waitingbee

I mey my now husband when I was also working in the US on a TN. We wanted there to be no problems so I left the US found a job in Canada, waited for 10 months for all the K1 paperwork to come through and be issued the right visa to get married on. We did not want anything to cause us problems in the long run. You may still be OK, but TN is work status with non-immigrant intent and that could cause you problems down the road, but it may not. It is a chance I was not willing to take though. You are a nurse, there are a lot of nursing jobs available in Canada, so that is one option that I would not rule out. It was difficult for us, but now we are together and both have great jobs and did not have the stress of worrying about marrying on the wrong status.

Hey Everyone

I have been working on a TN visa for 5 years now as a nurse. I would love to marry my american sweetheart ASAP. Originally we were going to get married in Canada (where I'm from) but I have learned that it might take up to six months for a marriage certificate. Anyways we are going to do a justice of the peace deal here and then renew vows for family when I have my green card. I really would like to know what my next step would be after we are married. Most of what I am reading on this site is from people who are living in thier home countries waiting for paperwork to be completed. I'm already in the US and really don't want to lose my job! TN expries Sept 2008. Do I have enough time to file while in the US? Please help...so confused.. Thanks!

here's another update, I just received an email from CRIS- my Greencard production has been ordered!!!!

I'm ecstatic!!! Thank you all so much for your help! Gotta go call hubby at work!!

awww I'm so relieved!!!!!!! woohoo!

that congresslady will get a big thank you in the mail!

Congratulations, I am so happy for you! I knew it would all get sorted out once you got your congressman involved! The lady who works immigration at my congressmans office (Chicago area) is the nicest and really helped me too with EAD and AP. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and put up some pics once the baby is born!

An issue I am starting to hear about from other K-1 into AOS applicants that already have the EAD is that USCIS is apparently not updating names so that SSA can issue a number in the "normal" time frame. SSA tells people to wait a little longer before receiving their number, to the tune of 4-6 weeks. Has anyone come across this??

Just got back from the SS office. I already had a # because of previous work in to US but needed to change my name. I had my EAD in my new name. They took my old card and told me to wait 6-8 weeks for them to verify the doc. I told them that I was about to start a new job and they gave me a letter to show my employer that I applied for a card and I am good to work while I wait for the card, to answer you long wait question.

This is occurring because, in the context of backlog elimination, some cases that are unlikely to require an interview have been transferred from district offices with longer backlogs to the California Service Center where there is greater existing adjudications capacity.

There has to be some internal parameters around cases that are unlikely to require an interview.

From what I can tell, the people that get transferred to CSC entered on a K1, for example, and already had an interview for that. USCIS has already gone over the background of the relationship. However, if someone entered on a student visa, for example, got married on it, they do not have any info on the realtionship background and will have you in for an interview to find out more. So, K1 AOS applicants that got married within 90 days are transferred to avoid backlog since, seriously, how many times do they need to interview us for the same thing if we have proof of a marriage that happened right after the first interview! It has nothing to do with name change, USCIS officers insight into relationship potential, country, etc. Just previous info and backlog.

Hi,

I read 1-485 instructions(adjustment of status) and it says that I should mail my application in

USCIS

nebraska Service center

P.O Box 87485

Lincoln NE 68501-7485

I am in california.

My 1-797 C notice of Action was in

USCIS

California Service center

P o Box 30111

Laguna Niguel CA 92607-0111

I need your advice where should i mail my application because I am confused

If what is the correct service center to file my application.

Thank you.

I will mail my application by tomorrow because today is a holiday.

i hope you can guide and help me.

thank you

You need to carefully read through the instructions on page 5 of the I-485 instructions. You said you entered on a K1, all applications must be sent to the Chicago Lockbox regardless of where you live.

