kalstravels

Congatulations James! You were the quasi-king of the losers list after all. One year and one month? Just like us..

You played it safe by getting the I-551 stamp, since your wife is headed on a trip...

Not sure how reliable the USPS is in Miami...is theft of USPS mail an issue there? There was an interesting thing on 20/20 about it some time ago.

My wife will be applying for citizenship in July, exactly 3 years after her original entry (yeah, we are relishing her 10-year green card for a whole 3 months!). We decided to use our IRS government rebate check to help pay for it (if it comes, and if we get anything) It takes about 8 -10 months through the San Antonio office here in Texas. You can even bring it in by 2 months if you get an early swearing in date. The times just have to line up right.

An interesting tid-bit. The 10 year green card expiration date is from the date it is issued, not from your original "anniversary date".

And we never got that approval notice in the paper mail...just the green card.

If you are not a savvy internet user you have no idea its coming. When we got ours in the mail, I nearly tossed it out as it was stuffed between the flyer coupons....

Dear Speaking_softly

As a United States citizen, and whose spouse applied for removal of conditions (approved 13 months later) I find it unacceptable that you ask people to tone it down. Many of us have legitimate concerns. I take issue with USCIS policy which states

"to be fair, we process cases in the order we receive them"

If that were the case, why are CSC people being approved barely 4 months after applying? Do Californians have more rights than Floridians or Texans? The USCIS has failed to apply the law equally.

I'd like to remind you that Texans have the right to fly our state flag at the same height as the US Flag (condition for entering the Union) so its quite clear to me that under USCIS policy, not all resdients have the same rights.

We are legitimate tax paying, legal, law abiding persons of the United States. We paid exhorbitant fees to get my wife's status processed, a process in many other developed countries is free or just the cost of the actual physical documents.

Why do H1-B applicants, who are not married to US Citizens or have no connection to this country except the desire to work for a United States company have their cases adjudicated in a shorter timespan than us?

The vast majority of us are taking issue with USCIS policy, not the employees of USCIS.

You only have to check the web comments on Emilio Gonzalez's rebuke of the NY Times article, on the USCIS website to show you how out of touch you are with persons of the United States. The web comments by far are negative. Enough said.

You're just doing this for ratings...c'mmon this ain't FOX NEWS or CBS. Just tell it like it is. They interviewed you, saw there was no fraud and processed you - like 99 % of all other interviewees.

What, are they storing I-751s for next winter or something?

The little guy with the hammer is getting more and more PO'd.

Hang in there James....you're next. With all the good advice you've afforded everyone I am personally routing for you. That's why I keep checking. With two kids I don't see how the USCIS would deny you... I am really PO'd at all those CSC people that filed in January/Feb. 2008 that have already been approved....its not fair! They must think the USCIS is a wonderful thing, the next best thing to Social Security or Medicare....

I just found this discussion and can be added to the "loser" list as well. I filed my I-751 in May of 2007, had my biometrics appt on 07/03/07, and my case was last touched on 02/25/08. Do you guys think it matters that my biometrics appt was almost 2 months after I filed? Will this delay my case? I am so frustrated and just want that card.

No it won't. It didn't matter in your case (or any of ours) because the USCIS just sat on the applications for months after the biometrics were done.

As for frustration. We filed March 23, 2007 and were only approved April 18, 2008. 1 year and nearly 4 weeks later! So hang in there...We were so traumatized by this whole delay that we are going to hold off filing for my wife's US citizenship for a while...

I think the people at the VSC are taking some days off because they are enjoying their spring weather. A New England Sping or some crummy USCIS application? Hmm... the choice would be hard....

Good Luck!

Congratulations! James you are next.

FYI we received the green card in the mail today. Postmarked 04/23/08, received 04/25/08 (today). Where was this kind of speed when it really mattered?

Just a quick note to all those still waiting or about to apply.

Was a little worried when I first applied because I had my house some years before I was married. This is what we submitted and worked:

1. Photocopies of 2 years worth of joint tax returns. Note that these were not official transcripts, like many of the threads say you need although there is no documented evidence that the USCIS needs it.

2. Deed showing wife's name. It cost just $10 to add her, much cheaper than trying to refinance and getting her on the mortgage.

3. 2 Notarized Affidavits

4. Wills showing spouse as benficiary In Texas you can get a standard form downloaded from the web, fill it in and notarize it. By law, this document is superfluous as Texas is a common law state and assets default to the spouse.

5. Photocopies of drivers licenses.

6. Photocopy of green card

7. Statement showing wife is beneficiary on health

8. One statement of a joint checking account

9. One statement of a joint savings account

10. Statement showing spouses are beneficiaries on retirement accounts.

11. Photocpies of credit cards showing same account number but different names (this is is easy to get)

12. Photocopy of joint Sams club membership. (Sorry Costco, but Texas is Sams Club land)

13. Copy of car insurance

14. Proof of my US citizenship

1. Did not submit any joint utility bills.

2. No photographs (you think I'm letting a stranger oogle at my wife? - no thanks)

3. Wife has different last name.

4. No children (yet)

5. No evidence of a trip taken together (although we have this)

Hope this helps.

Good Luck to all!

Friends

I nearly fainted.

James and the rest, I think your predictions are rock solid! They appear to be sorting in alphabetical order accoring to the spouses last name. Again, spouse last name begins with a "T" even though I am the petitioner and mine begins with an "H". And we weren't approved so early - NOA of 03/23/07. Nearly 1 year and 3 weeks.

