Extremely urgent: ROC in process, no biometrics yet and need to leave US for medical emergency

[mamaronga 2]

Hi all--

we have an emergency--- my husband has to return to his country urgently for a medical emergency of a family member.

He has a green card (expires in about 6 days), and we applied for ROC in October, and have a NOA. He got a biometrics appointment too, but we had to reschedule it (we marked the box "please reschedule my appointment") because we traveled to another state for the holidays. Now we are just waiting to hear from USCIS about when his biometrics is rescheduled for....but haven't heard anything. Now, this medical emergency comes up and my husband needs to leave the country TOMORROW.

SO my questions are.... should we try to do a walk in for a biometrics tomorrow morning before my husband leaves the country? and try to get it done? or would it be better to wait for the reschedule letter and delay it again? (can you reschedule more than once?) afterall...my husband doesn't know if he'll be home for 1 week or 4 months... what if he gets his biometrics done and then we have a ROC interview that my husband cannot make because he's in his country? Or can those appointments be postponed due to medical emergencies too?

We don't know what to do, and need to buy a plane ticket ASAP. Please, if you've been through something like this or have any information at all, please respond. we really appreciate it!!!

-c&c

[Inky 1,110]

I would try for the walk in - explain the issue and see if they will let him. Its likely they will let him since he has to leave due to emergency.

If they say no - try rescheduling the appointment again when the letter comes again.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

Do you still have the biometrics apt. letter? Where will you do your bio? I walked into ATL and it was fine.

Your husband must, obviously, carry his NOA with him indicating that he is free to travel under the ROC

Good luck

[mamaronga 2]

Hi thanks for your quick reply.

We can try the walk in tomorrow morning.

My concern is for after--- say he gets the walk in. What if they give him an interview of Removal of Conditions, and he cannot come because he is still helping his family with the medical emergency? Would we be able to delay that appointment/re-schedule it?

How often do they require interviews for ROC? is it common, or not so common? and is it possible to reschedule them?

Thank you!

-Claire

I would try for the walk in - explain the issue and see if they will let him. Its likely they will let him since he has to leave due to emergency.

If they say no - try rescheduling the appointment again when the letter comes again.

[mamaronga 2]

Also, if the walk in doesn't work--- can you keep re-scheduling the biometrics or do they only give you 1 or 2 times to do that? (it's possible that my husband will need to stay in his country for several months....)

Hi thanks for your quick reply.

We can try the walk in tomorrow morning.

My concern is for after--- say he gets the walk in. What if they give him an interview of Removal of Conditions, and he cannot come because he is still helping his family with the medical emergency? Would we be able to delay that appointment/re-schedule it?

How often do they require interviews for ROC? is it common, or not so common? and is it possible to reschedule them?

Thank you!

-Claire

[Chicagoguy 2 27]

Be sure and carry original of NOA. Somwbody last month just took a copy and it was a complete disaster.

[mamaronga 2]

To answer "canadian-wife"'s questions:

we have a copy of the bio-metrics letter---we turned the original one in when we marked the "please reschedule my appointment" box. that was about 3 weeks ago and we haven't heard from USCIS since (we were out of town but a friend was getting our mail).

The biometrics is here in our city (st. paul) so it won't be hard to go there to try for a walk in tomorrow morning....

do you think we need a Doctor's letter to "prove" the medical emergency? we'd rather not have to ask for it, since his family and the doctor's are going through so much stress and trauma right now....but if it's necessary we'd need to get the process rolling ASAP for tomorrow morning.

thank you so much for your help we're in a terrible situation and really appreciate your support

thanks

I would try for the walk in - explain the issue and see if they will let him. Its likely they will let him since he has to leave due to emergency.

If they say no - try rescheduling the appointment again when the letter comes again.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

whether you'll need an ROC interview will depend on the initial evidence you sent and the adjudicating officer. You can, of course reschedule the interview if necessary (which may or may not require evidence of why everything needs to be rescheduled)

I suggest walking in to do biometrics tomorrow, if you cannot then simply wait for the new bio apt and assess the situation based on your circumstances then

Good luck

[milimelo 4,479]

Biometrics is usually done at the Application Support Center (ASC) and not in a USCIS office - there is no chance he would be interviewed for ROC at ASC.

[Drogs 24]

Charleston SC, ASC carries out AOS/ROC interviews.

[mamaronga 2]

Thanks all for your supportive and quick advice.

here's what we ended up doing (since it was Sunday and couldn't talk to homeland security or a lawyer or anything....)

we booked the flight for late morning, and showed up at 7:50am at the USCIS biometrics service center (opens at 8am). We were 2nd in line. We talked to the supervisor, showed him the plane reservations, explained the medical emergency, and without a word he "ok-ed" it, we filled out the form really fast, and were out of there in 20 minutes, biometrics done. then straight to airport and now my husband is on his way home.

So for future folks who might face similar issues--- the "walk-in" for us in St. Paul did *not* work when we tried it last month for a non-emergency, but in the case of this medical emergency the staff seemed to be understanding and let us do the biometrics then and there when we needed it. so we are very grateful, and hope that folks in the future can have a similarly positive experience. you need that when there is an emergency in the family....

best to all,

c&c

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

Thanks all for your supportive and quick advice.

here's what we ended up doing (since it was Sunday and couldn't talk to homeland security or a lawyer or anything....)

we booked the flight for late morning, and showed up at 7:50am at the USCIS biometrics service center (opens at 8am). We were 2nd in line. We talked to the supervisor, showed him the plane reservations, explained the medical emergency, and without a word he "ok-ed" it, we filled out the form really fast, and were out of there in 20 minutes, biometrics done. then straight to airport and now my husband is on his way home.

So for future folks who might face similar issues--- the "walk-in" for us in St. Paul did *not* work when we tried it last month for a non-emergency, but in the case of this medical emergency the staff seemed to be understanding and let us do the biometrics then and there when we needed it. so we are very grateful, and hope that folks in the future can have a similarly positive experience. you need that when there is an emergency in the family....

best to all,

c&c

Glad to hear it worked out!

[TBoneTX 45,291]

If you care to, let us know how the family crisis works out, C-Bone.