cantofla

Hey there!
 
Yes, I had the same situation as you did. As pleasant as my immigration experience has been all together, my initial experience at the Social Security office was very frustrating.
 
Unlike you, I didn't have an I-94 that allowed work authorization so I had to wait until my EAD was approved to apply for the SSN.
 
I went to the office the day the post office delivered my EAD card (which I want to say was sometime in mid to late August of 2015), the woman helping me was very pleasant and told me the card will come in the mail in about two weeks. I was a little impatient because I already had a job offer and I wasn't able to start!! (the letter stated that I could even without an SSN, but my employer didn't agree.) So a week later I went back to the office and asked what was the matter... They said because it was under 10 days from the date my EAD card was issued to the day I applied, so it wasn't able to be verified instantly, thus, it went to SAVE.
 
I pushed it, I was at the office every day, they knew me by name as I walked in the door and got it approved the second week of September.
 
Flash forward to my green card, I waited ten business days before I went in to remove the valid for work with DHS authorization statement. The person there told me I did the right thing by waiting the ten days. I was in and out in under five minutes.

You need to disclose ALL criminal history.
 
USCIS cannot be more specific and explicit in stating that.... If you fail to disclose it and it comes up in the background check, which they run, your petition will be denied .

You need to disclose ALL criminal history.
 
USCIS cannot be more specific and explicit in stating that.... If you fail to disclose it and it comes up in the background check, which they run, your petition will be denied .

If all the lawyers you have called have advised you to disclose the information, and knowing the fact that the government does actually check all this, why would you omit this information  and risk having your petition denied or having it take longer than it otherwise would to get approved?

If all the lawyers you have called have advised you to disclose the information, and knowing the fact that the government does actually check all this, why would you omit this information  and risk having your petition denied or having it take longer than it otherwise would to get approved?

You need to disclose ALL criminal history.
 
USCIS cannot be more specific and explicit in stating that.... If you fail to disclose it and it comes up in the background check, which they run, your petition will be denied .

So I have some news for everybody!!!!!! I was approved today for my 10 year green card. Finally! CSC filer, transferred to Nebraska ! What a journey it’s been. Fingers crossed for everyone 

Yes, it is normal. The trasnfer from VSC to TSC is actually a good thing, since it's speeding things up. Just be patient. On average it's taking between 16-20 months at TSC, per the USCIS website.
 
If you need to travel, there are no issues traveling with your updated NOA1 receipt.

So I have some news for everybody!!!!!! I was approved today for my 10 year green card. Finally! CSC filer, transferred to Nebraska ! What a journey it’s been. Fingers crossed for everyone 

Congrats on everyone being approved.. No news here on our end.
 
I did want to let everyone know that we recently returned back to the US from overseas with the 18 month extension letter.. The officer at Atlanta airport was shocked that the 10 yr green card hasn't been approved yet and I have the letter.
 
In any event, no issue re-entering the US. Waiting patiently like you all for my permanent green card. I hope everyone is doing well

Congrats on everyone being approved.. No news here on our end.
 
I did want to let everyone know that we recently returned back to the US from overseas with the 18 month extension letter.. The officer at Atlanta airport was shocked that the 10 yr green card hasn't been approved yet and I have the letter.
 
In any event, no issue re-entering the US. Waiting patiently like you all for my permanent green card. I hope everyone is doing well

They're a hot mess over there at CSC I guess

Okay, thank you so much for answering. I'm sorry I haven't really been active on here since last year. I feel like since Hurricane Irma last year everything went by so fast. I dont even know how its May of 2018 already!! Time flies.
 
I hope we will start seeing some approvals soon, although likely we won't.. I checked the newly redesigned USCIS processing times website, and it says 17-19 months :/. Oh well, naturalization window opens soon

Hey everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!
 
I wanted to give you all an update: My wife and I filed our joint 751 petition, and received the green card extension NOA1 form last August.
 
No biometric notice, no nothing since then. I went to an Info Pass appointment after Hurricane Irma and the officer advised me that everything in the system is fine, and to wait. She told me to come back if I dont hear anything back by December. Well the holidays came and went.
 
I went to another Info Pass appointment on Tuesday. The immigration officer was a very pleasant gentleman, very professional, and very informative. He told me that the case is moving through the system and processing fine. He said that the fingerprints have been waived. I then asked him if I can get the receipt# I can use to track the case online, and he said he doesn't have that, but I am more than welcome to call the 800# to get it. I called, and got transferred to a tier 2 officer and received my new WAC #. Back to the Info Pass officer - he told me adjudications now take between 12-18 months, and he invited me to apply for Naturalization once I'm eligible.
 
So everyone who hasn't heard anything back from USCIS yet, do not stress yourselves over it. They are just backlogged, understaffed, and overworked. I know the waiting game sucks. It does. I want to have my permanent green card too so I can travel easier (it's not hard to travel with the 751 extension letter, but it is a pain in the butt), since I do a lot of international travel for my job.
 
The end of January is near, so we will all be eligible to naturalize under the three year rule in less than six months.
 