If your response to Question 16 is [c](9) and you filed yourI-485 application with the USCIS Chicago Lockbox Facility, file your Form I-765 with the following address ....:

For United States Postal Service (USPS) deliveries:

USCIS Lockbox Addresses:

USCIS

P.O. Box 805887

Chicago, IL 60680-4120

For private courier (non-USPS) deliveries:

USCIS

Attn: FBASI427 S. LaSalle, 3rd Floor

Chicago, IL 60605-1029

What does [c][9] means?

It is just your category to qualify for an EAD

what is an congressional inquiry?

A congressional inquiry is when someone from your congressmans office contacts the USCIS regarding your case. The USCIS has something like 3 days to get back with the status of the case and what, if any, the hold up is. You are still within normal processing times so I would not recommend contacting them just yet though. Remember, good things come to those who wait!!!!!!!

Well today we checked the USCIS website and it stated that my wife's case has been approved!! My god, we are so happy!

Her case was transferred to CSC on december 26th and was approved yesterday..

I want to thank all of you for your help and support and patience with all of my dumb questions..This website has been a huge blessing and made the process doable without a lawyer, which I didnt think was possible til I found this site..

Thanks again VJ members!!!

That is great! Please update your timeline to help the rest of us still waiting!!

Hi

I am just so sick and tired of all this waiting ####### with uscis and their lies. I am past 6mos from 7/12 on my I130, I am the citizen. Everyday my husband is almost in tears because of the wait and I am too i feel like i'm going crazy sometimes. Is there any others with me or older peeps who may heard any word on why it may go over 6 mos. I don't have any security checks per uscis officer, they said they send a req on my behalf on 1/2 but they have 30 days to respond. I wish i did fiance visa instead this was not expected at all ... Any suggestions please.

Sorry to hear that your case is taking so long. My K1 NOA2 approval took over 6 months with no RFEs, nothing out of the norm at all. They are just plain slow and really do not process cases in the order in which they are received. Just to let you know that a K1 may have not been any faster at all. My congressman helped me with my EAD/AP once I got to the US, because again that was outside the processing time. Still waiting for the card to come after 106+ days of waiting. I was almost in tears every day too waiting for the K1 approval, it was a real strain. I had to stop checking VJ because seeing everyone else get approved made it even more difficult. It will come don't worry!

Hi, I live in Washington D.C. and applied for AOS last April after I married an american citizen. I had my AOS card and I had the Biometrics on May 20. However, I haven't heard from the USCIS since then and I am not sure where my case is being processed to check the timeframe for the processing time. I sent everything to Chicago, IL but the receipt letter comes from Lee's Summit, MO. When I try to check my status online, it says that my case is in the National Benefits Center location. In the USCIS web page there is not list for processing time of the forms I-130 and I-485 in the National Benefit Center.

I know there is a delay in all paperworks because of the amount of people who applied las year during July and Aug, but I applied before that.

Most people I've talked to in similar situations got their green card in aprox. 6 months. It's been more than 9 months now.

My problem is that I want to go back to my country to visit my family and I can't go until I got my green card.

Please let me know if you are in a similar situation or know something about it....Any advice will be welcome!!

Thank you,

From what I can figure out the I-485 (green card applications) are not processed at the NBC but rather at your local office or are transferred to CSC. You should have heard something by now. My advice is to skip the infopass appointment option since it may not help you and contact your congressman, they will did an inquiry into it on your behalf. Mine really helped me. I am just curious but you say you need the green card to visit your family, did you not apply for Advanced parole (and your EAD) when you filed your 1-485? Anyway, since you filed before July 31, 2007 you will have to pay a separate fee for this, but it may be worth it if you case is going to take awhile.

Hi I was just wondering who was the longest time to receive their EAD and AP. I filed for my parents I-485, I-765 and I-131 on 11/6. NOA has a receipt date of 11/7 and notice date of 11/14. If we go by the receipt date it has been 71 days since filing. The last touch for AP was 11/27 and EAD and AOS was on 12/14.. They did their biometrics on 12/3. However, dad receive another notice asking him to go for another biometric since fbi couldnt read his first biometric. The initial appointment was on 1/4/08 but we went early on 12/19. Til now I havent receive anything. I am getting worry as most of the november filers have receive their EAD/AP. I was guessing probably we are the unlucky one who will have to wait the longest time to receive the EAD/AP.

