Hamburger Man

Continuing on, I made a classic dummy mistake the night before last. I was feeling body aches and chills as my wife had felt the night before. Her brother gave her some medicine and she felt fine in the morning. I was tired and not thinking, so just let her give me the same. I felt better first thing in the morning but a bit groggy. Soon my constipation "reversed" itself and I was miserable the rest of the day and evening. Later I asked my wife about the medicine. I knew one was just ibuprofen but hadn't looked at the other one. Turns out it was a pretty harsh antibiotic and I don't tolerate those well. Oh well, one perfectly beautiful day down the drain and another lesson reinforced.

After five years, my wife still forgets my digestive system was not raised in China. The first time something like that happened, I was sure it was the jumbo peel and eat prawns that were not deveined and everybody else was sure it was the medium rare steak only I had eaten. We never have agreed on that in five years but I don't eat the peel and eat jumbo prawns anymore. Had a similar problem in New Orleans back in the 90's though so pretty sure the prawns were to blame.

Making me miss China.

Every time I’ve been there (3 times) I always have “bathroom problems,” but man most of the food is worth it.

Just thought I'd start a thread to post some observations. Feel free to comment.

My wife and I left for a 12 week visit to China, January 15. After getting up early Saturday morning to drive two hours to Seattle, have lunch, do some shopping and catch a 3:30 flight to LAX, several hours layover until LAX to PEK and several more hours in Beijing before continuing to Nanning, our heads hit bed pillows 48 hours (Monday afternoon in China from Saturday morning near Seattle) after leaving them.

Those who've done it know that traveling West, isn't so bad on the body for some reason as going East, so within a couple days, we felt fairly normalized. One comment on my facebook page from a friend with a wife from Chongqing asked if I'd remembered to pack my long johns. I hadn't and it was unseasonably cold our first two weeks here. Fortunately, my wife's family is in the clothing business, so long johns were delivered promptly. The home where we stay has heat in every room but the kitchen but about ten days in the unit in the living room crapped out and we're waiting for parts until after the holidays. Fortunately the temps have returned to normal and it's in the low 70's during the afternoon.

I can work from wherever my laptop and Blackberry are, so it's just a split shift for me calling back to the states. My Blackberry's WIFI calling feature is a great money saver. I have a Chinese SIM card for a separate phone but if you turn off the network (talking to the phone towers) and just turn on the WIFI, the T-Mobile or AT&T networks treat you like you're in the USA with regard to charges. Most of my calls are early morning in China calling back to the States during the preceding evening and then a few late at night in China calling that morning in the USA.

We've been trying to buy a home and thought we were ready to sign papers on one that won't be ready for about two years. Turns out my wife didn't ask enough questions and we didn't really have enough cash for the down payment. It was more house than we needed anyway. We're now waiting until after the holidays to make an offer on a smaller one in a different complex. We may be able to obtain a lower cost per square meter than quoted, so have some "contacts" working on that for us in the meantime.

For those who haven't been to China during the Spring Festival (This is my first time.) it's something to behold. The fireworks alone (now ongoing for several days at all hours from about 8AM to 4AM) are incredible. The strings of hundreds or thousands of firecrackers going off from just outside the window to a mile or more away are beyond description. Of course, Midnight Wednesday was the peak. It's amazing just how much left over red paper is laying all over the place from the firecrackers, even though it seems to be cleaned up every day.

More later.

Can you post some pictures of your trip?

Dear god,

This sounds like the issues my wife had with K1 / SSN then later SSN after AoS was approved. I am sending off a G-639/Privacy Act Request tomorrow to find out EXACTLY what is in that SAVE database which is causing all the problems.

UPDATE:

A letter arrived today from the local SSA office. They have finally verified my wife’s status and are issuing a social security number. From the wording of the letter, I’m pretty sure the social security card will have “valid with DHS authorization only” on it.

I am firing off a G-639/Privacy Act Request to retrieve all the records in USCIS’s S.A.V.E. database file. If there are any discrepancies I’ll get them corrected at an InfoPass or CBP appointment later.

HBM

---

ps - the supervisor, at SSA, can tell you what the problem is - when prompted - so be certain to ask -

--is name problem? spelling mistake ? or

--A# is wrong ?

if either of those things are 'it' - best to go into CBP office, get it fixed, face to face, regardless of how far it is from your domicile, regardless of any 'time off from work' issues.

--

pps - reread that link I gave you for SAVE - there are other links there that are useful for understanding the process to 'get it changed' .

Darnell:

When her EAD was issued and then later green card, they didn’t update the save database to ensure the information was correct? How about when the SSA sent the paperwork off to verify her status in save? When that comes back don’t they correct any information they find as part of the verification proccess? Is the only way to get it permanently fixed to goto the CBP deferred inspection site?

