AOS Interview reschedule experiences?

[lemont 0]

Hi guys,

Recently had my AOS (for K1) appointment rescheduled as we'd been shipped interstate just as the interview letter was mailed out. We've called three times (as there's not a lot of time before interview and we simply cannot attend this interview literally on the other side of the country), twice we had a response from USCIS saying to mail the interview letter and a cover letter of explanation in, and we'd have to wait 'up to 30 days for it to be actioned' (much too long for our particular case, hence the multiple calls). The third time we called into the department of the USCIS that deals with navy personnel, and we were assured that we would receive a reschedule letter, though she would not ballpark when.

Does anyone have experience with rescheduling AOS interviews?

How long did you have to wait for a new one?

It's just a little scary, deliberately missing out on your very very important interview. I have nothing but the word of call center personnel that it will be okay, eventually.

[bettypentiér44 12]

Hey!

So I've actually just been through a very similar experience, which was, to put it mildly, insanely frustrating! I'm not sure if I'm going to be any help, but I'll give you my experience.

Just as we got the interview letter, my husband found out he had to go overseas for work. I called USCIS and the first person I spoke said that I could either write in or, make an infopass appointment and speak to someone directly - he advised to do this as it was quicker and would get me a response quicker. So I made an appointment, which was 2 weeks later. My husband and I went, with a letter from his employer stating the situation, only to wait over an hour to have someone say that what I had been told was all wrong and that I had to write in. She wouldn't even take the letter from the employer. She also said that the people in the call center didn't know what they were talking about...awesome!!

So, I came home and wrote a letter and mailed it off with UPS, along with the employer letter. It got delivered (saw online it had been signed for), so I figured that I would at least see something on the case status site within a few days. 3 days go by and I hand't seen anything, so I called USCIS again. The first person I spoke to wash't helpful, so I asked to speak to a tier 2 representative. The tier 2 guy was really helpful, assured me I had followed all the right steps and that it would be fine and that he would also write to the field office explaining the situation on my behalf. So, I hung up feeling relieved. Sunday of that week came and I started to panic as the initial interview date was meant to be Tuesday. So I called USCIS again on Monday, explaining the situation again, and was told that despite everything I had already done and been told, I had to make every reasonable effort to go to to the interview.

So Tuesday came, and off I trekked down to the office (4 miles in the blazing heat as I don't have my drivers license here yet and no bus goes that way), with all the stuff I had hastily gathered last minute (I had been mentally preparing not to go). I signed in, sat in the waiting room and got called up to be told, "I see that you have rescheduled your appointment, so did you still want to do that?" I told her yes unless we could do the interview without my husband, she said no and that it would be rescheduled. And that was it. I was told it could be as long as 2 months to get a new date.

So, in short, if I hadn't off turned up for the interview, it probably wouldn't have been a big deal and since you have written in I can only assume it would be the same for you too. It makes the situation infinitely worse when there seems to be no communication between the main USCIS office and the field offices, plus no updates on the system. Oh, not to mention the fact you can't get hold of the field office directly to speak to!

When was the original interview scheduled for? Are you able to make an infopass appointment at your new local USCIS office? I assume you're still in the States? Maybe if you go and speak to someone there directly you might get some better answers!? Take a copy of the letter you mailed with you.

Sorry I can't be any more help than that!

[lemont 0]

Sorry I can't be any more help than that!

It's quite alright, my husband was quite happy to hear that it's wrapped up nicely, but I for one, like you, have had too many dealings with USCIS to feel optimistic.

I called USCIS again on Monday, explaining the situation again, and was told that despite everything I had already done and been told, I had to make every reasonable effort to go to to the interview.

This. This is what I fear. I live in VA now. They want me to go to Seattle.

The interview is scheduled for a week from now. The letter was mailed a day before we moved, but didn't arrive to several weeks afterward (I can thanks USPS and their shoddy mail-forward system for that).

I have been trying to make an infopass appointment but the only result relevant to me returns with "At this time, there are no information appointments available for the office in your area. Please try back again later."

I guess I'll have to.

[bettypentiér44 12]

The mail always seems to be so much worse when it's something important you are waiting on!! I'm sorry you're going through this too - I totally understand how utterly frustrating it is, especially when you can't get the answers you are looking for.

As for the infopass appointment, maybe just try selecting any option to get an appointment. You're husband is in the Navy right? Try selecting the military option - technically you are a dependent! I would imagine given the nature of the job, more preference for appointments are given to this selection. If not that, then any of the others just to be able to get in there, then once you're in, explain the situation. And I know this seems monotonous, but keep trying throughout the day if there are no appointments on first go - things seem to open up all the time.

Other than that, I don't know what to suggest. If it were me, I'd probably call back USCIS again (maybe even twice), ask for a tier 2 person, go through the situation again, say that you've tried to get an infopass appointment with your local office and that you want to be assured that, if you don't hear anything before your interview date, considering all the stuff you've already done to try and rectify the situation, you not showing up won't go down as a no-show which would result in you having to start again. Get the name and the rep ID of the person you speak to, and I guess ask, at this point, is there anything else that you can physically do. Make a note of everything this person says to you so you can use it as evidence IF it comes back that you were a no-show.

Godo luck!

[rascalflatt 6]

I moved during AOS with an interview scheduled. It was actually a surprisingly smooth process - I just updated my address both over the phone and by mailing in the physical AR-11 form, my interview was cancelled and my case was transferred to my new local office.

The only downside was we then had to wait until my local office had an interview slot available so be prepared to go to the back of the line at your new location. It probably added 3-4 months onto our process. All in all though, not a problem.

Good luck!

[pete_falcone 7]

It took about a week to get the infopass appointment to rectify the address discrepancy, then they re-sked the interview about 2 months from when we did the infopass. It was a hassle because we filed an AR-11 online to notify an address change, yet they still kept sending correspondences to that old address. Good thing the new homeowner kept tabs with us or we would not have known in advance that USCIS was sending us ####### on the wrong address.

Edited July 11, 2014 by pete_falcone

[funkymunky 11]

USCIS is horrible at rescheduling!! This was our experience

Hubs was supposed to deploy(us navy) so we had the appointment set in Boise ASC since I was going to stay with family there (we were based in 29 palms), he ended up not deploying so filed change of address and rescheduled the appointment for Chula Vista ASC. We never received any official notice that the appointment was rescheduled, only for change of address.

Couple months later I get a NOA that I missed my appointment in Boise and they were taking actions for my removal! We were shocked and horrified. We spent the day calling USCIS and getting the mess sorted out and the next day I got 2 letters - an official apology and a NOA that they were reopened my case. Couple weeks later I had my interview in Chula Vista and we were approved. Their system is ridiculous because firstly you reschedule with the service center but you have your appointments at a ASC and they just do not communicate properly at all. Not to mention how slow they are to update!