My wife doesn't know yet but here's the e-mail. I think she'll say "What's the big deal anyway?". As a Canadian, they are a little less hot headed as Americans, maybe its their free health care, I don't know Good luck to all! I think the USCIS has some good people, but its just USCIS that is not enforced (Remember the infamous statement on their page "in the order we receive them"?) We'll enjoy this for a while, and then maybe come July we'll see many of you on the N-400 page.

E-mail came at 12.30pm CST, or 1.30pm Vermont time.

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On April 18, 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.

I like your theory James. Wife's last name starts with a "T" and we haven't been approved yet. May be today? Please!

I hope we're next. People before and after us have been approved....NOA date of 03/23/07. Hopefully some good news Friday or Saturday.

Congratulations Tweety! It has been a long wait for all of us.

One question: Did you submit copies of your IRS tax returns or IRS "transcripts"? It seems from some other posts that they are wanting IRS transcripts, but there is no evidence anywhere that copies of your returns are not acceptable. We submitted copies of our returns.

Just wondering and worrying as always.....

So Why does it say my account was last updated on 4/10/08. We recieved the email and update last week 4/2/08 that it was updated and then on 4/9/08 say that it was now pending and then today it said it was updated today with the same status. Does this mean they are "touching it" and actually doing something with it.

And here are the emails they sent:

April 2

Current Status: This case has been sent to another office for processing because it has jurisdiction over the case.

On April 2, 2008, we transferred this CRI89 PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS RECEIVED to our VERMONT SERVICE CENTER location for processing because they now have jurisdiction over the case.

April 8

Current Status: This case is now pending at the office to which it was transferred. The CRI89 PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS RECEIVED was transferred and is now pending standard processing at a USCIS office

We got similar e-mails (February transfers). Note the April 8 e-mail doesn't say its at the VSC, but it really is - it confused me at first. The April 2 e-mail was sent by the TSC saying they were about to ship it to VSC and the April 8 e-mail is from the VSC saying they have it. Its good news that they didn't lose it in shipping.

And now, you wait.....

Maybe the "rank and file" USCIS employees actually review our cases for substance. It looks like the RFEs/interviews out of the VSC occur at a higher rate than the CSC. As for Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays- those are the days when the "supervisors" approve them (or are working)

Just my thoughts. Sigh. Nothing today

I have a feeling it is in order of when the actual card expires and not when your NOA came. My wife's card (with one year extension) only expires on July 7, 2008, even tough our NOA date is March 23. (yeah, we filed as early as we could)

If people listed their actual card expiration dates, then we'd know for sure.

But congrtulations to all! I hope we're soon. I check at least a dozen times a day!!

Congratulations moben!

Go USCIS!!

Got my residency extended another year. Hurrah. Waiting two hours with parents letting their kids run riot in the office SUCKS (but at least there was a really hot Russian girl sitting across from me).

Hello ihateemo,

When making an infopass could you choose your date?

What evidence did you take to San Antonio?

Reason is that our district office is there, just wondering what they would need as the posts seem to vary on what people have experienced at various District Offices.

Thanks for any info.

Okay, jokes aside, who is daring enough to directly call the VSC as per junglee's numbers?

All we need to know is if the I-751 adjudicators were removed and diverted to other business.

Only if you hit the 90 day period preceding your 3 year (if married to a US Citizen) or 5 year residency requirement. I think that would be Jul 2008 for you.

On a more serious note guys and gals : The USCIS application "opening" for the annual H1-B visas started yesterday (for 2009) and I am sure the head honchos at the Service Centers have directed "all hands on deck" to stick them into the system (receipt notices etc), so they don't tick off Bill Gates and his Microsoft that have probably applied for the entire 2009 quota. They got a flood of applications last year, prompting them to raise their fees etc.

If you read the relevant media reports its all about the annual H1-B filing season.

But I really hope the I-751 adjudicators were not diverted.....

Yes, nothing on my side. I guess the VSC employees fulfilled their quota for the week and are prevented by the USCIS on working on any more....

Cherry coke? They still sell that stuff?

cherry coke?>? of course!!! (that was a joke right?)

Where are the approve people last touched on 02/26/2008???? For my sake I need some!!!

Don't cry for me Argentina...the truth is I never left you.... (Evita Peron??)

Just relax. I am sure they are working as hard as the government allows them too....

Evita Peron... exactly....

Where you are from?

The United States of America.

Wife from Canada. I complain on her behalf. Yes, its difficult for Canadians too. (Canada probably supplies the electricity in the office in St. Albans, VT...hehe)

Cherry coke? They still sell that stuff?

cherry coke?>? of course!!! (that was a joke right?)

Where are the approve people last touched on 02/26/2008???? For my sake I need some!!!

Don't cry for me Argentina...the truth is I never left you.... (Evita Peron??)

Just relax. I am sure they are working as hard as the government allows them too....

Cherry coke? They still sell that stuff?

Congratulations to all! Nice to see that A_C got approved about a week after the first approval. They must be sitting at different desks!

GO USCIS!!

Yes jsouthwick, kind of agree.

But we can draw some facts:

1. It tooks USCIS 10 weeks to respond to my service request (phoned in on Jan. 18, 2008)

2. The service request, initially directed to the TSC was replied to by the VSC, who now have my application.

3. There is no proof that the USCIS actually dug up my application. They simply looked at the date we filed, compared it to theirs and issued a standard reply.

The conclusion one can draw is that the USCIS agents managing the phone line really do not know any more than what the website tells you. Launching service requests is a pointless exercise if you are before their "dynamic, backward dating" processing dates. (even though ours was after the TSC processing dates for the I-751 when I enquired on Jan. 18).

I'll just lounge here on this message board and wait for them to adjudicate.