EAD not received and seems to be sent back to USCIS

[lovinglive 24]

Hello all, 

 

My wife and I filed our concurrent AOS package in mid-July.  My wife was called for her biometrics in August.  It seems that the next day, her EAD was approved.  This was much faster than we expected.

 

On most of these forms it asks for mailing address and physical address.  We put in a temporary forwarding for our mail during August, and we did receive a forwarded I-797 in the mail telling that the EAD was approved and that the EAD would be coming separately.  We assumed that the EAD would be coming in the mail imminently.

 

When it was taking a little longer than I thought it would, I checked the USPS tracking, which showed that it was sent back to Lee's Summit, Missouri (National Benefits Center location) as of August 31, and an individual picked it up at the post office.

 

This post says that USCIS uses "Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery", which may explain why the USPS would not deliver it to the forwarding address?

 

So then we logged into My USCIS and they claim that, as of August 31, the Post office delivered the EAD to my wife, and list the tracking number.  Obviously it wasn't delivered to us, so it's not clear why they say it was delivered, rather than that it was returned to the National Benefits Center.  It also says "case closed", which is disturbing.  I tried calling USCIS but got a robot.

 

In this case I assume that USPS tracking is correct and the EAD card was actually sent back to the NBC.  Should we submit an e-request asking them to re-send the EAD card?  

 

Would it make any difference to call USPS?  Is it possible that USCIS will automatically re-send it?

 

Also, can someone confirm that USCIS sends these card with signature confirmation or signature confirmation restricted delivery?

 

Thanks in advance for your information or suggestions.

 

[Crazy Cat 39,677]

Deleted.  

Edited September 2, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[beloved_dingo 1,939]

You are correct that the issue was mail-forwarding. Things like green cards, work permits, etc. do not get forwarded even if you have set up mail forwarding. Did you not update USCIS with your new address? They are notoriously terrible at processing address changes, but you are supposed to keep them updated on current addresses. 

 

I believe you can use this link to report non-delivery: https://egov.uscis.gov/e-request/displayNDCForm.do?sroPageType=ndc&entryPoint=init

Edited September 2, 2022 by beloved_dingo

[lovinglive 24]

42 minutes ago, beloved_dingo said:

You are correct that the issue was mail-forwarding. Things like green cards, work permits, etc. do not get forwarded even if you have set up mail forwarding. Did you not update USCIS with your new address? They are notoriously terrible at processing address changes, but you are supposed to keep them updated on current addresses. 

 

I believe you can use this link to report non-delivery: https://egov.uscis.gov/e-request/displayNDCForm.do?sroPageType=ndc&entryPoint=init

Thank you for your reply!  We did not update USCIS with a new address since it was just a temporary forwarding and we were not aware that this would be an issue.

 

I just talked with USPS and they said that they don't see indication that it was sent with signature confirmation.  Can anyone confirm that USCIS does send cards with signature confirmation?

 

It would seem that USCIS should know that it was returned to them but the information on my wife's profile doesn't indicate this- instead they say that it was delivered to her.

 

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by lovinglive

[beloved_dingo 1,939]

15 minutes ago, lovinglive said:

Thank you for your reply!  We did not update USCIS with a new address since it was just a temporary forwarding and we were not aware that this would be an issue.

 

I just talked with USPS and they said that they don't see indication that it was sent with signature confirmation.  Can anyone confirm that USCIS does send cards with signature confirmation?

 

It would seem that USCIS should know that it was returned to them but the information on my wife's profile doesn't indicate this- instead they say that it was delivered to her.

 

 

Supposedly, back in 2018, USCIS was going to start sending things like the EAD with "Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery Service" but I have not seen evidence that this is actually happening. My husband's combo card (EAD + AP) and his green card were sent Priority Mail with a tracking number, and did not require a signature. 

 

The signature aspect doesn't really matter though, the fact is the EAD went to the old address because you did not update it with USCIS. You need to report the delivery issue to USCIS (with the link I gave before) and also update your address with them. 

 

It wouldn't hurt to try calling USCIS as well. (Try saying "infopass" to get an actual person who can help you)

 

More info: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/how-to-track-delivery-of-your-green-card-employment-authorization-document-ead-and-travel-document 

Edited September 2, 2022 by beloved_dingo

[SalishSea 16,912]

30 minutes ago, lovinglive said:

Thank you for your reply!  We did not update USCIS with a new address since it was just a temporary forwarding and we were not aware that this would be an issue.

