suhridkhan

State has no impact on service center. The service center is assigned based on an internal routing mechanism to balance load and priorities...nobody knows who will get a particular service center beforehand.
There are people who live in CA that get Vermont. There are people who live in new england who get Texas.

Understanding isn’t often an option with this process !!  

I got it about 6 weeks after arrival in late August 2017. I started working with just the I-551 stamp. 
 
Two lessons from my personal experience:
 
1. I did not get the SSN in the mail with the green card therefore I had to go to Social Security office to request one. My employer required the receipt of request from the Social Security Office. 
 
2. Do not mention during the application/interview process as it may make it convoluted that you only have the I-551 stamp. Rather once hired and filling out paperwork with HR, explain them and work with them while filling up the I-9 form

My wife entered the US on June 22. 2017.  She received her SS card on July 3rd.  She received her Green Card on July 15th...........He can work with the CR-1 stamp in his passport.

Just a word  of caution with anyone who finds themselves in this situation. 
 
My wife worked almost every day for the last 6 weeks in preparation  for the Immigration (CR-1)  interview today in Manila.  She had volumes of neatly organized information.  She did a complete timeline of our 4+ year relationship and marriage with timestamped pictures,  along with meticulously detailing all the of the other requirements.   We thought we hit every check mark.  We  read and  re-read what we needed to bring to the interview, and thought we  had  everything nailed.  My wife is exactly the type of person who should  pass.   We are telling  the truth about everything.  We looked forward to hearing she passed and starting tomorrow, setting up all our flights, moving arrangements...etc.  
 
When her DS-260 form was checked by the interviewer however, it showed that between  2011-2013, she worked in Malaysia as a domestic helper (14 hours a day 7 days a week for a Chinese family there..never allowed  out).  We never intended to hide this, but on the I-130 form, we only had to list her last 5 years of living addresses.  She was told she must have a Malaysian police clearance for her time in Malaysia in order to be considered for a visa.  We explained that nowhere in the instructions was this  requirement stated, just Philippines police clearance.  They said they had to have it and until my wife submitted it, she did not pass her interview.  They would not say  if once that is in place, she will have passed, but we're hoping that is the case.
 
The interviewer told us to go the Malaysian Embassy for this.  However, my  wife was sent to another window  that was  assigned to answer questions about this, and the woman there assured us that we didn't have to do the Malaysian Embassy, and could just request online.  We took her word for that and flew home  to Cebu.  When we got  back, we did find a link that allows for getting a Certificate of Good  Conduct...but that it takes a minimum of 1-2 months to receive it....According to my wife, while you can indeed request the report online,  you must go the Malaysian embassy to  pay for it...so once  again, we'll be back on a plane for this.    My wife has spent the last hour or so trying to  find out where it is stated in the interview instructions that she  needed a police report if she lived in another country.  While we don't doubt this is indeed a requirement. we can't find it is listed anywhere.
 
Now we have to head back to Manila, then hope the government of Malaysia actually will follow through with the document.   So much for our moving plans in the short term.  Mr. Murphy strikes again.

If the envelope says do not open you DO NOT open. Simple as that. 

Mine said “I’m recommending you for approval”. That’s probably what most of them say but people only hear what they want to hear. 

Yeah depending on the states, they don’t put father’s name unless he is present there or the mother provided father’s signed affidavit of paternity along with witnesses signatures. (What if a stranger woman puts my name in her newborn’s birth certificate?)
 
Depending on the State, one can amend birth certificate in person or in mail. Google for amending birth certificate specific to your state.

File form SS-5
All I took was my passport and birth certificate. 
Why hasn't it come yet? Who knows, it'll be in the government processing blackhole. 
 
Top tip, If they cant find you and you have a middle name (a name that is not part of your forname) ask them to search for you on the database with all your middle names included with your first name
 
Also dont be surprised if they turn their nose up at your  visa in your passport and demand you need the plastic green card. Just be firm with them and tell them this is your visa. 

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Resources/F4en.pdf 

Page 2, 2nd column.
 
 

youll probably get an rfe for the marriage certificate. not a biggie, really.
 
the facebook stuff you dont need anyways.

So my CR1 immigrant visa appointment in Montreal is in 5 days and while preparing our documents my husband FedEx'ed me the certified copy of our marriage certificate, affidavits of support, etc. Unfortunately for some reason even though it rained for 20 hours straight the day it was delivered, the delivery person put our envelope of documents in a green fabric bag and left it on my driveway.
 
The marriage certificate was ruined, the rest of the documents stained green. Everything was in one of those waxy waterproof envelopes with "do not bend" stamps and everything. The legible documents I blow-dried and made unwarped copies of, but the certificate was completely illegible. It was our only certified copy. We ordered a new one but I'm already in Montreal staying at a hotel, and I'm pretty concerned it won't make it here in time. 
 
To make matters worse, Facebook deleted all our communications before 2016 (5 years worth if contact) so we don't have much evidence of relationship early on besides me being on military orders and paperwork listing me as a dependant and a few photos. 
 
So from anyone knowledgeable's personal opinion... how screwed am I? What should I do now?  Thanks for any insight. 

