OS155A Initial Evaluation - no green card yet

[Svadharma 11]

My husband arrived here on July 31, 2009 with a CR1 visa. He has already received his social security card. We also received a letter for him to go to the local Application Support Center. We went there on August 25, 2009 and they took a fingerprint and a photo and got a signature.

Now it is October 8th and we still haven't received his green card. USCIS' web site says that the case status is under Initial Review.

On August 6, 2009, we received this OS155A IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION, and mailed you a notice describing how we will process your case. Please follow any instructions on this notice. You will be notified by mail when a decision is made, or if the office needs something from you. If you move while this case is pending, please use our Change of Address online tool to update your case with your new address or contact our customer service center at 1-800-375-5283.

During this step, USCIS initiates the background checks of the applicant/petitioner and identifies issues that may need to be addressed either during an interview or by asking the applicant/petitioner to submit additional information or documentation. USCIS reviews applicant's/petitioner's criminal history, determines if there are national security concerns that need to be addressed, and reviews the application/petition for fraud indicators.

If you have filed an I-485, I-589, I-751, N-400, I-90, I-821, I-131, I-130 or I-765, you can expect to receive an appointment notice to appear at an Application Support Center to have your fingerprints and/or biometrics taken. The timing of your appointment is determined by the number of applicants ahead of you that also need a biometric appointment. We try to schedule biometric appointments as quickly as possible and in most cases you will receive your appointment notice within 30 days of submitting your application. We will send your appointment notice approximately 14 days ahead of your scheduled appointment. It is important that you keep this appointment. If absolutely necessary, you can request that your appointment be rescheduled however, please be aware that rescheduling may delay the processing of your application. Please follow the instructions on your appointment notice if you need to reschedule.

Does anyone know how long this should take or why it is taking so long? I tried to call but they just say that if we have heard from them or we have done something for the case within the last 60 days that they are still working on it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

[milimelo 4,466]

My husband arrived here on July 31, 2009 with a CR1 visa. He has already received his social security card. We also received a letter for him to go to the local Application Support Center. We went there on August 25, 2009 and they took a fingerprint and a photo and got a signature.

Now it is October 8th and we still haven't received his green card. USCIS' web site says that the case status is under Initial Review.

On August 6, 2009, we received this OS155A IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION, and mailed you a notice describing how we will process your case. Please follow any instructions on this notice. You will be notified by mail when a decision is made, or if the office needs something from you. If you move while this case is pending, please use our Change of Address online tool to update your case with your new address or contact our customer service center at 1-800-375-5283.

During this step, USCIS initiates the background checks of the applicant/petitioner and identifies issues that may need to be addressed either during an interview or by asking the applicant/petitioner to submit additional information or documentation. USCIS reviews applicant's/petitioner's criminal history, determines if there are national security concerns that need to be addressed, and reviews the application/petition for fraud indicators.

If you have filed an I-485, I-589, I-751, N-400, I-90, I-821, I-131, I-130 or I-765, you can expect to receive an appointment notice to appear at an Application Support Center to have your fingerprints and/or biometrics taken. The timing of your appointment is determined by the number of applicants ahead of you that also need a biometric appointment. We try to schedule biometric appointments as quickly as possible and in most cases you will receive your appointment notice within 30 days of submitting your application. We will send your appointment notice approximately 14 days ahead of your scheduled appointment. It is important that you keep this appointment. If absolutely necessary, you can request that your appointment be rescheduled however, please be aware that rescheduling may delay the processing of your application. Please follow the instructions on your appointment notice if you need to reschedule.

Does anyone know how long this should take or why it is taking so long? I tried to call but they just say that if we have heard from them or we have done something for the case within the last 60 days that they are still working on it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

That's interesting - I entered with CR-1 visa and never had to go to ASC. Then again, I never received the GC until I contacted our congressman (6 months after visa activation). Never changed address as we never moved. I think there's a story on this in my profile.

If the GC does not show up in 6 months following his POE entry, get your congressman involved to get it.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

You might want to make an Infopass appointment to check this out. CR-1s are supposed to be green card approved when they enter - all of the security checks are supposed to be completed, not initiated after his arrival. That message just doesn't make sense for a CR-1 - a K-3 maybe, but not a CR-1. Time to get it sorted out - don't wait. You can make an infopass appointment for your local USCIS office by going to the USCIS website: http://www.uscis.gov. On the left hand side at the bottom under "Other Services" you will find a link to "Make an Appointment (Infopass)". Click on that and follow the instructions.

Good luck.

Edited October 8, 2009 by Kathryn41

[Princess In Love 0]

I'm in the same situation as your husband, i entered US in july and still didn't get my GC, last week i recieved a letter from uscis to do biometrics, the appointement is 2 weeks from now...

At the airport they didn't take a photo of me or take my fingerprints , they've only stamped my passport ...There was a problem with my brown envelope, the papers inside were not mine, the consulate made a mistake and put in another person's papers instead of mine...

[Svadharma 11]

Thanks for the ideas! My husband's documents in the brown envelope were fine and they did biometrics in the airport, so I'm not sure why we had to redo them.

I just scheduled an InfoPass appointment; we'll go next week (on the 16th). If that doesn't work, I will contact my Congressman.

Thanks again!

[Svadharma 11]

An update: The Infopass appointment did not seem to do anything. They had access to the same info that I had on the internet. They said that USCIS has 90 days to get us the green card after they receive the case, which was on August 6th for us (a week after his arrival). They said this is because there is a new green card, causing many people to need to have theirs reissued, making it slower for some people who are getting their first one.

So, we are going to keep waiting.

[Svadharma 11]

Another update: On Saturday, October 31st we received a welcome letter from USCIS, telling us to expect the green card within 30 days. On Thursday, November 5th, we received the green card. USCIS received my husband's case on August 6th (after his arrival into the country on July 31st with a CR1 visa), so.... almost 3 months exactly.

Now, we should have a break... until it is time to remove the conditions from his residency.....

[Thanh Mai 0]

My wife receive 3 letter so far, one say receipt notice fee previously collected, and two letter say Welcome Notice.

She enter to US on October 23, and didn't have SS card or GC card yet.

Thanh