drjb1010

Hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving!

We had our interview just 2 days before Thanksgiving at 7:30 am. Got there just past 7 am and there were plenty of people there already, not sure if the office was trying to cram as many people as possible before the holidays. We waited for like an hour and then were called in around 8:15 am.

The officer was nice and asked basic questions like how did we meet, when did we start living together, where did we go for honey moon etc. For evidence, she asked to look at the original birth certificates and marriage license, and returned those to us later. She also asked for evidence of joint accounts (insurance, lease, bank account or anything that's available), which she kept. We put our pictures in a photo book and the officer was nice enough to ask if we have copies of the pictures and if she can keep some of them. Overall, it was an easy and non-stressful process.

About half an hour after we left, we got notification that the case was in final review and then another notification followed saying that the card was ordered. Next day, another notification came saying the case was in post decision activity. Should be getting my green card in less than 30 days!

Could you please show the URL for the website that can be used to submit the online e-request.

I, and many (most) others here were under the impression that the only way to do something like you did was to call the 800 number for USCIS.

Thanks, Leo

Here is the link to submit the e-request if you find you case is outside normal processing time:

https://egov.uscis.gov/e-request/displayONPTForm.do;jsessionid=abc3xTyyU_UqJbJ2l8hcv?entryPoint=init&sroPageType=onpt

I've heard that you can get a response within 5 days if you call the 800 number. If you submit an online request, it says that you should expect a response within 21 days. I got the interview notice today, but still hasn't heard any response to the submitted e-request.

Congratulations!!!!

They want to keep everything you give them so you can't show them digital copies - you'll need print outs they can keep in their files.

Thanks for the quick response, Shubha!

It has been 8 months since we mailed the AOS package...

On Oct. 5, I submitted an online e-request, and today we got electronic notification that interview has been scheduled on Nov. 24!!! Yay!

I believe I'm one of the few left that are still waiting for the interview. We moved during AOS, so that might have caused delay.

But anyway, I feel happy that we are one big step closer to the finishing line!

Just a quick questions for those that have had interviews... Are electronic devices (phone, ipad etc) allowed during the interview? I was debating whether I should print out our photos in hard copies or if it's ok to show the officer our photos on the phone/ipad.

Thanks!

Hi guys,

I'm still waiting for the interview but would like to know my options regarding changing my last name.

I would have changed my last name after marrying my USC husband and before AOS, but my school at the time said it would be best to do so after getting my green card to avoid confusions among different systems, and the Chinese embassy said the same thing.

I recently checked online, some say do it after lifting the conditional green card status. Others say it would be easier to do it during naturalization. Can someone who had experience let me know when is the best time to change my last name? I would love to do so ASAP but also want to go through less trouble.

Thanks in advance!

I think you meant 60 days? It's been 40 days for us so far, but I've seen some people not getting any news even after 60 days. You should definitely call them. Would you be so kind to share the result of your call after all, please? I still hope to hear something, but also kinda have a feeling that we will end up in the same situation.

It's been more than 60 days (heading 90 days actually) since our RFE was received.

We recently moved so I'm not sure if that delays the process....Hopefully will hear from them soon.

Just got text/email notification that my EAD was approved!!!!

FYI, I did get a RFE for initial evidence and my EAD was approved on Day 71, within the processing timeline.

Day 71 if count NOA1 date as 1st day

or

Day 76 if count the day when the package was delivered as 1st day.

Anyway, hopefully this is some good news for those who got RFE.

Just got text/email notification that my EAD was approved!!!!

FYI, I did get a RFE for initial evidence and my EAD was approved on Day 71, within the processing timeline.

Big risk you took there. I wouldn't have done it with 5 hours at stake.

Perhaps you should buy a lottery ticket before it's too late today.

Well, I had to since I have a very important presentation on the same day as the orignial appointment date, and I live 2.5 hours away from Jacksonville, so there's no way I can do both on the same day.

BTW, around midnight last night, I got email/text notification of RFE...Hopefully there is no other reason than the expected one...

Hi guys,

Just got back from a successful early biometrics walk-in! Yay!!!

We arrived at the Jacksonville ASC Office a little bit before 2 pm. The office is under renovation right now, so the entrance was a little confusing. Soon the security guard opened up the door and let me in. No questions asked about the different appointment date and time. There were only 3 people (including me) in the waiting area. Overall, the staff are nice and efficient. When I came back out, it was just before 2:30 pm, so the entire process last roughly 30 minutes.

So glad to have it done! It would have sucked it they turn me down since its a 5 hours drive round trip

I received biometrics appointment notice today! The appointment is on 3/25 but I will try early walk-in next Monday

Hi everyone,

I'm now pretty sure I will be getting RFE...My husband (USC) barely makes any money and we found a joint sponsor. I thought he doesn't need to fill out I864 cuz he doesn't work, but it turns out that he still needs to since he's the petitioner...

