Close call! Biometric apptt in 8 days!

[IrinaNMike 0]

I was stunned today when Irina received a biometric appointment for a date that is only 8 days away. On the appointment slip was a warning that if she fails to show up, her applicaion will be considered 'abandoned'. Irina and I travel a lot, and we have just returned from a two-week vacation. I hate to think what might have happened to us if the appointment notice had arrived two weeks ago.

Since we're at home now, we will have no problem appearing for the appointment, but I am posting this for the benefit of others who are applying for Removal of Conditions and might not realize that they have to watch their mailboxes very carefully. I certainly wasn't expecting such short notice.

[Tex'n'Brit 0]

I was stunned today when Irina received a biometric appointment for a date that is only 8 days away. On the appointment slip was a warning that if she fails to show up, her applicaion will be considered 'abandoned'. Irina and I travel a lot, and we have just returned from a two-week vacation. I hate to think what might have happened to us if the appointment notice had arrived two weeks ago.

Since we're at home now, we will have no problem appearing for the appointment, but I am posting this for the benefit of others who are applying for Removal of Conditions and might not realize that they have to watch their mailboxes very carefully. I certainly wasn't expecting such short notice.

I agree, it's yet another example of how mysterious the whole USCIS system seems to be.

I also got my NOA/Biometrics letter today, though my appointment's on the 17th of April - only 9 days away (although it is 14 days after the 'Notice Date' on the letter.) Just supposing I'd managed to drag my darling hubby away for two weeks, who knows what kind of state I'd have been in coming home and reading that line in the letter saying they would consider my case abandoned if I didn't show up!

I - like everyone else here - want to get through the immigration process as quickly as possible, but I do think the USCIS really should send out all appointment letters at least 25 days in advance. That would allow for some mailing time and three week vacationers (not too many in this country! ). Giving less than 10 days advance notice is crazy, specially since everyone then seems to have to wait for many, many months from then onwards for the actual adjudication. But I'm probably being unfair - they must have created some kind of 'fast track' for a select few of us and we'll whizz through the whole process in weeks!?!? Or not.

Edited April 9, 2008 by Tex'n'Brit

[Gulskjegg 0]

Bingo! They did the same for us. But, ours was 2 days from the day we got the letter and we were at that very moment packing up the car to leave for a 6 month vacation in Canada.

Only after it was all over did we find out we could have called the local office and rescheduled the biometrics for a more convenient time for us. If there is a problem, you may want to call your local office. Our local office returns about 50% of our calls, which is spectacular customer service for the USCIS.

[Tex'n'Brit 0]

Bingo! They did the same for us. But, ours was 2 days from the day we got the letter and we were at that very moment packing up the car to leave for a 6 month vacation in Canada.

Only after it was all over did we find out we could have called the local office and rescheduled the biometrics for a more convenient time for us. If there is a problem, you may want to call your local office. Our local office returns about 50% of our calls, which is spectacular customer service for the USCIS.

Wow - I don't even want to imagine the potential problems or consequences of a letter giving a few days notice arriving a day after one left home for six months ... ??? (Unless a kind neighbour or friend was checking the mail every single day ...)

Edited April 9, 2008 by Tex'n'Brit

[Collie 122]

Thats good to know. We will be filing our I-751 packet at the end of April and will be on a cruise during mid May, and I just hope that the letter won't come while we are away.

Kat

[Tex'n'Brit 0]

Thats good to know. We will be filing our I-751 packet at the end of April and will be on a cruise during mid May, and I just hope that the letter won't come while we are away.

Kat

It looks as though you have two options, depending on your 90 window. Either postpone filing until a week or so before your cruise (you'll still have plenty of time to deal with any hiccups with the filing/RFEs, since your green card appears to be valid 'til sometime in August), or go ahead and file when you intended to and then arrange with that kind neighbour or friend to check your mail every day while you're away. (The USCIS uses official branded envelopes, so it's a 'no brainer' to spot.)

The letter I have only offers a mail option for postponing, so - if I were you - I would check with customer services (1-800-375-5283) before deciding how to proceed. You can confirm whether or not one can postpone an appointment by phone, and exactly how to go about doing so, if necessary. (Of course another VJ'er may well have already done so and will provide that info for you.)

Anyway - Have a great trip!

Sheila

Edited April 9, 2008 by Tex'n'Brit

[bob71 0]

I wonder what happens with the appointment notices that are lost in mail and never arrive to destination. Are those applicants, that have been waiting for months, automatically disqualified? Are they being notified? Given any right to clarify things?

[jamieswith 0]

I wonder what happens with the appointment notices that are lost in mail and never arrive to destination. Are those applicants, that have been waiting for months, automatically disqualified? Are they being notified? Given any right to clarify things?

You can always appeal... but that's just a whole other mess.

Maybe I'm just going to call once per month until I hear something.

[sukie175 0]

Ha - and there I was not worrying about Removing Conditions, should have known the USCIS would change all that!

[Gulskjegg 0]

That one event shook us from our fantasy of "freedom" and into the reality of "prison". We have gotten one email from USCIS, nothing more. Phone calls are returned on a 50/50 basis. Cost are outrageous, by design. Decisions are arbitrary, at best. Your entire life hangs on a roll of the dice.

My wife and I constantly talk about all the things we COULD have done these last 3 years. Go back to Ukraine, spend more time in Canada, visit my relatives on the east coast. But no, we sit and wait for USCIS. I cant really work on expanding my business, because it would require travel or even relocation.

We have a strong marriage, but this is a time in our relationship we would very much like to put behind us. That being said, perhaps its like the military. You dream about the day you ETS, and you enjoy the freedom all the more. Ive alot of pent up energy that I plan to put to good use, so maybe its for the better.