Ninahi

3 hours ago, mamu said:

How long does it take to renew EAD/AP? Does it fall under the 90 day timeline? Mine is expiring soon and no news about the interview so far.

They recommend to file for renewal at 120 days, but I'm sure 90 is generally sufficient. If your green card happens to be approved in the meantime, there's no harm.

3 hours ago, sparkles_ said:

Have you renewed your EAD yet and gotten it? Or is it still pending renewal? Ugh, the idea of it taking more than 90 is scary.

I got my first one in 75 days, renewal is still pending. Granted they have two more weeks to stay within the 90-day range. I was late off the mark because I sort of forgot that I have to renew everything since the GC hasn't come in, haha. Lucky (?) for me, I don't have a job anyway, so it isn't a massive hindrance. You can expedite if you're currently employed/accepting employment.

For what it's worth, my tear-off portion did nothing to speed up the EAD/AP renewal process. In fact, it's taking longer to renew than it took to originally apply. 

I recommend renewing EADs as soon as your 120 days are up. I filed a little late off the mark and am currently not authorized to work because my renewal failed to catch my expiring card. It's no biggie sending for renewal though.

Still no word from USCIS. They can't even tell me if they received my RFE response. I feel like they're straight up bullying me, lost my files and then left my case to rot. They won't tell me what and when was the last action taken on my case, my online status hasn't updated since they received the application fee in 2015. I'm 110% convinced that the next letter I'm receiving is a rejection and removal proceedings. It's hard to just sit back and wait when you can't in good faith trust that they are actually working on your case.

Called to speak with Tier 2.

Fat nothing.

Application is in Missouri. For some reason they told my congress representative it's in Florida. I received a RFE from Louisiana. My field office is in California. She couldn't tell me what is the last action taken on my application, or if they received my RFE response (it can take two months after submission), just that it's "still processing". It's been processing for 13 months, I don't understand what's taking so long on an extremely straightforward case. We've been together 11 years, applied for K1 when it became available to us, I interviewed for it, entered on a valid Visa, we married AND filed AOS within the 90 days. I have accrued no illegal presence, I have done absolutely nothing wrong, I responded to their RFE within a week of receiving it. She put in a useless SR for me that'll 100% bounce back to me with a "we're experiencing delays" letter. Told me to just wait.

I'm so frustrated I think I might cry. I'd feel better if she could tell me when my file was last touched, or when to expect something to happen, or that she'll put a SR to encourage scheduling an interview. Anything. But no. I'm absolutely 100% not any wiser than I was before calling.

Good luck to you all, my new March family!

I hope I won't have to be adopted by that many more month-families anymore.

Actually - wait....

When should we start reapplying? When does our application expire technically?

Also - if it expires because of their lack of attention... do we have to pay the fees again if we have to reapply?

To renew EAD and AP (if needed), you can apply 120 days before expiration, I'd reserve at least 90 days for renewal. Submit a copy of your I-485 receipt with the application just like first time, you don't have to pay again.

Your AOS won't expire, so don't worry about that. However medicals now expire 1 year from application. Not all IOs seem to know this, so you either do or don't get a RFE for it. I wouldn't bother getting a new medical until you're asked to do so. Sadly, you have to pay out of pocket for it (pretty pissy since the medical is the most expensive to redo) despite the fact that it expired because of USCIS inaction. Boo.

OMG, I can't believe how long your AOS process has taken so far! Just goes to show that we should always be grateful for what we have...

How do you stay so positive?

My wife buys me a lot of shoes...

Jokes! I actually don't stay very positive, it's been very hard after the 9 month mark when we officially fell out of processing time. Some days are really rough. And other days I simply resign to the fact that I have done everything by the book and all I can do is wait.

I hope ya'll get yours before the application anniversaries roll by.

An absolutely charming story! I'm a same-sex applicant from November 2015, but you March filers are the closest thing I have for peers now. We too are concerned about discrimination, especially since our application went to FL/LA for processing (why, we're CA?) and these are not States well known for their forward thinking.

