gazarama

Thanks for the replies. Appreciate it. I have another question if I may. 

They have scheduled me for my biometrics on November 23rd, Black Friday. I know that's its not a holiday for everyone, but just want to be sure that the ASC is going to be open on that day since I have a 3 hour drive to get there. Waited on hold for too long using the 800 number. 

I haven't been on this site since March 2009. And it's now time to renew my Green card (I-90), and I just finished filing it online.

My concern is the processing time. My current green card expires next March and I have my sister's wedding to attend in May which is in the UK.

Will I be able to get back in the country with an expired Green card? I have read about making an appointment with local USCIS office to get an I-551 stamp.

the last piece of the puzzle fell into place yesterday when I received my GC in the mail! I wonder how much it would cost to replace one of those, judging by the reverse side of the card!!!

I'm good for the next 10 years thankfully. But I will probably end up applying for citizenship in 3 years, so...

Envy_me thanks for your continued work on the spreadsheet. It's really starting look good now with all those approvals!!! And everybody else here, it's been wonderful reading your posts and stories of how you got through the process.

I'll be on from time to time in the future.

All the very best,

Gaz

Just got a CRIS email yesterday stating that production of my card had ordered!!! Yay!

My wife had her interview today. Whole process took maybe 5-10 minutes. Interviewer only asked a few questions and was very nice. Wife was approved and is now awaiting her GC.

Congrats. My wife and I also just got home from our trip to San Antonio where I had my AoS interview. And actually I wouldn't really call it an interview. It was a verification of information for us. I think it was just a formality, even though we've both been worried about it for last few days. He went over the 485 application checking off stuff when he asked them, asked where I worked, if I'd done drugs. In the beginning he asked me to surrender my EAD and passport/I-94. I think we were in his office for no more than 10 mins. Near the end the most beautiful line came out of his mouth;

"I'm going to go ahead and approve your case".

He stamped my passport with the 1 year GC and said I should wait about 2 months before calling USCIS if I hadn't received the card by then. And lucky for us, we will have been married for 9 years this October, so we were issued the full 10 year GC instead of the conditional. So dealing with Immigration stops for us now. I will probably end up filing for Citizenship in a few years time anyway!

Congrats to everyone else getting approved!!! One question: how long is normally taking to get the GC in the mail after being approved??

Gaz.

I got my interview letter today for March 17th @ 12.30pm in San Antonio. I was hoping that they would approve the AoS without an interview since I've been in the US for so long (8 years). I guess they just want to know why it's taken so long to file the paperwork.

hello VJ peeps,

It's been a long time, but we just received a letter from USCIS:

REQUEST FOR APPLICATION TO APPEAR FOR INITIAL INTERVIEW

CASE TYPE: FORM I-485

On: WEDNESDAY, MARCh 04, 09

Sorry, but what does that mean? how about the i130? will we have to do another interview for that?

What exactly happens after that interview, because we are supposed to leave the country 2 days after the interview for 4 days, is that dangerous? will they take the advance parol from us? Please help out?

Also, if we get the interview letter, does that mean that everthing that we sent is correct? I'm a little scared about the cosponsor i864, but since we got the interview you guys think that we dont have to worry about that?

Sorry if I have tooo much questions but I'm just a confused college student

Thanks again!

You don't get an interview for the I-130, it's either approved or denied, but since you've got an interview for the I-485, you can safely assume it's been approved (the I-130 that is).

Congrats to all who have received recent approvals.

Just a side note - I start work on Monday. I haven't worked in 9 months. I believe it's only for 28 hours to start so that will help ease me back into the working world. I'm still in shock - I can't believe Accountemps have found a job for me already.

Well that's great! Many congrats.....my first 2 days back has been pretty boring so far. I wished I could have only been away from work for only 9 months instead of 8 years......Getting back into a regular routine and schedule is proving hard!!!

Some good news for me.....

I received my EAD in December but have just started looking for work. At one time, I had posted my resume on Careerbuilder.com with all my Canadian info. Last week, I updated my resume to reflect my US address and have had 3 email hits and 2 phone calls. I've also applied on a couple of jobs too.

