chrisete

Just received approval notices in the mail! Yay! Both EAD/AP approved and as the mailman put the letters in the mailbox, the cases were updated online. We are getting closer!

Congratulations!!! Keep em coming...I filed at the end of the month and can barely stand the wait much longer....urgh....but this gives me great hope that my turn is coming soon!!

So today I wanted to log in to my account and it said I couldn`t because of "too many invalid attempts" or "account inactivity" n`either of which I believe were true.

It asked me to change my password, which I did, and now I get this message

AN ERROR HAS OCCURRED. PLEASE CONTACT TECHNICAL SUPPORT.

How do I contact technical support? I don`t want to call I prefer contacting them over e-mail.

This sucks because I have no idea if my SR has been assigned today ..

This has happened to me too....there is no 'technical support' to call. I called USCIS and they have a different program and screen from us so....What you do is either get the page to reset your password (which didn't work for me) so I created a new email account and tada...it works again so you can see if there are any 'soft touches'....I about threw my phone across the yard...please don't do that

Not a fan of the post office. Lets see how much longer. Thanks so much for you response. Good luck to you as well!

Me either....it took a week for me to receive mine...the wait is so painful and now I get to wait to see if they want anything else..just when I thought I would be close to having this stressful part done. Chin up, it will get here in no time a all. Praying for all of us to have smoothe sailing from here on out!!

Called to USCIS today and they didn't know much about the EAD...said we needed to wait 2 more days lol

However.....

I asked the wife to ask about the i485 and it was approved on 02SEP16!! Finally some good news for her! :)

Online status was not updated though lol still fingerprint received.

So happy for you pinbak...it must be a huge relief to know its all coming your way now!!!

@youngma and so let. ..I'm in the sane boat but I used an outdated form for uscis since I had a consultant prepare that fir me on advance and submitted with my i129....I should i should know better working in hr...consultants really have no interest in solving problems...only prolonging them to make more money...vj has given me more support and good advice...and yes I no longer use them. Hang in there. .I'm feeling frustrated too but there's nothing we can do...praying for you and everyone to have nothing but great experiences finding work and supporting out loved ones.

Don't be too frustrated dear your time is drawing near keep telling yourself it's going to approve soon i know the feelings

My prayers are with you

So happy to hear good news from all of you...I think the only thing keeping me sane at the moment. Thanks everyone! I am still waiting but it is painful.....have a safe and happy Labor Day!! I'm so proud that I didn't put a 'u' in Labour....I'm so American now

In Greece OP was a teacher, probably not easy to do that in the US, husband is chronically ill.

I didn't realise that the SSN was required for the coverage! Is that just specific health providers or is that everybody? I have my SSN when I applied for healthcare so I didn't know the difference. As an aside, I used my I-765 NOA to open a 'special enrolment period' when I got Healthcare through the Government Healthcare Marketplace (I decided to use that route given I only wanted healthcare for two months before my wife started her new job; her old job gives healthcare but they'd charge us the 'family rate' which is for a family of 4, even though there are only two of us. We didn't want to have an argument with them so just organised our own). I'm going to get hit with the ACA penalty anyway because 3 months went by which is annoying - I was so busy with everything else and my own existing insurance in the UK confirmed that they were covering me (but they aren't ACA-compliant so hence I'll get hit with the fee!).

As for the ASC letting me see the photograph, they didn't actively show me the photograph but it was on the computer screen next to the camera so I saw it by chance. I'm unsure how others' experiences are similar/dissimilar to mine.

As for the SSN, you might want to take a look at Form SS-5: Application for a Social Security Number in advance, it is the application form you need to take to the SSA Office to get an SSN. They'll have copies there but I filled mine in in advance so I could just hand it over straight away and save time (no idea if it did save time or not). Notably, this is also the form I filled in for my name change too but I have no idea if that is process or not.

Yikes...I thought I had to wait to apply for health insurance. My husband is self-employed so it will be through the open market. Does anyone know how to apply, where to apply and when I should...concerned now.

I feel like everyday I get blindsided by something new and will have to give up my claim to be a great researcher off my resume....<insert face palm here>

HI Marienne,

Lots of great advice here. As an HR professional please let me add my 2 cents but I will be in the same boat shortly as soon as I get my EAD approval and can start looking for work.

Yes, employers discriminate but mostly its because of systemic discrimination and not intentional. For example, jobs are that are advertised in the Wall Street Journal are only going to be seen and applied to by a select group of people. It doesn't give all people equal access to apply or even know the job is vacant. If you are in a certain profession, make sure that you are on the mailing list of that association. For me it would be the SHRM. Join your group as we often advertise for specific roles in those publications only. To an extent, they even say that access to a computer is systemic discrimination as not everyone has a pc or is computer literate.