I have waited for over 100 days and still do not have my EAD/AP in my hands! They were approved last week afer an infopass and a congressional inquiry. You are not outside the processing times, just hang in there ad think positively. The are lots of people still waiting.

AOS/AP/EAD ap send 12/28, and we received the Biometrics letter yesterday (1/8), with an appointment date of 1/25. That seems quick from what I'm reading?? Not that I'm not ECSTATIC or anything......

I had my bio very early (filed 10/04/07, received 10/05/07, NOA1 10/11/07, bio 11/02/07) but still has to make an infopass and congressional inquiry to get my EAD/AP in 98 days!!! Hopefully you will get yours sooner!

I would like to know if there is a differance between k1 and k3 transfers to CSC timeframe

is it the same waiting periode or does one gets processd faster then the other ,

also like to know if anyone can tell me what will happen to EAD and AP since they didnt get tranferd where will those document be processd at ??

thanks for the replies

I was transferred to CSC on 12/18/07 where my AOS (I entered on a K1) remains pending. My AP/EAD were approved yesterday at the NBC. They remained behind and were processed at NBC (to the best of my knowledge)

Way to go Brad!!!!!

I was wondering do we have to wait for the name check to be cleared before they can issue us an EAD?

I don't think so. I believe name check is only for the AOS, permanent resident card (green card).

Hey everyone.

So, yesterday was my K1 interview in London. Everything went swimmingly, interview itself was quick and painless though the long waits were less so. Of course, my fiancée and I were overjoyed that we were finally going to be back together (i fly out on 24th of January) after our 6months+ apart. That joy is turning into despair, however, as I read accounts of how long it is taking people to get their work authorisations.

I have to admit that we had both been concentrating so much on the initial K1 application that we may have let the details of the next stage elude us. I, like many partners moving to the US, require to begin work there as soon as possible both to contribute to our household expenses and to get going with my career which has been on hold for the past 6 months of waiting. It now seems I face further delays. As such, I have been searching through the guides and forums to try and get an accurate picture of both the order of the next steps to take and the likely period I will have to wait for each one. We intend on getting married the day after I arrive. Our home is in Arlington, VA, and from what we gather I don't need an SSN to get married only my passport. Other than that I have a some questions that a few of you may be able to answer.

Q- Do I require to have an SSN to apply for my EAD/AOS? I ask because I understand that I should wait two weeks after entry to apply for a SSN and would like to apply for my EAD/AOS as soon as I arrive ( I intend upon getting married on the 25th Jan - i arrive 24th Jan)

Q- Does anyone have any experience of the Washington DC local office? I have read that an application for EAD may be made to some local offices on the basis of an NOA from your AOS application. Does this apply to the DC office? If so, anyone have evidence of it being worthwhile or not?

Q- From what I understand, as long as I can demonstrate to an employer that the K1 visa is work enabled I should be able to work legally for the 90 days of its validity without any further documentation needed. Does anyone have experience of this?

If anyone can help with answers to my questions, or be able to offer any other information you think I might find helpful then please post a response or contact me directly. My fiancee and I are both young and in love and just want to get on with our lives together but there seem to be so many barriers! Hopefully someone out there has information that will smooth that process.

Chris (for ChrisandAmye)

This may sound crazy, but I think it may just work out for you. Book or change your flight to fly into JFK (New York City). From what I can figure out this is one of the few if not only place that will stamp your passport "work-authorized" with the I-551 stamp. Yes, K1s are issued SSNs that are work authorized, yet you do not have the proof of being work authorized as per the I9 form. Perhaps K1s are work authorized just to get the SSNs, who knows. After you arrive at JFK, have your work authorized stamp, get on an AMTRAK train to DC. 2.5 hours you are there, work authorized, and what I lovely way to see America! I would do it if I was desperate to be work authorized right away. With your plans to get married quickly, you stand a very decent chance to never go a day without being work authorized, file your AOS/EAD/AP as soon as you can after marriage. Good luck!

