my wife got her date for the naturalization test...she is traveling for a month

[ptm897 41]

How far do you live from the Field Office where the interview is? My suggestion is to always go in person and hand deliver the request to reschedule and make copies of the proof she is going to be out of the country. Rescheduling the first appointment is easier than a second interview for people that have not passed a portion of the history/civics test or English requirements and the office sees that as a possible attempt to delay things because they still can't speak English or are not prepared to take the test again, but for the first time appointment, if you have a valid reason why it needs to be rescheduled, like you will be on vacation and tickets are already purchased, we will go ahead and reschedule those, but it does take probably another 1-3 months sometimes for it to drop back into queue and wait for a reschedule.

Sometimes the mail and it getting delivered to the file isn't always the fastest in some of our offices, so I would always tell people when I was still interviewing in Citizenship, that if you can possibly take the time to go in person to our Field office and go up to the receptionist desk and turn the request to reschedule in person to them, make copies of everything so you have an actual copy of the appointment letter for your own records and ask the receptionist to date and time stamp your copy of the letter showing that you came in and dropped it off on a certain day and time. This way you have proof that our office received the reschedule request in advance to the appointment.

I hope this helps!!!

[metsphan23 2]

Well there's not really a place to find out this information other then this website. We already sent our request overnight mail on Tuesday. Even the my uscis website has changed. What should we do if we don't get any kind of notice by a few days before the scheduled interview?

[ptm897 41]

Well there's not really a place to find out this information other then this website. We already sent our request overnight mail on Tuesday. Even the my uscis website has changed. What should we do if we don't get any kind of notice by a few days before the scheduled interview?

Did you make a copy of the appointment notice for your own records before you sent in the request to reschedule? You should always have a copy for yourself and never send in the only copy back to us. Take that copy and go down to the office and turn in the reschedule request in person. It's OK if you already mailed it in, and you probably won't hear anything before she leaves for vacation, but just to be on the safe side, if you are going to be here in the states when she goes, you can always show up on her interview date with another copy of the appointment notice and again let them know that day of her appointment that she is on vacation and you are turning in her request to reschedule. During my 10 years of interviewing citizenship I had many applicant's send their spouse or another family member to our office the day of their interview with their appointment letter and they would turn it in at the receptionist desk with the request for reschedule. Have your wife sign the statement and turn it in. Our office never had a problem with it, and sometimes they would even tell the receptionist they wanted to speak to the officer that was assigned the case that day, and they would call me in my office to let me know someone wanted to give something to me. Now, I was always a very nice and accommodating Officer and I always went above and beyond to help people out especially if they made the effort that day to show up on behalf of their family member to let me know they were asking for a reschedule. It doesn't hurt to just show up at the office. Applicants have always found a way to get up to our floor and speak to the receptionist and people turn in reschedule requests all the time. Also, you can go to your Federal U.S. Senator's office or U.S. House of Representatives Office and ask them to contact the field office on your behalf, you wife would have to do this since she is the applicant. Every Federal congressional office has a liaison in their office that does inquiries to Immigration, and our offices have a congressional unit in which we respond to those congressionals. You can have the Senator or House member's staff do a congressional asking for the reschedule as well. Most of the congressional inquiries are now done quickly through email. They can email both the NBC and the Field Office. Most of the time the files are sent to the Field office about a week or so before the interview, the interview letters usually come in the mail about 2 weeks or so before the scheduled interview sometimes a longer time frame is given, so if they notify both the NBC and the Field office about the reschedule request someone is bound to get it and make sure it gets rescheduled.

I hope all of this is helpful !!

[metsphan23 2]

Well my wife travels in a few hours, and I travel in two weeks, so actually neither of us will be here on the actual interview day.

And yes, she made a copy of the interview notice. I'm not sure what else to do ...

Edited November 26, 2016 by metsphan23

[ptm897 41]

Well my wife travels in a few hours, and I travel in two weeks, so actually neither of us will be here on the actual interview day.

And yes, she made a copy of the interview notice. I'm not sure what else to do ...

Ok well to go to the office before you leave in the next two weeks and make another copy of everything and bring it to the citizenship section at that field office, just as an "in case" and ask if they can date and time stamp your copy as evidence that you dropped it off. Go to the office with two copies of everything, the lawyers will do this all the time when they drop off evidence for a Request for Evidence, they will have the receptionist date and time stamp their "file copy" and will leave another copy with our office. This is the best thing I can suggest especially since you will be here for another 2 weeks. Just take the time to go to the Field Office. I hope it all works out for you :-) Good Luck!!

[metsphan23 2]

Ok well to go to the office before you leave in the next two weeks and make another copy of everything and bring it to the citizenship section at that field office, just as an "in case" and ask if they can date and time stamp your copy as evidence that you dropped it off. Go to the office with two copies of everything, the lawyers will do this all the time when they drop off evidence for a Request for Evidence, they will have the receptionist date and time stamp their "file copy" and will leave another copy with our office. This is the best thing I can suggest especially since you will be here for another 2 weeks. Just take the time to go to the Field Office. I hope it all works out for you :-) Good Luck!!

