I485 AOS interview upcoming - scheduled at wrong jurisdiction - mailing address instead of residential address

[twilighthorse 5]

I recently submitted a AR-11 change of address request online while my adjustment of status case I485 was pending. I changed my residential address to my new residential address but then on the same form also put a mailbox as my mailing address due to covid19 uncertainties of where we would be residing. The two addresses are in different parts of the same state (around 10 hours drive away from each other).

 

I then received a letter inviting me to come for an interview for the I485. HOWEVER the interview location/jurisdiction is near my MAILING address, NOT my RESIDENTIAL address.

 

I am happy to make the road trip with my spouse to do the interview, but we do not reside in the mailing address location and have no connections there. It is simply like a PO Box and we would need to go there, stay in a hotel overnight and then do the interview there. It is important to note that it is the same state, just a different part of the same state.

 

I called up USCIS and the front line agent advised me to just attend the interview if I was able to road trip to the other location. They were able to see my mailing address as being "in care of" but the agent didn't see my new residential address on file. But I am worried it will cause issues.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

TLDR; received interview request in different jurisdiction to residential address based on my mailing address.

[igoyougoduke 1,660]

Yes listen to the agents advise 

[twilighthorse 5]

Thanks @James120383. The front line agent on the help desk didn't instill the most confidence in me but my initial thoughts were also to try going to the interview. But I hope it isn't going to be an issue where the interviewing officer says that they don't have jurisdiction to interview me and then it will create more problems/issues.

I don't have a problem flying or driving to a different part of the state to do the interview. Its just that I don't have any connection to the area where the interview is taking place besides having a mailbox there.

[JeanneAdil 6,542]

not sure why you would do PO box far from home

there are post offices nearer to your home

that being said,  it may be the office is open and ones closer to your house are not open yet 

anyway,  go and don't take the chance of being rescheduled / this is an important interview

best to you 

[payxibka 10,045]

25 minutes ago, twilighthorse said:

Thanks @James120383. The front line agent on the help desk didn't instill the most confidence in me but my initial thoughts were also to try going to the interview. But I hope it isn't going to be an issue where the interviewing officer says that they don't have jurisdiction to interview me and then it will create more problems/issues.

I don't have a problem flying or driving to a different part of the state to do the interview. Its just that I don't have any connection to the area where the interview is taking place besides having a mailbox there.

Take the interview if you want,  a change will add a,delay delay 

[twilighthorse 5]

7 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

not sure why you would do PO box far from home

there are post offices nearer to your home

that being said,  it may be the office is open and ones closer to your house are not open yet 

anyway,  go and don't take the chance of being rescheduled / this is an important interview

best to you 

Thanks. Yes it is a bit of a random PO Box that is far from home. Have decided to take the chance and go

[maisfree 12]

Hi @twilighthorse, 

 

When is your interview and have you gone already? I was in the same exact situation. My AOS interview was scheduled on Oct 7th in Hartford CT (closer to my MAILING address with my in-laws) and not in Boston MA where we actually live. We attended, and the immigration officer told us she can't interview us because our resident address is outside of her jurisdiction. She updated the mailing address to be our residential address in Boston MA and now waiting for the interview to be rescheduled in Boston .... been over a month now and no news. We made a two hour trip for this interview that basically did not happen, even stayed overnight for this. Looks like you'd have to make an even longer trip. I'd hate to see you have the same terrible experience as we did! 

[twilighthorse 5]

@maisfree Thanks for the reply. We ended up trying our luck and going for the interview at the mailing address. In my case while it was very far away, it was still in the same state. The interviewer initially refused to interview us because it was in the wrong jurisdiction, but I had proof that the appropriate change of address had been filed and listed the new address correctly, its just that they used the mailing address for the interview location instead of the physical address. After much back and forth, we were lucky enough and managed to convince the the interviewer to interview us and then they said they would update the address and forward our entire package and everything to the new jurisdiction in order for them to make the final determination on next steps. So am still in a bit of a holding pattern.

 

[maisfree 12]

@twilighthorse Wow, that's great that you managed to convince the officer to interview you there! I know you will still have to wait for a while but hopefully you will receive a positive update from the new jurisdiction office. Keep us posted. I wish this was the case for us too, but unfortunately our officer said having different MAILING address and RESIDENTIAL address was all too confusing (how? ) and there is nothing she can do for us other than to transfer the entire case to Boston. Will try calling them after Thanksgiving holidays and see what they say.