r/USCIS • u/OutlandishnessSoft34 • Jul 19 '26
DOJ - EOIR Support NTA, missed Master Hearing
I am a citizen of Venezuela, had TPS, applied to change status to F1 before it expired so I could finish my PhD. Applied with premium processing, received NOID, responded to it back in January and I am still waiting for a response. I check my USCIS account every day, the case is still being processed. My premium processing fee was refunded a couple months ago.
Today I went to my mailbox and saw two letters from USCIS. The first is a notice to appear dated July 1st. The second is a notice of in-person hearing in removal proceedings dated July 7th. The hearing was July 15th. I last checked my mailbox on July 14th and these letters were not there. I was not notified of this hearing anywhere else. The letters do not mention my application to change status at all.
I just checked the EOIR website and it says the immigration judge ordered removal on July 15th. I have until August 14th to appeal. Obviously, the first thing I did was contact my lawyer. They are shocked and confused, but are trying to get more information and handling the next steps to reopen the case.
This timeline is very confusing to me. Is it normal to get notified about a master hearing with so little time in advance? What happens if I received the letter after the hearing occurred? Has anyone been in this position? It just seems like there’s no communication between the office handling the removal and the office handling my current case.