Biometrics scheduled on short notice and going to miss appt!!

[driggedy 1]

Wife (LPR) and I (USC) filed N-400 on April 4. We had a trip planned where I would be gone for a week and her gone for two weeks. We had assumed from previous experience that the biometrics appt notice schedules at least 3-4 weeks out, so we thought this would be safe. It turns out the notice was postmarked on April 19 and the appt scheduled for tomorrow, May 2. This notice did not arrive before I left on April 22 and I saw it only today when I got back. Wife is not back for another week and is going to inevitably miss the appointment. What is the best course of action for us to take?

[BigDaddy28 228]

I would take the biometric letter and take your marriage certificate to prove you are related and see if they will change it for you. I'm almost sure they will deny you since you are not the applicant, but I could be wrong.

[JimmyHou 614]

Wife (LPR) and I (USC) filed N-400 on April 4. We had a trip planned where I would be gone for a week and her gone for two weeks. We had assumed from previous experience that the biometrics appt notice schedules at least 3-4 weeks out, so we thought this would be safe. It turns out the notice was postmarked on April 19 and the appt scheduled for tomorrow, May 2. This notice did not arrive before I left on April 22 and I saw it only today when I got back. Wife is not back for another week and is going to inevitably miss the appointment. What is the best course of action for us to take?

I guess the letter was delayed but the appointment is inline with most biometrics appointments; for the last year or so, biometrics appointments have been scheduled for 3-5 weeks after applying.

If your wife is in the U.S., you can scan and send her a copy and have her walk in to the nearest Application Support Center. A few applicants have done this successfully. Last year for example, an applicant in Los Angeles went in for biometrics somewhere on the East Coast. However, some offices don't allow walk ins so this is not a guaranteed solution.

If your wife is abroad or if there is no ASC nearby or if they don't let her do a walk in, then you can return the letter and ask for a new appointment. Chances are that they may, in the meantime, send you a letter about missing your appointment. Before sending back the letter, your wife should call and explain the situation.

There's also the option of doing a late walk-in when she returns, but I would advise calling USCIS first if you want to try this.

[driggedy 1]

Just to close the loop on this:

She obviously missed the appointment. Called USCIS and they said if you send the rescheduling notice day of or even a few days after it should be fine. On the day of the appointment we overnighted the notice to reschedule and a few weeks later got a new appointment notice! (Again with the appointment scheduled only about a week after the date of delivery)