Interview at wrong local office

[Hypnos 6,578]

I filed for AoS last April on the basis of being a widower of a US citizen.

My case has been mishandled and passed from pillar to post, but with the help of the DHS Ombudsman it seems that I may finally be getting to the end of the tunnel.

My issue, however, is that despite Dallas being my local office (and where I was interviewed the first time, last July), my case files (I-360 and I-485) have for some reason been sent to the Houston local office. I today received notification from the Ombudsman that I am being scheduled for a second interview, sometime in February. They stated that they believed my interview would be at Houston.

I have no idea why I would be scheduled for an interview at a place which is not my local office. I have searched around on these forums but can find no similar circumstances posted by others.

Logistically, I'm not even sure if I would be able to get to Houston; it's a six hour drive and almost 300 miles away, as opposed to a couple of hours which is the drive to Dallas.

I have asked the Ombudsman to address this issue multiple times, but so far they have not addressed this point.

Edited January 10, 2013 by Hypnos

[milimelo 4,568]

Can't you involve your congressman at this point? They have direct line (email) to USCIS and should be able to sort this out for you.

[Grummy 1]

Can't you involve your congressman at this point? They have direct line (email) to USCIS and should be able to sort this out for you.

I have experienced the same thing. I started out going to USCIS offices in Charleston, then all of a sudden have been notified to report to Greer. Thankfully there is not much difference in travel time/distance, although it is still a very far way to go for a photograph and to be fingerprinted for the umpteenth time.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Wait for the letter to see if it really is Houston. Maybe the ombudman was guessing on that point. If you get the letter and it is in Houston, make infopass at your local and see what they say.

[Hypnos 6,578]

Yes, I guess my next move will have to wait on what exactly the notice says. The Ombudsman said they would notify me of the date and time once they were informed, and I'm sure they will know before I receive it in the mail.

It's very strange...

[DC85 113]

the only thing that i can think about is Houston has more power and it's the one which can adjudicate your case .. keep us posted April fellow

[Hypnos 6,578]

As a final update to this, for anyone ever in a similar situation, the Ombudsman requested that Houston transfer my file to Dallas today, and Houston agreed.

Edited January 14, 2013 by Hypnos