I-751 Contradicting Biometrics Notices?

[gabyjuly 0]

Hi all, my DH just received a notice for biometrics appointment (dated May 31) that is scheduled for next week, June 19. A few issues have arisen with this letter. First, DH already received an NOA (dated March 29) that a biometrics appointment is not needed and they will use his old biometrics already on-file. Reviewing his case status online, it still shows that "as of April 14, 2019" his fingerprints have been reviewed and approved. He also just spoke with USCIS on the phone this past Friday to confirm his status from an Everify review with his new job and USCIS said his case was all in order and in processing still. He's going to call them today on his lunch to ask for clarification, as well. 

 

Does anyone have experience with receiving a biometrics appointment notice after USCIS already sent a letter saying an appointment is not needed and the online status says biometrics has already been processed? 

 

A second issue we have is that the appointment is scheduled for the local USCIS office near our old address in Massachusetts. We've lived in California for the past year and his I-751 was filed in California. We realized we forgot the AR11 during moving and submitted it in December 2018. The lawyer we consulted for his I-751 had said USCIS doesn't need an AR11 because we submitted the original I-751 with our new address. In any case, we have a confirmation number for the AR-11 that was submitted in December 2018 but both the March 29 "no biometrics needed" letter and the May 31 "biometrics appointment" letter were originally sent to our old PO Box in Massachusetts. We have mail forwarding which is good for another month and is the only reason we've been getting the letters.  How do we get USCIS to send mail to our current address if we already submitted the AR11 change of address? We have the confirmation number that it was received when we submitted it online. 

 

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If this matters: We ended up filing his I-751 late. It was originally required in August 2018 but the account I wrote the check from (personal check was stupid, I know) ended up being closed out after the NOA1 was received but before USCIS cashed it. The original I-751 was rejected because of bad payment. We called USCIS and the person said to wait for further notice which was the wrong information and after calling back two months later and consulting with a lawyer, we ended up submitting a new I-751 with an apology letter the day before USCIS sent a termination of status letter from lack of filing a proper I-751. However, USCIS ended up accepting the new I-751 and sent DH an NOA re-instating his status with an extension of his provisional green card while the new I-751 is being processed. So, he's been in-process since late November 2018 and we submitted the change of address in December 2018. The receipt number on all NOAs since November 2018 has been the same and is connected to the new I-751 petition. 

[Ash.1101 1,755]

About a fourth of the entire May 2018 filers have been called for Biometrics appointments after getting a waiver. You're def not the first. Show up to the appointment as requested. Every person who has had this happen to has gone to their appointment.  You will need to call USCIS and let them know your location has changed and that you will need a new local office.

You always have to change your address no matter what. Even though you've done the information on the I-751 saying you live in Cali, USCIS systems showed your last confirmed living place was in Mass. The only way to change this is to do an address change.

Address changes do not always go through, most people call and confirm what USCIS sees on their screen as your physical address.

 We did an address change online when we moved in Feb 2017, and USCIS attempted to send three notices of reminders to file I-751 within the 90 day window to our old address. We finally received the fourth notice (with the other three attached) a week before we filed ROC (May 2018) a couple of weeks before the 90 day window ended). So it took them a good 6 months of getting these reminders Return-to-sendered for them to check if we've changed an address.

Edited June 13, 2019 by Ash.

[gabyjuly 0]

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to look into changing the date of the biometrics appointment because at this point it is less than a week away and will cost at least $1000 for plane tickets plus having to get the time off work such short notice. I don't understand how they don't fully process an address change that was provided a confirmation number. I also don't understand why the online status reflects the first notice and not the most recent appointment notice. 😤

[Ash.1101 1,755]

42 minutes ago, gabyjuly said:

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to look into changing the date of the biometrics appointment because at this point it is less than a week away and will cost at least $1000 for plane tickets plus having to get the time off work such short notice. I don't understand how they don't fully process an address change that was provided a confirmation number. I also don't understand why the online status reflects the first notice and not the most recent appointment notice. 😤

Honestly take the online notices with a grain of salt.