Whoo hoo!!!!!!!! My day has come!! Day 97 AP, EAD Approved!!

Application Type: I765 , APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On January 10, 2008, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service. You can also receive automatic e-mail updates as we process your case. Just follow the link below to register.

If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision from USCIS within the current processing time listed*, please contact USCIS Customer Service at (800) 375-5283.

*Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov under Case Status and Processing Dates.

*** Please do not respond to this e-mail message.

CONGRATULATION Waiting bee!!

Question - Did you get an interview date prior to your EAD?

In my case - I am still waiting for my EAD yet I just got an interview date for

February!?

If you look at my timeline it has clearly been more than 90 days - however, calling our guys

they claim it has only been 70 days.

Will I still get my EAD card?

Any insight from anyone reading this?

Thanks,

Asamu

Sorry to hear your long wait for your EAD. From what I can tell your receipt date is 8/26/07, clearly more than 90 days. What I do not know is if the RFE would have any effect on slowing up processing of your EAD, even though it was probably related to the AOS. When you say you called people, was it the USCIS "info" line? They may be able to put in a service request for you; I have never had any luck when I called though. What I found to work was contacting my local congressman's office. They have someone there whose only job is to look into immigration matters. She put in a call on Tuesday or Wednesday to her contacts at the NBC and my EAD/AP was approved Thursday. I really feel this is what got me processed. I believe the service centers have 72 hours, or something like that, to respond to a congressional inquiry. Since I was over processing time their response was to process the application. Maybe they are getting 70 days from the recipt of the RFE response? Please try to contact your congressman, they can help you!

As for my infopass last Friday, I am still waiting for the phone call I was told I was going to receive earlier this week.

I have not received an interview notice. My case was transferred on 12/18/07 to CSC where it is still pending.

Good luck and don't worry you will get approved soon just be as proactive as you can!

Filed AOS+ EAD but need to work fast!lol..

Any ideas on how long it takes?

I was told at USCIS ,up to 90 days...but was looking for a better answer.

Thank you very much

I think it is very random, some are approved in as little as 4 weeks, other 5-6 months! I was just approved today after 98 days, no RFEs, an infopass and a congressional inquiry (which is what I think did the trick). After 90 days you can start with infopass, etc which is what helped me. Good luck and think positively!

i mean EAD not the AOS..i just want to work NOW!!lol

Um, yes 98 days to EAD and AP, AOS still pending!!! Waiting sucks but we all have to do it. Please put up a timeline.

Filed AOS+ EAD but need to work fast!lol..

Any ideas on how long it takes?

I was told at USCIS ,up to 90 days...but was looking for a better answer.

Thank you very much

I think it is very random, some are approved in as little as 4 weeks, other 5-6 months! I was just approved today after 98 days, no RFEs, an infopass and a congressional inquiry (which is what I think did the trick). After 90 days you can start with infopass, etc which is what helped me. Good luck and think positively!

Whoo hoo!!!!!!!! My day has come!! Day 97 AP, EAD Approved!!

Application Type: I765 , APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On January 10, 2008, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service. You can also receive automatic e-mail updates as we process your case. Just follow the link below to register.

If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision from USCIS within the current processing time listed*, please contact USCIS Customer Service at (800) 375-5283.

*Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov under Case Status and Processing Dates.

