April 2017 AOS Filers

[RandB 156]

3 hours ago, Joel&Julia said:

Today, I called the help desk in advance of our Infopass appointment, so that I could at least say I tried.  After several tries and a lot of waiting on hold and being disconnected while on hold, I finally reached a Level 1 representative.  She was adamant that our case is still in the normal processing time frame, since it has been less than 30 months since we applied.

 

The automated system says that our case file is currently in Lee's Summit, Missouri.  From my perspective, this seems to indicate a problem, since 1) the online status page says our case has been in "scheduling your interview" status for over a year, and 2) I would expect interviews to be scheduled in the office where they will occur (Houston, Texas, not Lee's Summit, Missouri).  I tried to insist that this seems to be a problem and that I'm concerned our case was lost, but the representative stood her ground and would only suggest that we get an Infopass appointment if we believe there's a problem with our case.

 

I also talked to her about the EAD renewal that was filed 120 days ago.  She said that USCIS is currently taking 7 months to process EAD applications, so it will be a few more months before they get to ours.  I told her that we are very concerned about my wife losing her job because USCIS is backed up and asked if there is a way we could get a temporary extension while we wait for USCIS to make a decision.  She referred me to their Automatic 180-day Extension policy on the USCIS web site, saying that the employer has the option of accepting the combination of the expired EAD document and timely I-797 receipt notice as evidence of her authorization to work (for another 180 days).

Sounds like something's wrong on USCIS's part. Like you said, it makes no sense that your case is in Missouri if you've been waiting for them to schedule an interview for over a year. I hope your infopass appointment goes well.

[Ead87tx 85]

4 hours ago, Joel&Julia said:

Today, I called the help desk in advance of our Infopass appointment, so that I could at least say I tried.  After several tries and a lot of waiting on hold and being disconnected while on hold, I finally reached a Level 1 representative.  She was adamant that our case is still in the normal processing time frame, since it has been less than 30 months since we applied.

 

The automated system says that our case file is currently in Lee's Summit, Missouri.  From my perspective, this seems to indicate a problem, since 1) the online status page says our case has been in "scheduling your interview" status for over a year, and 2) I would expect interviews to be scheduled in the office where they will occur (Houston, Texas, not Lee's Summit, Missouri).  I tried to insist that this seems to be a problem and that I'm concerned our case was lost, but the representative stood her ground and would only suggest that we get an Infopass appointment if we believe there's a problem with our case.

 

I also talked to her about the EAD renewal that was filed 120 days ago.  She said that USCIS is currently taking 7 months to process EAD applications, so it will be a few more months before they get to ours.  I told her that we are very concerned about my wife losing her job because USCIS is backed up and asked if there is a way we could get a temporary extension while we wait for USCIS to make a decision.  She referred me to their Automatic 180-day Extension policy on the USCIS web site, saying that the employer has the option of accepting the combination of the expired EAD document and timely I-797 receipt notice as evidence of her authorization to work (for another 180 days).

We have been waiting since May 2017 in Houston TX too and I know at least 2 more people who applied many months before we did and are still waiting. Houston has a long waiting line compare to other cities. It is how it is now days. I would  start worrying after people that applied after you in Houston get their interviews before you. It can take up to 30.5 months now. 

Edited July 30, 2018 by seal72

[Joel&Julia 78]

3 hours ago, seal72 said:

We have been waiting since May 2017 in Houston TX too and I know at least 2 more people who applied many months before we did and are still waiting. Houston has a long waiting line compare to other cities. It is how it is now days. I would  start worrying after people that applied after you in Houston get their interviews before you. It can take up to 30.5 months now. 

I hope it’s as simple as that. I don’t really trust USCIS new time frame report much more than the old one, because the numbers seem to change dramatically every month for many if not all local offices. I also know personally of more than one case where USCIS misplaced or misreported a file, so just quietly waiting 30.5 months while trusting the system doesn’t seem very prudent. If anything, it looks like they are only processing employment-based applications and ignoring family-based, because the employment- time estimates seem to get shorter every month while the family-based numbers keep getting longer.

