When you miss your green card interview, it can be quite stressful. Whether it was by mistake or on purpose, maybe you missed the appointment due to traffic or because of an emergency. You might have even lost your paperwork or misplaced the letter about when and where to show up for your green card interview, missing a green card interview can result in your case being denied. Whatever the reason may be, there are things that you can do to make sure that you get another chance at being able to apply for citizenship through naturalization.
What is a green card interview?
The purpose of a green card interview is to determine whether or not an individual is eligible for permanent leave to remain. Green card holders (or lawful permanent residents) are non-citizens who have been granted authorization to live and work in the United States indefinitely, provided they don’t commit any crimes and meet certain other requirements. This authorization is given by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Green card interviews occur when an applicant for a permanent resident visa attends a face-to-face interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country. It is an opportunity for a government official to verify that applicants meet the qualifications to become permanent residents and are prepared to live successfully in the United States. A green card interview is the last step in obtaining a permanent residence in the United States. It is one of the most crucial steps for anyone who intends to acquire permanent residence in the USA.
How to attend a Green card interview?
During this interview, the USCIS officer will ask you about your eligibility for a green card, such as your financial resources and employment status, and will review your documents and ask questions about them.
During the green card interview, applicants will be asked questions about the following topics:
● Identity, background, and ability to pay travel costs and expenses during their stay in the United States;
● How they plan to support themselves after arrival;
● U.S. family relationships
The applicant should attend the Green Card interview at the time and date scheduled by USCIS unless he/she requests a change of time or date. Normally, it is not possible to reschedule your interview appointment on the interview day, you can only do so several days before the appointment.
In case you miss the interview
If you miss your green card interview, then it is not the end of the world. You get your Green Card approved in various ways.
- Contact the USCIS office and explain why you missed your interview. For example, if you were in an accident or had a family emergency that prevented you from attending, then bring copies of bills and records showing how much money was spent on fixing your car or how many hours were lost at work. Request for rescheduling the interview as soon as possible.
- Write an application along with all your information and reason for not appearing at the interview.
How to reschedule a green card interview
In case you missed your interview, you need to request rescheduling for a good cause. You are required to submit Form I-797C. If your application is approved, you can appear a second time. But if the officer considers that the reason provided is not sufficient, your case is abandoned.
What happens if I miss my green card interview and don’t reschedule it?
In case you have missed your interview appointment and even fail to reschedule it on time then you have to wait a year to resume the process. In the meantime, you must file form I-90 every six months while you wait for your new appointment. If you apply for a green card through marriage, and you don’t appear at your interview or do not get an extension, the government will presume that you and your spouse have divorced. Your spouse must then prove that he or she did not divorce you to keep the case open, which is a difficult task.
Missing a green card interview is terrible but still, the good news is that you can get a second chance. Do your best not to miss the rescheduled appointment and you will get through the process smoothly. Contact your Immigration lawyer US to get guidance regarding your missed appointment and plan things out with the expert so that you suffer the minimum loss.
