Gavin + Heather

Hi Terri,

Well, I had my interview on June 25th and i have not received my GC ...

Maria

Congrats on being approved! I'd give USCIS a call and see what they say as it's been over a month, hang on, not USCIS, but the National Customer Service Center according to the USCIS site...

This step applies to applications that result in an applicant receiving a card (such as a "green card") or other document (such as a naturalization certificate, employment authorization document, travel document, or advance parole). Applications will be in this step from the time the order to produce the card/document is given until the card/document is produced and mailed to the applicant. You can expect to receive your card/document within 30 days of the approval of your application.

If you do not receive your document, please contact our National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

Just an update to let people know about the process...

I received a letter from USCIS yesterday in reference to my call earlier in the week, they said it's unlikely that our case will need an interview but there's a back log so they won't get to our case until 6 months from the date of the letter - Personally I think this is one of those standard responses we get from them. I still think we'll hear something on the GC front in the next month.

Well that's something Gavin, I was told to call back after 3 weeks which will be next week I think. I'm in the UK right now so it will be interesting to see what the process is like landing in Washington next weekend

They said I should be able to find out on August 13th. Good luck, I hope all goes well on your return to the US!

Hi all, just an update - I called USCIS today to get an update, they said my case had passed the processing date so they are going to put in a service request and they gave me a reference number for the request. It'll take a couple of weeks before I hear anything, but at least it's progress

Maybe you get it very soon 'cause you have almost 9 months in the process , as I have read, without interview takes 9-11 months to get the GC.

Yep, that's what I'm thinking. I'm still not too fussed about it as I don't need the GC for anything at the moment.

No interview and no news as yet for us on the GC. My priority date was November 16th on my NOA. Checking the processing dates on USCIS for the Washington office, as of 31st May 2013 they were processing 6th December 2012. So I'll probably give them a call next week to see what they say.

You aren't alone. I received NOA1 on 2/13/2013 and still havent heard anything. My lawyer says that they probably havent even looked at our case yet.

I contacted one of my state's senators 12 days ago asking for her assistance in this matter. Just this morning, I received the following email from the Senator:

I know it's frustrating to see March and April filers get approved ahead of us Feb filers, but hopefully we will hear something soon. I am trying to stay positive (and patient), but it sure isn't always easy.

Hi

I noticed that you submitted your K1 in Feb 2013, this is the Feb 2012 forum - just so you know. So I can tell you that I didn't get my NOA2 until August. It tended to be for us 2012 filers July-September NOA2's were coming. As I said, my NOA2 was the beginning of August 2012 and I finally had my interview October 4th. Just to give you an idea of time line for yourself, although I was moving from the UK - all consulates are different the way they handle the process.

You can check out some of the Feb 2012's timelines to get a more general idea if you want. I know the waiting is the hardest part. Us, Feb 2012s, are now on the wait for our greencards. I filed on November 14th 2012 and hope to hear something soon, but at this point most of us don't care how long it takes as we're with our partners now

Your NOA2 will be coming in the next couple of months.

No news here yet either. I'm waiting for the 15th of the month to see when they update the processing times what month they're on. On the 15th last month they updated it to processing November 4th 2012 as of April 30th 2013. Our priority date was 16th November, so we should be hearing something soon!

That's for the Washington DC field office anyway.

Congratulations!

It looks like you and my wife are due at the same time, because our OB/GYN confirmed that our baby is due near Thanksgiving as well~

Congrats

Wow! Babies everywhere! Congrats Joy and Ckel! I'm so happy for all of us. Everyone seems to be doing so well! Rob and I are pretty excited because we put in an application for a rental for a condo, and our application was accepted. The land around the condo is really pretty as it's near a forest, and I've seen deer and other woodland creatures roaming the grounds. It seems like it will be quiet and serene. We're very excited about it!

Congrats on getting the condo, sounds like a lovely place

...we're having a baby! I'm due around Thanksgiving.

Congratulations! It's great seeing how we're all progressing on our journeys, all the best!

I think about the GC sometimes, mainly thinking about when (or, morbid I know, if) I'll be able to see my nan again. In terms of settling in, really well - it was hard saying goodbye to people from the UK at our 2nd wedding though. I guess there are couple of times where instead of getting on with things I ponder for a moment on whether it's different here from the UK so should be done differently - so moments of being unsure.

As for the credit, I got my own secured credit card to build my credit and also so it wouldn't reduce Heather's credit rating if she'd added someone with no credit on to her credit card. I also have my moble/cell phone which is in my name. I'm starting to get junk mail through the post of credit card applications - so I guess my credit rating is building.

I think it's good to build up the credit rating as there may be purchases in the future that requires both partners credit rating to be taken in to account.

We have some tentative plans for July 4th, but just waiting for things to be confirmed.

Just before we went away on our honeymoon my work permit arrived finally, so something less to think about

Have fun!!! Rob and I just had our family/friends wedding, which we pretty much considered to be our real wedding, since our actual wedding only included the two of us and a judge.

And congrats to the change to initial review, Sarah! Still waiting for movement here.

On an unrelated note, for those of you who came here from another country, have you been having problems with your social security number? For example, when Rob went to get a bank account, it was frozen almost immediately after getting it until we could prove his social security number is real (by going to the bank to show his SSN card). We had to do the same thing for when I filed my taxes jointly with him (I still haven't gotten my refund as a result), and we've pretty much had to follow up on anything that required a social security number. Is anyone else experiencing this? I'm almost wondering if it has something to do with the fact that his name was spelled wrong when he initially got the card.