 

We are now on day 458 waiting for our pending I-485.  I only know of one other couple who applied in Houston the same time we did (last week of April). They are still waiting too, but they had an RFE and forgot to include the I-131 and I-765, and mistakes always mean delays. We also had friends apply in Dallas, TX and Bakersfield, CA in April, 2017. They got their green cards a year ago. I do feel like the fact we moved from Dallas to Houston a few months before applying was terribly unfortunate.

 

Anyway, it seems the big fires for us are down to a smolder for now, so we will go back to waiting for another 6 months.

 

 

[Ead87tx 85]

1 hour ago, Joel&Julia said:

I hope it’s as simple as that. I don’t really trust USCIS new time frame report much more than the old one, because the numbers seem to change dramatically every month for many if not all local offices. I also know personally of more than one case where USCIS misplaced or misreported a file, so just quietly waiting 30.5 months while trusting the system doesn’t seem very prudent. If anything, it looks like they are only processing employment-based applications and ignoring family-based, because the employment- time estimates seem to get shorter every month while the family-based numbers keep getting longer.

 

We are now on day 458 waiting for our pending I-485.  I only know of one other couple who applied in Houston the same time we did (last week of April). They are still waiting too, but they had an RFE and forgot to include the I-131 and I-765, and mistakes always mean delays. We also had friends apply in Dallas, TX and Bakersfield, CA in April, 2017. They got their green cards a year ago. I do feel like the fact we moved from Dallas to Houston a few months before applying was terribly unfortunate.

 

Anyway, it seems the big fires for us are down to a smolder for now, so we will go back to waiting for another 6 months.

 

 

Other cities/offices have less immigrants and their processing time is shorter. Houston is one of the cities with the longest waiting time. Hopefully we will all get our interviews soon. Let me know if anything changes and I will do the same. EAD expires in September, applied for EAD renewal in May.

[narakthisud 174]

 

On 7/29/2018 at 1:59 PM, Joel&Julia said:

This is a good idea, although it looks like the Ombudsman's office won't consider engaging with us until we've been waiting at least another year

Let us know how your INFOPASS appointment goes.

 

I suppose it couldn't hurt to start now even if the chances of their involvement are slim. You've basically exhausted the majority of avenues available to you (INFOPASS, representative). It's absolutely mind-numbing that AOS adjudication requires over two years of waiting! I had to go to the USCIS processing times site myself to believe it. Here's a screenshot. This is an absolute joke!

 

Edited August 1, 2018 by narakthisud

[Athens 101]

For those who received their GC; status changed at about 1am this morning to card was mailed to me. Is it going to change again before I can see the tracking no? If it’s going to change, what is the next status going to be? 

[Rosanna506 1]

No, usually the status won’t change from that until you receive the card. The card usually takes about 10 business days to receive in the mail. Best of luck 👍🏼

Edited August 3, 2018 by Rosanna506

[Athens 101]

3 hours ago, Rosanna506 said:

No, usually the status won’t change from that until you receive the card. The card usually takes about 10 business days to receive in the mail. Best of luck 👍🏼

Did you find usps tracking no and did yours change to card was picked up by usps

 

i have informed delivery and I can’t see it yet. I just want to be sure they didn’t send it to my old address. 

Edited August 3, 2018 by Athens

[Day1989 18]

Anyone applied for a EAD/AP renewal? Mine is taking forever, 5 months already. No sign of any movement on GC either. Stuck on fingerprints since april 2017.

[Joel&Julia 78]

2 minutes ago, Day1989 said:

Anyone applied for a EAD/AP renewal? Mine is taking forever, 5 months already. No sign of any movement on GC either. Stuck on fingerprints since april 2017.

We applied for EAD/AP renewal 5 months ago and haven’t received our either. We did biometrics in May 2017, and we’ve been stuck at “we are scheduling your interview” since July 2017.

 

We did an infopass appointment last week, and they told us EAD renewals are taking about 7 months.

 

There is an automatic 180-day extension for EAD but not for AP.

