sponge_gto

On 11/30/2023 at 8:06 PM, SalishSea said:

Be aware that it can take up to 8 months to get the EAD (work auth) and AP (travel doc).

Applied AP concurrently with AoS for parents Sep '22. Not a peep yet 😮‍💨

7/13 Applied in person at USPS, not expedited

7/18 In progress, locator 62

8/22 Approval email

8/26 Passport book received, BC on the way hopefully

On 8/8/2022 at 11:46 AM, cross_the_river said:

Where do you guys find the tracking number? My receipt from USPS does not have the tracking number..

Go to https://passportstatus.state.gov/ and enter your details (only need your last name, DoB, and last 4 of social). Your locator number will show up in the results.

1 hour ago, Track13 said:

I hate to name drop but was it Better? They are making this way harder than it needs to be

Yes, I was using Better. What a guess 😮

7/1/20: I-797 notice date

8/12/20: fingerprints reused

3/8/21: "New card is being produced"

Previously interviewed for AOS.

Summary of evidence submitted:

- kid's birth cert

- leases from start of marriage to home purchase

- house deed

- tax transcripts

- life/health/auto insurance

- 401k beneficiary info

- utility/mortgage bills (most recent only)

- plane tickets for one domestic trip

- 10 photos printed in black-and-white on 5 pages

Best wishes to those still waiting!

5 hours ago, Track13 said:

The bank said it’s not them, apparently it’s a Fannie Mae rule that only people with the stamp qualify and they don’t accept anything else, even the I-797 that extends his green card for longer than the stamp. They only accept the I-551 stamp so I guess my husband can’t be on the loan, just me. Apparently even the largest of lenders are at the least, not together on immigration policy or at the most, purposefully exclusionary.

It's possible they're just hiding behind Fannie Mae's name to get you to cough up the documents they are familiar with. I recently had to use my expired GC + I-797 for a refi and here's the letter of explanation I submitted (to a online-only startup at that):

To whom it may concern,

Enclosed please find a copy of Form I-797 issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), indicating that my permanent resident card has been extended for 18 months from the original date of expiration.
I received my marriage-based Permanent Resident card in <mm/yyyy>, following my marriage to <spouse> in <mm/yyyy>. As we had been married for less than 2 years on the date that I was granted permanent resident status, I was issued a conditional permanent resident card which is conditional only upon our continued marriage for 2 years from my date of status. I met this condition in <mm/yyyy>.
Upon meeting the condition of my permanent resident status, I was eligible to receive a regular permanent resident card valid for 10 years. The USCIS received my application to remove the condition of my permanent resident status (Form I-751) on <date> and has issued Form I-797 to indicate that the validity of my current permanent resident card has been extended while my new permanent resident card is being processed. The USCIS processing times for Form I-751 at my assigned processing center can take up to <n> months, as indicated by the official processing times website (ref. attached screenshot of processing times).
Enclosed you will also find a copy of official USCIS policies which indicate the following:
•    My receipt notice (Form I-797) for filing Form I-751 extends the validity of my conditional permanent resident status for 18 months (ref. attached screenshot of USCIS policies on Removing Conditions on Permanent Residence Based on Marriage, page 2).

Thank you,
<name>

The screenshot of the policies were taken from https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-we-grant-your-green-card/conditional-permanent-residence/removing-conditions-on-permanent-residence-based-on-marriage where I expanded the item "Work Permit".

31 minutes ago, Stelare said:

Will they stamp an expired passport? Or does it need to be valid? 

I wonder about the same, seeing I have no reason to pay for passport renewal (and travel to consulate) otherwise. However, I do see getting a stamp on the i-94 as a potential easy way out, assuming the copy you print out from the i-94 website is good enough..

