traveling and timing for filing ROC

[Catt 6]

Hi everyone,

I haven't posted in a long time - after the adjustment of status procedure, I really needed to take a break from the American immigration red tape. A year and a half, and a baby, later, I guess we are back.

The ROC procedure is coming up, and I am interested in hearing your advice, especially from the VJ veterans around here.

My Green Card is expiring mid June, so we need to file soon. Issue is that we are set to travel abroad (for one week) to attend a family function. They are still planning this, and are asking us when would be a good date between May 1st and July 1st.

We haven't booked our trip yet, and I am trying to figure out when would be the best time to file to avoid any issues with conflicting dates for biometrics and/or interview.

My husband suggested having our trip just before my green card expires, and holding off with filing either just before we leave or after we get back. I personally feel uneasy about this - I do not like leaving the country so close to the deadline, plus I definitely do not want to wait until the last moment of the 90 day window to file. Because what if something happens (like it gets lost in the mail, or other issues I can't imagine at this time. It is good to have extra time, just in case things have to be resent.)

So I'm thinking filing mid March, as soon as I can, and planning our trip/having them plan the event at the end of June.

We will be filing at the Vermont Service Center, and if I can get a rough idea from the recent timelines, it looks like the NOA1 come fairly quickly and biometrics are usually done at least within 3 months from filing.

And I read on here a few days ago that interviews for ROC are rather rare.

So what would you do if you were in my shoes? When would you file, and for when would you book the trip?

And I know from personal experience with AOS, that changing interview dates is very very hard to do (my husband was deployed, I couldn't change the date but they let me go to the interview by myself) but that was at a different local CIS office). Is the same true for a biometrics appointment, or has anyone here already changed that date successfully?

Any thoughts (apart from postpone the trip, yes, I know that would obviously be easiest, but that is not an option) would really be appreciated, I want to be as prepared as I can.

Thanks in advance

Katrien

[Anh map 2,098]

You may file no earlier than 90 days prior to the expiration of your current GC. After filing you will receive a receipt that extends the validity of your GC for one year. If you travel during this period simply have that letter with you along with your GC so that you can reenter the US.

[Catt 6]

Thank you for your reply.

I am aware of all this, and that was not really the question, the question was about timing and possibility to change biometrics appt. date.