The AR-11 needs to get sent in and then you have to call USCIS and tell them over the phone as well. I did both and let the agent on the line know everything I knew at the time (I didn't have the first interview date at the time. It came in the mail a few days later).
 
Here's a new twist might really piss you off. I know it really annoyed me.

I just got another letter from USCIS identical to the first interview letter (the one telling me and my wife to go to Garden City. An interview I already went to.) except it has my new address and tells me to go to a different office (Troy, Schenectady). If I attend this interview as well, it will be the third interview I will have attended.

1st letter- August 3rd interview date, Garden City
2nd letter- September 19th interview date, Garden City
3rd letter- September 15th interview date, Troy Schenectady

I have NO CLUE what's going on...
Will I EVER get a green card or will I recieve endless letters requesting I show up for an interview?
 
Hey, PHD... you sellin any of those interview letters?

Thars ppl down South what'd pay dearly fer jist one.

Think they'd notice if somebody else showed up? ;)

(Sorry, I couldn't resist. I know this is absolutely horrific that USCIS could be THAT f*** up, but good lord man, you have three interview letters ! ) :eek:
 
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