 

I just talked with USPS and they said that they don't see indication that it was sent with signature confirmation.  Can anyone confirm that USCIS does send cards with signature confirmation?

 

It would seem that USCIS should know that it was returned to them but the information on my wife's profile doesn't indicate this- instead they say that it was delivered to her.

 

 

In my experience, there is no signature confirmation with anything sent by USCIS.

[lovinglive 24]

On 9/2/2022 at 3:34 PM, beloved_dingo said:

Supposedly, back in 2018, USCIS was going to start sending things like the EAD with "Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery Service" but I have not seen evidence that this is actually happening. My husband's combo card (EAD + AP) and his green card were sent Priority Mail with a tracking number, and did not require a signature. 

 

The signature aspect doesn't really matter though, the fact is the EAD went to the old address because you did not update it with USCIS. You need to report the delivery issue to USCIS (with the link I gave before) and also update your address with them. 

 

It wouldn't hurt to try calling USCIS as well. (Try saying "infopass" to get an actual person who can help you)

 

More info: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/how-to-track-delivery-of-your-green-card-employment-authorization-document-ead-and-travel-document 

Thanks very much, that's very helpful. You're referring actually to the notice I was reading from 2018 where USCIS announced that they are going to send with "Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery" service.

 

So it's good to know that it looks like a signature is not required.  How do you know that mail forwarding is a problem for these cards?

 

I received a reply back from USPS, from their investigation into the case and they said that "The USPS will forward mail as long as the sender does not place a non-forwarding endorsement on the mailpiece."  Which seems to be another way of saying that the sender placed a non-forwarding endorsement on this piece of mail, which is why it was not forwarded and returned to the sender. 

 

Regarding updating our address with USCIS, in this case we had temporary forwarding on our mail, so I'm still not sure if we should inform USCIS of the change of address?  The temporary forwarding ends today.

 

The issue in our case is that I was living overseas before we submitted our AOS/EAD/AP application, and I used my mailing address on the forms, in addition to a "physical address" as requested on the forms.  Until we really settle down in one place it may make less sense to inform them again of our "physical address".  Since it would lead to multiple changes of address.  I have heard that changes of address are problematic and lead to delays.

 

Thanks also for the tip on getting through the USCIS automated phone system!

 

 

 

On 9/2/2022 at 3:51 PM, Jorgedig said:

In my experience, there is no signature confirmation with anything sent by USCIS.

Thanks for sharing this experience as well!

[SalishSea 16,912]

9 hours ago, lovinglive said:

Thanks very much, that's very helpful. You're referring actually to the notice I was reading from 2018 where USCIS announced that they are going to send with "Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery" service.

 

So it's good to know that it looks like a signature is not required.  How do you know that mail forwarding is a problem for these cards?

 

I received a reply back from USPS, from their investigation into the case and they said that "The USPS will forward mail as long as the sender does not place a non-forwarding endorsement on the mailpiece."  Which seems to be another way of saying that the sender placed a non-forwarding endorsement on this piece of mail, which is why it was not forwarded and returned to the sender. 

 

Regarding updating our address with USCIS, in this case we had temporary forwarding on our mail, so I'm still not sure if we should inform USCIS of the change of address?  The temporary forwarding ends today.

 

The issue in our case is that I was living overseas before we submitted our AOS/EAD/AP application, and I used my mailing address on the forms, in addition to a "physical address" as requested on the forms.  Until we really settle down in one place it may make less sense to inform them again of our "physical address".  Since it would lead to multiple changes of address.  I have heard that changes of address are problematic and lead to delays.

 

Thanks also for the tip on getting through the USCIS automated phone system!

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing this experience as well!

Good luck, and please come back with any updates.  Very helpful going forward for newbies who read this thread.

[lovinglive 24]

So we submitted an e-request to USCIS using the link that Beloved Dingo posted above.  We got the following response:

 

"USCIS created a Employment Authorization Document (EAD) for you and mailed it to the address we had on file at that time, but the post office returned it to us. Recently, you called to tell us that you did not receive it.  As a courtesy, we have requested that your EAD be mailed again to the address we have on file for you.

Please note that USCIS uses the US Postal Services Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery."

 

This is still unclear for us, as it says "we have requested that your EAD be mailed again", but who did they request to?  And have they sent it yet or is it still in process?  We have sent them a message in My USCIS to ask whether they have sent it yet.

