Calikitkat

Hi, guys. You have to check for appointments early in the morning. I find 7:30 AM PST to be the best time. I got a same day appointment by checking at 7:30 AM. I got this advice from the InfoPass people themselves. I went without appointment but they didn't take me in. They said I should look for appointment starting 7 AM. And it worked like a charm.

I just checked CSC processing times now and as of June 30th, they we processing June 20th. So it would look like they are only 10 days behind. But I do not see anybody from July and August 2016 being approved at CSC.

Can't believe how CSC was so much more ahead of VSC when I filed in November 2016 and now it is behind. Maybe they can do some sort of load balancing. 

4 hours ago, charmander said:

It is all about priorities. There were times (circa 2012-2013) both service centers were doing an excellent job with ROCs in less than 2-3 months adjudications. People who became CPR around 2010-2011 were the lucky ones to experience super expedited ROC processing. First VSC de-prioritized ROCs, CSC bailed them out a few times with workload transfers but since August 2015 no ROC workload transfer has happened. March 2015 VSC filers were the last ones that experienced ~7-8 months adjudications, since then VSC was always below 10-12 months range. CSC kept up its good work for a long while up until last few months. whatever happened they also de-prioritized ROCs. Now both service centers are in a bad situation. It used to be just the VSC filers, but now CSC people are becoming eligible to file for naturalization with pending ROCs. Maybe that's what service centers want to dump the cases to field offices, who knows.

 

USCIS opened Potamac Service center to help with workload but Potamac does not process I-751s, hence no service center left to bail these guys out. One way or the other they will have to deal with it on their own at this point. If someone asks me I'd put money on CSC to recover first, historically they were always good with ROCs. Within short amount of time they were able process few months of workload before, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if CSC goes back to below 6 months again soon. VSC on the other hand was always in bad shape. It would really take long while and couple workload transfers to bring VSC back in below-6 months range.

 

 

I hope you are right and CSC picks up ASAP...

On 7/20/2017 at 6:22 AM, amberlin88 said:

What is IF1 status ? I got my CPR based on marriage to us citizen and file to remove CPR on November 2016. I read They are still processing application in June 2016

From what I can find online, IF1 is status of alien who entered US as fiance(e). So I guess it's most of us in that category.

On 7/20/2017 at 1:04 PM, MHZ said:

It seems my original change of address did not get in. I am expecting a call but submitted another one.

I recommend making an infopass appointment and changing your address with an officer. that's the only way it worked for me. I have submitted 2 requests online and I never heard back on those for over a month.

10 hours ago, D&Wontheroad said:

Has anyone here reached out to a representative to get this moving? The waiting times are ridiculous.

I travel frequently outside the country and the additional hassle (check-in and customs) is making me very impatient (read - irritated) on this not moving any faster. At this point we wont see our case processing until 2018. 

I fear there is nothing we can do to speed the process up. We will have to get the stamp in passport after NOA expires as well, and then apply for naturalization when time comes, and wait for both apps to be approved at the same time. 

it's frustrating this happened to us, since when we applied in Nov 2016, CSC was at 7 months processing time. It seems to me they want to dump the back log on the field offices. so they can review ROC together with naturalization. 

Somebody in a thread for Aug 2016 filers was saying USCIS are reporting 18-24 months for ROC. that is insane

Hi, guys! Does anybody here have experience with getting a mortgage loan for purchasing home with the GC extension letter? Thank you,

12 minutes ago, roselyn2014 said:

Hello everyone November 2016 Filer, any news on how fast California is moving? I notice that they are doing June 9th on the USCIS website it was last updated June 14, 2017.

Filed I-751 Sent- November 1st, 2016

NOA 1 Receipt Date 11/08/2016-Extension

NOA 2 Biometrics appt- 12/05/2016

Approval -Waiting

Good luck and thank you

Hi roselyn, the processing times are as of April 30th, that's when they were working on June 9. So I am hoping the site will be updated this Friday with the new date they are working on. Some posters from June got approved as soon as Feb. So I still have my hopes up that maybe approval will come before 12 months mark.

3 hours ago, Zombie69 said:

It might take even longer now. Might have to wait for N400 interview and be 751 approved at the same time..I am going to apply for N400 end of July regardless of 751. Have confirmed with my lawyer and USCIS that you can apply for 400 when 751 is still pending.

Yes, I will do the same. I guess that'll be the case for all of us. We will all be able to apply for citizenship before we get our extended GC. Naturalization is at 7 and a half months from what I've seen. So yeah sometime in July 2018, this immigration process will finally be over.