I wish everyone peaceful and warm holidays, despite this process being as nerve wracking and heart breaking as it is.

I also didn't receive a copy of the DS-3025 despite the fact that those pages actually say "GIVE COPY TO CUSTOMER" on them. However as the original was in my completed and sealed medical file, I simply attached a paper stating "Vaccination Supplement DS-3025 was surrendered at POE on Date of Entry with the completed form I-693 and is in the custody of the USCIS" or something to that regard, and we didn't receive a RFE for it.

You can try to attain the copy from the doctor's office, but they probably won't have one (mine didn't).

Or you can have your vaccinations transcribed by a civil surgeon here in the US (sometimes it's hard to convince them to do this because they want to charge you for the full medical).

Sadly my AOS is dragging on so long that my medical ended up expiring nonetheless and I had to have it done again.

Yep, here's another one who's going off her rocker because of this process dragging on and on.

While I do have my EAD and AP, I haven't actually found work. Turns out an overseas degree is worth neither a nickle nor a dime! So I'm stuck twiddling my thumbs and endless vacuum-mop-laundry-dishes-dinner cycle for the 16th month. SIXTEEN GODDAMN MONTHS. I'd be absolutely livid if I weren't too depressed to actually feel emotions anymore. So hang in there, you are not the only one stuck in a sanity-testing limbo.

Immigration isn't easy, especially when you're building your life from scratch. Making new friends and finding reasons (other than your partner) to get out of bed each day isn't a cakewalk either. This USCIS ####### is just an added layer of stink on it all.

We're lucky that our partners can support us. Yet I absolutely understand the need to regain independence and contributing to the household (as well as having your own guilt-free spending money.)

For InfoPass, check early in the morning. I think they reserve slots that are released a day or two before the date? At least this is the only way I've seen appointments available for my nearest office.

This process is very frustrating and I'm cranky that this is the second time USCIS dragging its feet is affecting my holidays. At least this year my AP is still valid over the yule tide so I can go visit my family. Ugh.

California

Town: Fullerton

Henry Kaw M.D.

The only thing that keeps me sane is updating here.

Had my medical, sending my RFE response today. USCIS website still shows "Fingerprint fee received" so I worry that I'll never know if they've received my RFE and if they're satisfied with it, since the status tracker doesn't seem to update at all for me. What a nerve wracking journey.

I am so dismayed by this process. Couple this massive delay on top of President Trump where my gay marriage may no longer be valid once he is in office and our whole immigration process cancelled and I'm just.... - tears, tears, tears, so many tears.

I'm in the same boat, the GC can be revoked if marriage equality is overturned on a federal level (doesn't matter if you live in a marriage equality state). It's nail-biting nerve wracking. On the bright side, Trump isn't likely to go after the gays first, his voters are expecting him to crack down on illegals and trade deals and if he potters around with minorities instead, it wouldn't be good for him.

Let us not despair until that shoe drops, though. Courage and perseverance, my friend!

My congresswoman's inquiry launched a RFE for an expired medical. I'll find solace in the fact that at least a person has looked at my file, which means that my application isn't LOST under anyone's desk. Going to see about sorting that out asap, I just want this to be over.

So new stats:

Filed: Oct 16, 2015

Last Update: RFE, expired I-693 medical exam and vaccinations.

Date of last update: Nov 4, 2016

Field Office: New Orleans, FA

Congresswoman was able to bump things along as here comes a RFE for an expired I-693 medical exam. Nothing we can do thanks to USCIS policy change in June 2014, which renders medicals expired after one year of submission no matter the fact that they were valid at the time of submission.

Thank you for taking 13 months to give this to us, USCIS.

Should I rejoice that the letter wording is "In order to make a final decision we require blah blah blah"? Does that indicate interview is waived and they really just want the new medical for the final decision?

