cutie_fishball

Woot! I received my greencard in the mail today! It came with a flatrate USPS priority mail envelope with delivery confirmation! They are really speeding things up in VSC!

I am another silent reader of this thread... and I want to give hope to all those Jan filers waiting for VSC!

At about noon and 8pm today I got an email from USCIS saying:

Application Type: CRI89 , PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS RECEIVED

Your Case Status: Card/ Document Production

(I signed up for email alerts)

This is my timeline:

REMOVING CONDITIONS ON RESIDENCE

01/16/2011 - Mailed I-751 to VT Service Center

01/21/2011 - Received and Signed for

03/01/2011 - Biometrics Appointment in Boston

06/17/2011 - Received Approval Notice in the email

I have been checking on my status all the time within this 5 months, up until 2 days ago, my status was last touched on 1/27/2011....

For those VSC peeps, there is hope out there, VSC is finally waking up and realizing it's summer!

so the magical green card appear in the mail today and I guess my AOS process is done for now (for the next 1 year, 9 months I supposed)

there is a short story about the temp letter that they gave me after my interview was approved. I had a SSN from back then when I was a F-1 student here and on it was a line printed "Not valid for work without INS authorization." So I thought since I am out of work now and I have time to wait in the line at the SSN office, why don't I just bring this temp letter at the get the process started?

well, the temp letter didn't appeal to me at wall, no official USCIA stamp, no watermark on the letter.... but I went ahead and go to the SSN office.

then I waited for 2 hours coz everyone needs to get a ticket and wait for their turn.

so, when it was my turn, i told them i was given this as my temp. green card and I was told if I travel I am using this as my travel documents.

but the rep said, sorry we cannot take this letter, we don't know if you have faked this (WHAT???)

I said, but I was told this is a legal document that i can travel with? The plastic card maybe coming in 3-4 weeks, but I dunno when.

He said, then wait until your real green card comes then come back again. (yes, #######)

can you believe that govt agency A issued me a legal document while govt agency B denied it and thinks it's fake? what a joke!

we had our AOS interview on the 13th, my EAD card and I-94 were taken away but I have a letter as my temp green card until the actual plastic card arrived in the mail in 3 week's time

Thank you very much Nich-nick and fuzzymiss.

Fuzzymiss, I will take you up on your offer:)

When can I start working using the new status after I apply? i.e. would I get something temporary that I could show to employers or do I need to wait to get final green card document in hand?

Thanks again.

basically you can work when you have an EAD card on hand... that can replace your H-1b status (if you have applied for EAD along with I-485)

Same here. Do you think it will affect your interview process? I mean they can ask many questions.

I think in my case my husband still makes enough above the poverty line, so we are good for the interview. We just bought a house a few months ago when we got married so the unemployment claim will be good to support our mortgages before I can find another job (if the economy is doing better)

Tomorrow is my last day at work. I am losing my job because of company's new cost-cutting strategy. After doing some research, I found that EAD will make me eligible for unemployment benefits. But I want to make sure that if I claim this should not go against me during my interview. My wife goes to school and we showed my full-time job's salary for I-824.

Any idea guys?

hey hand shake! I am on the same boat

I was laid off a few weeks ago and at that time i still havent received my EAD. But I called in the walk in unemployment center and ask. Apparently there is a "SAVE" unit that determines if you are eligible for the claim. I think with the EAD on hand it means I have the ability to work given I land on a new job, and my status is being adjusted to a permanent resident after the interview... but that's my case...

so did you file or not for unemployment or you got a new job.

I filed for unemployment. It's close to impossible to get a job in my field these days (kept hearing layoff in local firms lately)...

Tomorrow is my last day at work. I am losing my job because of company's new cost-cutting strategy. After doing some research, I found that EAD will make me eligible for unemployment benefits. But I want to make sure that if I claim this should not go against me during my interview. My wife goes to school and we showed my full-time job's salary for I-824.

