nlherman

Unfortunately when you talk with Tier 1, it's like dancing with the wrong partner. They don't have access to anything more than your number and the dates your application was filed and your NOA1. They tell everyone that their case is in their local office, because for most other visa classes this is true. For us, the few, the proud, the NPIW letter holders; we're in a different universe that most of them have never heard of. They are unaware of the putrescent aroma emanating from the vaults of NBC located somewhere in the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri where our cases decay. The only people who can truly you about where your case sojourns at this moment is Tier 2, if you can cajole them into telling you. Not always easy. Some of them are good at poker, others are not. It was only this week that we determined that our case had finally left Misery and was in the Big Apple field office.
I can tell you this. Many of us have received letters from SR and Congressional/Senatorial inquiries telling us to expect a wait from 9 - 12 months from filing. Others, even those with NOA's in mid March have received letters telling them to wait another 120 days.That would be 15 months. If I were an agent for USCIS, I'd say be patient. But I am not so having been where you are at your point in the wait, just passing the processing date at your local office, I wasn't and neither have most of us here. I came on this thread on Dec. 9th when there were a little over 500 posts, 34 pages and the thread was almost a year old. Now look at it. 2-5 pages a day during the week. We're all impatient, frustrated, aggravated, seething with anger, down, happy for others... We're still waiting and not enjoying any bit of it...
Sorry, can't be anymore encouraging...

You have to wonder if there is a 'conscious' effort (did I really just say that) to the trend we're seeing...There are now many late June and July filers getting approved without RFE's while just about every remaining April and May filer is getting that run aroud and get more info letter (the dreaded RFE). Are they in fact listening to complains such as D+B and the countless complaints from the ombusman and Congress? By approving these "lottery winning" filers, they avoid the very unfair and low public relations rule change regarding medicals made last June 1st. In addition, this also beats the bad press 1 year mark we were getting use to seeing up until 3 weeks ago when the RFE's started routinely falling out of the sky for April and May filers. It might be that they may not be lottery winners after all and this may become the norm. Have they finally hired new people with approving power and/or prioritized later filers and RFEing earlier filers, therby saving face by being able to be seen abiding by the stupid rule change but at the same time avoiding it by approving later cases? Only time will tell to see if this continues. It sucks to see the remaining oldtimers getting screwed by this trend...

Fantastic!! Spring is now green for you...Celebrate...
Hmmm...mid June flier, like I was saying...

According to USA Today in June 2013:
"Not everyone has to wait in line. U.S. citizens who are over 21 can get green cards for their spouses, minor children and parents right away without having to worry about the green-card limits."
So if there is no limit, they pre-screen "red flagged" cases for interview and subsequent quick GC (I'm talking about I-485 after K1/K3), and NPWI cases (for the most part) don't get interviewed, simply processed; that begs the question - why the slow dribble? And since there are now limited number of examiners for interviews and only questionable cases are actually interviewed...why are they more special than us to get quick GC's? It makes us rivals when we should all be happy for each other that we found the right mate and they are now with us in the US (in limbo status if we don't get an interview, but with us).
Again fairness means nothing to USCIS...I'd be willing to bet that the executives at USCIS don't even understand the injustice of what they're doing or even care..

Thank you very much.

First of all, we are praying for you...
Second, if you can look each other in the eyes and both show the love that brought you together, you will have no problems...only grossly obvious problems could lead to problems. If anythimg, the 14 months worrying and fretting together shows your true motivations...
The next time we hear from you I know it will be to say you've been approved on the spot...
Good luck to you both in Hotlanta.

Derwood-
Don't waste your money. They are not gonna use your pictures for the renewed EAD - they are for record only. If they want new ones they'll RFE you. You won't need the card anyway because you will get approved before your old one expires...I would hold tight...

They don't give 2 shakes or a holler about what it takes to make you jump through their hoops.
Speaking about who gives a shake or a holler, what's with that useless lawyer of yours helping you at this late day? Ours kept in touch and sent inquiries. Yeah lawyers are lawyers but ours is ok. As my wife says, "he's our good Russian, Jewish lawyer..."
Still hopin' for you...

Hopefully not that long, but I can promise you l'll be here to "Whoop, whoop, whoop!!" you...

Guess we can say they're not using our application fees to buy ink or quality printers...
I know they have plenty of GC's. Even though they indirectly denied it to Congress, they recently ordered a number of million GC's to cover future DACA applicants...

According to one of our thread members about a month ago, soon after they got approved they received an I-797 NOA saying because they "...received benefits by other means..." (i.e., GC), their application for EAD was cancelled. So the answer is don't waste your time, stay home and celebrate...

I was using SWAK - Sealed with a Kiss. What is SWALK, or should I ask?

Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow, Again!!! Fabulous news. Looks like USCIS received a good dose of ExLax...
Celebrate!!!!!!!

Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow!!!!!! That is fantastic news. No more waiting for Mondays anymore. Your world is no longer upside down....Celebrate, your deserve.
Maybe the low bidder computer guys work on Saturday.

I received an email about an hour ago saying that my I-485 was approved! Maybe they do work on Saturdays?

My wife and I thank all of you. You've been with us through the process together and you have been there for us when my wife had her surgery last month. You are all colleagues and friends...Life is much easier when you have others who share a common purpose and challenge...THANK YOU!!! We are celebrating quietly tonight. The smile on my wife's face says it all...

When you put it up next to your ear, do you hear the ocean?

I've seen an evolution over time on the thread where the date of our NPIW letter is less important than that you got one and people are rightly focusing on NOA date which is far more important in allowing comparisons. It has always appeared that NPIW letters were batched and sent en masse. It seemed unfair that later NPIW date applicants were getting approved, but when you look at the NOA dates and see the haphazard way they group them, you see why.
This a good change in perspective.

We were happy about it as well until we tripped upon this thread in the summer of 2014 and saw that PIWC was pergatory...Then we latched on Processing Times and that was a farce...And then we latched on the 6 month mark from the NPIW letter and that was a farce... And then we latched on the less than 12 months and that is becoming a farce...In every single case we have seen that Interview Waiver status is nothing more than a death sentence on hold awaiting the governor to call...

Anyway you look at it, you're gonna need to go back home to get a new passport. My wife needs to do the same thing but not nearly as quick as you. You can wait for your green card and hope that it only takes one year to get a GC or you can hedge your bet and go back home now on your AP. Are you a betting kinda person? Do you feel lucky? When it comes to USCIS, I don"t feel lucky about anything...
When you go back you'd be tter plan on 2+ weeks to get that new passport if Ukraine is anything like Uzbekistan and most of the rest of the former Soviet Republics. Or bring enough cash to grease the palms of the appropriate individual(s) to get it done quicher...wink, wink, nod, nod...правда?

MissSarah is absolutely correct and it's even worse than a bad idea. If you leave the country without a GC or a valid AP you will be considered to have abandoned your application and you can kiss the US behind until you start this all over again as K-3 and my understanding is you could not reapply for 2 years. Derwood is right, you must take the mindset right now that you will be waiting for at least 12 months or longer for your approval from filing date. Renew your AP and you can go using this until you get your GC...

Time to get a new lawyer because he (or she) is clueless. As you can see on this forum, K-1 AOS as one of the eligible classes can be waived for an interview and receive a GC without one.
Sounds like your lawyer should be one of the 200 lawyers on the bottom of the ocean...
BTW, my congressman's office told us that USCIS is just as elusive and evasive with them as they are with us. Why? Because they can...

Well, it's been a long day for both of us; though she slept through most of it and is in a dilaudid haze at the moment in an ICU. We're it me not her, I would give much.
The news is good. They were able to remove the entire mass using a nasal approach. It is benign. Surrounding structures were spared. She can see at least as well as before surgery. Any improvement back towards normal will be over time. They are monitoring her closely. She is resting comfortably.
Thank you for all your kind thoughts and prayers...They helped, a lot...
BTW I predict March 28th...

Unfortunately when you talk with Tier 1, it's like dancing with the wrong partner. They don't have access to anything more than your number and the dates your application was filed and your NOA1. They tell everyone that their case is in their local office, because for most other visa classes this is true. For us, the few, the proud, the NPIW letter holders; we're in a different universe that most of them have never heard of. They are unaware of the putrescent aroma emanating from the vaults of NBC located somewhere in the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri where our cases decay. The only people who can truly you about where your case sojourns at this moment is Tier 2, if you can cajole them into telling you. Not always easy. Some of them are good at poker, others are not. It was only this week that we determined that our case had finally left Misery and was in the Big Apple field office.
I can tell you this. Many of us have received letters from SR and Congressional/Senatorial inquiries telling us to expect a wait from 9 - 12 months from filing. Others, even those with NOA's in mid March have received letters telling them to wait another 120 days.That would be 15 months. If I were an agent for USCIS, I'd say be patient. But I am not so having been where you are at your point in the wait, just passing the processing date at your local office, I wasn't and neither have most of us here. I came on this thread on Dec. 9th when there were a little over 500 posts, 34 pages and the thread was almost a year old. Now look at it. 2-5 pages a day during the week. We're all impatient, frustrated, aggravated, seething with anger, down, happy for others... We're still waiting and not enjoying any bit of it...
Sorry, can't be anymore encouraging...

Not sure what your source is, but Derwood is correct. In addition, they would never send a case to San Antonio (love to be back there now, even with a little ice) for someone living in PA if it required an interview. Long road trip. It is great news that they have action. It's there because the backlog there is shorter than at their local office. Again, I-485's are adjudicated at local offices. We have also been informed by Tier 2 that this requires sign off by a judge; that may explain why it takes so long even when your case is at a local field office...Ours has been in the NYC field office since 2/4/15 (confirmed)...