*** Please do not respond to this e-mail message.

So, my wife and I went to the AOS interview November 14, 2007 at 8am in Atlanta, GA, and were approved for permanent resident status. It's now January 9, 2008 and we -still- haven't received the green card in the mail. I called the "customer service" (if it can even be called that) number, and after wading through about 10min of automated prompts, I -finally- get to talk to someone. Well, she just powers through something before I can even get a word in. I have no clue what her names was, or anything else that she said, until she slowed down to start asking questions about a few pieces of information that she'd need. So I tell her what she's asking for, and she checks the system before telling me that I still have another 31 days. I tried explaining that it's been -56- days since my interview, and that the USCIS -website- says to call customer service if I haven't received anything after 30 days. She says well, that's not how it's done. It's based on when we filed(July 19), and that we still had to wait another 31 days. And then asked if I had any other questions. I was pretty pissed off at this point, because I'd stated multiple times that I'd already waited 56 days and counting for the green card, and now I was being told that I had to wait another 31, so I said "No." rather forcefully, and hung up before she could respond. -WHAT- exactly do I have to wait another 31 frakkin' days for? And if the -website- is wrong, get someone to change it for frak's sake. Is all the money we're sending these people just going to a bloody beer fund or something?

If your case was approved...

If you recently became a permanent resident

After you become a permanent resident we update our records and mail you a welcome notice. Then we mail your new permanent resident card. If you move before you get your card, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283 when you move. You should also call customer service if any of the following occur:

You received your welcome notice or card, but you believe there is an error.

It has been more than 30 days since you became a permanent resident, and you have not received your welcome notice.

It has been more than 30 days since you received your welcome notice but you have not received your new card.

You have questions about your new status as a permanent resident.

USCIS link

The USCIS operators are monkeys, even reduced me to tears today. From what I can figure they are handed a card and told what to read off, when what they need is proper training and the other 1/2 of their brains to work!

Anyway, as I hang out on here alot since I still don't have my EAD you may be stuck in namecheck. Other have been waiting 800 + days post interview with no greencard in sight. Call your congressman, they will help you.

ok, here's my story: please

I came over here legally last march on K1, got legally married in May, sent out AOS application 2 days after wedding.

Got notified that my file was transferred to california in June.

Biometrics done in July. Got EAD in August. everything went well.

Then, no updates on my AOS til December 2007. So I called customer srvice and they advised me to make an infopass appointment.

Had infopass today and I am totally shocked of how unprofessionally we were treated.

First the imigration officer told us that my case was never received in California. He said that his screen shows that it went to Missouri and it was denied there.

we never got notified or anything.

Then he gave us a whole new application kit to inquire about our denied case but he noted that it might take at least 6 months to get answers. we insisted that there had to be another way, there's no reason that they should deny our case without ever sending us an RFE or any note.

So he came up with a phone number for the Missouri office. So we called the Missouri office still at the infopass place and they told us they won't give us any information. They'd only speak to an imigration officer.

The imigration officer who gave us the number then refused to talk to the guy in Missouri.

So we asked to speak to his supervisor and thats when things got really nasty.

supervisor was a korean lady with very bad english, could hardly understand her.

Whenever she said anything she yelled at us like we were naughty little kids or breaking the law.

she said that we had no right for an infopass apt unless we were waiting for our case to be approved for longer than 4 years!!!!!!

then she said that all the people at uscis are idiots and they have nothing to do with Infopass . she claims uscis customer service would send people to her to beg for food stamps. she even asked us if we were going to ask her for food stamps!!!! #######?????

then she looked back into our case and claimed that my file is at csc and I'd have to wait for an interview up to 4 years!

I thought u don't have to interview if your case it at California service Center?

then she started screaming at us : "you want a fu--ing greencard? you have to go to a fu--ing interview, everybody has to go to an interview"

she got so nasty everybody in the room was scared. My husband asked her to please be civil and not talk to us like that but all she did was scream and ask weird questions over and over like what he does for a living ("u don't look like you work")

we were literally kicked out of there with no answers. I am in shock of how we were treated. We did everything the legal way, we were always friendly. My husband and I are both professionals but we were treated like #######.

I am totally confused about what to do now. is there another instance that we could inquire about our case? Has anyone here ever been denied for their Greencard?

My online status says that my case is pending in California but crazy-korean-lady said that means nothing and it's going to take us years to finally get approved.

