Jeannie & Al

How often the processing time for local offices get updated

They used to update about once a month but I know Newark was updated a couple weeks ago and then again on May 1st. They were only on June a few weeks ago and now it suddenly says they are on Sept 18th..either those figures were wrong or not a lot of people filed last year in summer months. Hopefully Dallas gets yours approved soon!

Finally Mrs P!! Yay! Congrats! Ours changed back and forth too...we never got the tracking number in there like we did with the EAD (I don't think) but the card came a few days after the decision.

I just saw this thread and was outraged to think Nich-Nick was treated unfairly after all she brought to this forum for years. I was lucky enough to have her as a resource last year when we were going through the K-1 process and she was invaluable help to me and others. Like Anna Grant, the reason I have not offered a lot of help in the UK forum was right after we were approved last August, everything changed so much in the process and I would be afraid I would give wrong info. We did use the newer payment system with London and I remember Nich-Nick doing whatever she could to get the new information out of what the changes were and how to use the new system even though she wasn't even in that system herself at that point. She's a gem.

I'm happy that she's at peace with whatever it was that happened and if she chooses to come back and make appearances, I would love to hear from her. I also hope this let her know on some small level how much she's loved and appreciated here.

Did I read correctly that Lost at Sea is gone too? She was super helpful too..

hi - I'm not sure where you read that but it seems wrong to me. I could be wrong but it's my understanding that all AOS cases go there first and get assigned an MSC number. Eventually it gets transferred to your local office to get paired with your biometrics results and your case that was filed locally at POE at the airport. It's the local office that decides whether you get the interview or not so I don't think that's been decided for you yet.

I'm sure someone can come in and tell me how off I am.

Just got out of my interview! Approved and stamped on the spot!! Interview lasted 10 mins my IO Mr P was great we were relaxed chatting it went great he asked us NO QUESTIONS except the ones from the form said I'll have my green card in a week and stamped my passport I busted out in tttteeaarrrrsssss! I got permanent residence no condition so he said see you in 3 yrs for citizenship. Good Luck to everyone!!!!! Thank you for all the support through out these months!

Btw he said it was due to my package I sent in that he had all the evidence nice he needed. I sent in everything we had and pictures. He did take one recent picture of us.

wow - that is awesome! I didn't know they even did that - I thought everyone had to go to the conditional green card? Congrats!!

The week is almost done but no news on my end. Boooo USCIS. LOL

Still with crossed toes right now! Haha Work's keeping me busy at least.

sorry Mrs P - glad work is keeping you busy. My hubby is not as lucky on that front...he had to get other transcripts from the UK that he didn't think he'd need and that's delayed us from getting his teaching degree converted but hopefully that will be done next month so we can hopefully secure a teaching position for him for September. If we had to do this over again, as a teacher I think we would have been better off doing the other marriage visa where you wait a little longer but when he got here, he'd have the green card and we could have timed it better for him for teaching. oh well - too late now!

Congrats to all who have approved and hopefully everyone else will receive good news soon.

After losing our medical, we did the emergency medical and turned that in and a week later we got emails saying that the card was in production and we should receive it in the next 30 days. We never got the interview waiver letter and had filed in mid-October. Hopefully we will get the card soon and be done for awhile.

Good luck to all!

UGH. Anytime soon. HOPEFULLY. What's the hold up, St. Paul MN?! >_<

Because the interview waivers are actually a result of slow processing and pile up of cases? It seems that they're still sorting out through tons of applications. AND CONGRATS on the approval! We hope we'll hear (approval) news soon too. Would really hate to drive to Bloomington MN for an interview. Ugh. That means both my husband and I would have to miss at least 2 days of work.

Good luck!

Congratulations! See ya!

Yikes. That's a pain in the a**. Good luck. At least there's movement for you! Can't wait to get this over and done with too! :|

Good luck!

Hi Mrs P - I don't think what is posted as the date is accurate - Newark still says they are working on August and they said they had our case for a few weeks ready to approve waiting for the medical results to miraculously show up. Hopefully you will hear something soon!

Glad to see a lot of October filers getting their GCs. Congrats to all!

For us, we got a call from our attorney on Thursday that our local office lost my husband's medical records. It was the "troubleshooter" in our local office said he has our case, has been waiting for the medical to show up so he can approve it..does not need to interview us, etc. but we then had to go get another medical. Unbelievable. So the dr took him Thursday and he has to go back tomorrow (not sure how many docs are open on Sundays but this one is) and get his TB test measured.

We could either go there in two weeks and give him the results but since our lawyer was going to immigration next week anyway, he's going to bring it for us...so we should be approved and have our green card very soon. Of course we had to pay for that mishap ($250). Thankfully my hubby had his paperwork from his doctor with his immunizations because if he had gotten them in London, that would have been lost ..unreal. Can't wait until we can be done with the gov't for the next 2 years..ugh.