I have heard you can apply for naturalization only online. No need to send anything via postal service. Anybody has experience with that?

hi guys,

did any July 2016 filers at CSC get approved yet? This wait is killing me... When I filed back in Nov 16, they were at 6 months. So I thought I would have the GC by now. 

Hi guys,

I changed my address over a month ago and I never received email confirming my address was changed on the application. So I checked the InfoPass appointment early in the morning, at about 7:20 am and made an appointment for the same day. Going in for an InfoPass is the surest way to change your address if you still didn't get the email. It took less than 2 minutes for the officer at the InfoPass to change it in the system. 

On 6/24/2017 at 8:38 AM, Warren and Vivian said:

 

I had the same problem with trying to find an appointment when I was home at night.   Tried one day at 9am and there were a lot of appointments open.  I think they turn off the system for some reason.    Try when you wake up in the AM. 

 

Warren

Thank you for the advice, Warren. That is what I did this Monday. I checked the website at about 7:20 am and I have found appointment for the same day at 9:40 am. It worked perfectly. I changed my address on the application with the lady at the window. She did not want the change of address form I had filled in online. She asked me to write the new address down for her and she put it in the system.

Regarding my DL expiring on 11/30, most likely before I get my 10-year GC, she said I must come a week before 11/30 and they will give me a stamp so I can extend my DL. 

I will aim for an appointment on 11/23 and I have to go to the DMV the same day, since afterwards it's the holidays, so that'll be fun.

So best time to schedule InfoPass Appointments is around 7:20 am if you want to find appointment maybe even for same day. 

When I checked at 7 am there were none for the same day. So if you are not looking for same day, then you can do it at 7 am already. They take a few minutes to see which time slots they have left for the day and post them. 

Hi, guys! once I have received my NOA letter dated 11/30, I went to the DMV to extend my DL. but they extended it one year from the date of the NOA letter, so my DL expires on 11/30/ 2017. While my GC was expiring on 2/25/2017. So my problem is: if they do not want to stamp my passport one month before my DL expires, then how can I extend my DL? Do I just go back in with the same letter and tell them they should have extended it until 2/25/2018? Quite the hassle for 3 months of DL extension. I would then have to go back in 2 months once they stamp my passport (if they really won't stamp it more than 1 month before the date when GC expires). Was anybody else in this situation? thank you.

16 hours ago, US lover said:

Hi everyone, I have been trying to make an infopass appointment for a month but there is no openings. What are we supposed to do? I am in Los Angeles  

I have the same problem. I could never find available appointments time for Santa Ana office. So I did a walk-in today at the InfoPass location. They recommended I check the website early in the morning, between 7-9 am. So I will try that on Monday. Hope that works as I have changed my address and I need to make sure they have changed it in their system as well.

Also, when I have extended my DL with my NOA letter, they have extended it one year from the date on the letter and not one year since GC expires. So if I don't get the GC by then 11/30 or the stamp one month before that, not sure how I can still drive. I am really hoping they will  speed up their processing times at the CSC to avoid all this hassle.

23 minutes ago, march16filer said:

Just include photocopies of your original green card and your original NOA (the extension letter).

will do, thank you

On 3/24/2017 at 7:37 PM, nightingalejules said:

Hey everybody - I read on another thread that USCIS is now acknowledging the confusion regarding when exactly the extension letter expires, and as far as we know, they will allow us to make an infopass appointment to get the I-551 stamp 11months after the date on the letter. For example, my letter has the date July 17, 2016, so anytime after Aug 18, 2017, I can get the stamp. Loophole closed, I can visit my family this summer, whether or not I have my new greencard! Whee! 

Great info, thanks

3 minutes ago, march16filer said:

Yes, as soon as your window opens. 

thanks for the prompt reply. sweet

16 minutes ago, ntcb said:

Has anyone on here ever moved while ROC is pending? I have been delaying the move because of this, but I can't delay for much longer. Just worried about green card not going to the new address. Especially at this stage....

Thanks 

You have to take the following 3 steps to cover all ground when you change address:

-change it online on the uscis website

-get an infopass to ensure your address has been updated in the USCIS system. it happened that they update the address at the local office, but not in the system, and then GC gets lost.

-make sure to forward your mail to new address with USPS

So can we apply for citizenship even though we have not yet heard regarding the ROC, if it's approved? 