[Ninatica 56]

I am on the same boat ...

 

My driver's license just expired and DPS WILL only renew it if EAD is valid, they are not accepting the 6 months extension letter.

I submitted renewal papers 4 months ago ... waiting for AOS interview since June 17.

 

 

[KathCali 47]

47 minutes ago, Ninatica said:

I am on the same boat ...

 

My driver's license just expired and DPS WILL only renew it if EAD is valid, they are not accepting the 6 months extension letter.

I submitted renewal papers 4 months ago ... waiting for AOS interview since June 17.

 

 

Hi Ninatica,

 

Print this list of documents for a CA license, highlight "valid/expired EAD Card with Notice of Action (I-797 C)" in the top right column and take it in with you, along with your EAD and extension letter. By law, in CA, that is valid. Employees are just not familiar with it. If they still refuse, ask to speak to a manager. I haven't done this yet as my EAD expires in December but I have heard of someone else doing so successfully and it is my plan for then. By their own rules, they have to renew your license based on that. Also please let me know how it goes  

 

DMV list:  

 

Good luck

 

 

[Day1989 18]

4 hours ago, Joel&Julia said:

We applied for EAD/AP renewal 5 months ago and haven’t received our either. We did biometrics in May 2017, and we’ve been stuck at “we are scheduling your interview” since July 2017.

 

We did an infopass appointment last week, and they told us EAD renewals are taking about 7 months.

 

There is an automatic 180-day extension for EAD but not for AP.

Thanks! I also did an Infopass Appointment and it was completely useless. Besides the fact that nobody is able to give any useful information they also give wrong information. That officer I talked stated that I could travel with 180 day extension - she even sent me copy by mail of my old Combo Card approval to make her point. I told her she was incorrect and that was not what the NOA said, which btw is very clear. After several minutes, a few calls  and talking to a supervisor she apologized and said I was right. If I had no clue and just had believed her I could have lost my whole process.

Seriously annoying.

[Ninatica 56]

3 minutes ago, KathCali said:

Hi Ninatica,

 

Print this list of documents for a CA license, highlight "valid/expired EAD Card with Notice of Action (I-797 C)" in the top right column and take it in with you, along with your EAD and extension letter. By law, in CA, that is valid. Employees are just not familiar with it. If they still refuse, ask to speak to a manager. I haven't done this yet as my EAD expires in December but I have heard of someone else doing so successfully and it is my plan for then. By their own rules, they have to renew your license based on that. Also please let me know how it goes  

 

DMV list:  

 

Good luck

 

 

In CA law is different since people must drive as a right. In Texas they do not care I called USCIS when DPS rejected my request (even my husband reached out to the manager from that DPS office) and they said that every state has its own rules.

 

[Jaquelly 1,647]

3 minutes ago, Ninatica said:

In CA law is different since people must drive as a right. In Texas they do not care I called USCIS when DPS rejected my request (even my husband reached out to the manager from that DPS office) and they said that every state has its own rules.

For a license? There's no way. Take your NOA1 from your AOS to a different DPS, along with the documentation from the Texas DPS website that says they CAN get a license with that document.

 

http://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/LawfulStatusDLID.htm

"

• U.S. passport that reads, “THE BEARER IS A UNITED STATES NATIONAL AND NOT A UNITED STATES CITIZEN” on the last page
• Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551)
• Foreign passport with attached temporary I-551 (immigrant visa endorsed with ADIT stamp)
• Passport or I-94 stamped “Approved I-551”
• Passport or I-94 stamped “Processed for I-551”
• Permit to Reenter the United States (Form I-327)
• I-94 or passport with annotation “Section 207” or “refugee with photo”
• Refugee Travel Document (Form I-571)
• I-688B coded 274a.12(a)(3)
• I-766 with category A3 or A03
• I-94 or passport with annotation “Section 208” or “asylee with photo”
• I-688B coded 274a.12(a)(5)
• I-766 with category A5 or A05
• Refugee Travel Letter with photo, stamped by Customs and Border Protection"

 

 

Edited August 15, 2018 by Jaquelly
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