Got NOA from LIN service center today. I-751 timeline (also in profile):

- 6/19/20 Filing window opened

- 6/20/20 Mailed package via USPS Priority Mail to Arizona lockbox

- 6/23/20 Package delivered

- 6/26/20 Acceptance Confirmation email with LIN receipt number

- 7/13/20 NOA received in mail with notice date 7/1/20

Thank you kindly. Regarding the interview, I went into a bit more detail in my office review: http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/view-dos-cis-reviews.php?entry=24668

Day 202 update:

Interview at Buffalo, NY. Arrived 10am for 10:45 interview. Went through security, checked in, and waited with maybe 3 individuals/couples before us. Got called after a short wait, maybe around 10:35. Followed officer to office, stood to take an oath, sat down. First asked to submit I-693 medical forms. Officer then directed questions to my USC wife, confirming many of the personal details on her portion of the forms. When my wife disclosed that she had changed her job, I quickly found the employer letter and gave it to the officer. Next I was asked many of the questions from my part of the form: personal details and yes/no questions. The officer asked where and when we first met, when we started dating. When the officer asked me if I have any children, I gestured towards my wife and said we have one on the way. The officer congratulated us while I produced a letter from the OBGYN confirming the pregnancy, which the officer kept. At the end, the officer said things looked good and they should be able to approve the application in the next couple days. I asked if they would stamp my passport with the I-551 and stated my reason which is admittedly not very urgent. The officer assured us that it takes only a couple weeks for the green card to arrive and recommended that we just wait it out. We left the USCIS building around 10:45. Got email update from the DHS status site about card being in production within half an hour.

Day 204 update: Got email update about I-130 and I-485 approvals.

I didn't have to get any additional vaccination and my bill ran up to $500+. I'm also in the middle of nowhere with exactly 1 civil surgeon within 30 miles so it all depends..

On 8/14/2018 at 12:39 PM, PollyC said:

Good morning all!

Yesterday we just found that we're pregnant, do we need to update the officer during interview (scheduled on Aug 23) or not? or they don't care?

Congrats! We are in the same situation with an interview mid Sep. Unfortunately we weren't able to get an obgyn appt before that so I am not planning to voluntarily bring it up at the interview. My thoughts are that if we make the claim about the pregnancy, the IO might want to see some documented evidence which could only be provided in a subsequent RFE. Interested to hear others' opinion!

Thank you, Tenreyro. That was very helpful information and I'm impressed by your knowledge!

Just thought I should share some recent update:

Day 161: I-485 Case is Ready to Be Scheduled for An Interview

Day 162: I-485 Interview Was Scheduled

Day 163: Informed Delivery shows incoming mail from USCIS

Meanwhile there's been no update on my I-765 and I-131 (the latter only submitted in July as I had initially planned to stay put until after AOS). I'm assuming they will not be processed? Considering I had a RFIE about a month after initial filing, I am relieved that things have progressed nicely in the end.

For context, I am filing from Ithaca, NY and did my fingerprints in Syracuse, NY. I'm not sure if the location in Syracuse does interviews as well so I wouldn't be surprised if I have to go to Buffalo or something. Anyone had experience with Syracuse?

It's a shame what you had to go through. Must've been a close shave at the airport! Please keep us all posted when things are resolved for you--I hope it won't be too long now.

Hi fellow Sinkie,

Thank you for sharing your experience. I can empathize with the mounting frustration as I read through your ordeal. It must be depressing that after getting through what's supposedly the hardest part (being approved), you are stuck in some kind of weird limbo due to multiple logistical mishap.

Have you tried Infopass appointments (https://www.uscis.gov/tools/your-guide-infopass)? I am not as far along in the process but I've heard good things about these in-person appointments.

Stay strong and don't let the delay get you down!

Day 161 update:

I-485 Case is Ready to Be Scheduled for An Interview.

What I tried was the laziest option of all:

- bare minimum required of the sponsor (6 months of pay stubs, an employment verification letter from her then employer showing very low year-to-date earnings, tax returns),

- 1 year of tax transcript for me (income as non-OPT F-1 student)

- 12 months of statements from my main investment account in the US (stocks/bonds only so fully liquid)

In the cover letter I basically suggested that the sponsor has received wages of a couple thousand thus far this year and my income from grad school can be considered 0 but my assets are sufficient to make up the shortfall. I worked out the exact numbers based on the poverty guidelines to save the officer a few seconds.

