Service center scheduling Interviews at DO

[Bayern]

I heard that the service center holds the N-400 application till FP & namecheck is complete before scheduling Interviews and sending the application to DO.

I am little confused with this process and hoping someone here can shed some light

I called USCIS(1-800 customer service) last week to check my N-400 status. (see my timeline below) ,they told me that my FP & Name check was cleared sometime in Jan'08 and they tried to schedule an Interview around January end, but since there was no opening at the DO they have put my application in the queue and are still waiting.

What I fail to understand is did they mean that DO has temporarily stopped processing N-400 application and the service center is waiting for DO to resume N-400 processing? If not why could'nt they just schedule an appointment at the next available date or is it something like the interview appointment window are usually for specific time period (Ex 3 months, 6 months etc)?

Anyone knows what the actual process is?

===============
CSC/ San Francisco DO

PD: 10/25/07
FP: 1/2/08
FP & Namecheck: Cleared sometime in Jan'08
IL: ????

 

[popeyesailor]

How did you talk to a rep on the phone?

I don't get an option to talk to a live rep? What menu option did you select to talk to one? Did you select the options for "report a problem with your applicaton"?

Thanks

 

[Bayern]

I don't get an option to talk to a live rep? What menu option did you select to talk to one? Did you select the options for "report a problem with your applicaton"?

Thanks

Try 1-800-375-5283 and press 1, 2, 2 ,6, 2, 4 to talk to a live person.

But there is a catch. if your status is available online ( i.e by using ur Reciept #), then they will just repeat what you already see online. In my case and most others here whose case is not available online, then they will transfer you to an Immigration officer who can pull up ur status using ur A#. They were able to give me more details

 

[Atlanta_Brother]

I agree with you all the way !

Try 1-800-375-5283 and press 1, 2, 2 ,6, 2, 4 to talk to a live person.

But there is a catch. if your status is available online ( i.e by using ur Reciept #), then they will just repeat what you already see online. In my case and most others here whose case is not available online, then they will transfer you to an Immigration officer who can pull up ur status using ur A#. They were able to give me more details

Bayern,

You are absolutely right. When I had filed for my citizenship, I always got lucky coz these customer service rep used to transfer the call to the officer immediately since they were not able to see the status online and now when I call them to check the status for my wife, they never transfer me to the officer since the case status can be seen online.
I guess next time I call them I will have them look at my N-400 application which will never appear online. This way I may be able to dodge them and get my call escalated to the officer right away.

 

[Vorpal]

Bayern,

You are absolutely right. When I had filed for my citizenship, I always got lucky coz these customer service rep used to transfer the call to the officer immediately since they were not able to see the status online and now when I call them to check the status for my wife, they never transfer me to the officer since the case status can be seen online.
I guess next time I call them I will have them look at my N-400 application which will never appear online. This way I may be able to dodge them and get my call escalated to the officer right away.

Do you think there's any possible repercussion if I call and give the service reps a number that doesn't show up online to get them to transfer me to an IO?

 

[vlorak]

vorpal,
my case status does not appear online either. the first time i called about a week ago the man i spoke to said N400 receipts don't appear online and he didn't transfer my call to the IO. when i called today the lady that answered transfered my call immediately after i said my receipt number does not appear online. so you may try calling again and see if you get a willing person

 

[Vorpal]

vorpal,
my case status does not appear online either. the first time i called about a week ago the man i spoke to said N400 receipts don't appear online and he didn't transfer my call to the IO. when i called today the lady that answered transfered my call immediately after i said my receipt number does not appear online. so you may try calling again and see if you get a willing person

I'm not really planning on calling them any time soon, as I just had my InfoPass appointment a couple of weeks ago. However, if I don't receive my IL within the specified timeframe, I'd like to avoid having to get up at 5 A.M. to do another InfoPass before work. Also, my receipt no. appears online, which is why I'm wondering if they can catch me on a lie if I give a fake no. to a service rep.

 

[Jojo72]

I am confused too as I was under the impression that local DO schedule interview and oath dates, not the service center..

 

[Vorpal]

I am confused too as I was under the impression that local DO schedule interview and oath dates, not the service center..

This is the usual process (although, with USCIS, no one really knows): The service center checks for available interview dates at your DO, schedules an interview, then forwards your file to the DO. The oath, however, is scheduled by the DO itself.