Make sure you have your name on your resume: For example, my pet peeve is a whack of resumes all titled: My resume or New resume. After I take my first cut at the pile of resumes, I go back and search for specific ones and can't find them because of the title. I'm looking for the name I remember. If I can't find it, I move on because there is just way too many in the pipeline.

Make sure you have a professional email address. I always crack up at one job seeker who's email address was: seekingserenitynow@email.com All I could think of was, "you won't find that here". I took a pass.

The lower the job level, the more people will apply and so you can get overlooked. Follow up without being pesty. I've had thousands apply before and it is a mountain.

Be first to apply. As soon as the job goes live, the hiring manager will want to see who's applying in the first day so there's a good chance that the manager will see that resume before I make any cuts to a short list. Or be last to apply....they've exhausted all their options and getting desperate but this is not where you want to be.

Yes, many HR people are lazy but they are also overworked and have a laundry list of things that the hiring manager wants (to the point of nearly impossible. I have to be a purple squirrel sniper - an animal that doesn't exist to satisfy the list). This is also why it is so difficult to get a job because all the power is with the employer who wants an exact set of qualifications. They want an engineer who can dj or a sales director who is also an accountant. Don't be afraid to list something interesting as it can make all the difference. We like interesting and people who have had many experiences as they approach things in a fashion I would describe as more open minded. The soft skills are very important.

Many hiring managers often change their mind to what they want as soon as they start seeing what resumes are coming in so it gets tricky as some of the competencies have changed from what you originally applied to do.

Discrimination is a 2 way street. I have also had employers who specifically wanted European employees and not North American because in their personal opinion they work harder or better or different or are not so 'entitled'. I always have to explain well, this is the law and not my personal opinion so here's your top 3 qualified candidates, but not everyone in HR pushes back like me but I can't make them hire someone they don't want. You never know if the employer has an aunt that is Greek or had a wonderful time in Greece and that may open the door for you. Be memorable. Be professional.

Good luck to you and everyone else out there looking. Just don't stop looking and please subscribe to your profession's association.

I've come to the conclusion that most things related to these applications are done in batches. It may just be when notifications are sent out, but it's too coincidental that so many have the same dates for when action was taken on their applications. I've even noticed that several people have the same interview dates, in this case September 22nd, which also happens to be mine.

I think the same thing...don't know why my posts aren't showing up after I quote from them...must be missing the push 'send' button. My last update too was on July 24th although I filed later than others (June 29th). I am going a wee bit stir crazy and must remember that in a couple of years I would probably give my right arm to have this kind of time off again but it doesn't help....hang in there everyone!!

Oh whoa thats odd. Today is the 75th day. Nothing last update showing is July 24th I think that's when they received biometrics results taken on July 12. When we called a few weeks ago, the rep said that everything [results I guess what he meant by everything] came back to them to give them up to 75 days and if we didn't hear anything by then to call again. Should I wait until tomorrow or Friday to call them just to give them a bit more of time. I know it could take up to 90 days and many here already marked the 90 days mark but oh la la 6 months with no income my husband is going crazy and we are a household of 4 and we yet need to adjust his daughter's status too. Uuuuffff just venting!

I can't seem to copy it but you can google Skinner Box to show how we can be conditioned to do certain things....​

Chrisete, I have been reading a bit more on this.

I certainly hope we can shed more light on these issues for anyone else looking for information on the same issue!

I shouldn't be confused as they stated clearly (when I asked for an expedite on my AP):

Our records indicate that we are awaiting your response to our request for additional evidence on your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. Your case, and all applications associated with it, is currently in suspense or on hold until we receive your response. Please follow any instructions on that notice. You may request expeditious processing again once USCIS has received your response.

However, when I talked to the Tier 2 lady she said I couldn't do another expedite. Maybe I can do a Service Request but if I'm on day 62 that doesn't sound as a possibility yet. I think you need to be on day 75.

Also; we did send in the requested documents but my husband had to file an amended tax return.

We included a letter with the requested documents that we will be sending the amended tax return with a copy of the RFE letter. We are a bit unsure though if that will be received well. The lady said that if they need anything more they will ask us. But we don't want to have to wait again for a letter that will hold up more time.

I don't know Skinner rats but it sounds funny the waiting can still be tedious.

oops...meant to rely under Soley but that is how I am counting as well since I read that the AP and EAD are different applications. We have the same received date for the RFIE so hopefully we will hear something around the same time. I hope we can shed some light on this for those that come after us with the same issue.

