Bluey

MY lawyer said the NYC office is taking about 8 months from biometric to interview day. So you are better off to apply AP now.

Hi guys! Has anyone heard anything from New York or Long Island? I am anxiously awaiting my interview - I have the EAD but we didn't apply for AP so I can't leave until I have the GC in hand. I have to be back home by October and if I'm not I'll be devastated. I came in on a travel visa so I doubt they'd waive the visa. My status has been saying 'Read for Interview' since May. Any help much appreciated.

Congratulation. Your case is moving extremely fast!

I received my GC today yeyye. Good luck to everyone still waiting

Where can you get this info from? See how many cases getting transferred?

I am tracking almost all I-130 cases from my PD April 19, and today 208 cases have been transfered. They are obviously overloaded. :/

Does anyone has the same weird/awkward situation like me?

Got a text saying: we have updated your i130 on 7/29.
When I login to the case, it is still the same showing status from April: "Case have been received." Is there a system error?

Wow your case is extremely quick. Did you enter the States by K1?

My case was approved last month. Received email from NVC about a case number on Thursday. Sent email to request a transfer of my approved petition to NBC for I-485 which has been scheduled for interview. I still haven't received any response from them. Should I wait or should I go for info pass?

Wow! your case is quick. Good luck with your interview tomorrow.

I sent a service request on June 24th and just got a email saying that my application is "under review". According to the email I should receive decision or notice of other action shortly... well, I have my interview next week so it is sort of pointless. But good to know that somethings happening

you should go ahead and send out the AOS ASAP. Once you get the receipt number, you can send in your job offer to expedite the EAD. May or may not make it before Sep1, but worth for a try.

Hello, I am an F1 student on OPT and I just got married to a US citizen, so I'm going through the AOS.

I've been offered a job starting on September 1st, but I'm not sure I would be able to receive my EAD on time to start working, so I am unsure of if I should mention it in my application. My wife's income is sufficient to support us, so maybe it's better not to mention it? I plan on sending my application on Monday, would I usually be able to receive the EAD before September 1?

My lawyer said generally USCIS will forgive you for working before you get your EAD card.
However, I wouldn't recommend risking it.

Hi guys, I'm joining too.

What happens if my husband is working while waiting for the AED?

Here's the online service request link:

https://egov.uscis.gov/e-Request/Intro.do

Hi, I just past my 75 days. Can you tall me how can I ''service request'' online?

How did you request service request?

HI.

How do you clear background?

You can still go ahead and apply for job. It will take you 2-3 weeks to finally land a job anyway, so no harm trying. If the company likes you, you can tell them you are waiting for the EAD.

If they get you an official job offer, you can send that in as an evidence for expedite.

Hi guys, first off, congratulations for those who now got their EAD and GC's! Here on my end, wishing that some news would come regarding my EAD & GC. No update since I placed a service request and no return call (like today is the 3rd day since I placed a return call note). I'm on my 85th day. Everything is stand still from "Fingerprint Fee Received" and "Case Received". While waiting, has anyone tried to send out job applications and accept interviews? Is this alright to do while waiting for EAD (like not on hand). Appreciate advice if it is good or fine to start applying while waiting for the EAD and GC. Thanks so much.

"we ordered your new card" FINALLY!!!!

In the eye of the officer, you probably intended to stay in US.

you should still go ahead and file EAD, just have him prepare your document but dont put the lawyer's name on it.

Usually lawyer wont take the risk to officially present you for something that they are not sure, but they can still do the paperwork for you since you've already paid him.

In my opinion, there's no harm to file it. Worst case, it will get rejected, that's it.

Hi all,

Long time lurker, and this is my first question. My husband and I are finalizing our I-130-I485 application, and hope to send everything off in the next couple of days. He's the citizen, and I am the foreign spouse.

I have read 100s of the topics on here that relate to getting/using AP during this process, but I still have some questions and was wondering if anybody could help me out. First, I have an overstay. A fairly long one. My last (legal, inspected) entry to the US was in June 2012. Because of this, we hired an attorney to help us with the paperwork and coach us through the process, rather than do it ourselves.

It had been my intention all along to apply for both EAD and AP. However, the attorney who is helping us has refused to submit the application for AP as I am ineligible due to my overstay. The way I previously understood it, was that AP was granted to essentially everyone who applies, and that although there is of course risk in using it to travel abroad while your application is pending, that technically a departure with advance parole doesn't trigger the bans and you should be allowed back in.

The attorney we are using just won't entertain this idea. I really don't like it though. I want to apply and have the AP in hand just in case anything happens at home between now and me being approved for my GC. I don't have any plans to go home before I get my GC (I've waited this long!), but I want it as backup in case I need to tend to my family or in case something happens. I'm not a risk taker, but if my choice in that situation is between (1) having to leave and have a 10% chance of getting back in as I have a valid AP document, and (2) having to leave and having zero chance to get back in as I will have abandoned my petition by leaving, it is surely a no brainer?

