Artuicune

Currently still in review. Any people that have updates from the last couple months? I have my EAD and AP valid 2 yrs (until April 2025), so at this point I hope to get the green card soon or get a 10yr green card immediately next February haha!

Did either of you receive your card yet? Fingers crossed for you both!

I had the actual letter already, but as long as they can find the info they need, I don't see why they would be difficult about it. I guess if your field office allows early walk-ins, you should be fine.

Regular processing, or did you file for expedited processing? Congrats!

Congrats on the fast processing! How is it marked if the case is forwarded to a field office? I cannot find anything in myUSCIS indicating it has been forwarded, so is it correct to assume it is still in NBC then?

Update: Biometrics were done on 02/14 RFE marked as received on 02/21 Submitted an expedite request via senate office (they submitted the request as well as the info) on 02/24 Still haven't received anything new. I figure that one of the reasons I did not get my EAD approved right after the biometrics was the RFE, as I feared. Anyone have experience recently on how long it takes them to respond to the expedite request? I heard people mention 2 months for the full process? Another worry I have is how the senate staffer submitted the request, as she was quite pessimistic from the start, saying that under K1 you cannot ensure you get expedited. I am not sure she called, I rather think she might have submitted it via email or fax.

Oh, I thought this was for self-submitted. I was under the impression that through a congressperson (with a caseworker which "is good", as stated in the first post) it would be faster still. Is this 2 month timeline between filing for expedite and receiving card in the mail? Can I at any point expect some kind of update in my myUSCIS account, or is it basically hoping for the best until you get message of approval?

I kind of followed this plan. We live in DC and my husband works at the senate office of a different state, so he asked internally if we could submit the expedite request via his office. We found the person in charge, and she filed the expedite request, including evidence of financial hardship for the company as well as me, on Fri Feb 24. However, based on her emails, I don't think she did anything but the bare minimum, as in, not calling but just filing it for me. So far, I still haven't heard anything from USCIS or from her. You mentioned a 7-day process if the office does their job well, so that makes me think that the person in charge did not do much except for file. I also cannot track what is happening currently. Does anybody know if you expedite your EAD request, does the EAD timeline in myUSCIS update at any point, or only when they approve it? I am considering emailing this office again or instead contacting the delegate for DC, as maybe their office would be actually putting in more work? Any recommendations?

It did not for me, unfortunately. Although that may also be because of the RFE which I submitted 3 days before that, which they might not have reviewed yet. I did get a new message in my USCIS account at the I485 today saying: "response received on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 3:10 p.m. EST. We will review the evidence." I assume they only today started processing the answer to the RFE. Slim chance that after it is processed, they might provide my EAD. I'm not sure if I want to request the expedite now or wait a couple days to see what happens with that.

I had an appointment for biometrics on Feb. 23, but did early walk-in on Feb. 14 (12.40 pm). Status changed to actively reviewing immediately after, but unfortunately no changes since then. I'm afraid we will not be one of the lucky ones to get it approved quickly.

Seems like the early walk-in for the biometrics might be worth a try, which office did you go? Did they give you any trouble coming before your scheduled appointment?

Joining the January filers for AOS + EAD + AP AOS Package sent (Chicago Lockbox): 01/23 Package delivered: 01/25 Credit card charged: 01/27 I-797C notices dates: 01/27 Biometrics scheduled (notice): 02/04 Biometrics appointment: 02/23 RFE (I-864 missing petitioning sponsor's proof of citizenship): 02/10 --> responded via myUSCIS on 02/11 I am considering if it is worth it to try and do an early walk-in next week for my biometrics, or if it is better to just wait for the appointment.

In the copy you get from the doctor, there is a copy of the from DS 3025, so you can add a copy of that.

Right, i have read this before as well. What confuses me still is whether you still need to provide vaccination records. If all were completed before/at the medical in origin country, do you still need to provide a new vaccination record, or is this only if part of your vaccinations were not completed at the time of the medical? I find the wording a bit confusing.

I did not ask for a second copy, but you receive a personal copy in any case in a smaller envelope with your results. I don't think it's necessary to include the medical with the I-485 as long as you're doing AOS soon after entry I thought, since we have done one prior entry? Can anyone confirm this?

Nika P is right, I just checked the reservation roster. Regarding my interview, I had my interview 7 days after the doctor appointment, because I took an estimated guess on when I would get the interview and booked the appointment in advance.

I scheduled it in advance, before getting the welcome letter. I noticed that the wait time for the doctor was about 5-6 weeks, and I expected to receive the welcome letter before the first available appointment based on VJ timelines. Turned out I was right, as I got the welcome letter about a week before my appointment. Depending on how fast you want to move things along, it might be worth to book in advance.

For me, all went well. I went to the doctor in Brussels. The X-ray went fast, but I had to wait for 40 min or so for the doctor, even though I had an appointment. I had varicella as a kid, so I only needed a flu shot, which I went to buy during the medical exam.

Good to know someone was successful with the same strategy. Overall, seems like we will just do our best to compile a compelling case for USCIS to expedite the EAD, that's all we can do.

Unfortunately, I did not read through this whole forum before deciding to go the K-1 route. If I had all this information at the time, we might have decided for marriage visa. It is what it is, now we can just try to use the hand we have dealt ourselves. In DC, you can self-officiate your wedding (as well in Colorado, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania apparently). Thanks, that's very useful insight.

Thanks for the encouragement! Does getting the marriage certificate always take that long then? I was not aware you could get it urgently.

Are the courthouse and SSA connected then, otherwise how would they even know? Anyway, we now are planning to self-marry. We can get the forms before, first get SSN and then submit the paperwork afterwards.

Thanks for the general info. I will look into hiring a lawyer to do this. If you have any indication on where to start searching for one, it would be appreciated, as I don't have any experience with lawyers. I understand and agree that this is true. However, afaik the income treshold my spouse is expected to meet is determined nation-wide, right? So living in HCOL area still has implications, and I had hoped that it could be used as part of the argument when expediting the process. Thanks for pointing this out, I will adjust my planning accordingly. SSN on 2 business days later, and getting married afterwards.

Unfortunately no, it is as application scientist for a biotechnology company, although their devices are used in healthcare research (cancer etc.)

I appreciate your argument, and I am aware it is not at all airtight, but I do not know of alternatives. I could argue that there is also financial loss in it for the company that would be employing me, as they would lose a skilled worker of have to wait a long period in which they will be short an employee? If you have any further suggestions, they are very welcome.