No problems with the SSN as yet. I used it for my driving license and back account - although for the bank it was just getting me added on to Heather's accounts. As far as I know with Heather's taxes they went through fine and we got a little money back on them.

1 week to go to our second wedding, why on earth we decided to have a second wedding we have no idea. Still we're almost there, Saturday next week everyone will be stuffed with lovely food and we'll be able to relax again May the fourth be with us!

NY Times Video

We are right at the beginning! YAY

Cool

Exactly...sometimes we have to wait a while to understand the 'why' but there's always a reason!! Thank you :-)

Congrats on the job, it's amazing how things come together

Echo the thanks to Gavin...

I can't remember how I found out mine was in Baltimore. It says on USCIS it's at NBC but I know when I called to ask about it they said it was in Baltimore, which is where I had my biometrics so i'm guessing that where you have your biometrics is where your file gets transferred...? My friend who married a Knoxvillian did all his stuff thru Nashville!! Hope that helps

On a side note...anyone follow the NBA???

I concur, my biometrics was in Alexandria, VA and the processing office is a short drive away in Fairfax.

Not yet, mainly been following the ACC and been to a few games at UVA - I married into UVA (mainly football and basketball), Jets and Yankees. On the flip side, Heather married into Chelsea FC

Thanks for that Gavin - stupid question but how did you know that your AOS case had been transferred? And, if you haven't been notified that it's been transferred, does that mean it's still in Chicago do you think?

The only reason I know mine is at the Washington DC office is because I called them about the EAD and queried the status of the AOS, they said it was at the Washington DC office. I didn't even think of that being 'Transferred' as I was always reading that as being sent to the California processing center, but they don't do that anymore, so I guess yes, mine was transferred to the DC office in December.

I wouldn't think yours would still be in Chicago, I would say at one of the local processing offices. You could find out the status of your AOS if you give them a call, but you may be waiting 40 minutes to talk to someone.

Hey all...just wondering if anyone has any insight to the timing of the GC processing?? We're working on a wee plan and wondering if we'll have it by July!!

I think for the Washington office it's looking like around 7 months. The only other thing to go on is the VJ AOS timeline, here's an example of the Washington office and some of the cases that have been updated...

AOS DC Timeline for K1s

Depends on which part of the country you're in A few more years of Rob being in Chicago, and he might sound like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=769A4mUY7g0

Oh, so in Chicago you have to grow a moustache too?

Thanks y'all - I'm learning American

Nice to see everyone progressing.

I finally have a NOA for my EAD having had to resubmit it. Out of curiosity, as I know some people have to do more than one in the past, how many biometric appointments have y'all had to do? I've had one for AOS, so I was just wondering if I'd have to do another for EAD.

Thanks Gav

Just an update, USCIS managed to lose my I-765. So I have to get some more photos taken and resubmit! Glad they have the AOS, I would like to see that it's been touched though, that'll probably in another 3 months I guess.

Ok maybe I'm being a bit thick here.... my status on USCIS webpage has moved from Initial Review to Card/Document Production and it says the following:

On February 21, 2013, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you

receive the card, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

This step applies to applications that result in an applicant receiving a card (such as a "green card") or other document (such as a naturalization certificate, employment authorization document,

travel document, or advance parole). Applications will be in this step from the time the order to produce the card/document is given until the card/document is produced and mailed to the applicant.

You can expect to receive your card/document within 30 days of the approval of your application.

Anyone know what it means? At what point can we apply for posts?

You should get the card with in the next week or two, if you want to be safe wait for the card. I think it's up to the employer how they handle it, they'd probably want to see some proof if you had an interview before the card arrived (a copy of the NOA and a screen print of the confirmation may work). I think the official wording on USCIS is something like you can only apply once you have the card in hand.

I didn't realize that. Rob's application is at the National Benefits Center in Missouri (we have an MSC number), and to our knowledge, our stuff hasn't been transferred anywhere. So does everyone get an MSC number, but the applications are adjudicated in more local offices? Admittedly, I've been a little confused about where AOS/EAD/AP applications actually get processed, since there seems to be a lot of random transfers that happen.

That's correct, the National Benefits Center processes some and sends out others to local processing offices. Then there's also if they decide if you need an interview or not. If they decide not to give you an interview, the application gets put on a pile of ones to issue green cards for, but that seems to be slower than if you actually had an interview. It used to be that interview AOS's they decided didn't need an interview were sent to California, but that changed a year or so ago. Now the National Benefits Center processes them - At least that is what I understand of the process from my investigations.

The NBC said that both my EAD and AOS would be processed at Washington, still chasing the NOA for the EAD. My AOS has not been touched since 12/19/2012 - though I expect to hear from them before the website actually updates.

Congrats!!! All the numbers around Rob's have been approved, so I'm hoping ours is soon. It has been a while since I've been playing the numbers game on the USCIS website!

The numbers don't mean much this time unless they are being processed at the same office as Rob's. I don't know what offices the number's are around my number, but on either side of my number they've got their cards or interviews - I'm at the Washington office, which is slow - I know those around mine are more than likely processed at different offices - so it's hard to compare, the only thing to go on really is the AOS timeline for the office your application is at on VJ (http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/aoslist.php?cfl=&op5=5,6,8,9,10,11), select K1 and the CIS Office you're at and click find. I put them in date order and look at the ones around my date to see their process.

Ok so my status was updated again today :-) It reads "On February 14, 2013, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you." Not sure if we actually have to have it in hand to start a job or if our word is enough?!? Any thoughts or knowledge on that one??

I think you'll have the card within a week or two, so I would think you would be fine looking for jobs now. It is up to the employer if they take you on before your card arrives - If you want to be completely safe though, wait for the card.