 

Interesting also that they say that the use Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery.  When I called USPS about the first delivery, they said that USCIS had not placed it under signature confirmation, so ??  🤷‍♂️

 

Does anyone know or have any comments on whether USCIS re-sends the EAD immediately in this type of case?

 

And also why there is an apparent question on the use of Signature Confirmation?

 

Thank you for any thoughts or comments on this!

[JKLSemicolon 331]

On 9/5/2022 at 11:40 AM, lovinglive said:

Regarding updating our address with USCIS, in this case we had temporary forwarding on our mail, so I'm still not sure if we should inform USCIS of the change of address?  The temporary forwarding ends today.

 

The issue in our case is that I was living overseas before we submitted our AOS/EAD/AP application, and I used my mailing address on the forms, in addition to a "physical address" as requested on the forms.  Until we really settle down in one place it may make less sense to inform them again of our "physical address".  Since it would lead to multiple changes of address.  I have heard that changes of address are problematic and lead to delays.

I'm confused as to why you were living overseas when submitting an AOS package...but that aside, if you are now able to receive mail at the address on file with USCIS without any mail forwarding, then filing a change of address should not be needed. Did you confirm that the correct address was on file when you spoke to someone on the phone?

 

On 9/19/2022 at 10:41 AM, lovinglive said:

So we submitted an e-request to USCIS using the link that Beloved Dingo posted above.  We got the following response:

 

"USCIS created a Employment Authorization Document (EAD) for you and mailed it to the address we had on file at that time, but the post office returned it to us. Recently, you called to tell us that you did not receive it.  As a courtesy, we have requested that your EAD be mailed again to the address we have on file for you.

Please note that USCIS uses the US Postal Services Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery."

 

This is still unclear for us, as it says "we have requested that your EAD be mailed again", but who did they request to?  And have they sent it yet or is it still in process?  We have sent them a message in My USCIS to ask whether they have sent it yet.

 

Interesting also that they say that the use Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery.  When I called USPS about the first delivery, they said that USCIS had not placed it under signature confirmation, so ??  🤷‍♂️

 

Does anyone know or have any comments on whether USCIS re-sends the EAD immediately in this type of case?

 

And also why there is an apparent question on the use of Signature Confirmation?

 

Thank you for any thoughts or comments on this!

 

I wouldn't split hairs about the specific USPS service that is being used - the key is that certain documents from USCIS will not be forwarded.

 

Ideally your mailing address would be one that is eligible for Informed Delivery, which would help answer the most relevant questions you have above.

 

For what it's worth, I signed up for a mailbox at the UPS Store so that in order to have a consistent mailing address even if moving. However, in the end USCIS sent my wife's green card to our physical address. Although this was from an immigrant visa and not an adjustment of status, the point is that it is important to keep all addresses up to date.

Edited September 23, 2022 by JKLSemicolon

[lovinglive 24]

On 9/23/2022 at 12:39 AM, JKLSemicolon said:

I'm confused as to why you were living overseas when submitting an AOS package...but that aside, if you are now able to receive mail at the address on file with USCIS without any mail forwarding, then filing a change of address should not be needed. Did you confirm that the correct address was on file when you spoke to someone on the phone?

 

 

I wouldn't split hairs about the specific USPS service that is being used - the key is that certain documents from USCIS will not be forwarded.

 

Ideally your mailing address would be one that is eligible for Informed Delivery, which would help answer the most relevant questions you have above.

 

For what it's worth, I signed up for a mailbox at the UPS Store so that in order to have a consistent mailing address even if moving. However, in the end USCIS sent my wife's green card to our physical address. Although this was from an immigrant visa and not an adjustment of status, the point is that it is important to keep all addresses up to date.

Hi, thank you for your reply!

 

We were never able to get through the phone system but submitted an e-request and got a reply from USCIS in about a week.

 

It was a temporary forwarding and yes, we are still able to get mail at the address on file, so it seems better not to change it.  At least a few people have said that changing address can lead to delays.  We were able to sign up for informed delivery so that's good.

 

Good news is that we did receive my wife's EAD in the mail!  That was fairly straightforward.  A few notes for anyone in the future:

 

-Even though USCIS said in their correspondence that they use Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery, it did not in fact require signature when it was delivered.

-When USCIS re-sent it, they did not send us a new tracking number.