AOS & EAD in Orlando, Florida

[jelti 0]

Hello Everyone!

I've been a member of VJ for quite some time now. I almost feel like I know the whole site front to back. VJ made it possible for us to get this far without a lawyer and almost without worries. Aidan had a successful K-1 interview and we had a beautiful wedding here in Central Florida.

Finances were tight. Big time. I was working a crummy job barely scraping by on the bills, but we made it through. Finally, after five months (and a new better paying job!), I raised enough cash to send away his AOS and EAD applications. We were so excited to finally say bye-bye to that big ugly packet as we sent it away in the post. We got our NOA1's and eventually created a new case at the uscis.gov website. Our case has been touched twice.

We've been on cloud 9 since the NOA1, and thought that maybe our case will go super speedy! Aidan badly needs his EAD, and after the touches, I thought for sure he'll be getting his biometrics appointment soon.

But then I realized...I don't know how this whole process actually happens! I mean, I know this much: we sent our case to Chicago and Chicago issues the NOA1's. The receipt number started with MSC, so I'm guessing that's the Missouri Service Centre.

Uh, but then what? Our case goes to Orlando, right? The immigration people at Aidan's point of entry asked him what our local office was and he told them Orlando. Well now, after today, I deeply wish we would have chosen a different local office! I read a link that someone posted on VJ, the link that brings you to the page on the uscis.gov site where you can see how fast your local office is processing your case. And it said that Orlando was just now processing cases from May of 2004. I thought, yeah right, this is just the standard date they put on the website so no one will call and bug them after just a few months. But then I checked other local offices, and none of them are taking near that long! In fact, it looks like Orlando is one of the most backed up local offices out of all of them!!

So anyway, after almost crying to Aidan on the phone, I've decided I need some more VJ wisdom.

1) Anyone got experience with Orlando? Is it really taking that long? And why didn't the uscis.gov website say how long it's taking to process EAD's?? The EAD is what's really important...cuz I don't think I manage all the bills much longer by myself.

2) What exactly is the whole AOS process? Chicago, NOA1's, local office, biometrics letter, biometrics appointment, EAD, NOA2 for I-485, interview, then greencard? Can someone outline what exactly we should expect from this point forward? I've read the guides over and over, but I'm starting to confuse myself!

3) Someone tell me about Advance Parole. We couldn't afford to apply for it, but now I'm definitley wishing we would have waited and saved up a bit more money because it looks like it could be years before Aidan gets a greencard and is therefore able to travel back home. So...AP...is it difficult to get once you've already submitted your AOS application? Can we do it? What is the difference between Emergency AP and regular AP? My mother-in-law is not in the best of health and I'd like us to be able to go back immediately should the need arise.

Thank you all very much for all your help!

Edited May 15, 2006 by jelti

[rebeccajo 14]

Poor thing! LOL!

Well, everything goes to Chicago. Then Chicago sends the EAD and AP stuff to the National Benefit Center (NBC) in Missouri. And they send the AOS stuff to your district office, which you don't get to pick. That is based on your place of residence, just like filing the K-1.

The next communication you will get (barring RFE's) will be the notice to go for biometrics. That is fingerprinting and photographs of Aidan and it supposedly also begins the background checks. Hard to tell where they will send you for that - it won't necessarily be Orlando. You may be assigned to go to a smaller support office for that. For example, we did Wes' AOS interview in Pittsburgh PA (our district office - 3 hours drive from us) but there was a smaller support center in Charleston WV (1 hour drive) where we went for biometrics.

You should have his EAD a few weeks after the biometrics.

Aidan won't be able to travel without AP (well he can travel but he can't get back in the US) until he gets the greencard, which could take awhile. I believe you can apply for AP online - it's the only one of these 3 petitions that can be done that way. Read up on USCIS.gov about that.

And you can't go by the processing dates on the charts for district offices. In our case, we were actually interviewed about 4 months before we should have been - chartwise that is.

[Mand 1]

The in-between waiting time is a pain, but there will be an end to it all. I'm not sure about the Orlando office, but I know that's where the I-485 will be moved onto and processed.

For EAD timelines, you'll have to look at the Missouri Service Center for dates. It says they're processing applications with dates of February 13th. Check HERE?.

Your AOS basic timeline is right, but take out the EAD as this is not processed at your local office.

You can always apply for AP once Aidan begins working and money is easier to come by.

Don't worry, everything will fall into place

[jelti 0]

Thanks Guys! That clears up a lot! No wonder Orlando didn't say how long it takes to process EAD's...they don't process them in the first place!

We're not all that stressed about the I-485...it was the EAD that had us worried. This next year will show to us where we want to live: Ireland or the US. So we mainly want Aidan to be able to work and "live" here, to actually experience life, not just be stuck in the house all day.

Good to know about the AP application. We're definitley going to have to apply for that once we save up more cash.

Thanks again!

[allynella 0]

While I do not think the website reflects the truth about Orlando, I do think they are a little behind. I have a girlfriend whose local office is Orlando. She filed her documents in September 2004 - We filed ours in May 2005 (Newark NJ). Our interview was April 2006 and she's still waiting on the interview notice (keeping in mind the letter usually comes like 2 months before the actual interview date...). Well, I hope things will move along rather quickly for you.

[TracyTN 237]

Thanks becca for the concise explanation. I knew *most* of that, but the logistics of some of it was making my brain hurt.

[vamsi 0]

Sorry to hear about the backlog at Orlando. You never know though. You might get lucky and have your case transferred to CSC and approved without interview Seems to be happening to a fair number of K1 applicants, so keep your fingers crossed!

[Kajikit 65]

Just get the EAD and AP and get on with your life and don't worry about when they'll actually get around to interviewing you...

[nycmjkfan 0]

While I do not think the website reflects the truth about Orlando, I do think they are a little behind. I have a girlfriend whose local office is Orlando. She filed her documents in September 2004 - We filed ours in May 2005 (Newark NJ). Our interview was April 2006 and she's still waiting on the interview notice (keeping in mind the letter usually comes like 2 months before the actual interview date...). Well, I hope things will move along rather quickly for you.

Geez, first my backlog in the Dominican Republic, now another in Orlando. How lucky can I be?

[jelti 0]

Just get the EAD and AP and get on with your life and don't worry about when they'll actually get around to interviewing you...

Uh, actually, I said above that I'm not worried about the interview. I'm worried about the EAD and AP.