Photos are of little utilitarian value.   Small sample 

Hi Vj Members, Thank you very much for the support here and helping. Alhamdulillah I got my CR1 visa today. It was a super busy day. I got a call today at 10 am from US embassy saying that your visa is ready and if you can fly before July 2nd (as my medical will expire on July 2nd). I asked him to give me 1/2 hours to discuss this with my family and cutting the long story short I confirmed him that lets do it and I will fly before 2nd July. I got a call again from same person around 4:15 pm to collect it from  American Express Office. Alhamdulliah I collected my passport at 5  pm from the American express office.
 
InshAllah I am flying with my wife on July 1st and will reach there on July 1st
 
Here are few important dates:
Filed my case in Feb, 2018
Got interviewed in Jan, 2019
 There were few updates after the interview but everytime it was on AP.
 
I wish you all the best in your journey and hopefully everyone will be with their spouse soon. 
 
 

We applied and was denied...
One can try, there no harm in trying.

USPS flat rate priority mail is my favorite.

Hello hello, 
My husband is from Fes, Morocco I am from Chicago, IL, U.S.A. working on our CR-1 Visa. He went for his interview at the Casablanca consulate in Morocco. We had everything prepared twice over again. We reviewed ALL of our documents repeatedly. We were nervous as we went through the same process on our K-1 Visa and know the potential results. So we had copies of everything brought extra papers that they might request just in case. So my husband proceeded to his interview. They asked him his questions, reviewed the paperwork, took his biometric fingerprints, and ultimately gave him the physical copy of his criminal report and translation and the 221g form snd the CO stating these weren't "in his computer." My husband was blown away we were so diligent of course they were uploaded to CEAC NVC ensured that we had to turn papers upside right and resubmit and confirm. Not to mention my husband had the physical copies right there, the CO had them IN HIS HAND! The exact papers he was asking for. Later I went on CEAC and there they were plain as day. They still told my husband he had to upload these papers and submit the copies the CO stapled together for him back to Aramex with the passport. So... I'm lost at this point. I just sit and cry and worry. Has anyone else experienced this? How long does it take? Is there anything I can do in the meantime? And finally why would they lie like that? I read another post about Fez, Morocco...but why? 

Yeah, I could write a statement saying that I'm a 6 foot brown skinned amazon woman and get that notarized, even though I'm a 5'3'' white girl.

I think they are telling you that someone who has been a resident of Morocco for five years is not a "temporary resident," and that she needs to return to the US to establish domicile.  It is more than just having mom's address and a letter from mom.

This is the visa interview you're talking about, right? Not the USCIS I-485 interview. If visa interview, usually up to 1 year. 

We applied and was denied...
One can try, there no harm in trying.

Thank you Boiler and Missileman for your comments. I noticed an update on my wife's case this morning. The update was not due to any inquiry by wife or myself. I am hoping this is a good sign and that the case is moving forward.

She can take lorazepam (spelling?) for a flight.  That stuff works for me and I am (irrationally) deathly afraid of flying.  I usually triple the recommended dose from my doctor, which I don’t recommend but for me, I’m not getting on that plane if I don’t.
 
The other suggestion to meet somewhere she can access without needing to fly, if possible.
 
I think with Ghana, you need to really demonstrate the veracity of the relationship with lots of time together.  Tough embassy to begin with, before you factor in other things like lack of time together.
 
Best of luck!

sincerely,  i thought the same and went to Senator Corker's office
what i got was a copy of the last response form USCIS to me
 
Immigrattion is not under the control of our government as it does not work under a federal budget but is funded by our fees
Congress is suppose to write the laws for immigration but as you can see they don't have any idea what to do so they are letting Trump run wild 

I`m so sorry for your daugther , EAbbas . I am really heart broken like you too from us embassy in islamambad We been married 5 years and 3 month bless by Allah and we still never give up on anything in our relationship believe me i have been 15 month of AP and i am feel like why they doing this to us my wife had 2nd Car Accident she was in hospital few times , they wont let me see my wife when i send them emails they keep said that my case is in AP, I don`t know why they doing this to us and everyone else even there is alot of people love and wants to live in peaceful life together we been working on our case since 2008 and we got thougth make it to embassy even i never give up on anything i love my wife so much and still waiting for to be together soon inshallah embassy make us apart even when was my interview Consular officer was nice to me and he said he will check my marriage Video and he will be right back to me tell to stay right here on Window number 1 , I was waiting them after some times 2 Pakistani Consular officers came and take me to room and was checking all my docments and things in embassy and asking me like 200 question at one time why i married to her ? why i choice her for my life ? how i know her >? when we got married even i give all my question right to them . they tell me that something wrong on my docments nothing else . we need to Verification the Docements , They take my passport from me my Orginal Docments , they take my pictures bank and work letter everything from me and tell me that they dont know when our case will be over but once our case is over they will contect me or call me from embassy ... i am still waiting waiting waiting last year they do some Home Investigation in my family ask to people about me if our marriage is - Legal or they wants to know if we got party in our marriage everyone was tell to guy from embassy that yes they know we got married and we invite 200 people on our wedding party , and the guy was from embassy just write it down and tell to some people that everything is fine in my case and soon it will be over at embassy here , I am so sorry I want to tell so much to you people about what happen to me at embassy but i hope you guys can praying hard for me And EAbbas . Please keep us in praying and inshallah we will get it soon Allah know the best for us Thank you All