Since you mentioned that you are in OPT status, I'm assuming you are the intending immigrant and your wife is sponsoring you? If that is correct, here are my thoughts:

- The sponsor (your wife) must file I-864. Her income from her grad school should be more than enough for a family of 2. This alone should satisfy the requirements of support.

- The income of the intending immigrant spouse (you) can be used as a source of support in I-864. You should not file I-864A as that is only needed for other sponsors such as family and friends.

- F-1 status alone does not allow your income to be counted (personal experience), but if you supplied OPT documentation and emphasized the role of OPT as employment authorization, then your income can be counted.

Best of luck!

25 minutes ago, CaroLeh said:

Something VERY similar happened to me, too! Here is my original thread: 

 

Did you provide evidence that you are lawfully and legally allowed to work on F1? 

Thanks for sharing your thread! I do see a similarity between our cases except that I'm not yet on OPT so I've got no EAD cards to show. I submitted all the I-20 and appointment letter from my university the first time around so I'm not sure I have more to give (my SS card says "valid for work only with DHS authorization").

At this point I see multiple things I can try, such as adding a joint sponsor, ask my spouse to get a job (lol), try harder to get my F-1 income accepted, or just using my assets. I'll update with the outcome for future readers.

11 minutes ago, bad4tatt said:

The letters are saying you have sufficient income but did not provide the proof. Do you have a paper trail of your income?

Thanks for your comment before and after the edit. May I ask if there was anything tricky at all with your assets that you wished to be included, like being overseas, in a different currency, in the form of real estate, etc.?

The letter said we have sufficient income but I think that's based on what we thought could be included (spouse's + mine). The rest of the letter then requested me to provide work authorization documents in a way that seems to exclude my income as an F-1 student, making our total fall way below. We can easily find a sponsor though, if the odds of the assets being included are low.

25 minutes ago, arken said:

That means they ignored your assets part coz the income was sufficient but without any evidences. Like F1 was not listed in the category in the RFE, your income from on campus job on F1, though legal, will probably not be considered because it’s technically not a continuous employment as it’s part time job for students studying in the campus and it’s hard to prove that your job will continue after getting GC.

 

May be you can provide the income evidences of your wife and go with you current net cash value of your assets and this time they will consider the assets since the income will not be efficient. For that, you might need to submit new i864 along with the RFE response.

It's good to hear that they may not have ruled my assets to be unacceptable. Seems sensible to fill out a new I-864 at this point but I'm wondering if all the tax documents and account statements need to be resubmitted or just an addition of the latest will do. Will probably just go print out everything again though

2 minutes ago, arken said:

So what are they asking for in the RFE? They should be pretty much specific on what they want? Your response would be based on that.

Time for some pictures now that I have letter in hand.

I'm seeing 2 top-level bullet points:

- First one asks for more support of the petitioner's current income. It's very little and temporary so can't see that doing much good.

- Second one asks for me, the immigrant, to show that I was authorized to work in the US in order to include my income for consideration. Now as an F-1 student I'm of course allowed to work 20 hours a week on campus, but I don't have any of the examples they suggested. In fact, given the laundry list of visa statuses that they accept, the absence of F-1 seems to suggest that they're not gonna accept my income. Anyone had success getting income as an F-1 student to be included? I get paid just over $30k so that would be enough, if accepted.

1 hour ago, azblk said:

It is obvious that the USCIS has decided that the stocks and bonds you presented do not satisfy the i-864. Now you can get into an argument with them and see if they will change their minds or you can liquidate some of those assets (roughly $60K) and put that money in bank then present bank statement or you can find a co-sponsor. Those are basically the choices before you. I think getting a co sponsor is easiest. If you are not in a hurry just execute another i-864 with assets only and see how that works.

It's interesting that you find it obvious that USCIS decided my assets do not satisfy I-864. What I imagine to be a possible scenario is that the officer looked at our reported income, saw that it's above the poverty guideline, and didn't bother to look at the optional part about assets. Is this out of the realm of possibility?

If they have indeed determined my assets to be somehow unacceptable (they in the US, by the way), wouldn't they have given me a reason?

Without indulging in second-guessing any further, what is the likely procedural outcome if I ask for my assets alone to be considered and they don't like it? Is that an instant NOID or denial?