Any idea guys?

hey hand shake! I am on the same boat

I was laid off a few weeks ago and at that time i still havent received my EAD. But I called in the walk in unemployment center and ask. Apparently there is a "SAVE" unit that determines if you are eligible for the claim. I think with the EAD on hand it means I have the ability to work given I land on a new job, and my status is being adjusted to a permanent resident after the interview... but that's my case...

I would just take the picture myself and photoshop it and print it out in stores... then cut them myself... all my US passport photos are done this way and it costs only 20 cents for 6 2x2pictures (on a standard 4"x6" photo)

I think it's a matter of which employee goes in the bathroom storage area and picks up a file or two.

and he or she accidentally flushes your file down the toilet...

then the USCIS will have a serious plumbing issue... i dont think those files are degradable in the pipes

hohoho,

I got my EAD card from the mail today (as my husband came home early from work, he surprised me with a piece of mail with something "hard and plastic-y inside)

hohoho!!! Merry X'mas to me!

my september filers family..

wow, that's a cool big holiday greetings!

everyone, merry X'mas and hopefully we will all hear good news soon in the coming year!

the mailman brought me a gift. My AP is in the mail today!!! hippee!

I am in Boston too but I dont even have EAD approved.

call them. I really think a phone call will trigger your case (if your case has been pending for over 90 days)

i got another USCIS e-mail this morning:

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On December 23, 2008, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I765 APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.

but then earlier last week I got this:

Application Type: I765 , APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On December 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.

so are EAD cards ordered before we get approved??? that's so strange as I think it should work the other way around....

Hi cutie_fishball,

Just hopping over from the October filers. I've pretty much had the same thing with the EAD and got the same e-mail today also - I think it must be pretty standard stuff. I was noticing your timeline since I am in Boston too - good to see you got an interview notice...it gives me hope that mine may be on it's way soon! Good luck!

Welcome to Beantown! Enjoy the icy roads so far?

I think my recent touches and e-mails are a result of my husband calling the USCIS... we think it's the calls that trigger them... but it kind of surprised me that things suddenly move forward at a fast pace despite the holiday seasons. I wish you will hear your interview date soon!

@kiwibecka:

thanks..

update done!

so are EAD cards ordered before we get approved??? that's so strange as I think it should work the other way around....

the moment they ordered it, it's already approved..

but then when u see "approval notice sent", it means they already sent u the card..

usually, from your 2nd card production ordered email, count 5-7 days..

that's the time you'll receive your precious ead..

congrats and good luck!

so in essence, I may be getting 2 EAD cards? wow 2 for the price of one!!! hohoho!

(sounds like some mastercard commercials?)

i got another USCIS e-mail this morning:

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On December 23, 2008, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I765 APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.

but then earlier last week I got this:

Application Type: I765 , APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On December 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.

so are EAD cards ordered before we get approved??? that's so strange as I think it should work the other way around....

Hello!

I got an early Christmas gift! My AOS interview is now scheduled for February 10!!

My only concern now is the interview itself..... My wife is, how shall we say, a tad sassy/sarcastic/evil. If you've seen that Korean movie "My Sassy Girlfriend", I definitely see my wife in that character. I just hope I can reign her in long enough to get through the interview.

In any case, Merry Christmas to everyone

BTW is it just me or is this thread really really active compared to the other monthly AOS threads? It seems almost more like a twitter feed than a forum

my sassy gf... haha my favorite korean movie.... lol

hey girls, guess what? A string of good luck is coming to me. Without any touches or anything (still remain as 10/16 and 9/23 on my online cases for my I-485 and I-130 respectively), today I got a very suspicious looking letter in the mail:

REQUEST FOR APPLICATION TO APPEAR FOR INITIAL INTERVIEW!!!!!!

so the interview is for Feb 13th, yay!!!!

same day when the "Confessions of a Shopaholic" movie is out!!!!

I am a follower of that book series. I love being a Shopaholic!

Hi friends.

