rye_212

Finally, interview scheduled for mid November!!

In case the info may be of use to anyone else:

On 9th October, out of the blue, someone apparently from USCIS, called my spouse, the petitioner, to discuss the application.  They said they would have to track down their missing documents.   Then on 21st Oct they generated a notice that cancelled the Dec 2019 interview and the next day they issued a notice for a new interview in November.    

Co-incidentially, on 10th Oct, I submitted as an "out of processing time" request.  The original March 2019 application PD was not out of their published processing time, but I claimed that the interview re-schedule was out of processing time.  On 14th Oct, the formal response to the service request was the very strange "not your case number".    I had used was the correct number, so the person processing the service request must have typed the wrong number in their system. 

When in fact, they had started activity on 9th Oct.   Just one more wrong information from USCIS.  But it doesn't matter any more.

And just to document some more USICS inefficiency .... because it makes me feel better ....

I asked the congress person to investigate and USCIS just told them the standard processing time data ... that they currently report 35 months processing time so only applications before November 2017 are expired 

.... information that i can see myself from the website.  So a waste of everyones time, again.    But the congress person didn't even ask me for details of our specific issue so i assume they just asked USCIS for a generic query.

I submitted a service request online and received a USCIS response saying that the receipt number I provided belongs to a different applicant  !!  It doesn't, its our receipt number.  

16 hours ago, bonsai said:

That's odd. Why was it canceled in December?

 

Yes I've seen multiple people from Dallas here who had their interview canceled due to covid and has since been rescheduled. I saw one who even had their interview waived. You should probably follow up with USCIS. 

It was cancelled in December because after scheduling the interview there was an event that led to USCIS Dallas moving some of my case documents to another office.  Its in my post history.  But anyway, on the date of the interview, they discovered that they didn't have all the documents in Dallas anymore.   The other office confirmed to me that they overnight-shipped the documents back to Dallas in late December.    And nothing since.  At the time, my lawyers expectation was that it would be re-scheduled in weeks. 

Thank you for confirming that many others have had cancelled Dallas interviews re-scheduled, that confirms that my case is indeed odd.  My expectation is that they have either mis-filed or lost the case, or perhaps when the docs were returned to Dallas in December 2019, they logged it as if the case was just filed in December.   For some postings on here, I think they are probably still processing cases filed in Autumn 2019 and so I have to expect that it will not be processed for months yet. 

Yes, I've contacted the USCIS about 10 times during the year, at the call center, even level 2.  Quite time-consuming for me - and for them.    While their responses vary each time, its always just some excuse to say wait another month.  Then the next one says, "no, that was incorrect, here is the correct response ...." and on it goes.   I've raised service requests, which I think go to the Dallas office.  But the response there always says "your case is in pre-schedule processing".  I think that whoever handles the service requests in Dallas doesn't even bother to look at the actual issue.     According to someone in the call center, they used to allow infoPass appointments so a person could meet an official but they have limited the reasons for that.  I've also asked my congress person to investigate and after the initial  contact, they have not responded either.     My lawyer has not proposed any alternatives either.

Sorry for the rant, but you asked   This whole process, starting with the K1, can be very stressful for some people.  Luckily, i am a patient person.  But I am a process oriented person, and it is very frustrating to see some of their staff failing to understand or properly use their own documented process.   One silver lining is that if it takes them over 2 years from AOS filing to issue the greeen card then it is usually a 10-year card instead of a 2-year card.  

Today Im gonna file an online "out of processing time" request for Dallas.  If you calculate from our filing in March 2019, its still within processing times.  But its out-of-processing for a re-schedule of interview.

AOS Filer here, waiting on interview, case filed in March 2019.   We moved house in July so I submitted an AR11 change of address online at the end of July.  Information/and call center said it could take up to 30 days to apply.  A call center agent also asked me for the new address in late August.  

In Sept a level 2 agent said the new address was in their call center system and had been since early August.  However, even today, my account on myUSCIS still has the old address.  Im concerned that they will send mail to my old address and I could miss an interview invite.   

Has anyone had any experience of how the change address process works, if the myUSCIS system got the new address and how long it took?

