Second fingerprint and interview question

[cardnotgreen]

Hi folks, as you can see from my signature, I am stuck in name check since over a year. Starting Jan '09, I will be out of the country on a temporary assignment for about 3 months. I will have a friend monitor the mailbox for any communication. So, I see either of the two things happening when I am away:
1. I get the interview letter directly.
2. I get a second fingerprint notice first.
3. Or in true USCIS style, nothing happens in the 3 months ;-) and I can get back to twiddling my thumbs.

If I don't get the interview letter and get the second fingerprint notice, I don't want to come back twice, once for second fingerprint and another time for the interview, if they come one after another in a short span of time, during my stay overseas.
My plan is to hold off on coming back when I get the fingerprint notice and then when I get the interview letter, come here and get fingerprints done a couple of days before the interview date.
I would like to know if sending the interview letter is dependent on the second fingerprint, meaning only if they get the second fingerprint will they send the interview letter. In which case I may have to make the trip for fingerprints and hope that the interview letter will follow at the end of my trip overseas.

 

[Bobsmyth]

Your original FP are valid for 15 months, so you wouldn't get a 2nd FP notice unless they expired (in ~April 2009), or if the original ones weren't good.
Call USCIS up at the 1-800 number, choose options 1-2-3 and tell the rep that it's been more than 30 days since you applied and haven't received a receipt number. Don't tell rep anything else. The rep will transfer your call to an IO who will be able to provide you with a more current update.
Specifically ask the IO what the status of your FP and name checks are and go from there.