I just got this e-mail from Japanese Consulate here in L.A.

I wish it were a surprise e-mail for my EAD being approved...

I called USCIS again today. But, no change in my status so far....

Anyway, the e-mail was about Electronic System for Travel Authorization：ESTA.

According to the source, anyone traveling to the U.S. under visa waiver program must register with Electronic System for Travel Authorization：ESTA beforehand. If not, they have rights to decline a person's board to aircraft or entry to the U.S.

There are much more details on the link below.

Since this is only for people traveling under visa waiver program, we do not have to worry about it.

But, if your family members or friends are traveling to the U.S. to visit you under visa waiver program, make sure to read the details from the link below and make sure that they register beforehand.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/

NAO

I am with you. No updates. I will call them on Monday for Interim EAD. I am also going for infopass on Tuesday. I am going to loose my job soon (financial mkt sucks) and I want EAD to ASAP.

Nao

dont worry I have already lost my job since last wed... and getting an EAD is much better you have the freedom to do what you want to do things will eventually workout for you...

hello all,

I was wondering, do you guys think USCIS updates the system at or after a certain time, or do you guys think it is random. Have the people that have gotten emails from them, receive them at pretty much the same time or does it vary? just had that thought since this waiting thing is just driving me nuts. 2 service requests and no emails so far........

the wait over the weekend is the worst, cause we know there will not be any emails on the weekend.

my EAD notification came at 8:15pm, yes, it's after 5pm... and I have no idea why...

Hey same with me, 8.15pm! I still have not had an email from them about my AP, I just noticed online when I went to look at my EAD, so don't forget to check there too.

Good luck, I really hope you can still get a Christmas email.

do USCIS work in a different time zone or something??? or they are working overtime on our cases??? that's nice if they do...

hello all,

I was wondering, do you guys think USCIS updates the system at or after a certain time, or do you guys think it is random. Have the people that have gotten emails from them, receive them at pretty much the same time or does it vary? just had that thought since this waiting thing is just driving me nuts. 2 service requests and no emails so far........

the wait over the weekend is the worst, cause we know there will not be any emails on the weekend.

my EAD notification came at 8:15pm, yes, it's after 5pm... and I have no idea why...

Wow! Kiwibecka & Cutie! That's awesome news!

Congratulations... maybe there is hope for us last Sept filers yet!

thank you all for the kind words.... but in regards to my recent approvals, I really think it's the frustrating phone calls that "trigger" those e-mail... now I am waiting for the magical mail to appear in my mailbox and also I wish to hear more good news from all Sept filers!!!

congrats cutie..

hope u get your precious EAd soonie!

thanks for the cheer, now I am really going to haunt my postman!!!!! :devil:

and let's hope for an interview date

ok, this is sooo weird, after our first call to USCIS, our AP gets approved (along with an update on their website and an e-mail alert), then today after a very frustrating call to USCIS to request for an interim EAD, at 8:15pm I got this e-mail:

*** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL ***

The last processing action taken on your case

Receipt Number: MSC08352xxxx

Application Type: I765 , APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On December 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.

Sincerely,

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

seriously, do they react when we call??

but regardless, it will be a perfect xmas gift if it's in the mail next week!

Hi cutie_fishball,

It says on the ombudsman website "Ask the customer service representative to request an interim card for you. You should receive an EAD or response within a week." but when I pointed this out to the woman yesterday, she told me that I got a response and that response said "You should receive a decision or notice of other action within 60 days of the date of this letter." and it hasn't been 60 days yet. She also said what you were told, that the service request and interim EAD were tied to each other, so either way the waiting time for the interim and for the actual EAD is about the same (why do they have an interim then???). So for me at least, having gotten a response to my service request has only resulted in me having to continue to wait. At this point there is nothing more I can do, I can only hope that something is being done about it now. I hope you have better luck.

as right!

I will wait for another week and see how it goes.... another good news for me is I will be eligible for unemployment but with more paperwork involved....