How to explain missing AOS interview?(merged)

[chicinchic 1]

Ok, thanks for your help. I wish the USCIS representative had been clear that the appointment hadn't definitively been rescheduled, and that rescheduled appointments were only possible for medical reasons.

[IcezMan_IcezLady 582]

Tell them the truth that. You would have a better financial hardship story than using your research as an excuse.

Cos if you wanna use the research route, you would have to explain why it was necessary for you to leave at that time and no other time? And why your spouse had to come with you for the research which is your job and not your partner's? They don't have to accept your excuse but it is just a courtesy because they understand that sh*t happens. Your job is to use your excuse to solicit empathy from the person that works your case. Your research excuse is not going to fly by them if you don't have extenuating circumstance to add to the details.

See ^^ the bigger hole you can dig for yourself trying to use that excuse?? Good luck!

[caliliving 606]

Where are you from?

I did a quick google search on the forum and found out that it is extremely hard to reschedule the interviews and many people end up with a denial in a few weeks. I don't understand why people don't understand it is the government you are dealing with!! They don't give a rats-a$$ what your excuse is and why would you plan a trip when you know you are going to have to AOS? You should have waited until after.

Search the forum on people missing AOS and see what they did. Good luck.

[caliliving 606]

After searching AOS DENIALS in the search box, i found that the infopass people will tell you that you can fill out a phone and attach your travel docs and it is ok and not a problem. aka "yes you can request to get your interview changed" however, what they don't tell you is that it will be 'denied' for going on a trip.

To me the AOS is a top priority, and unless their is a life or death situation, I am not missing the interview! I honestly don't understand why someone would put a vacation as a higher priority than their interview (that you are probably waiting a long time for and KNOW it is a big deal) USCIS takes this as a big deal and it seems as though you don't take this serious enough.

[chicinchic 1]

I am Canadian.

Why go on the trip? Because it was literally the only week in the upcoming years when we could. Keep in mind that I thought that we had been cleared for the trip; I had mentioned the trip as my basis for parole, and when I called USCIS, I had been told that the interview would be scheduled. I took whatever precautions I could, and acted accordingly.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

I am Canadian.

Why go on the trip? Because it was literally the only week in the upcoming years when we could. Keep in mind that I thought that we had been cleared for the trip; I had mentioned the trip as my basis for parole, and when I called USCIS, I had been told that the interview would be scheduled. I took whatever precautions I could, and acted accordingly.

Chalk up another one to the misinformation line

[DaveNot 55]

Claiming "financial hardship", by attending a trip seems contradictory. You're more likely to spend greater amounts of currency attending, than by not attending, making this a counterproductive approach. Honestly, tell them the truth. You made a mistake, misunderstood and acted irrationally; you are human after all. Brown-nosing is fine if it gets you ahead somewhat, especially under these circumstances. Call or write and get clarity, be honest. Goood luck!

Edited January 19, 2016 by DaveNot

[chicinchic 1]

I have tried to get an InfoPass appointment, per the instructions at the bottom of the letter, but o InfoPass appointments are available.

[Mike-eeh and Odie 193]

Tell them the truth. You are more likely to get sympathy with the truth rather than weaseling around the facts.

[Amy_and_Victor 159]

Like others said, tell the truth, attach copies of tickets or boarding passes and wait what happens. It's up to USCIS to decide if entertainment/work trip worths to miss the AOS interview. I don't think that "financial hardship" would work. People in serious financial hardship typically don't travel for fun and unless trip was "all inclusive", by going to the trip you were going to spend more money than by cancelling it, so it makes no sense to travel and spend money and report it as a "financial hardship". I understand that it's not good that may be USCIS rep. didn't explain you that re-scheduling intervew may require more serious reasons than non-emergency travel with non-refundable tickets but since you chose trip over AOS interview all you can do now is to follow USCIS directions, tell them the truth supplemented with any documents you have and wait for their answer.

- Victor from Russia

[Maria2012 16]

My parter and I filed for AOS back in June, and booked our honeymoon for January. Unfortunately, our interview was scheduled during our trip and I called the USCIS office to reschedule an appointment as soon as we received our notice. There were just over two weeks between the receipt of notice and the date of departure, and the tickets were non-refundable. I thought we would receive a new rescheduled date but instead we received a request for a written explanation as to why we missed our original interview date. The honeymoon was also in my field site (I'm an anthropologist), if that matters.

You didn't go outside US for your honeymoon did you?

[Ortolan 381]

That's too bad, for all the reasons mentioned above. The sad thing is that "nonrefundable" doesn't necessarily mean you lose the money you spent; it just means the airline isn't going to give the money back. They'd probably have let you use the value of the ticket, with a small rebooking fee, at another time. You live and learn. Just tell the truth; it'll come back to bite you if you don't.

[Ms Hogan 295]

Just tell them the truth. Explain you thought you had taken necessary steps to reschedule.

[Mollie09 1,543]

You didn't go outside US for your honeymoon did you?

She already said she had and used AP.

[tamcloud 92]

I actually did some work-related research while there, although it was minimal. As an unemployed academic without any research funds, I don't see why I trip that combined pleasure and research is unfathomable. Our destination was chosen with my research in mind.

As has already been stated, do not indicate the trip was work-related or that cancelling would have been a financial hardship. You've stated you're unemployed - they'll easily catch you in the lie. Just humbly state the truth and explain why you thought it would be okay to go on the trip.