My spouse received interview for N400 - out of country right now

[ApplicantHusband 0]

My spouse just received this email:

 

Interview Was Scheduled

we scheduled an interview for your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, Receipt Number IOE************. We will mail you an interview notice. Please follow any instructions in the notice. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

 

Is it possible for me to call USCIS on behalf of my spouse to reschedule the interview, since they are currently out of country and likely will not be back until late December?

Do they have to call USCIS themselves?

Edited October 4, 2018 by ApplicantHusband

[CarlHamilton 252]

Get her back pronto. 

[Russ&Caro 1,548]

With your spouse's time outside of the country, currently, are you sure he/she has fulfilled both the continuous residence and physical presence requirements? Further, he/she needs to have resided at the current address for at least 3 months. I haven't heard whether they allow for rescheduling N400 interviews because the presumption is that you're residing in the USA at the address within your application to fulfill these 3 requirements.

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

You may not want to hear it but your spouse should have been aware that the interview would be pending soon and hopefully bought a refundable plane ticket. This is th most important “interview” of her life and she should be there. No you can not call on behalf of her.

[ApplicantHusband 0]

I will try to  have her  write a letter requesting to reschedule the interview and sign it. I can then send the mail out to the regional office to reschedule the interview. Does this sound like a reasonable plan?

[Echel0n 27]

Well nobody can tell you what they will do or decide but honestly traveling when the interview will be scheduled soon what stupid idea us that? They even write you that you should not travel. Good luck but it sounds like you have wrong priorities

[CarlHamilton 252]

12 minutes ago, Echel0n said:

Well nobody can tell you what they will do or decide but honestly traveling when the interview will be scheduled soon what stupid idea us that? They even write you that you should not travel. Good luck but it sounds like you have wrong priorities

You'd be surprised, but there are lot of people who live abroad (mostly India) for as long as they legally can every year and have no intent to actually reside in the US long-term.  Not saying this is necessarily the OP"s situation, but it wouldn't be all that unusual. 

[lierre 224]

I disagree with people recommending changing travel plans just to accommodate an interview. I understand many people put their lives on hold for this, but not everyone does -- which includes me.

 

The N-400 is your spouse's application so I reckon your spouse is the only one who can request changes.

 

Wait for the letter and follow instructions on how to re-schedule. If it's necessary, maybe consider an Infopass appointment at the US Embassy in the country where he currently is.

[ApplicantHusband 0]

25 minutes ago, CarlHamilton said:

You'd be surprised, but there are lot of people who live abroad (mostly India) for as long as they legally can every year and have no intent to actually reside in the US long-term.  Not saying this is necessarily the OP"s situation, but it wouldn't be all that unusual. 

Nope. I am a US citizen. I have been out of  the country  for  a total of only 2 weeks in the  past past 5 years, so... Also, my spouse usually travels about one or two months a year out of the country. 

 

The expected completion date was in March of 2019. Therefore, we left the country planning to return by the end of the year. Didn't expect the interview to happen so quick.

[Unlockable 7,306]

11 minutes ago, ivyanddan said:

I disagree with people recommending changing travel plans just to accommodate an interview. I understand many people put their lives on hold for this, but not everyone does -- which includes me.

 

The N-400 is your spouse's application so I reckon your spouse is the only one who can request changes.

 

Wait for the letter and follow instructions on how to re-schedule. If it's necessary, maybe consider an Infopass appointment at the US Embassy in the country where he currently is.

You are correct that it is their discretion.

 

But the result may lead to even more delays in the process. Might as well get it over with. 

And the procedure for rescheduling is to write the office where the interview is being held, with all of your case details (names, case numbers) and an explanation of why the person can't attend. Embassies in other countries do not issue interview appointments for naturalization. They issue visas.

[lierre 224]

2 minutes ago, NuestraUnion said:

You are correct that it is their discretion.

 

But the result may lead to even more delays in the process. Might as well get it over with. 

And the procedure for rescheduling is to write the office where the interview is being held, with all of your case details (names, case numbers) and an explanation of why the person can't attend. Embassies in other countries do not issue interview appointments for naturalization. They issue visas.

Thanks for that bit of clarification!

 

However, there are embassies where you can do direct consular filing. I did it for my CR-1 years ago in Japan. I also know DCF and Infopass is available back in the US Embassy in my country of origin. So, in case that applies to this person's spouse, just wanted to point out it's an option.

[TNJ17 1,329]

23 hours ago, ApplicantHusband said:

I will try to  have her  write a letter requesting to reschedule the interview and sign it. I can then send the mail out to the regional office to reschedule the interview. Does this sound like a reasonable plan?

Haha. No you can’t do that. First of you’re not the applicant and second that’s not what you do when wanting to change dates. I think it’s a stupid idea to change it but your wife is more than welcome to try but just know that it may affect their decision. She’s been gone too long. But there is nothing YOU can do. Only her. They won’t even talk to you. Should have thought about all this before planning a trip. 

[Russ&Caro 1,548]

17 minutes ago, TNJ17 said:

Haha. No you can’t do that. First of you’re not the applicant and second that’s not what you do when wanting to change dates. I think it’s a stupid idea to change it but your wife is more than welcome to try but just know that it may affect their decision. She’s been gone too long. But there is nothing YOU can do. Only her. They won’t even talk to you. Should have thought about all this before planning a trip. 

Your advice is incorrect. That is exactly what they need to do if they want to reschedule their interview.  Since there is no requirement for the beneficiary to sign the letter, there is no reason why the petitioner cannot write and send the letter on behalf of the beneficiary. Here is the language in the invitation letter which refutes your advice.

 

"If for any reason you cannot keep this appointment, return this letter immediately to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officeaddress listed above with your explanation and a request for a new appointment, otherwise, no further action will be taken on your application."

 

Please, try to give accurate advice.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

23 hours ago, ivyanddan said:

Thanks for that bit of clarification!

 

However, there are embassies where you can do direct consular filing. I did it for my CR-1 years ago in Japan. I also know DCF and Infopass is available back in the US Embassy in my country of origin. So, in case that applies to this person's spouse, just wanted to point out it's an option.

You reinforced the comment you answered, which noted that embassies do visas (what you did), not naturalization. 

[ohman 5]

23 hours ago, Russ&Caro said:

Your advice is incorrect. That is exactly what they need to do if they want to reschedule their interview.  Since there is no requirement for the beneficiary to sign the letter, there is no reason why the petitioner cannot write and send the letter on behalf of the beneficiary. Here is the language in the invitation letter which refutes your advice.

 

"If for any reason you cannot keep this appointment, return this letter immediately to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officeaddress listed above with your explanation and a request for a new appointment, otherwise, no further action will be taken on your application."

 

Please, try to give accurate advice.

Good advice. I would make sure they got that letter too, you just can't be too careful.