There are two websites that you can look at for updates.

New Site: https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov/
Old Site: https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do

 

For my husbands ROC, the New Site has said "My case received since the NOA date"
 

The old site said it couldn't find the case from June 2018 until April 2019 when it changed to "New Card in production" and then all of the steps after that.

To this date, the new website still says "My case received", we also received a biometrics waiver in Feb and that never came across either website.

In my opinion, when in doubt, call them.

[Amadia 711]

It's just like @Ash. stated, many filers from Vermont who got biometrics waived back in 2018 and early 2019 ended up getting letters to attend biometrics appointments. It seems like some higher up at USCIS said "Let's waive the fingerprinting for filers to get things going....we'll catch up to them when things calm down!" 

[Ash.1101 1,755]

1 minute ago, Amadia said:

It's just like @Ash. stated, many filers from Vermont who got biometrics waived back in 2018 and early 2019 ended up getting letters to attend biometrics appointments. It seems like some higher up at USCIS said "Let's waive the fingerprinting for filers to get things going....we'll catch up to them when things calm down!" 

Yeah it's Vermont and Cali.

They sent out Waivers in mass, possibly to make it look like things were moving. Once they actually got to your file that's when you would get your bio notice, RFE, case moved to local office, or approved.

[gabyjuly 0]

I guess that makes sense. DH called USCIS after work yesterday to clarify and they said looking at his file he has no biometrics appointment scheduled and that his fingerprints were reviewed and approved as of April 14, like the old online case status website shows when typing in his receipt number. They said his I-751 is in proccess still and he just has to wait for the next notice in his case.

 

He's calling back today to see if the answer is different from a different person and to double-check our address change confirmation number. We're going to submit a request to reschedule the appointment but overall, it still doesn't make sense that he received this notice given his process status, according to the March letter, the online system, and the call center. 

[Scandi 3,970]

On 6/14/2019 at 12:08 PM, gabyjuly said:

I guess that makes sense. DH called USCIS after work yesterday to clarify and they said looking at his file he has no biometrics appointment scheduled and that his fingerprints were reviewed and approved as of April 14, like the old online case status website shows when typing in his receipt number. They said his I-751 is in proccess still and he just has to wait for the next notice in his case.

 

He's calling back today to see if the answer is different from a different person and to double-check our address change confirmation number. We're going to submit a request to reschedule the appointment but overall, it still doesn't make sense that he received this notice given his process status, according to the March letter, the online system, and the call center. 

No need to keep calling them, you will not get the correct info anyway, so save your time.

 

Go to the biometrics place where you live now and explain the situation to them. They will likely let you take the biometrics there. There have been other VJers who have been on vacation in other states and done their biometrics there.

 

I wouldn't skip the appointment, I also wouldn't trust a word USCIS customer service people tell you.

Edited June 16, 2019 by Scandi

[wbeem 567]

On 6/14/2019 at 3:08 PM, gabyjuly said:

I guess that makes sense. DH called USCIS after work yesterday to clarify and they said looking at his file he has no biometrics appointment scheduled and that his fingerprints were reviewed and approved as of April 14, like the old online case status website shows when typing in his receipt number. They said his I-751 is in proccess still and he just has to wait for the next notice in his case.

 

He's calling back today to see if the answer is different from a different person and to double-check our address change confirmation number. We're going to submit a request to reschedule the appointment but overall, it still doesn't make sense that he received this notice given his process status, according to the March letter, the online system, and the call center. 

Sorry about all the hassle you are going through. I'd follow the advice given by those above. 

We also had a waiver for our biometrics - not once, but three times, we got updated letters telling us they were using our old biometrics.  Then last weekend we got a notice with an appointment for biometrics for my daughter and I for yesterday. We had already taken the day off for our anniversary so we were free to go - just not the romantic lunch hubby and I had planned. It was quick and easy and we were out in 20 minutes.  Today I noticed that our case status changed for the first time in 15 months and it now says fingerprints recieved and they are working on our case.  

 

Just go to the appointment.  Rather have two sets of biometrics than delay the process even more.  Best of luck!