Dallas filer here, filed for AOS in March 2019.  Our interview was cancelled in December 2019 and still hasn't been rescheduled. Is there anyone on here that was cancelled in Feb/March due to covid and has since been re-scheduled.  

On 7/24/2020 at 11:06 PM, Shiran said:

This is due to USCIS moving card printing in house instead of relying on external contractor. Unfortunately they only have one printing facility set up and now they have sizable backlog of EAD and GC cards in need of printing got back to early July. 
Hopefully you will get it soon! 

LOL.  Why I am not surprised!!  Yet another USCIS inefficiency. 

So, its October 2020.  Any other March 2019 AOS filers still waiting for interview?

On 7/7/2020 at 5:01 PM, Nicola and Jordan said:

Guys!!!!! So I did a wish at 11:11am to ask for my case to be approved. Just checked and I got this!! I am so happy!!!!!!!

Wow. Congrats. Thats a relief.

On 7/1/2020 at 7:00 PM, Nat&Don said:

Hey fellow March 2019 filers! Just wanted to check back in to VJ since it's been a while and let people know where we're at, in case it's a comfort to anyone.

(Our filing office is the Washington DC one btw, which is actually located in northern Virginia)

 

So we were one of those unfortunate couples who had their interview scheduled just a few days after everything at USCIS completely shut down (scheduled for March 23), and since that one was cancelled, the case status has remained at "ready to be scheduled for an interview" for the last few months. I've got an EAD/AP combo card that is going to expire in October 2020, and after months of waiting, I've finally decided to go ahead and apply for a renewal, since who knows when that GC interview will actually happen. At this point, I'd be content to have it scheduled for February 2021, because then we'll already have been married 2 years and won't need to get the conditional GC. 

Anyway, that's where we're at. Anybody else planning to do the EAD renewal?

March filer here, waiting on interview.   Yes, just submitted for EAD/AP renewal to chicago lockbox. 

On 6/23/2020 at 1:52 PM, Nicola and Jordan said:

Have you not interviewed yet? 
I interviewed back in Feb but got an RFE. I was hoping the letter would confirm that they received it but it’s just a standard copy and paste and the status is the same as the one online. My EAD runs out August 14th I think I’m going to have to just renew it because I can’t see anything moving with my case before then 

December interview was cancelled by them because they didn't have all their documents in order.    My EAD / AP runs out in October and since I've learned that there is no renewal fee, I've gone ahead and submitted a renewal last week.   Another  4 hours of un-necessary work.

21 hours ago, Nicola and Jordan said:

It was just a letter saying they are still processing and delays because of Covid  

At least you got a letter.   Tier 2 advised me to write directly to the Dallas office in Feb.  They confirmed receipt of the letter in mid-Feb  but no response.   And no note in my file for Tier 2 to say that it had been received. 

So like @Nicola and Jordan we're stuck in limbo also.   March 2019 filer, called to interview in Dec 2019 Dallas but interview couldn't happen because they didn't have all my docs due to processing my Nov 2019 stolen AP/EAD card.    I know they got the missing docs in late December.  

No progress since.  While most commentators, including our lawyer expected the interview re-schedule in weeks, nothing happened in Jan, Feb or early March. Calls to the service center, case status emails etc all just resulted in contradicting unhelpful info which could be summarised as "wait 2 more weeks".  I started chasing again in late May and its the same behaviour.  Tier 2 support were not even able to tell me if the Dallas office had started doing face to face meetings again, suggested I go look online myself!!   So i can't even raise an InfoPass to ask a human in Dallas if they have lost the file, recorded me as a no-show interview or what?   We've also contacted the local congresswoman for help, waiting for their input.  Our lawyer hasn't been very knowledgable or proactive. 

The EAD and AP will expire in October 2020.  Im not working so I can manage to wait for the GC without the EAD.  But I would like to be able to travel back to Ireland when travel resumes so I suppose I should start reapplying for the AP now.   Already paid fees 3 times due to stolen AP card.  Now will need to pay a 4th time.   And then they might issue the GC rendering the new AP redundant.   Frustrating.  

If you are a March 2019 still waiting post here just so we know there are others in the same boat. 