Hi all. Apologies, been extremely busy with work.

Anyway, weird thing about my AP status happened today. Note that I already have my EAD/AP Combo Card but both my husband and I got an alert through sms and email that my I-131 / AP status had changed, that my address was updated. I got excited, I thought I was getting news about my GC. Oh well.

Got my potential interview waiver on January 17th (letter dated Jan 10th). Still no movement on my AOS Case Status.

Never have to apologize Mrs P - so glad you found a job..are you liking it? My hubby is applying now...hopefully will get something soon!

That is odd about the AP thing. Maybe Monday you will see something move on the GC?

We had an odd thing happen with the website. I used to get the emails as the USC when we were still going through the K1 process..and when I tried to log in, it said it had been too long and wouldn't let me change my login. So i made one with my hubby's name and email and that was going fine and all of sudden, it said we had been locked out - yet, it hadn't been too long - we had checked it the day before. so now we have to just rely on the home check your status screen without being logged in or getting any notifications. Have you heard of that happening before? I wonder if I can create a new acct with a different email although I think I tried that and I couldn't. dang USCIS!

Fingers crossed that will happen. The job search is keeping my mind from the green card at the minute which is a welcome distraction, hopefully you might here soon, I know we are on very similar timelines

yes, we are. we are not too worried either - we might be one of those that never gets the letter and just goes to card production - I guess if we were going to have an interview, we would know by now?

Ours was accepted Oct 3 and has been in acceptance as well for now 148 days. I read in the forums that this is common and it will change to once approved. I'm not too worried about it, we got the EAD/Travel documents, and interview waiver so I'm sure it's in queue.

yes, that's what i've read too. Ours was received 10/15 and still in acceptance too

Thanks for the reassurance! We are planning a 3 week trip to return to Brazil at the end of May. I am hoping to have the Green Card by then. But if not, I just hope everything goes smoothly with the EAD/Travel Permit in hand.

I think you should be fine with the EAD/AP. Sounds like a wonderful long trip!

Hi guys,

Finally, I got a green card today after 14 months waiting! Filed in 12/28/2012! It was long way to wait!

oh wow - that's a cause for celebration - congrats!

Congrats, we are still waiting too, we filed one day apart, hopefully we are next.

yikes- hope you get it soon!! it's crazy how some go through so quickly and others not so much...

what office/state is handling these? I feel like there are no other NJ people on here waiting for GCs.

Got a letter for a possible interview waiver 2/20/14. At least we know somethings going on with the case, it's been so long before we had heard anything.

I'm glad you heard something - we still haven't heard a thing. Hopefully you are one of those people that gets that letter and the green card comes a week or two later.

Congrats to those approved.

We still don't have a waiver letter or anything. Feels a bit lonely.

As for us, we don't have any changes in status, it's still at Initial review stage and there's no interview waiver letter at old/new addresses.

Hi Mr/Mrs Happy - we are pretty much in the same boat - no letter, no nothing but like Mrs P, just happy we have the EAD now so he can look for work.

Congrats to everyone with the good news - glad to see that for my fellow October filers that some cases are moving quickly! Good luck to everyone with job interviews too!

Thank you for the good vibes! Really needed right now!

Congrats on the hubby's license! I fear for my life with people driving on icy roads here so.... I will take the test in Spring. Haha. Also, they took away my PH Driver's License when I applied for a State ID. Something about North Dakota Law not being allowed to possess two state (or country) issued DL's at the same time. Sending good vibes back on the hubby's search for substitute work!

Ah, that makes sense...NJ is icy/cold enough right now -- I can't imagine how it is in N. Dakota! They said it was colder here yesterday than it was in Alaska - yikes! My hubby is from Wales - he's not used to this kind of cold lol...

thanks for the good luck - keeping our fingers crossed!

;-)))))

INTERVIEW DONE! APPROVED ON THE SPOT!

Our officer was a nice lady, she asked questions but nothing impossible, just things you know if you are married.

Names and some events, she was nice, looked at the wedding photo album ( we brought 4 ) and asked only for some bills and original documents

That's it! Job hunting is slow...will see let's stay positive!!!!

Anyway this is a huge step! and I hope all of you will have the same experience as we had!

Awesome news -- congrats!!

Congrats on the recent approvals! I got an update saying my card is in production, after receiving a letter of interview waiver. Applicants who got the same waiver letter might be getting an update soon too!

Woo hoo - that's great! KC sounds like they are doing well!

for NJ, it says as of 11/30 they are processing 6/24 paperwork. blech! Any other NJ October filers in this thread?

What is the usual waiting time between receiving EAD and AP and getting your interview date, or notification of no interview?