I'm so confused and angry and sad!!! I would really appreciate any advice!

This is terrible but don't worry, you will be OK! The USCIS needs a major overhaul, every time I call or deal with them I get different answers to the same questions.

I would contact everyone I could congressman, ombudsman (see below for form you will need to fill out for them to help you) and even your senator. If that fails time to hire a Imm. lawyer. I have this feeling that your case is still pending as CSC and the crazy infopass people (who contradicted each-standard USCIS practice) have, as usual, no idea what is going on. Sad really, people like that ruining peoples futures day in and day out.

Good luck and God bless, this will work out, don't worry!

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/cisomb_dhsform7001.pdf

I never got a 'touch' before but I'm wondering if this means my case was 'touched'? Last week my I-485 case # was updated to say that my case was transferred to California. Today I checked, not expecting to see anything, and it now says instead that my case was transferred and is now pending at a USCIS office. It doesn't say California anymore. Or maybe it just means that the folks at CA got my case?

Is this what you saw after receiving notification that your case was transferred?

Application Type: I485 , APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS

Current Status: This case is now pending at the office to which it was transferred.

The I485 APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS was transferred and is now pending standard processing at a USCIS office. You will be notified by mail when a decision is made, or if the office needs something from you. If you move while this case is pending, please use our Change of Address online tool to update your case with your new address. We process cases in the order we receive them. You can use our processing dates to estimate when this case will be done, counting from when USCIS received it. Follow the link below to check processing dates. You can also receive automatic e-mail updates as we process your case. To receive e-mail updates, follow the link below to register.

If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision from USCIS within the current processing time listed*, please contact USCIS Customer Service at (800) 375-5283.

This is what I received (in an update email) 10 days after my case was transferred. I believe that it is underway at CSC and that you were not transferred to a local office. Now we just wait!

141 days here. Some take longer than others guys, cool yer jets.

Do you think your RFE help up the EAD as well as the 485?? Good luck at the interview!

Hi Waitingbee

I'm an October filer, sent the AOS EAD papers on Sept 25 were received by Chicago Lockbox on Sept 27 My NOA is dated October 2 ,2007 and we still haven't heard from USCIS except for a Noa "Rejection Notice because there was an "extra remittance" They told us not to take any action and we're just waiting since then. Biometrics were done on Oct 24 so I cannot understand the delay. Plus I signed for CRIS on my e mail and I check the online stats daily. Nothing.*Application received and Pending* Tried calling Cust Service and it was down at the moment so said to call back later I scheduled on calling today but my husband needs to be present and he's away. ( I do all the gory USCIS paperwork for him)

Don't lose hope yet Waitingbee you're not alone. *hugses* Merry Christmas and Good luck on your journey.

Also, about the +80 days .. Am I suppose to include weekends and holidays into the count ? I took those days off the count but its still a loooong wait . Some October filers were approved already for EAD.

Clear Skies !!

Annette (Roslilspaniel)

Thank you for the supportive email. After my long wait for my K1 NOA2 (over 6 months) and now the EAD wait, I am beginning to think my purpose in life is to wait!

As for your question about counting weekends, I would days are days. I guess I am just miffed that the USCIS says that, "they process EADs in 75 days so that they can have it in the cusotmers hand in 90 days" and then don't do that. I have had no RFEs, they are just slow. So they should update their processing times since they are obviously incorrect!

To update on my EAD wait (which btw I have a great job lined up hence the frustration!) I went to my local office on Friday, IO said they would put in an email request to NBC and call me early this week, no phone call yet. I contacted my congressman and sent them what they needed to do a inquiry as well.

Not working was OK at first but I need to start working to not only make money but regain my sanity and start to feel like a productive member of society again.

Annette, good luck to you. I think I would keep trying to call USCIS and ask what is going on. I did and they told me I have to do an in person inquiry at my local office.

Don't worry we will all get approved soon and in awhile this won't seem like anything at all.