On 11/19/2019 at 10:48 PM, americaninlove said:

OMG this is so horrible. Are you flying through Dublin? They do the customs check there and it's a breeze. I would think with copy of the AP paperwork and the police report that you might have a chance? I am so sorry for you. I honestly cannot even imagine...

Yes, that is what happened.  See explanation just posted. 

For the benefit of anyone else as unfortunate as me:

My AP card was stolen while I was travelling in Europe in mid-November 2019.  The US Embassy don't help non-greencard holders.  There isn't a standard USCIS process for handling the exceptional case of lost AP cards.  USCIS Customer support advised me - incorrectly - to submit a 131a to the Embassy - which is a request for a lost greencard.   The USCIS international office in London intervened to cancel this application - after I had pad $550.  London then facilitated me to re-apply for an AP card using the typical 131, but via the express "Humanitarian" office.  Another $550, stating my reasons for humanitarian needs ("theft").  They said the process would take a few weeks.   But figuring all that out was an incredibly stressful week, with lots of steps that I can't even bother documenting.   

However, the Humanitarian approval wasn't issued in time for my mid-December flight!  So I just went to Dublin Ireland airport with my AP card photocopies, police report etc.  I had already advised the airline that I would be doing this.  The checkin supervisor allowed me to checkin - without referring to any US authorities.  But in Dublin US immigration happens before you fly, so I guess that makes the airline more open to this.  I had also contacted US Immigration in Dublin in advance to understand how they were likely handle the problem.  At immigration, they reviewed my issue and admitted me.  Warned me that I could not travel again without a re-entry doc (eg another AP card, or greencard).

Two days after arriving back in USA, Humanitarian communicated that they had approved my 131 application and that I should visit an Embassy to collect a one-off "boarding foil" to allow me to re-enter.   The same doc that USCIS London had intervened to prevent in the first place! 

Also turns out that in the background USCIS Humanitarian had obtained my file from the USCIS Dallas field office.  That caused a whole other problem with my greencard interview.  But the file was eventually returned to Dallas.   

In some ways USCIS London, USCIS Humanitarian and even US Immigration were very responsive, informed and helpful.  Expect for Tier 1 Customer Support who were ill-informed and deeply unhelpful, cost me $550 for nothing.  And because I was calling from abroad they couldn't transfer me to Tier 2.    But while helpful, the various people were not very sympathetic, just very bureaucratic.

On 11/16/2019 at 8:59 PM, rye_212 said:

Good news and bad news from me.

 

Good is that they have suddenly scheduled the GC interview.  Haven't got the letter yet but based on others I expect late December.  That wasn't forecast to happen in Dallas until 14 months after our March 2019 application, so next May.  

 

But the BAD news is that I am currently in Europe on my Advance Parole .... and my AP card was stolen.   Its a new nightmare.  USCIS say contact the embassy.  Two different Embassies say they only deal with Legal Residents and Citizens.  The USCIS page says there is no process for lost AP docs (https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-11-part-a-chapter-3) and to contact the European Field office in Rome.  Rome have responded to my email saying to file a new I-131 with expedited request.  

 

As usual, the main source of comfort are threads on here from others in the same situation.  Seems like Customs-Border-Patrol will accept me with evidence of my problem (police report etc). But I have to persuade the airline to let me fly - when they are at risk of a big fine if I was rejected by CBP.    Threads I have read:

 

 

I will provide more updates when I have resolved the issue.  

 

So, to update on this - my stolen AP card in mid-November.   The US Embassy don't help non-greencard holders.  There isn't a standard USCIS process for handling the exceptional case of lost AP cards.  USCIS Customer support advised me - incorrectly - to submit a 131a to the Embassy - which is a request for a lost greencard.   The USCIS international office in London intervened to cancel this application - after I had pad $550.  London then facilitated me to re-apply for an AP card using 131 again, but via the express "Humanitarian" office.  Another $550, stating my reasons for humanitarian needs ("theft").  They said the process would take a few weeks.   But figuring all that out was an incredibly stressful week, with lots of steps that I can't even bother documenting.   