I hope everyone is doing great! Take care

Hey everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!
 
I wanted to give you all an update: My wife and I filed our joint 751 petition, and received the green card extension NOA1 form last August.
 
No biometric notice, no nothing since then. I went to an Info Pass appointment after Hurricane Irma and the officer advised me that everything in the system is fine, and to wait. She told me to come back if I dont hear anything back by December. Well the holidays came and went.
 
I went to another Info Pass appointment on Tuesday. The immigration officer was a very pleasant gentleman, very professional, and very informative. He told me that the case is moving through the system and processing fine. He said that the fingerprints have been waived. I then asked him if I can get the receipt# I can use to track the case online, and he said he doesn't have that, but I am more than welcome to call the 800# to get it. I called, and got transferred to a tier 2 officer and received my new WAC #. Back to the Info Pass officer - he told me adjudications now take between 12-18 months, and he invited me to apply for Naturalization once I'm eligible.
 
So everyone who hasn't heard anything back from USCIS yet, do not stress yourselves over it. They are just backlogged, understaffed, and overworked. I know the waiting game sucks. It does. I want to have my permanent green card too so I can travel easier (it's not hard to travel with the 751 extension letter, but it is a pain in the butt), since I do a lot of international travel for my job.
 
The end of January is near, so we will all be eligible to naturalize under the three year rule in less than six months.
 
I hope everyone is doing great! Take care

Technically yes - I mean I have the same thought process you do, however, who really knows if they're even processing cases from 8/2 yet.. I mean did they just grab a handful of cases form August but adjudicators are still working through June and July? They have been dragging their feet even for biometrics now, for I-751s.
 
The thing that seems to make the most sense to my wife and I right now is: people filing for naturalization 90 days before the 3 year anniversary mark (so a whole 12 months after filing ROC) is not motivating USCIS to adjudicate I-751s any faster. In fact, it may be more cost effective for them not to.. Think about it, if everyone pays the ROC fee, but say half of them get their cases merged with an N-400, that will save them the cost of producing a green card.
 
If that is the case, I honestly wish they would just double the fees. I'm much more willing to pay double the price and return to the 2014/15 processing times of 4-5 months but oh well.

You have permanent work authorization if you are a US citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident.
 
If you hold a two year conditional green card, you are still a LPR, and therefore, yes, you have permanent work authorization.

Hey everyone. I wanted to shed some light on biometrics.
 
We still haven't received biometrics notification yet. I went to an Info Pass apointment a couple of weeks ago and the officer there told me that it's possible we will get a letter in the mail stating biometrics will be waived (and they'll use previously provided finger prints).. She also mentioned that the green card won't come for another year and a half. Haha I just laughed and she laughed with me. I asked how come so long? She said that due to new policies which she can't publicly discuss with me, the same amount of officers are working as before for double the work (and they won't hire new people).
 
So anyway - I guess we have a long wait ahead of us. But she did confirm that we are in legal status, our lawful permanent residence is extended as per the official I-751 receipt, and not to worry. And if we require a LPR stamp, to come within three months of the expiration date of the I-751 letter, and one will be provided. They will at that time, collect your 2 year green card

Hey everyone. I wanted to shed some light on biometrics.
 
We still haven't received biometrics notification yet. I went to an Info Pass apointment a couple of weeks ago and the officer there told me that it's possible we will get a letter in the mail stating biometrics will be waived (and they'll use previously provided finger prints).. She also mentioned that the green card won't come for another year and a half. Haha I just laughed and she laughed with me. I asked how come so long? She said that due to new policies which she can't publicly discuss with me, the same amount of officers are working as before for double the work (and they won't hire new people).
 
So anyway - I guess we have a long wait ahead of us. But she did confirm that we are in legal status, our lawful permanent residence is extended as per the official I-751 receipt, and not to worry. And if we require a LPR stamp, to come within three months of the expiration date of the I-751 letter, and one will be provided. They will at that time, collect your 2 year green card

I don't think I've ever "purchased a new car at the spur of the moment"---wish I had that kind of money....I didn't know one is required to show the physical SS card when purchasing a car, either.

You cannot use your SSN card if it has the valid for work only with DHS authorization on it..
 
 
Make an Info Pass appointment at your local USCIS office to receive a 1 year green card stamp, and file Form I-90 to replace lawful permanent resident card
 

You cannot use your SSN card if it has the valid for work only with DHS authorization on it..
 
 
Make an Info Pass appointment at your local USCIS office to receive a 1 year green card stamp, and file Form I-90 to replace lawful permanent resident card
 

Yep - just received the letter today
Weird thing is the letter was dated August 19th lol. Not sure why it took so long to arrive considering it came from the local office!

Yep.  It's a process.  I have so much more empathy for immigrants now.  

Crazy eh! Its true though. I cant remember if we needed one to order the cable and the internet, but I had an issue like that too during a phone interview. We wasted seriously about 10 minutes arguing the fact that they'll have to sponsor me. And I kept telling them no!! My wife is American and I dont need sponsorship. Then he apologized but still. I think its crazy how worked up they get