Jessica829

We received my husband's green card on Friday! Finally done with USCIS for almost two years now.

July 2: Interview, not immediately approved as we were told they wanted to review my husband's military records again (he only did the mandatory service for Turkey)

July 5: Case update to card in production

July 12: Card received in mailbox 

Hi VJ! Glad to see a lot of progress here. I haven't posted here in a while, but thought I'd provide a few updates.

My husband was able to use his AP to get a Shengen visa through the Italian consulate in LA with no issues. We went on a 6 week honeymoon visiting his family in Turkey and going throughout Europe. He had no issues throughout the trip from being on AP, other than he had to wait for like an hour coming back through LAX to get processed.  The didn't even ask any additional questions, just made him wait in the secondary screening area. They do need the paper AP approval form, so be sure to bring that along with the card. 

Also, we received our interview date of July 2nd in the LA city office. Below's our timeline:

- September 4th: NOA1

- September 25th: bio appt

- March 4th: AP/EAD approved

- May 14: received update that interview was ready to be scheduled

- May 23: interview scheduled

- July 2: interview date

My husband's combo card was delivered today.   Now the extra long wait for the green card (we're in LA city).

This was after having a bit of a fiasco with USPS. When our USCIS account updated with the tracking number is said it had been delivered on Saturday. After calling our local post office daily they finally "found" that my husband's package was delivered to the wrong mailbox and delivered it today. 

Just a quick update on our end. We received our NOA2s over the weekend and my husband's new social security card was delivered today.

Now we just need the actual combo card. 

2 hours ago, Naes said:

Guys I need your opinion on this matter,

so I did the inquiry right when my date passed. Of course there is nothing and the classic 30 day wait etc etc...

 

So I am getting close to psychologically losing it lol.

 

I am planning on getting the congressman involved, mine is pretty well known for her pro-immigration activities. 

How long should I wait? Should I wait till end of 30 days to pass, or maybe wait only another week or so? Anyone seen any posts in these cases where people involved congressman after making an inquiry and it being meaningless?

 

Check again! I just checked and it now says "new card being produced" on my husband's EAD! It still said received earlier today.

Well that's what it says on the old site the new site still says received. 

Also, we had 0 luck with any of our CA reps with our K1. They're all inundated with requests. 

Ooo also just got texts/emails while typing this. 

3 hours ago, streanor said:

@Naes @Jessica829  I'm Sept 4th receive date too and they wouldn't except my receive date yesterday.. but today receipt date for case enquiry changed to Sept 5th and it worked to send an online request!

 

Hopefully we all get good news soon!!

Ah thanks! It worked this morning!  

At least it's nice to know that there's likely not something wrong with our specific cases, just that someone has dropped the ball on our date. 

13 hours ago, Naes said:

Nope they didn’t accept my received date. Now waiting for it to show 10th. But the problem is the other website is messed up and it doesn’t have a submit date for me 🤷🏻‍♀️ So I’m waiting till process date shows at least 10th (when I received the texts)

It didn't accept any online request for us either. 😕 Do you think it would be better to call?

46 minutes ago, dynesyzygy24 said:

Exactly 160days still nothing ☹️

45 minutes ago, Naes said:

sigh... yep... I finally started putting my resume together though... with the anticipation 

Yea, whoever's got the 9/4 box needs to get a move on it! 

1 hour ago, akoko-01 said:

ok great. can you tell us exactly what you filed? like what form? did you include worldwide income? where did you exclude it? 

Just to add on the tax conversation. I found these links pretty helpful.

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/family/claiming-a-non-citizen-spouse-and-children-on-your-taxes-/L6VM4IzTQ

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/general/tax-tips-for-resident-and-non-resident-aliens/L9Mm0x1i6

I also talked to a TurboTax CPA and they said if your spouse qualifies as a resident alien then you can file jointly and claim their worldwide income in the "other income, foreign income" section. This is self reported as an overseas company won't have U.S. tax forms. Unfortunately to use TurboTax for this you have to pay for one of their higher tier options. 

On 11/26/2018 at 6:37 PM, Jesus said:

Hey Guys we did our biometrics on Oct 3rd but nothings has updated online is it normal?

We did our biometrics on 9/25 and haven't had any updates since then either. Really I'm assuming we'll be lucky to get the green card in 2019 considering we're in LA proper. Seems like EA/APs are going out to June/July filers now, so still a bit of a wait until I'll be concerned. 

Quick update - we did a walk in biometrics appointment today in LA (La Brea office) and had absolutely no issues. We got there around 9:10am and were back at the car at 9:30am. There was literally one other family there and they saw us after waiting about 5 minutes. I've never seen a government office that was so empty! 