However, the Humanitarian approval wasn't issued in time for my flight!  So I just went to Dublin airport with my AP card photocopies, police report etc.  I had already advised the airline that I would be doing this.  The checkin supervisor allowed me to checkin - without referring to any US authorities.  But in Dublin US immigration happens before you fly, so I guess that makes the airline more open to this.  At immigration, they reviewed my issue and admitted me.  Warned me that I could not travel again without a re-entry doc (eg another AP card, or greencard).

Two days after arriving back in USA, Humanitarian communicated that they had approved my 131 application and that I should visit an Embassy to collect a one-off "boarding foil" to allow me to re-enter.   The same doc that USCIS London had intervened to prevent in the first place!  Lets just say I know how to spell bureaucracy!

In the middle of the crisis we were called to our green-card interview for mid December.  This was 8 months after applying, instead of the 14 months projected.  Luckily it was scheduled for 2 days after my scheduled arrival. I included that info in the Humanitarian application.

HOWEVER, when we attended for interview in Dallas we were told that they couldn't proceed.  They said our file was locked elsewhere.  Turns out, it had been sent to the Humanitarian office.  USCIS Dallas didn't  understand what had happened until we explained.  They didn't have any clear advice on what to do next, just told us to go away and try calling our congressman! We reached out to various offices asking for the file to be returned to Dallas, and in the end it arrived back in Dallas a the end of December.  No-one can tell us how long we will now have to wait for Dallas to get around to scheduling a new interview.  Or worst case, they forget it because its in another exception case that they don't have a process for handling.   

So Im down $2200 - $1100 to US Govt depts, $500 to airline for rescheduling, $600 for a replacement phone.  The thief got a phone which Apple bricked.  And I got my greencard interview cancelled. for more delays.  I think the Irish expression "sweet mother of Jesus" is applicable.   

Good news and bad news from me.

Good is that they have suddenly scheduled the GC interview.  Haven't got the letter yet but based on others I expect late December.  That wasn't forecast to happen in Dallas until 14 months after our March 2019 application, so next May.  

But the BAD news is that I am currently in Europe on my Advance Parole .... and my AP card was stolen.   Its a new nightmare.  USCIS say contact the embassy.  Two different Embassies say they only deal with Legal Residents and Citizens.  The USCIS page says there is no process for lost AP docs (https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-11-part-a-chapter-3) and to contact the European Field office in Rome.  Rome have responded to my email saying to file a new I-131 with expedited request.  

As usual, the main source of comfort are threads on here from others in the same situation.  Seems like Customs-Border-Patrol will accept me with evidence of my problem (police report etc). But I have to persuade the airline to let me fly - when they are at risk of a big fine if I was rejected by CBP.    Threads I have read:

I will provide more updates when I have resolved the issue.  

Hi, I am in the same situation.   I put my EAD/AP in my phone as I was worried my wallet might be stolen.  Phone was stolen in Madrid yesterday!   USCIS advised we contact the Embassy in Madrid. They refused to assist as Im not a Lawful Permanent Resident. 

My return flight is on Dec 11th and we just got notice that the Green Card interview will be in December.  I have to get back. 

@Nadya Wong how did you resolve?  

US Immigration do a pre-clearance at Dublin airport.  So I wonder if an airline flying from Dublin would be subject to less fines and therefore more willing to accept me as a traveller.  I also saw other suggestions about entering via a land border eg Canada.  Has anyone tried that? 

16 minutes ago, rye_212 said:

So finally, after 6 months, 215 days, today in mail I got notification that EAD and AP were approved last Wed 23rd Oct.  I had missed my October rugby trip, and there had been no response to my Sept 5th service request, so I'd given up tracking and posting. It was a nice surprise to find it in the mailbox today.  

And I wanna go book flights, so the standard question that I haven't been paying attention to answers:  How many days from the Oct 23rd "your card is being produced" before I get the card in my fist?

It does seem like a rush of approvals recently,  best of luck to those still waiting.   

On 10/26/2019 at 9:55 PM, Mike & Tanja said:

Congratulations to all who got their EAD or even their GC. After 222 days I'm still waiting for my EAD 😩. 

But actually I'm wondering if anyone here who is in California too, found affordable health insurance. My husband is on Medicaid so he can't cover me under his insurance.

