My wife's conditional permanent resident status is due to expire on April 17th of 2009, so we will be filing the I-751 within the 90-day period preceding that date. However, we are planning to be out of the U.S. from January until June (on sabbatical). I know we need not be in the country to mail it in, but I have a few questions.

1. If we are asked to come in for an interview, is there a way to request an extension of the interview date, if we happen to be out of the country?

2. If not, how long does one have to return to the country? (I.e. how long is the period between being notified of the interview and the interview itself?)

3. Typically, how long is the period between submission of the I-751 and the interview (if one is requested)?

Thanks so much for your help. I used AskMe several years ago and am glad to see it is up and running again.

Timing can be varied depending on each case, work load of USCIS office, etc.

If your paperwork is complete and nothing suspicious, she will be notified to have biometrics done between the 6th-8th week. You will be notified if they need more supporting documents. Interview may be scheduled 2-4 weeks later. It's recommended not to travel during this time, though you may be able to re-schedule the interview, but it may delay the whole process by up to 6-8 months.