I have become a Status Stalker too and am convinced that the only reason USCIS put it up was to stop the inundation of calls and give us something to do all day while we wait...kind of like Skinner rats pushing the bar waiting for our reward

Congratulations to everyone who received good news or their cards!! It's great to see progress :)

I am hanging in here, working on solutions and a plan B (in case I can't get back in time to my home country; seeing what legal rights I have. Thank you for the tip Yongma, it got me on a better track, will continue on that after the weekend). And trying to focus on positive things instead of stalking the USCIS homepage

I am a bit confused though about the counting. I assume I have to leave out the days between the RFE and the USCIS notice of receiving the required documents. Which, in my case, was 21 days. From the day of the USCIS receiving the application 83 days have passed, and I assume I have to take out the 21 days so I am officially on day 62, correct?

(They said all my cases were on hold and they resumed on the 21st day).

On my timeline it still says: "Based on timeline data, your EAD may be adjudicated between September 1, 2016 and September 6, 2016*."

As the timeline does not ask when your RFE has been received would I have to add the 21 days to these data?

I still have hope the EAD/AP will come sooner

So happy for everyone and all the support I see from everyone to everyone...VJ could make the world a much nicer place to be

And thanks @simonchus for the Corbin Kentucky reference. Maybe when it finally arrives for me I will get it in a day instead of 7 days since I am smack dead in the middle of KY!!

What a beautiful letter Simonchus.....it has helped me too xo

I just spoke to a Tier 2 agent since I'm at day 79 and wanted to know if I can do another expedite om my I131 now that they've received our response on the RFIE. Or perhaps she could see if anything was happening on the EAD and AP.

I received some very bad news.

She said all my cases were on hold while they were waiting for the response. I knew that part. But then she continued to say that the counting started again on the day they received the response (which was yesterday) and I'll have to wait 90 days for them to get to the AP.

I'm devastated.

She said I didn't have grounds even for expedite. Financial losses in my home country don't count. Only financial losses within the US.

I feel horrible and am considering to just let go of this craziness that's called AOS and go back no matter what.

There's a little glimmer of hope in me that says: what if she's wrong? Perhaps I'll receive it anyway.

Does anyone have any suggestions or solutions?

She sure couldn't offer me any......

Or did anyone have to deal with this?

Don't give up. I received an RFIE too and the email said:

Once a timely response to the request for evidence is received by USCIS, we review the evidence or information you submitted. If you submitted the requested evidence, we continue with the adjudication of your application or petition in light of the new evidence.

That says to me that they are continuing where they left off and not starting all over again (Lord I hope not). I am thinking that it just put my case back 10 days from when they received my case and not starting all over again.

Hang in there!!!

Just got update! I-765 New card is being produced!

Just got update! I-765 New card is being produced!

Just got update! I-765 New card is being produced!

Just got update! I-765 New card is being produced!

So happy for you!!!! Congratulations! That's great ?

I have been stalking my email the last few days waiting for news. Just because of your happy post I decided to go to the app and YES: they received our response to the Request for Evidence for Form I-485.

"Our National Benefits Center office will begin working on your case again."

No text or email even though I have both registered for notifications but as you said, Simon, it might take a bit longer to get those.

I feel so relieved! At least it's moving again! ?

Judy

So happy for all and I checked mine too just in case and they have received my RFIE....glad its in progress but short lived and the worry starts again that I included everything. Oh...and buying a house tonight....you would think that the house would be more stressful ....I have officially become, 'obssessed'.

I am so sorry to hear that this has happened to you. Please follow through with what the others have told you.

Make a plan to get set free as it will help you to recover emotionally and REMEMBER, this is not your fault. Put that head back up, straighten your crown and move on like the Queen you are.

Congrats! Great news ?

And congratulations to all others too that have received good news!

I'm waiting for a message that the documents for the RFIE were received; USPS delivered our reply to them yesterday morning but haven't received a notification yet. I know to be patient with them but at times it's nerve wrecking.

Congrats! Great news ?

And congratulations to all others too that have received good news!

I'm waiting for a message that the documents for the RFIE were received; USPS delivered our reply to them yesterday morning but haven't received a notification yet. I know to be patient with them but at times it's nerve wrecking.

Congrats! Great news ?

And congratulations to all others too that have received good news!

I'm waiting for a message that the documents for the RFIE were received; USPS delivered our reply to them yesterday morning but haven't received a notification yet. I know to be patient with them but at times it's nerve wrecking.

Hey. Has anyone tried to call USCIS today? Everytime I try and get thru all the options it tells me I need to call back Monday-Friday 8am-6pm ?!

I called today option 2 and got through...try again

Thanks so much for this...just in case anyone else has the same issue I did (wrong version for this) please download the new form from USCIS with the Version Update code for 07/02/2015. I got a RFIE as I used an old form. Off to the post office with a newly killed tree to submit again and fingers crossed its all good.