Anyone receive hard copy letters from USCIS when filing from abroad? (split topic)

[Dilber13 3]

Hi All,

I have a question regarding the hard copy NOA letters which some have been receiving via mail. I've been tracking my case online and have not received any hard copy notification letters though the mail system. After receiving an email regarding my NOA1, I called the USCIS to let them know that I still hadn't received the actual letter in the mail (it had past a month since I received the email) the officer told me that because I filed from abroad I would not receive the hard copy letter. I also called another time and was not really given any information and was told to keep tracking my case online and that all the information was there anyway. I'm really confused because my case was transferred recently to another office and that its currently being processed (I don't know which office because the email said that the hard copy letter would give that information).

Has this happened to anyone? I'm not sure whether they are not mailing them or if the letters are being lost in the mail system somehow?

Any info would be helpful! Thanks!

[Ryan H 3,795]

Post split from unrelated thread.

[Defy Physics 0]

I filed from abroad and received the hard-copy in the mail. It took about three weeks to get here to Ukraine. If I were you, I would try to change your contact address and give them your address abroad again. Maybe they didn't put it in the system right or something since its foreign (mispellings are easy)

[Dilber13 3]

thank you!

I called earlier and was transferred to a Tier 2 rep and he told me that the address on file was correct and that I should expect to receive a letter soon. If don't receive the letter in a week or two I plan on doing a address change to my US address.

[Ryan H 3,795]

I plan on doing a address change to my US address.

Just a word of caution about that plan; another member was told by USCIS that mail is not sent abroad (lie); when that member changed their address, it messed up their whole petition as USCIS erroneously concluded the beneficiary was in the US and adjusting status. It took quite some doing to get it straightened out.

[DutchmansLady 216]

Hi All,

I have a question regarding the hard copy NOA letters which some have been receiving via mail. I've been tracking my case online and have not received any hard copy notification letters though the mail system. After receiving an email regarding my NOA1, I called the USCIS to let them know that I still hadn't received the actual letter in the mail (it had past a month since I received the email) the officer told me that because I filed from abroad I would not receive the hard copy letter. I also called another time and was not really given any information and was told to keep tracking my case online and that all the information was there anyway. I'm really confused because my case was transferred recently to another office and that its currently being processed (I don't know which office because the email said that the hard copy letter would give that information).

Has this happened to anyone? I'm not sure whether they are not mailing them or if the letters are being lost in the mail system somehow?

Any info would be helpful! Thanks!

We filed from abroad received our NOA1 hard copy here in the Netherlands .

[Dilber13 3]

Thanks for the heads up!

I hope I wont have to go through that process and hopefully that letter will reach me at my current address.

[wakeupcall 0]

I received the hard copy living abroad, it took a little over a month. However it did not contain the a-number. Idk if that's common or not.

[meehan 43]

We filed from abroad and, as others have noted, it took about 3 weeks for the letter to arrive in Australia. At one stage I called and spoke to a Tier 2 who suggested that as long as mail was coming through (even slowly) I leave my address as Australia otherwise it may slow things down (as RyanH indicated).

As long as you're receiving the emails I wouldn't worry too much. Even once your file is transferred to another centre for processing you can still call USCIS to confirm where it has been sent (just for your own peace of mind!). Beyond USCIS all correspondence is via email anyway.

[DnKnT 3]

My husband was filing the I-130 for me and my son. He is currently located in Kosovo, working on a military base. He got the acceptance e-mail in Decmber but never received a hard copy (I-797).He called the customer service center for information, but they said that all relevant information for, e.g. receipt no for checking status online, is mentioned in the e-mail he received.

Well, by April he will be back in the states, so any further mail could go to his home adress in the states, which i hope it will make it a lot easier.

[Wingnutfish 18]

I filed from abroad and received hard-copy letters, though the NOA2 took a whole month from the date printed on it before it arrived here in Taiwan. I never got any e-mails at all, though now that you mention it I did think I signed up for that. I was checking my case status on the USCIS website in between NOA1 and NOA2, but obviously you can't do that before you get the receipt number by e-mail or mail.

I received the hard copy living abroad, it took a little over a month. However it did not contain the a-number. Idk if that's common or not.

NOA1 and NOA2 shouldn't include any A-number unless the beneficiary already had one prior to filing for some reason (usually they wouldn't). The A-number is assigned later in the immigration process. What they should include though is a USCIS receipt number, which you can use to log into the website and check if your case has been approved yet or not.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Wingnutfish

[lucybelle 453]

Just a word of caution about that plan; another member was told by USCIS that mail is not sent abroad (lie); when that member changed their address, it messed up their whole petition as USCIS erroneously concluded the beneficiary was in the US and adjusting status. It took quite some doing to get it straightened out.

I know the poster you're speaking about and while it's good to give a heads up, I think this was a random horrible error. I changed my address 3 times. It was originally listed as a USA address, I got it changed to my abroad address (where I received one piece of mail), then I changed it back to a USA address. No issues.

[mimistar44 5]

we filed from France, then i moved back to U.S last Sep. my husband moved to his siter's house, I sent a letter to MSC, then it was success. but I tried to change my address but it was not possible to do online or on the phone.

then we found NOA2 on uscis website. They mailed hard copy to old french address. then of course it was undelivered.

then it was showing " we sent noa 2 but it was undelivered. please contact uscis asap. "on uscis website.

I called them, finally able to give my U.S address, after 10 days or so I received hard copy of NOA2 in U.S.

filing abroad is very tricky specially petitioner moving back to U.S

almost every single person says different thing USCIS, I totally agree. you have to get a lot of opinions and pick one you think right in your situation or something.

[Ellinora 72]

We received NOA1 to Finland (check my signature for a timeline) and when we attempted to expedite, we were told that we need a U.S address for that, but personally I had a hard time believing that was true. Anyways, we changed our address c/o to in-laws and all the mail has gone there ever since. In-laws have scanned the documents and emailed them to us.

edit. USCIS changed the address during a phone call, we didn't fill anything out

Edited March 27, 2014 by Ellinora

[Kate Lee 0]

Dear Sir/Madam,

The attached correspondence relates to an immigrant visa referenced on the subject line. This case is being processed by the National Visa Center. Please read the information carefully and follow the instructions...PLEASE HELP IF WHAT IS THIS MEAN?thank you