Hamburger Man - if yer lass has a green card or EAD document -

then it's a human problem with SSA office.

Seriously.

But if you think you have any SAVE database issues, have a longish read round here? http://www.uscis.gov...0004718190aRCRD

ultimately, if real SAVE database problem, go into a CBP secondary inspection / deferred inspection office, get it sorted face to face in real time (don't bother with telephone)

----

USUALLY, when applying for SSN at SSA office, can come back in 2 days, and EITHER -

--get the SSN or

--discover some problem.

We applied in September 2010 while my wife’s I-94 still had about 45 days left on it. They claimed they couldn’t verify the name and sent it to homeland security for further review. After more than 6 weeks past they sent us a letter that her I-94 would expire before they could issue the number.

We applied again on Jan 18, her EAD was in hand and approved on Jan 5th, 2010. Was told she wasn’t in SAVE yet because it hadn’t been the full 10 working days yet. A follow up call later that week and then again on Thursday the 27th revealed that a secondary verification was entered and no response yet and a paper verification was also mailed to DHS and no work back on that yet either.

Since then my wife’s 2-yr green card has arrived with a resident since date of 1/13/2011. It has been well over 10 days since even her AoS was approved so I don’t understand why they can’t find her in SAVE and get a social security number issued as of yet.

What’s my next step here?

When we first applied for my wife from (K-1) for SSN it went very easy. My wife recently received her EAD card and so did my stepson. When they processed the EAD my stepson (17) was able to be issued his SSN, with my wife it did not work well at all, the EAD just wasnt going to work, so they sent a request to DHS to find out what the problem was. Well I called back the SS Call Center and it was still on hold, so I decided to call USCIS and asked to be connected to a Tier 2 person. Before I go any further all Forms I-485, I-765, and I-131 all had my last name on them and both EAD and AP had her new last name, well somewhere along the line USCIS goofed and found out that her A# was the problem because it still showed her previous name. USCIS sent in a request to see about what happened and until they fix this problem no new SSN with her new last name.

Something like this must be going on with my wife’s “account” over at USCIS. What was the outcome? Are you still waiting?

This is just an aside to this topic, but can someone clue me in to what SSA requires in terms of status before they'll issue an SSN? My wife arrived on a K-1 and we were married 2 weeks after arrival. Upon receiving our marriage certificate we applied for an SS number. A relative of mine works at my local office and helped me put the application in, assuming that we wouldn't have an issue. However, the issuance of a number was denied because her marriage status had not been updated in any way with Immigration. Now that we've filed our AoS, will that be enough to once again apply for an SSN?

Did you apply for an EAD? Nothing short of that or a green card will get them to issue you a SSN now.

My Wife entered on K-1 and still has her expired I-94 from this entry. Her AoS has already been approved. If she departs the US again, should she turn in the I-94 from the K-1 entry? If not, what should she do with it?

Sounds like somebody screwed up. If I had to guess, I'd guess it was someone at SSA rather than USCIS. My wife got her SSN after entering with a K1 while her I-94 was still valid. That went ok, and they issued the card with the standard "Not valid for work without DHS authorization" statement. My wife and step-kids got their EAD's five days before the green card interview, so we didn't have time to go to the SSA office. We went after the green card interview and brought the EAD cards. I wanted to get a new card for my wife without the "DHS authorization" statement, and get initial cards for my step-kids. SSA issued cards to all three of them with the "DHS authorization" statement on ALL of them. We went back AGAIN after we got the green cards. This time they got the SSN cards right.

Go back to the SSA office and pound your fist into the desk. If the clerk seems clueless then ask for a supervisor.

I know Jim. This was just a rant because I am so frustrated with the SSA right now.

This is the second time we applied for my wife’s SSN and this is the second time we have run into trouble.

Upon approval of EAD or AoS does USCIS update the SAVE database? I've heard it takes AT MOST 15 days for new statuses to show up in there.

If so, why has my wife been denied for a social security number 3 weeks after her EAD was approved?

This just in! My wife is now a US Permanent Resident!

Super speedy proccessing by CSC. No interview and CSC approved it less than 6 weeks after transfer!

Tonight we are gonna CELEBRATE!

WOOHOOO!

Then I have no idea and man I hope its not 6 months sheesh mine was transferred 22nd december, says transferred to speed up the process hhhmmmm

Just a quick question how did you attach your ticker time line thingy I don't know how to do it lol

Goto the ticker site and paste the BBcode instead of HTML. Update and you should be good.

Yes, I do have the biometrics letter! thank you so much for your reply!!! i will go there tommorrow and try )) thanks again!

Good luck!

Let me know how you make out.

Why do you think the information is employment based..?