Thanks for the help. I am in NYC. So I think the local field office is federal plaza? It's ok I show up even though it's her interview? Are you allowed to just "show up" to the field office without an official appointment?

If you have general questions regarding immigration services and benefits, we recommend that you first try our website at http://www.uscis.gov/ or call our National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at -800-375-5283 (TDD: 800-767-1833). Most questions can be answered using our website or calling the NCSC.

If you wish to pick up forms or use an INFOPASS kiosk to schedule an appointment, you may go to Room 1-102 in the lobby of 26 Federal Plaza, between the hours of 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday (except federal holidays). INFOPASS appointments may also be scheduled on our website at http://www.infopass.uscis.gov/

To speak with an Immigration Services Officer, you must either have an INFOPASS appointment (http://www.infopass.uscis.gov/) or an appointment scheduled by USCIS.

If you are an attorney or an accredited representative, you must bring a signed Form G-28 ''Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative'' (rev. 4/22/09).

I think I need an appointment?

Edited November 26, 2016 by metsphan23

[metsphan23 2]

Well now I was just thinking. My wife wouldn't even be able to go to the interview because the original letter we sent back to reschedule. So I doubt that they would accept her for the interview without the original letter. Also we are still looking for our original marriage certificate as well ....

[ptm897 41]

Thanks for the help. I am in NYC. So I think the local field office is federal plaza? It's ok I show up even though it's her interview? Are you allowed to just "show up" to the field office without an official appointment?

If you have general questions regarding immigration services and benefits, we recommend that you first try our website at http://www.uscis.gov/ or call our National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at -800-375-5283 (TDD: 800-767-1833). Most questions can be answered using our website or calling the NCSC.

If you wish to pick up forms or use an INFOPASS kiosk to schedule an appointment, you may go to Room 1-102 in the lobby of 26 Federal Plaza, between the hours of 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday (except federal holidays). INFOPASS appointments may also be scheduled on our website at http://www.infopass.uscis.gov/

To speak with an Immigration Services Officer, you must either have an INFOPASS appointment (http://www.infopass.uscis.gov/) or an appointment scheduled by USCIS.

If you are an attorney or an accredited representative, you must bring a signed Form G-28 ''Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative'' (rev. 4/22/09).

I think I need an appointment?

I Sent you a private message yesterday as I was unable to reply back, the first day I signed up here which was yesterday they restricted me to only 10 posts that day and I was all out of opportunities to reply back, please check your messages here and you will see my reply. I see you have not read that message yet.

Well now I was just thinking. My wife wouldn't even be able to go to the interview because the original letter we sent back to reschedule. So I doubt that they would accept her for the interview without the original letter. Also we are still looking for our original marriage certificate as well ....

If you have a copy of the appointment letter that will suffice, but since she is out of the country on vacation now, she won't be here for the interview, so just continue with the reschedule request, and check your private messages here to see my other reply, and don't worry so much about looking for the original marriage certificate right now, if your wife obtained her green card based on her marriage to you then there is already a copy of that in her file and the officer will have her file when they are doing the citizenship interview.

[metsphan23 2]

I Sent you a private message yesterday as I was unable to reply back, the first day I signed up here which was yesterday they restricted me to only 10 posts that day and I was all out of opportunities to reply back, please check your messages here and you will see my reply. I see you have not read that message yet.

If you have a copy of the appointment letter that will suffice, but since she is out of the country on vacation now, she won't be here for the interview, so just continue with the reschedule request, and check your private messages here to see my other reply, and don't worry so much about looking for the original marriage certificate right now, if your wife obtained her green card based on her marriage to you then there is already a copy of that in her file and the officer will have her file when they are doing the citizenship interview.

So if I try next week to go to the local office and reschedule, and they deny me entry or something, when we are both out of the country in a few weeks, should we come back to the interview? We don't have the original letter and I'd hate to pay 1000 dollars in change fees to come back and they say "that's not the original letter, you need to reschedule"...

[ptm897 41]

So if I try next week to go to the local office and reschedule, and they deny me entry or something, when we are both out of the country in a few weeks, should we come back to the interview? We don't have the original letter and I'd hate to pay 1000 dollars in change fees to come back and they say "that's not the original letter, you need to reschedule"...