Aside from this disagreement, the attorney has been great and helpful. My husband is leaning toward following his advice and to not apply for AP, but he said he will support whatever I choose to do. What are your thoughts on this? And, how possible would it be to just file that form myself anyway (would my attorney know since he is entering a notice of appearance on our behalf)?

Thank you so very much in advance.

I've never heard of this type of issue. If you guys have been married for this amount of time, didnt you try to sub-let or find a new place all this while?

Also, have you file the case yet? Im thinking by the time you get to interview, you might have already live together?

That is the plan. Right now we both have leases on our studios through mid 2017. Hence the no immediate plans to do so (I didn't say we never will, though! A 2 bed is the plan when our lease is up). I'm worried about giving specifics as I don't want to out myself, but it is loosely related to a form of sleep disorder on his end that renders it totally impossible for to sleep in the same room for the majority of the time. Which, in our current situation with us each in a studio, means separate apartments for now. We have regular sleepovers, it is not as if we NEVER sleep in the same apartment; we do on a regular basis. But he has to have his own place (and next year, room) for when this issue is at its peak.

Also, please don't consider me a bad wife! He insists on this arrangement as he ends up so upset and beating himself up the next day when I haven't been able to get any sleep. It is a really bad situation, but everyone has their flaws/issues and I cannot and do not blame him for his. We treasure the nights where we go out and drink so much wine that we're both unconscious and this isn't an issue LOL.

I guess, but that seems so discriminatory to me! I feel bad for those people.

I figured your case is moving extremely quick. When is you interview? How did you get expedite on your EAD?

Received another notification from USCIS today that my EAD has been mailed. Three business days after they approved my application, which is pretty fast I think. I was worried that it's going to take a while.

If you are still waiting for updates, hang in there and good luck!

same thing happened to me. The first time I called, the lady refused to transfer me.

I called again two days later and they transfer me to an officer (not sure what tier). The officer called me back in 2 hours because the line was long. He couldn't tell whats wrong with my case, but told me to wait...again...

The officer did told me that my i485 is done, just waiting for interview. He said im in the back of the line, one an interview spot is opened, I will be informed. So I asked does that mean there's no RFE and it's approved? He said it looks like it right now. Then I asked again what happened to my EAD becox I really want to start working. He said he doesnt know whats wrong with my EAD but put in an request for me. So wait. That was last week, havent heard anything yet.

Just try calling USCIS and asking to be transferred to a tier 2 officer and they refused!!! The girl said she must try to solve my problem first. And I said my problem is that my case is on day 85 and my job is waiting for this EAD to put me back on payroll! After saying everything I already knew the call just got cut and she did not transfer me... seriously?

Thank you! Porbably a lease would help!

1. I don't - and correct me if I'm wrong, anyone - believe it'll be a problem since he isn't just finding women abroad, marrying, getting their GC, AOS, rinse and repeat. His first marriage looks like it was over a decent period of time and he didn't just jump to marry you straight after their divorce. I think you'll be fine.

2. Everyone has to start somewhere. We've been married 3 years and don't own a house together, we've just finished paying off our truck and only just got the title in our names. Everyone has different things. So long as you've started with what you can you'll be alright.

3. I'd recommend asking your friend to draw up a lease with both of you on it.

4. *remembers the letter writing days* . . . What you're proving at this point is a bonafide marriage. You co-mingle your finances, you're on the same medical insurance, all the things you listed in 2.

That has surely gave me a lot of hope !

smart question indeed. seem like you know quite a bit already. there is no doubt that there will be scrutiny about husband's previous sponsorship for another alien. onus will be on the couple to provide the divorce decree and that the marriage before and current is not executed to circumvent the law. i personally think, you guys will be fine.

I would say try congressman

Hi again! Every day I'm more and more angry with uscis. You can see details in my signature.

Today, my husband went to info pass. Last time they promised we will get something within 30 days, but as expected - we got nothing. I mailed a letter to customer service today (i'm pretty sure we will get nothing again) and we went to senators office (don't know how that will go...).
But my question is. We have a name of the officer who we had interview with. Do you think we can send a letter directly to her and ask her whats going on and why is the decision still not made? Is it allowed? Has anyone done that? Thank you.

(I'm going to add that it was completely ridiculous today. They said the officer needs to review our case and there is not time frame for that, and could take up to 4-5 years. Years! Yep, thats what the guy from info pass said).

Sorry for your loss. Pls do hang in here, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel pretty soon.

Hello people!

I think it is crazy how some have gotten their GCs without even an interview and the rest of us are stuck with no news of anything, weird RFIE, etc. It seems from what I read that there's no middle ground with us april filers. I just can't wait for all of us to be moving forward with the process.