I'm going for an interview on Thursday with Accountemps. I'm also considering on replying to one of the emails I received. There is no information on the company until I actually complete the first step of applying. That makes me a little leary as I would like to know more about the company prior to applying.

Maybe I'll be lucky enough to get a job soon. As long as my resume is getting hits, I just may stand a chance.

Hey Olibecca

Congrats on receiving your GC. Now you can relax for a couple of years.

Good luck with the search. I received my EAD mid-December and SSN early January. I started looking early December and start work tomorrow. The job market here has just started to get a little busier after the holiday season.

kiwi and lucie, many thanks for the good wishes! My step-son's girlfriend is hospital right now!

We also got a touch on his AOS today!

It may be nothing more than moving from one dusty pile to another, but we haven't had a touch since early Oct. Up until today it just said "Case has been transferred" blahblah... now it says pending! It may still be a long wait, but I was really worried that it was lost somewhere during the transfer. Now I know it's actually there, so my mind is at ease again.

I also got a promotion at work today, so it's been a great day!! Yay!

Now, if Alf could only get his SS card and a job!

Congrats to all the approvals and green card!!!! since my last post. I know it's been awhile, but I do read and cheer along all the time.

(edited 'cause I can't spell tonight! )

We also got touched on 1/12... maybe they've opened the September transfer box or something! Exciting!

I just got a touch this morning on my AOS. Today I'm going to be a grandpa and then next week I start work again! Yay!

I just go crazy!

This government sucks!

I have to go to a specialist,because I had a tb skin test positive(I had bcg in the childhood)and the CV can't sign anything until the specialist confirm that I have no Tb..and I assume he'll make another X-ray...

Anyway...My q is..is it too late if I submit AOS few days before I=94 expires?I'm planning to send ot overnight...I hope to send it next week..and I-94 epires on Jan,23..

any suggetions?

Unfortunately if you've been vaccinated against TB, then the skin will always show up as positive. Mine was positive also, and I had the BCG shot when I was younger.

I hope you get it sorted out.

Yay! I got my SSN in the mail today. Now I can officially go back to work!!!!

I am in somewhat the exact situation you are in except I drove to the USA from FL.

I was given 180 days under the visa waiver program however. Long story short I overstayed and married after the 180 days (like 300 days later actually). We are now in the process of AOS.

Being in the situation you are in I would suggest for you to go back to your native country if you have not overstayed as of now. I know it is hard but trust me the wait will actually SAVE you time and a whole lot of headaches in the near future.

With that said, if you do decide to just go ahead and file for AOS you should be ok. Just know that your EAD and SSN has a VERY high percentage of obtaining AFTER you get your GC. Basically if you are in need of quick work with an EAD this might not be your best option.

They give priority over the people who came here the proper way; re: K1 visa etc.

If you have any specific question I am more then willing to help you out. Feel free to drop me a PM.

-Brian

I agree. I should have done it that as well. I married before the VWP expiration and have overstayed by 8 years (don't ask). I'm just now getting the AOS paperwork processed. In hindsight, I should have returned to the UK and then filed the AOS from over there. But we didn't so. I too had bank accounts, a job, committments etc.

From what I understand Immigration wants you to prove that the marriage is bona-fide rather than the intent to marry whilst you were here.

I just returned from my local Social Security office to apply for my SSN. Was a breeze. I was 2nd in line through the door at 9am - got called at 9.05 and I walked out at 9.15. All they wanted to see was my work permit and UK passport. Evidently I was already in the system because the guy said that everything had been verified and I should be receiving the card in about 7-10 days. I was then given a receipt and I was done!

I sincerely hope that the rest of the September filers get their EADs & APs with haste. I'm not sure why people who filed near the beginning of the month are still waiting, and yet I filed near the end and I have mine now (not that I'm complaining). Considering that they are all processed out of MSC, inconsistency is an understatement!

I probably won't be on here again until after Christmas. Got a busy few days with the family these week (I wonder why ;-)). So I wish all you guys greetings from where I come from.