Having a copy of the appointment notice is perfectly fine, attorneys do this all the time to their clients, they fax or email them a copy of the letter if the original letter goes to the attorney office, so a copy is just fine, sometimes the attorneys can't make it that day for whatever reason so they will fax a copy to their client, it happens a lot so it's not a problem,

are you saying that there is a chance that your wife may just fly back early from vacation to come to the interview? If she does that then sure just show up with the copy of the letter, Can I ask a few more questions though, how far in advance did this appointment letter come? When is her interview scheduled for? You said that she left yesterday for vacation so I'm wondering when the appointment is scheduled for? The thing is that because you did mail in an appointment reschedule request, I really have no idea how quickly they will act on that, if the interview is still about 3-4 weeks away and by some chance the NBC gets the reschedule and they end up not even forwarding the file to the Field office for the interview then if she decides to fly back there is a chance that day if she shows up her file might not even be there because the reschedule request was received in time to cancel that appointment and then they wouldn't have sent the file to the field office.

What date is her interview scheduled for, and where did you mail the reschedule request to? The NBC address or the Field Office that has her case? I'm curious as to which address you mailed it to.

[metsphan23 2]

Having a copy of the appointment notice is perfectly fine, attorneys do this all the time to their clients, they fax or email them a copy of the letter if the original letter goes to the attorney office, so a copy is just fine, sometimes the attorneys can't make it that day for whatever reason so they will fax a copy to their client, it happens a lot so it's not a problem,

are you saying that there is a chance that your wife may just fly back early from vacation to come to the interview? If she does that then sure just show up with the copy of the letter, Can I ask a few more questions though, how far in advance did this appointment letter come? When is her interview scheduled for? You said that she left yesterday for vacation so I'm wondering when the appointment is scheduled for? The thing is that because you did mail in an appointment reschedule request, I really have no idea how quickly they will act on that, if the interview is still about 3-4 weeks away and by some chance the NBC gets the reschedule and they end up not even forwarding the file to the Field office for the interview then if she decides to fly back there is a chance that day if she shows up her file might not even be there because the reschedule request was received in time to cancel that appointment and then they wouldn't have sent the file to the field office.

What date is her interview scheduled for, and where did you mail the reschedule request to? The NBC address or the Field Office that has her case? I'm curious as to which address you mailed it to.

The appointment letter came last sat, November 19th for a dec 20th interview and we mailed the letter asking for a reschedule overnight delivery to the local field office, in NYC federal plaza, and it was received last Wednesday, November 23rd. It said it was signed by someone in the mailroom

[ptm897 41]

The appointment letter came last sat, November 19th for a dec 20th interview and we mailed the letter asking for a reschedule overnight delivery to the local field office, in NYC federal plaza, and it was received last Wednesday, November 23rd. It said it was signed by someone in the mailroom

OK got it!! Thanks for that info, it really makes things easier trying to figure out what is the best course of action, I'm pretty sure by the time the mailroom gets the letter up to the clerical section for citizenship the file should be there. What usually happens is shortly after the appointment notices are printed and mailed out by the NBC they ship the files to the Field Office, so there is a slight chance that the file is currently on it's way there and should be there by next week.

When are you leaving for vacation? What I would suggest at this point if you are still worried and really want to make sure they get the reschedule letter is right before you leave try going to the office like I suggested in my private message to you, with 2 copies of the same things you mailed and drop off another reschedule request. Did the appointment letter tell you what floor to go to on that appointment notice?

I have a feeling that since you did the smart thing and sent the letter certified where you have proof of when they received it and who signed for it, you have enough proof at this point that their office received the letter in plenty of time to reschedule. But if you want to stop there yourself just to drop off another request in person I don't think there is anything wrong with that as well.

[metsphan23 2]

Ok. Yeah maybe next week I will try to go to the local office and see what I can do. I leave December 10, so I still have two more weeks. Then I meet her abroad and we both come back dec 26, so for two weeks while we are both gone no one is getting our mail besides her grandparents, who don't speak or understand English. So they are just piling up our mail. I will be tracking her case online every day. I really don't wanna spend 1000 in change fees to come back early if we did all we can do to reschedule.

[ptm897 41]

Ok. Yeah maybe next week I will try to go to the local office and see what I can do. I leave December 10, so I still have two more weeks. Then I meet her abroad and we both come back dec 26, so for two weeks while we are both gone no one is getting our mail besides her grandparents, who don't speak or understand English. So they are just piling up our mail. I will be tracking her case online every day. I really don't wanna spend 1000 in change fees to come back early if we did all we can do to reschedule.

Good idea, if you can stop by their office on Dec 8th or 9th, right before you leave and drop off another copy of the reschedule request that would be good, and please try to not worry too much, this time of December when a lot of people are traveling abroad for holidays our offices understand that and we know that there are a lot of reschedule requests and it does sound like you did the right thing in getting the request off ASAP and sending it certified with some kind of verification they received it. Try to enjoy your holidays and tell your wife not too worry about the interview. Also if she is still studying for the history civics portion a little tip, study only 5 questions at a time, for about 15 mins and then every evening just study 5 questions at a time, then in 20 days she will have all 100 memorized. :-)

[metsphan23 2]

Ok I will try next week to go to the location. I will keep you posted. Thanks for all the help.