Also my application being in Florida apparently means it's pending production, because "that's where they're made" as my Biometrics technician told me when I did a walk-in.

El Monte, CA - 11/09/2016

Nine days early. Arrived at 2 PM (2 hours before closing). Gave no reason. Officer gave me lip about it, but successful.

Took the full two hours despite the fact that officers were just sitting on their asses playing with pens and watching Ellen DeGeneres, there was only a handful of people there. The only thing good about this office is the inspector, he's a riot, makes it worth the while to joke with him a little.

Congresswoman's office responded to my follow-up, they have traced my application to New Orleans, Florida. As to when or why it was transferred to Florida, I don't know. I thought local field offices were supposed to take care of them? They have contacted the field office on Oct 27, and are standing by for a response. I have a very strong feeling that it's going to amount to a whole lot of nothing.

Filing date: Oct 16, 2015

Last update: we accepted the fingerprint fee for your Form I-485

Date of last update: October 20, 2015

Field Office: Los Angeles County, CA

Waiting time: 380 days as of today.

Two service requests, and a request for help from congresswoman (Oct 17, 2016).

First service request (July 5, 2016) resulted in "your case is delayed due to backlog", while the office is supposedly processing applications filed in March 2016. Put in a second service request today. The people are nice at USCIS customer service, but I have a feeling that nice means that nothing's going to happen. Congresswoman has not responded to my request yet.

I'm getting ignored by my congresswoman and USCIS. Wonder who else I should get involved next!

Contacted congresswoman with immigration case authorization and supporting documents Oct 17. Website says to allow 3 business days for them to contact me. Not a peep yet. Sent follow up email to ask if they ever received my paperwork.

Sent application to renew EAD/AP Oct 17, NOA Oct 20, hard copy Oct 27.

I can't believe we're still waiting, the last time anything happened was Oct 20, 2015. I have launched online inquiries that lead to absolutely nothing. I called in July after the field office processing times had long passed my submit date, only to receive a "we don't know why your application is delayed, keep waiting". I'm so sick and tired of this process, I have to renew my EAD and AP because my GC hasn't come.

I am glad you were able to reschedule the flight, but I would now cancel it. I did a RT ticket for my then fiancée and the return trip was for 89 days after her arrival. Once we were married and I filed the AOS, I canceled the return trip as there will always be a leg left unused unless you find a very cheap one-way to return to the US. Since the RT was $1000 cheaper than the one-way, I did not feel that I lost any money--in fact I felt that I saved $1000. YMMV.

Dave.

Thanks Dave! Our plan is to move back to Finland within a few years, so we are bouncing these round trips until then. But I totally understand what you're saying, one way tickets are so much more expensive! I'd also recommend buying refundable round-trips and just cancelling the returns. Usually you get at least miles back, if not the full amount.

Thank you for your responses. I spent hours on the phone and was able to successfully change my return flight to a much later date, I have spoken with my travel agent, the airline and the USCIS and everything should be alright now.

So now we just hope that nothing hiccups along the way!

The problem is that I might not be able to cancel it. I will try to call them as soon as their customer service opens, but not sure if the cancellation will be done in time. I am most certainly trying!

I had high hopes of receiving AP before the holidays so when I booked my flight to the US I set my return date for Dec 22. However, I did not receive AP on time and as I tried to make changes to my returning flight, one leg of the journey cannot be changed: so I have a valid flight reservation for one leg of the journey. I am trying to cancel the reservation, but because of timezone differences might not be able to.

I called USCIS and the representative told me that as long as I don't leave the country without appropriate travel documents (AP), having flight reservations will not affect the status of my AOS. However I'm concerned a no-show will come bite me in the posterior, I read somewhere that Homeland Security would have a record of my reservation even if I do not board the flight. Is this true at all, does anyone know?

I really want to just trust the USCIS on this one, but can't help worrying that despite not boarding the flight nor leaving the country there will be false record that shows that I may or may not have left the US while adjusting my status and without advance parole.