So, if anybody has recommendations, I would appreciate it. 

I got $200 per month, a short-term policy.  ASPEN or something.  Message me if you want more details.

On 9/19/2019 at 3:47 PM, Bronforth said:

I submitted my second round of service requests on September 4th (for both EAD and AP). I got this response on my AP: "Due to workload factors not related to your case, USCIS anticipates a delay in completing your case. USCIS is committed to adjudicating immigration benefits in the order received and in a timely and efficient manner. "

 

This is contradictory to what was sent to the congresswoman's office. My SR for the EAD has been assigned to an officer as of 9/14 and I'm still awaiting a response.

It is also contradictory to the evidence we see on this site, where some who have applied for EAD after March 22nd have already been approved. I guess they generate a response that they think sounds plausible.   

My inquiry went in Sept 12th, response deadline October 4th.  Fingers crossed. 

On 9/13/2019 at 2:11 PM, Bronforth said:

It's epic. There's been no communication from USCIS (obviously) about what is actually happening to my specific case just this random rule of theirs that could apply in this situation. I'm hoping that they say it could be restarted but still may only have paused our cases so the delay will only be a few weeks. I'll definitely post what happens. Good luck to you!

I spoke to tier 1 today who said that my original March 22nd date stands, that my AP/EAD is out of normal processing time and that I can submit a case enquiry.   I will have my lawyer submit that today.  

13 hours ago, dr01d3k4 said:

I agree. My local office is also San Francisco, and I'm still waiting for my EAD/AP after 11 months! Wife and I filed October 18th 2018, had 2 RFEs, went ready to schedule for interview on July 24th 2019, but no update on EAD/AP at all. Sent 3 service requests to USCIS, contacted a senator with no response, and also submitted a case assistance request to the ombudsman earlier today.

Wow. That is worrying evidence for my case and others with RFEs.

6 hours ago, americaninlove said:

My husband had no issues coming back into the country with this emergency AP this week. Huge relief. They only asked how long he was out of the country. Unfortunately there is no change in his AP/EAD status. AP still says they sent an RFE even though they’ve had the response for a week already. EAD still says fingerprint review completed. We are at 6 months now...but green card interview is in two weeks so I’m thinking we just leave it!?

Great to hear.

On 9/10/2019 at 10:05 PM, Bronforth said:

And I have an answer but it is probably the most frustrating answer I could have received:

 

"Thank you for your inquiry regarding this constituent’s immigration matter.  This case is currently within our normal processing times.  Our records indicate that we received a response to a request for evidence for the underlying I-485 application on 6/18/2019.  Pursuant to 8 CFR § 103.2(b)(10), if USCIS issues a request for initial evidence on either the Form I-765 application or the principal Form I-485 application, the processing timeframes start over from the date of receipt of the initial evidence.

 

It appears that the National Benefits Center is currently processing cases of this category filed on or before March 30, 2019. We can use this information to estimate that your case is about 3 months away from being assigned to an adjudicator.

 

Please let us know if you don’t hear back from USCIS by 12/10/19." 

 

😭

 

Wow!  Thanks for posting this.  

I had an RFIE on the underlying Greencard 485, and as best I can guess, it was processed on 16th July.  So if I understand this message correctly, the processing start-date for my AP/EAD gets reset to July 16th from the original March 22nd. 

Is anyone else in this situation!!

OMG, the RFIE was a mistake that the lawyer made on the 485 application, and now its going to cause me to be unable to travel in October, and unable to see family until next year!

On 9/2/2019 at 10:25 PM, JamieAndEli said:

Got an update that my case is ready to be scheduled for an interview on August 29th, super unexpected!

Still no word on my EAD though and it's now been 6 weeks since my AP approval and still haven't received my AP in the mail. I submitted a service request for a missing document (AP) and was supposed to hear back by August 28th. Any idea what I can do now? Would calling them be any use?

Every time I feel like I'm making progress with USCIS there's always something else that goes wrong. 😡

I submitted a missing doc RFIE in June and then case went to "Ready to be scheduled for intevrview" on Juy 16th.  I took that as an indication that they had received the requested doc and are happy with it.