2 hours ago, Jessica829 said:

We received ours on Saturday as well for Oct 1. We're going to be in SF that week, so we're going to try to walk in this week. Seems like it's not too difficult to do based on some searches here.

Oh also! USCIS sent us two versions of the same biometrics appointment letter. When I saw it on informed delivery I thought we were getting an RFE or something. But no, it was just them being great at their jobs. 😑

On 9/22/2018 at 3:29 PM, dynesyzygy24 said:

Received biometrics appointment today, scheduled on Oct 2 

We received ours on Saturday as well for Oct 1. We're going to be in SF that week, so we're going to try to walk in this week. Seems like it's not too difficult to do based on some searches here.

Curious if anyone in the LA area has received their biometrics appointment notice yet. Looking at you @Naes 👀

21 hours ago, Naes said:

Hoping for a “in the mail” copy. 

 

They’ve already messing up with this interview to all k1 thing.. everything looks backed up.. even noa1.

Well we have 3 letters from USCIS coming in the mail today, assuming those are our NOAs.  

10 hours ago, Naes said:

If they took the money, texts will come soon, I think. everyone says so. Last I checked my cheque was still not cashed... so I don't even know what they're doing

 

It just looks like a huge huge mountain of applications on this date though.probably also affected by the new regulations.... 

I'm really just complaining. I'm assuming at this point we'll just get the notice in the mail without any texts. During K1 I only received texts relating to our RFE - nothing for our NOA1/2.

9 minutes ago, Naes said:

Yes text just came an hour ago.

 

they are mixing all the dates that has become a mountain. because dates from August 23 to sept 6 is all mixed up in the receipt numbers on case tracker.

Still no texts or emails over here, just took my money.  

Just now, Naes said:

Ok now I'm sure there is a problem with my package... check hasn't been cashed even though the package arrived on August 31... 

I wouldn't worry. Knowing USCIS they put the Saturday packets on top of the Friday packets in their inbox when they started work on Tuesday.  

On 9/7/2018 at 10:50 PM, Daniel P said:

That's what I hope! Don't worry, you'll most likely get the emails next Monday 🤞

Our packet was delivered on Sat. 9/1 and our check appears to have been cashed on Friday 9/7. No texts or emails yet though.

On 8/30/2018 at 1:18 PM, Naes said:

I always had a thing for September 

 

Happy to see some familiar names in this forum! Our lawyer mailed out packet on the 29th so hoping to hear something (or at least see a cashed check) this week.  

What's needed to get an SSN again? Just the passport with visa, I-94 and birth certificate?

20 minutes ago, Habitaters said:

I just got off the long Administrative Processing and begun seeing progress in my case, but today I got sucked back in to Administrative Processing black hole. I don't get it.

 

Administrative Processing - 221 g since April 24 then May 9 I saw a positive change. Application changed from Immigrant to Non-Immigrant - I read many times here before that that's a good sign. Tracker advised to check again after two business days, so I have been checking everyday for the last 6 days. When I checked again just before noon today, my status was changed back to the dreadful Administrative Processing (??) Not sure what's going on. Tracker says" processing can take several weeks, or longer."  I know that's a general blurb but it's so disappointing to see that when I thought I only had to wait "2 business days" and now I feel like I am back in to the eternal black hole again.  Has anyone seem this happen to their case, or someone else's case?  I am trying to stay positive but I am really confused right now ...

If it's "non immigrant" AP this time then that's a positive sign that the visa will be issued soon, seems like typically less than a week to turn to issued. Mine was only on NI AP for less than 2 hours, but every embassy processes at different speeds. 

Bulent had his interview in Ankara today and was approved in ~30 minutes from entering the building, including 15 minutes when there was a drill (I hope) where the embassy employees went under their desks. 262 days to NOA2, 324 days to interview approval. 

We’ll post a full review with the questions he was asked on the embassy page a bit later, but since everyone seems so concerned about being asked about wedding plans I’ll add that here. He was asked about our plans for the wedding and if we’ll have ceremonies in the US and Turkey. Bulent showed the officer our printed wedding invitation with our US date (8.11.18 - well within our 90 days as he’s not planning on POE until June) and our vendor bookings. She asked if anyone from his side will attend (yes, about 10) and how many from my side (he said he wasn’t sure since I’ve been handling all the planning, but a lot). He then said that we plan to have our Turkish ceremony sometime next year and that we’ll go on our honeymoon afterwards. She then asked where we plan to go on our honeymoon and then said he was approved. Bulent said the officer had a giant engagement ring on so maybe she was just more interested than normal in wedding plans, but she to really like his answers.