CSC is currently working on May 31st, 2016 per their website. So 10 months wait for your new GC. At this rate, the day I get my GC, it will already be time to file for citizenship  

10 hours ago, Russ&Caro said:

 

I don't think this is very good advice. Power of attorney and will are good to do at any time during your marriage.  Even if it is last minute, the actual documents benefit you and your spouse beyond just evidence for your immigration documents. Any evidence submitted is likely to help you, even if it's discounted from being created at the last minute.

 

My wife and I are assembling our information to file the ROC papers in April. We've amassed a lot of evidence. However, we're only now putting together power of attorney and will. I don't see the problem with creating these doc's late in the game.

I personally didn't do a POA or a will for my application. I don't think that will be detrimental to my application. I will keep you guys posted if I get approved smoothly. 

If you are planning to do a POA and will in any case, then by all means do it before you apply and include it. But I haven't done it just to help me with the application as I do not believe is necessary.

24 minutes ago, CupcakeGirl said:

Thanks! I did call USCIS last week to see if I could get his passport stamped and they said no, that I just had to wait for the NOA letter to arrive. I tried unsuccessfully for 2 weeks to get an appointment online and each time, it said they were full. I guess it can't hurt, though. We are planning to fly within the U.S. next week, after his GC expires. If he has a state driver's license, that's all he will need, right? Again, it's a domestic flight and not an international one. I think that's what I am most worried about - about them pulling him aside in the airport and sending him on a plane straight to the U.K.

I was just reading on another thread that you can go to infopass without appointment, you can try and see if they print the NOA for you. for domestic flights, he only needs to show his DL so you shouldn't have any problems there. 

21 minutes ago, Youssefyoussef said:

  Hi everyone,  i just got an email from fedex that says that uscis recieved my package  to romove condition on my green card.  I have california service center. 

  How long do you guys think it will take to hear from them ? 

  Is there anywhere where i can check what date they work on now ? 

   Thank you 

Hi, you can check my signature for my timeline. USCIS CSC received my application on 11/30 and by 12/14, so only 2 weeks, I was done with my biometrics. So up until your biometrics, it goes superfast. after that, the waiting game starts. the best we can hope for is a 5 month processing time. that's the soonest roc's got approved from what i've seen.

1 hour ago, fgcm said:

Hi shell20, thanks for asking. I just got back from my trip yesterday, and wanted to wait and see that everything would work at immigration before I followed up. I was really lucky in the end, and got an emergency passport stamp, for free. Here's what happened:

 

- As suggested above, I got in touch with the London Embassy. Found out the fee for the transportation letter, etc., and was about to book an appointment and pay the fee, but thought I'd wait an extra day to look for my green card.

- The next day (two days before my trip), I received my NOA1 letter. Once I had that, I thought I'd try calling USCIS one more time. This time I managed to get through to a real person (not easy!), who told me that because I had already submitted my ROC request and received my NOA1, I was not eligible for a replacement green card, but was eligible for an i-551 stamp in my passport. What's more, she said it was free! I explained that I had been trying to get an InfoPass appointment at a USCIS center, but they were all booked up. She said that in an emergency situation (i.e. when traveling in a few days time), the center would accept a walk-in.

- The following morning, I went to the Federal Plaza USCIS center. Nobody asked for an appointment letter at security. When I was in, I was directed to a room at the back on the ground floor, where they dealt with appointments, etc. I explained my situation to one of the staff members (showing her my NOA1, my passport, and my itinerary), and she gave me an immediate appointment. Half an hour later, I had a stamp in my passport. The whole thing took no more than 45 minutes.

- When checking in at Heathrow to return, I showed my NOA1 letter and passport stamp. Then, at immigration at JFK, I mistakenly only showed my passport (I had the NOA1 in my hand ready to show, but wasn't asked for it -- should have told the guy, though). Probably because of this, I was held back for about half an hour, but as soon as another officer looked at the letter and stamp, I was admitted.

 

So, to summarise for anyone else in this situation:

1. Call USCIS and speak to a real person: the rules always have exceptions that aren't publicised, and this turns out to be one of them.

2. If you have submitted your ROC and received your NOA1, you should be eligible for a free i-551 stamp in your passport. That might even be the case if you haven't received your NOA1 -- but I'm not sure.

3. If you have a travel emergency, you can do a walk in, at least at the Federal Plaza office (and given how busy that one is, I imagine that would apply elsewhere).

Thanks a lot for all this helpful info! Happy it worked out smoothly for you! great job!

I would definitely call USCIS and explain the situation to them and see what they advise. perhaps you can go to the closest USCIS office and they can print it on the spot for you. this is what happened with somebody who did not get their biometrics appointment in the mail. they did an infopass and got the letter at the office.