Gaz.

Londonspod....in the New Year or whenever you get it, can you add me please.

Originally from London (well Orpington in Kent), already living in San Angelo, Texas with USC Lisa.

Thanks.....

Gaz.

When we adjusted static, one of the forms for my step daughter was for permission to work.

Even though she is really to young to work others said this was a easier way to get her an Social Security Number.

Well her card arrived but it does not have an SSN number on it, do I need to take this to the S Security office to get one?

Will I need to wait for the completion of AOS?

Yes, she would need to go to her local SS office and apply for an SSN. I got my work permit on Saturday and am going to my local office to get mine next week. I'm taking my passport and birth certificate also with me just in case they ask for it. From what I'm told she should be issued with an SSN number right then and there, and then receive her card in the mail about 2 weeks later

it's sooooooooooooooooooo quiet here..

I'll soon change that!!!! Yay.....today I finally received my EAD in the mail. And just before Christmas as well!!! What a wonderful present!! On Tuesday I'll go get my SSN!

I'm so glad we've already done our Christmas Shopping this year!!

You could also try getting a small loan from a local loan company. We have several in the town where we live and they all report to the credit bureaus. My wife has been using them to rebuild her credit. Granted, they don't have the same impact on your credit score as a credit card, but it helps nonetheless.

just wanna share this

1st EAD online notification 12/04/2008 card production ordered - same date on card validity

(date received email 12/05/2008)

2nd EAD online notification 12/09/2008 card production ordered - same date on the letter (notice) where card was placed.

(date received email 12/10/2008)

3rd EAD online notification 12/12/2008 approval notice sent - enveloped postmarked 12/11/2008

(date received email 12/15/2008) - same day i receive the actual card

envy_me is right from date of 2nd notification wait 5 to 7 days to have your card on hand.

hope somehow this will help...

this is base on my experience...

God bless everyone...

Thanks...........how long is the EAD valid for when it's 1st issued?? 1 year???

thanks sept filers..

sorry if sometimes i cant reply to your posts..

but i make it a point to update our timeline..

right now, im goin crazy lookin for a job..

i just got rejected from a f*ckin secretarial job..

they said i dnt have any history (work, credit, resident, etc, etc) here in the US, that's why..

.

Yeah I sympathize. I applied for a couple of jobs recently. One turned me down the day after with an email (they weren't specific as to why). The other one hasn't replied to an email or a voicemail message. But I've been out of work for over 8 years and like you have not worked in the US. I was hoping to go back into the IT field straight away, but looks like that isn't possible just yet. May have to take a menial job in another field before I am able to get what I want.

In any case, Christmas is the wrong time to be looking for a job, at least where we live. Nobody's really hiring right now. Hopefully in 09, there will be more opportunities

Thanks envy...thought that it might have been that. Maybe I'll have the card by the end of this week. Incidentally when did you receive your 2nd notification??

i received the 2nd email 12/09..

then received my ead 12/13..

some people say that from the date of your 2nd notification..

u should receive the card around 5-7 days.. (estimation)

i think it worked for me..

Cool! So the end of this week should be about right for me!!! Yay!

I had another CRIS update on my EAD today saying "Card Production Ordered", even though I got the same notification on December 9th. I noticed that a few other people have been getting these duplicate notifications. Any idea if this just means that the card has now been mailed out??

somebody told me that..

EAD is sent on the date that your 2nd notification was sent..

(2nd card production ordered notification)

.

Thanks envy...thought that it might have been that. Maybe I'll have the card by the end of this week. Incidentally when did you receive your 2nd notification??

I had another CRIS update on my EAD today saying "Card Production Ordered", even though I got the same notification on December 9th. I noticed that a few other people have been getting these duplicate notifications. Any idea if this just means that the card has now been mailed out??

Dear Brits,

On behalf of radioactively hungover Americans everywhere, I'd like to personally thank you for your gift to the meal of breakfast, and to the world in general:

Sincerely,

Uncle Wally

That's not fair...............I'm dribbling from the mouth!!!!