Some people on here already have dates which is awesome...I understand New York is one of the busier offices so it could take a bit longer for me, but hopefully not too long! I am bored of being in limbo...

I really think it varies...we filed close to mid October and while many October filers have interview dates or got the waiver letter, we have nothing so far since getting our EAD/AP before Christmas.

Thanks for your help. My case online doesnt come with a travking number though!

It is alright, im just gonna wait! I think it normally only takes like 1 week since you get approved and you actually receive the mail... I can be wrong though... Im just at the limit of my patience! LOL

hi there - Mine first changed to card is in production and then a day or two later, it changed and added the tracking number. It then changed again to confirm that it was delivered to the address on file. I think you are right though - you will get it soon.

Is there any advantage to doing a walk-in for biometrics i.e. does it speed up receiving EAD and/or AP? Its really AP that I need. Filed AOS with EAD and AP in mid-Dec, actual biometrics appointment is 02/03.

Anybody know for sure?

Hi Kiwi- long time, no "see". Hope all is well with your family adjusting.

I think it did matter for most people who went early..I saw their EAD/AP approvals come in fast and wish I had done the same...but in some cases, it was only a week or so. So if it's super far away and an inconvenience ( and in rare cases, can be turned away), I'd say no...if it's not, then go for it. Did that make sense?

Yes, it could.

thanks for the info J-K!

I think you mean "Exemptions" not dependent. Yes you can take two exemptions. There was some discussion about the W-7 and getting a Taxpayer Identification number which is one good option if the new spouse doesn't have a social security number yet. Other options that might work depending on the time frame is to file for an extension which can get you as late as Oct 15 to file your return if the spouse would have the social security number by that time. The other option is to file as single and then when the spouse has the SS # file an amended return.

yes, that's what I meant -thanks! My hubby got his SS right after he got here in September so we're all set there.

Sounds like we should talk to our accountant and see what makes the most sense?

Our update - we still have not received the potential waiver letter or anything so we are just waiting. Hubby passed the NJ license written test and since he had a license for 15 years in the UK, he didn't need to take the road test (he's in early 30s). I guess they didn't care that the 15 years were spent driving on the other side of the road.

We bought a new car - yay! of course the one I wanted is not here yet and is on a boat on the way over...once we get that, he can start working...if he doesn't find substituting work right away, he was offered tutoring work so he'll be able to do something to get rid of the cabin fever.

GOOD NEWS! I got a notification today that my Advance Parole has been approved and is in card production! We should get it within 30 days from now.

I'm so relieved because we need to travel back to Australia in April for my father's wedding, which I didn't think was a good enough reason for AP to be approved, so I was just hoping to have the green card by then. But it's been approved! Now I can quit stressing about the green card because it doesn't matter if it takes more time. Phew!

Congrats on getting the AP!! It's nice to get some stress off the plate - so now you can plan for the trip back home without added stress.

We received a notice for potential interview waiver last week. It says it can take up to 6 months to receive gc. My hubby found a job so no complaints here life is good

Congrats on hubby finding a job!

Congrats on the AP and the Promotion! I still don't get how USCIS loses our files if it's all bunched up together when we send it out. :\

Welcome to the waiting club. LOL. Congrats on the job.

As for me, sent out a job application last week, the next day I got a positive response from the CEO but heard nothing since then. Still waiting for another response from the CEO since the job posting just ended on the 18th.

Sending you good vibes Mrs P - hope you hear something soon!

A spouse is never a dependent. You file married jointly, even if one spouse had no income.

Ah, thank you! Good to know - I never even thought about filing jointly. I guess it will save us money?

Congrats- great news!!

So, we were married end of September in 2013. My husband just got his EAD/AP card and DL and is now looking for work but did no work in 2013 in the US. I was planning on filing just for me as normal since he did not work last year, but can I claim him as a dependent for part of the year?

Hey everyone, one last update on my wife's AOS ... We finally received the Green Card today and couldn't be happier (btw it looks almost exactly like the EAD but Green) Thank God for a very smooth AOS process (unlike our extremely bumpy K-1 process) ... I guess the USCIS made up for their poor performance before The other great news is that my wife got a job offer today and just finished signing the paperwork a couple hours ago! (it's our lucky day indeed)

Good luck to everyone still waiting on their Green Card/EAD/AP, I wish you all the happiness in the world and the best of luck in your new lives & new careers here in the USA and thanks for all the help and positive energy along the way!

ooh that's awesome - congrats on the job and the card!! I'm thinking a mini-celebration is in order!!

Received my 2-year green card today, too bad its the same photo from biometric. Note to myself for the next card biometric haha

Congrats!! great news!!

We still have no letter or interview date. For those who got the "potential interview waiver case" letter - did your status on USCIS change when they sent it? Just curious..