Another thing I'm worried about is that I've seen a couple of peeps getting RFE for I864 because they didn't have the most recent tax return or pay stubs. My joint sponsor provided tax return for 2014 and W2, but no recent pay stubs for 2015. Will that cause any problem? I think Leo made a good point that USCIS is looking for continuous stable income. The annual total income of my joint sponsor has been increasing for the past 3 years, making over $60k in 2014. I'm not sure if this would help...

I just got a job offer and I don't want lose it for the stalling of the EAD application....*sigh*

Just sent out I-130, I-485 and I-765 yesterday (2/25/2015).

Package delivered to Chicago Lockbox around 2pm today (2/26/2015).

Check cashed today! Waiting for email/text confirmation...

Not a good idea. This could create confusion. Wait for the RFE.

Answers:

1. If their paperwork is correct, then it will not need to be redone. If any part of a form is incorrect, then the entire form will need to be resubmitted.
2. Trying to mail corrected paperwork at this point may be nothing more than an exercise in futility. The odds of it getting matched to the file are less than 50/50. Some have been successful doing this, many others tried to do this and still received RFE's.

Yeah, I would probably wait since it seems that you need to also include the actual RFE's letter along with any additional/corrected paperwork.

Thanks guys!

You will MOST certainly get an RFE. I just got one for the same exact thing. Send another one in right away. Don't wait for it. Fix the paperwork and send it.

Questions:

1. Does my sponsor (who lives 6 hours away from us) need to redo I-864 all over again or just that page where you fill out the household size? What about I-864A and tax return stuff? Do these need to be resent too?

2. Where do I mail to corrected paperwork? The Chicago Lockbox, Texas service center or field office?

2. How flexible is USCIS in accepting petitions submitted with an incomplete field on the forms or petitions as long as they have the basic information required to receipt a case, correct signatures and the correct fee?

The Lockbox facilities accept applications with information that is deemed critical to acceptance of the application. This information is critical because it is used to process our business rules, such as reasons for filing or eligibility categories, and/or it is required by USCIS case management systems. In FY 2011, the Lockbox facilities processed over 4.6 million applications and rejected about 9 percent of the applications received. The most common rejection reasons are that the applications were not signed or the correct fees were not enclosed.

Just found this on USCIS website. It's a little vague, but it seems that as long as you signed the forms and pay the correct fees, you should be good...

Hi,

It will not cause a rejection of the I-864. At worst, you will get an RFE to fix the mistake.

Thanks for your reply!

Hi guys!

After reviewing the copy I've made of the package I sent out, I found out that we didn't put the TOTAL number for household size in I-864...

My husband and I double checked the original forms but somehow we BOTH missed it....

My question is, would this cause rejection of the entire package? or would USCIS just do RFE?

Thank you so much in advance!

Just sent out I-130, I-485 and I-765 yesterday (2/25/2015).

Package delivered to Chicago Lockbox around 2pm today (2/26/2015).

just be patient, it will indicate status "DELIVERED" in just about 48 to 60 hours after you have mailed your package. Ours was sent feb 23 @ 4pm and status "DELIVERED" @ 10pm of feb 25..... we used USPS priority mail, flat rate, around 5.45 us dollar, if i am not mistaken...

The package was successfully delivered!

Yeah, I got nervous a little bit about the express mail and recipient signature issue...

Now the long wait begins...

P.S. Express is such a waste money!!!!! I wish I found that out earlier ugh...

I would not worry about it. If you track your package on USPS.com and it says it has been delivered then it is in the PO Box. Your package will not receive any special processing because it was sent Express Mail. It will be processed with all the other packages that arrived today no matter what type of mailing was used.

If you included a G-1145 with your package then you should get a email and/or text message in about a week once the lockbox has accepted your application. You should be getting the official paper receipts in the mail in about two weeks. Shortly after you receive the paper receipts in the mail, you should receive an appointment notice to have your biometrics taken at a ASC location. The ASC location is determined based on the zip code you put down on your application. USCIS says if you haven't received your receipts after 30 days from when you mailed the package to call them.

What happens at the lockbox is they enter (or scan) information from your forms into their system, process the check for payment into a treasury account, and create a file of everything that you sent in. It is then sent overnight to the service center or the National Benefits Center that is responsible for adjudicating your forms.

Thank you for the detailed explanation on what's going to happen!

My package was delivered at 2pm today.

Just a quick update.

The latest status of the package is "Your item arrived at the CHICAGO, IL 60680 post office and is ready for pickup"

However, the overall tracking status is still "IN TRANSIT", not "delivered"...

Can I assume that the package made it into the PO box??

Hi everyone!

I recently married a US citizen and did concurrent filing of I-130 and I-485. I mailed the package out yesterday using USPS express mail but to the Chicago PO BOX address, which might be a huge mistake!

I've seen threads of peers talking about the same mistake years ago when express mail required a signature from the recipient. USCIS had to send someone to pick up the mail.

In my case, I WAIVED the signature for my package, so the deliverer would just leave it there. Does it mean my package would just be treated and processed like other regular mail package? Is there anything to worry about?

Thanks in advance!