Paul Elizabeth

My Card was Rec on August 23 2013

My application was approved yesterday, August 12. I actually had a notification of an address change, and when I contacted them today, it would seem they fixed a spelling mistake. Online doesnt show as approved by USCIS stated it was,

Just dont rely on their online address change. It doesnt always work. In my case, I changed my address online, and USCIS still continued to send mail to a previous address. I then called, and had them change it over the phone.

I had my bio-metrics done early. May 20th, 2013. I walked in to my local office, it was empty, and was seen straight away.

If I go early to my biometrics, will I get a receipt afterwards?

My Bio appointment info came.

June 4, 2013.

My NOA came, dated April 23, 2013.

It went to my home address even though I used a PO Box mailing address.

Could I do a walk in for the bio-metrics?

My payment finally cleared VSC

Not long now.

Dont worry. I mailed mine on the 20th, and was rec on the 22nd.

There is a delay right now in VSC, and looking at the timelines they are working on mid april.

There is also a delay at the CSC.

I filed my I-751 on April 20, rec by VSC on April 23

I guess my wife and I are the exception to the rule. We were expedited based on numerous issues:

1. AP - my father is ill in the UK, and whilst I didnt need to rush and go home, I wanted to have the document 'just in case' something happened.

2. EAD - my wife is on expensive drugs as she received a new kindey, my job helps pay for the medical needs.

3. AOS - this was expedited, I put the request in based on my wifes need, and some jobs require residency. I was told by USCIS over the phone expedites are not granted for AOS, but in my case it was granted, and I have an email showing it was expedited. Maybe they expedited this because the rest of my case moved fast.

I got approved for the AOS on July 26, received the approval letter today, July 30, how long before the green card is sent. The last email I got was the final of three saying it was in production.

Here is a similar VJ case

I am sure other people will have this type of email I contacted USCIS, and the CSC emailed me saying that the response was sent in error. My case did not go to appeals.

Are USCIS open today because I tried to call option 1, 2 and then 6, and didnt get anything.

What does this mean

'the Administrative Appeals Office returned this case. If your case was remanded or your appeal was sustained, we will notify you of our action within 60 days of the date of the AAO decision.'

I never asked for an appeal as just started the process.

I came through Dublin, which is where I handed the packet, had my finger prints etc. On all my forms that asked I put New York via Dublin or New York via Dublin Pre Clearance. I have been approved for the I-131 and I-765, and not issues as of yet with I-485.

And just to add, it isnt easy to get an expedite based on medical and financial grounds. We provided a letter from hospital outlying my wifes condition, bank statements, medical bills, cost of drugs, and all the supporting evidence we could get out hands on to prove our expedite case. It wasnt an easy process, in fact very stressful.

Also, there are some good people at USCIS tier 2 who are helpful and offer good advice. Who take the time to look into a case and listen. I did experience others who wanted to stone wall me, but if I new something different to what they were saying, I made them check the information, and was confirmed in my hypothesis or understanding. As for tier 1, they read of a script. I can tell you all the answers to the opening questions, in fact, I tell them when I make the call. They can take forever, and always end up upgrading my call. But if something goes wrong as things do in life, and its off the script, its very hard to get something done. After 5 hours on the phone, numerous calls, having to go through tier 1 and being stone walled with tier 2, I decided to defend my cause. But it was a good person who eventually said, u know what, I can see you cant send the evidence without the email, so i will fax you a copy of the email. Such a simple act, a nice gesture.

I'm not sure I'm understanding the justification for an expedite. Would the financial loss have been any different if she wasn't marrying a foreigner? Or, was the basis for the expedite that she needed her fiance/spouse to come and get a job to help her pay her medical bills?

I'm just curious because I've seen lots of expedite requests based on financial hardship that have been shot down because the petitioner is required to submit an affidavit of support showing that they are not only self-sufficient, but capable of supporting their foreign spouse, as well.

And did you really threaten them with legal action because they sent an RFE to the wrong email address? Man, that's pretty gutsy. Knowing how many times in this whole immigration process there's going to be an immigration officer with the discretion to say "no", I would be pretty reluctant to do anything that might piss them off.

The basis was for the fiance to come, work and help pay her medical bills. We used a co-sponsor even though her income was just above the threshold. The medical bills are extreme, and something that will require money year in year out.

They requested evidence in an email. Without that email I couldnt sent the evidence as emailed required when faxing. One person told me there was nothing I could do, and couldnt put a new request in. Another person said send it anyway and see what happens. Another person said if you dont send with the email it will be rejected. So I was in a difficult position. Being faced with not having an expedite I pushed as needed to get someone to fax the email to me. That was a simple solution but one no-one else was willing to offer. I need to work and support my wife.

Also, we pay a lot of money for this process, and that should bring about a high standard of customer service. We are not just numbers, but people, with hopes, dreams, desires, problems. I dont expect a script or a brick wall, but when needed, a bit of understanding.

Expedites based on what with what evidence? No random expedite will just be approved without evidence! Of course expedites do work but you need to meed the criteria and give them what they need to approve it.

Of course no random expedite would work, but they do work if there is a severe financial and medical need. In our case it was the need of the US petitioner that the expedite was made. That same need continued throughout the process. She is not dying but requires regular expensive medication and doctor appointments, which caused a severe financial loss.

Its all about putting together a strong case, making sure everyloop hole is covered, and sometimes a little push.

I just wanted to share that we expedited all the way from the I-129f, nvc and embassy to the AOS, and at each stage things have progressed very quickly.

Here is our current situation:

Jun 13, 2011: File Sent, Jun 14: File Rec (Sent alone with expedite request)

Jun 16: USCIS text and emailed numbers for each form

Jun 17: Telephone expedite in addition to the one sent with the forms

Jun 17: Check cashed $1070

Jun 20: Expedite evidence faxed

Jun 20: NOA Rec dated Jun 15

Jun 22: I-131 Approved

Jun 22: I-765 approved but suspended until biometrics completed

Jun 24: I-485 transferred to CSC

Jul 5: Biometrics

In my telephone expedite request, a problem occured, NBC sent the request for evidence to the wrong email due to an error on USCIS part. It took five hours calling USCIS, and threatening legal action, and having them send emails to the NBC for someone to be sensible and send a fax of the request for evidence. That email was important when faxing the information. I ended up sending my fax for evidence 4 times to compensate for the USCIS errors.

My case was transferred to CSC? Does this mean I will or wont get an interview? I am a k1er.

Two questions:

I have a biometric appointment for July 5 in Albany, what do I need for a walk in?

There is a closer center just over the border in Vermont, could I do a walk-in there with an albany letter?

For those in the know, can I do a biometric walk in without the physical NOA, or with the physical NOA but without the biometric letter?

I am also trying to expedite the process due to my wifes financial and medical need. We were expedited at the I-129f stage.

I recently came to US on K1, I went via Dublin pre clearence and then to JFK, what do I put for place of entry on forms?

On the EAD, question 15, what do I put once I marry? Is K1 Fiance, applying for status change after marriage ok?