I had gotten a RFIE that was pretty hard to reply to. They needed me to get extra papers from my joint sponsor (father in law) and then I got wrapped up in a mess of information with USCIS. I was transfered several times to a tier 2 and was told information that I knew for a fact wasn't true. At my first infopass I had been told that my joint sponsor's benefits were ok to count as income (since they aren't means-tested) and then was told by tier 2 officers that they didn't count. I argued with them, read them the memos from the USCIS website, the RFIE letter and told them that I knew people who had used them as income successfully and the last tier 2 officer ended up telling me that he was confused so that maybe I was right. That's it. An immigration officer, who is supposed to know this stuff (or at least read the agency memo about it) was confused. These are the people who have the power to reject your application based on their own ignorance.

Anyway, my husband's mom died last week and so my RFIE took a backseat. We have been shaken by this and we are all trying now to do our best to move on and support each other.

Now, out of the nowhere, a new joint sponsor appeared as an option so we sent his paperwork yesterday. I couldn't believe how easy it was to get his papers, compared to our former joint sponsor, which meant an inch and a half of documents. It was a nice surprise and I am relieved that I won't have to bother my father in law for extra paperwork in this time of grieving.

I have a job interview on Thursday and it sounds like the perfect fit for me. I still haven't gotten my work permit, but the second infopass lady told me that it shouldn't be delayed by the RFIE on my AOS (as if I could now believe what they tell me), so I'm hoping that they'll be wiling to wait for me a little longer.

I'm sorry for the venting/long post, but this past week has been a terrible rollercoaster and I guess I needed some out.

Date start counting from NOA1. So I am on 83th day and counting...

Day 84th and counting....

I've been wondering around on VJ for a couple months see what people say, but was skeptical on telling my own story. It gets a bit too personal, but I see many good people here. So I said to myself: why not"

I filed the AOS packaging in April, wont have interview probably till the end of the year. So I wanted to get ahead and start to prepare for the interview. I am a worrier...

How we met

I've got my under grad and master degree in California. I moved to New York after my master degree and started my current job with H1B. I met my husband through a friend A. The friend A was a long term family friend that my parents knew of. Since I had no friends in NY, sure enough A decided to introduce me to some of his friend and I met my husband. Fast forward to fall 2015 after we've been dating for 2 years, he proposed and of course I said yes. We waited and did our civil ceremony in Feb 2016 because my parents were visiting NY during the time. Now, the actual wedding reception will happen in the coming August because we had a lot to plan on.

Background

Age: He is 7 years older than me. Im in my late 20s and he is in his 30s

Education: He has a bachelor degree and I have my master

Job: He's earning about 80K and Im getting around 60K

Ethnic: We both Asian, speaking same language

Family and friends: Everyone knows about we dating history, so that's not an issue

Red flags

1. What really worries me is his previous marriage. My husband was naturalized through his parents in 2006 and married his ex-wife in 2008 and filed i130 for her. Thing didnt work out they were divorced in early 2013 and she was already a naturalized USC by the time the marriage ended. My husband met me a few months after the divorce and we started dating. If I am an immigration officer, I would of course take this as a red flag. I just dont know what kind of question may come up or what can we do to address that?

2. Financial mingling. We have a car together, auto insurance, medical insurance, joint bank account, credit card and cell phone bills etc. However we dont have a house yet or any other major assets. Is this going to be a problem?

3. Residence. We didnt really live together until early this year, shortly after the civil ceremony. This is because he was living with his parents before the marriage and their house is only a few blocks away from me. So he did spend time in my apartment but not officially moved in. We moved to a new place after we got married, however there's no lease. We rented the place from one of our friends and didnt think lease is needed. I could get the friend to write up a proof, but does this work?

4. Proof of relationship. Let's be honest, nobody writes emails or letters nowadays. Since we are both in states, the only proof I have would be cell phone records. There wasn't too much of travels I could provide.

Sorry for the long post, hoping to see some different opinions here. Thank you all!

I think you meant your wedding reception will be on July 23.

You can always go into city hall and get your marriage certificate anytime if you dont mind having a few weeks of gap between the actual marriage certificate and the wedding reception.

Hello,
I came to the US on June, 19 on a K1 visa. My marriage will take place on July, 23. Is there a way to apply for a work permit before i get married to save sone time?
Thanks.

we have pretty much the same dates, and I've called USCIS almost everyday and nothing yet.

Hang in there I guess?

I opened a online inquiry on my EAD two days ago, today is already day 83 since they received my case and nothing! This is so frustration, my old EAD expired on May 12th, and my job is waiting for my new EAD to put me back on payroll, I am not sure how long more they will be willing to wait.... Even more frustrating its that according to visa journey's timeline they are already approving cases from April 7th, my case is April 4th!!!! #######?!?!

you can do it thru this link or call them

https://egov.uscis.gov/e-Request/Intro.do

How to do a service request on EAD?

Seems like you case is pretty straight forward. Unless you want to be hassle-free otherwise lawyer is not needed.

Mine was $1,500. I hired lawyer because I had some issue with my case.

Im still in depression that my EAD/AP is still not here and I have a job offer waiting for me...

Good Morning & Happy Monday Everyone:

How was everyone's weekend?