 

[Jojo72]

hmm that is interesting, because the lady I talked to said she could not tell me when to expect the interview letter as the DO schedules it and she did not know how busy they were? She did say in her opinion I should hear something within 2 months. Now I do know Atlanta my DO does same day interview and oath, I wonder if that is why they would schedule it? As you said..who knows

 

[Vorpal]

hmm that is interesting, because the lady I talked to said she could not tell me when to expect the interview letter as the DO schedules it and she did not know how busy they were? She did say in her opinion I should hear something within 2 months. Now I do know Atlanta my DO does same day interview and oath, I wonder if that is why they would schedule it? As you said..who knows

Hahahahaha, there we go with the "2 months" again!

 

[OK-Boy]

It all depends on the DO; if it's a small like Wichita/KS then the NSC will do the IV and if it's a biggy like Detroit then they would conduct the both (IV plus Oath).

 

[sh1996]

I'm not really planning on calling them any time soon, as I just had my InfoPass appointment a couple of weeks ago. However, if I don't receive my IL within the specified timeframe, I'd like to avoid having to get up at 5 A.M. to do another InfoPass before work. Also, my receipt no. appears online, which is why I'm wondering if they can catch me on a lie if I give a fake no. to a service rep.

My application number doesn't show up online or on the phone, so not an issue, but if you have more detailed questions the agent can't answer (status of name check, dates notices were sent, etc.) just ask to talk to an IO. Some agents will hassle you more than others. One asked me if I was "demanding" to talk to an IO and that she could only transfer me if I was demanding. Of course, I said yes. *shrug* Noticed that some IOs are more helpful than others as well. If you get a nasty one, try calling again.

 

[Vorpal]

My application number doesn't show up online or on the phone, so not an issue, but if you have more detailed questions the agent can't answer (status of name check, dates notices were sent, etc.) just ask to talk to an IO. Some agents will hassle you more than others. One asked me if I was "demanding" to talk to an IO and that she could only transfer me if I was demanding. Of course, I said yes. *shrug* Noticed that some IOs are more helpful than others as well. If you get a nasty one, try calling again.

I actually just did that a half an hour ago, and got a decent rep. He connected me to an IO, who told me that I'm still in queue for interview, and was added to the queue on January 30.

 

[ReturnHome]

Vorpal, you are lucky to get a good Rep. I just talked and got a nasty one. She said my case is well in process time and it will be out of time after 129 days . She even said, I may not even get a IL until after 129 days which made me really mad . During last InfoPass, IO said, I should expect to get IL by April 15. I guess I need to learn to be patient which is difficult..

 

[ReturnHome]

BTW, What did you say to request to connect to IO?

 

[Vorpal]

BTW, What did you say to request to connect to IO?

I politely asked if it's possible for me to speak to an IO over the phone, instead of scheduling an InfoPass. That's all.

 

[yummyk]

I actually just did that a half an hour ago, and got a decent rep. He connected me to an IO, who told me that I'm still in queue for interview, and was added to the queue on January 30.

Vorpal - did they give you an estimate for when an interview would actually be scheduled? In other words, you are "in the queue" for an interview, but since your name check cleared you already knew that. The more pressing issue at this point is how long the actual queue for an interview is and when you might expect to see an IL. Did they give you the 1-2 months line again?

 

[Vorpal]

Vorpal - did they give you an estimate for when an interview would actually be scheduled? In other words, you are "in the queue" for an interview, but since your name check cleared you already knew that. The more pressing issue at this point is how long the actual queue for an interview is and when you might expect to see an IL. Did they give you the 1-2 months line again?

Of course they gave me the 1-2 month timeline!

The IO said that I should receive my IL within 60 days. I wonder if that number came from the same place as the 16-18 month naturalization timeframe?

 

[sh1996]

Of course they gave me the 1-2 month timeline!

The IO said that I should receive my IL within 60 days. I wonder if that number came from the same place as the 16-18 month naturalization timeframe?

Well if you were put into queue on Jan 30th and you have no IL by end of this month, you can call and see if they have a different response. Am very curious what the next level response is after the 1-2 months have passed.... Also, don't know why some IOs are stingy with info. Even though it probably isn't related to when I'll get the IL, it's somewhat comforting to know that I was put into interview scheduling queue on a specified date.