The priority date is the date the case was received at the acceptance facility for example.. if you send in a case it goes to the lockbox and then they transfer it to the Cali Service Center where it is accepted etc. if their work load requires it 9case) to be transferred then the priority date stays the same it's not changeable.

Because the USCIS chart for CSC says "Employment Based Applications.”

Are you suggesting that the NOA1 date is the date from which you can decide if the case is inside normal processing guidelines?

Do you have the biometrics letter in hand? If so, go over to the Philly ASC on Monday or whenever you have time. I took my wife there 3 weeks early and we did a walk-in without even calling them first. We were in and out within an hour. They seem to be dead after 11:30AM and before 12:30PM (most appointments are scheduled between 8:00AM - 11:00AM and again after lunch 1:00PM or so).

If you don't have a biometrics letter in hand, make an infopass appointment with Philadelphia, explain the situation and see if they can give you a biometrics letter on the spot to take to Philly or the one in Florida where you are moving.

Hope this helps.

PS- Don't forget to fill out a change of address at USCIS.gov for the case and have USPS forward your mail for a year.

California Service Center processing times for I130/I485

https://egov.uscis.g...vBguAUCa_udZZ2s

Chart type 1 (California Center)

http://dashboard.usc...e=2&charttype=1

Chart type 2 (California Center)

http://dashboard.usc...e=2&charttype=2

Chart type 1 (Philadelphia)

http://dashboard.usc...=22&charttype=1

Chart type 2 (Philadelphia)

http://dashboard.usc...=22&charttype=2

http://dashboard.usc...e=2&charttype=2

this maybe information you're requesting. if not i'm sorry.

None of this is actually information for I-485 adjusting from K-1 (family-based) only info for employment based. I was hoping someone knew information about the family-based timelines.

Next question:

If it was received by CSC on Jan-5-2011, is the processing timeline counted from THAT point or from the NOA1 date issued by NBC? Anyone know?

Wow your lucky I never got notice that they received mine lol just that it was being sent there. I think it is the same for family and employment 485 (4 months)

We didn't get a notice of action in the mail, just a SMS/email and an update on the USCIS.gov tracking portal.

My wife's case was transferred to CSC on Dec-14-2010 and since then we got a notice that the case was received by CSC earlier this month.

I was looking at the USCIS.gov portal trying to find information on processing trends for I-485 at CSC but the only information seems to be regarding employment based I-485s.

Does anyone know where I can find procession trends for family based I-485s transferred from NBC (adjusting from K-1)?

Thanks!

My wife's EAD came in the mail today!

HOORAY!

Dear Fellow members,

So I applied for AOS and LPR on 10 December 2010 I recieved NOA 1's on the 17th DEC, on 23rd Dec I recieved Biometrics appointment letter dated for 18 January 2011, I did a succesful walk-in on 7 january 2011. Looking at similiar timelines I noticed that touches appear very soon after biometrics. Nothing has been 'touched' since 17 December 2010. We are now in a position where we will be purchasing a house and have to movein on 1st March 2010. With My wifes salary alone we will battle to make the mortgage, and my income provided I can get a job will help us survive. I know that I may be a little premature but obviously circumstances have changed and i am starting to stress.

Any Ideas anyone???

We did a walkin almost 3 weeks before my wife's schedule appointment and there WAS a touch on the day of the walkin for the EAD and AOS--HOWEVER--just like clockwork her AOS case was transferred to CSC on the day after the original biometrics appointment. This leads me to believe that no matter the walkin date, the file gets shelved and resumes processing based on the scheduled biometrics appointment. The walkins are still good however because if there is a problem with your prints you need to go back and have them taken again, better to do this sooner rather than later. Also, once the biometrics are done the FBI starts the namecheck right away and SOMETIMES they need a long time to research common names "hits" in the system.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the info guys. Checked the mail again today and still no EAD.

Will keep you all posted in this thread.

Her AP was received on Monday (1/10)!!!

I got an email that my wife's EAD was approved on Jan 5th, 2011. On the USCIS.gov website it says:

Card/ Document Production

On January 5, 2011, 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 at 1-800-375-5283.

My question is this:

Does this mean the card has actually been mailed out? It's now Jan 12th, 2011 and we still haven't gotten it. Looking over other's timelines, many get it within 3-5 days. Furthuremore, we got her AP documents and all the NOA letters within 4-5 days of approval.

I am starting to get a little worried.

Wife's AP received in the mail today!

My wife's never went to the approved state, it when from initial review to document/card production then post decision activity (when it physically got mailed out)

So what you're saying is "Post Decision Activity" is the date of mailing then?

On the USCIS website "Document/Card Production" is arranged AFTER "Post Decision Activity," so I got a little confused.