The touches!

[mathranik 2]

Hey all, Just a small question :

I filed for AOS on the 10th Aug'10 and got my NOAs on the 1st Sep'10, plus got my biometrics done on the 2nd of Sept'10. The USCIS website doesn't recognize my receipt numbers yet, as is the case with a lot of other cases. I requested an expedite for my EAD through my congressman and the lady informed me that the request has been forwarded and my EAD application is already with an officer who is adjudicating it. I would like to know that since my case doesn't show up on the USCIS website, how do I get to know about the 'touches' that everyone mentions here? Do I just call the 1-800 number and get my call escalated, or is there any other way to go about it? It's the anxiety that's creeping in!

Thanks all!

Edited September 12, 2010 by mathranik

[moroccogirlny 100]

Hey all, Just a small question :

I filed for AOS on the 10th Aug'10 and got my NOAs on the 1st Sep'10, plus got my biometrics done on the 2nd of Sept'10. The USCIS website doesn't recognize my receipt numbers yet, as is the case with a lot of other cases. I requested an expedite for my EAD through my congressman and the lady informed me that the request has been forwarded and my EAD application is already with an officer who is adjudicating it. I would like to know that since my case doesn't show up on the USCIS website, how do I get to know about the 'touches' that everyone mentions here? Do I just call the 1-800 number and get my call escalated, or is there any other way to go about it? It's the anxiety that's creeping in!

Thanks all!

Does your receipt number from your NOA1 match with the #'s that you received in your text/email?

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Hey all, Just a small question :

I filed for AOS on the 10th Aug'10 and got my NOAs on the 1st Sep'10, plus got my biometrics done on the 2nd of Sept'10. The USCIS website doesn't recognize my receipt numbers yet, as is the case with a lot of other cases. I requested an expedite for my EAD through my congressman and the lady informed me that the request has been forwarded and my EAD application is already with an officer who is adjudicating it. I would like to know that since my case doesn't show up on the USCIS website, how do I get to know about the 'touches' that everyone mentions here? Do I just call the 1-800 number and get my call escalated, or is there any other way to go about it? It's the anxiety that's creeping in!

Thanks all!

They are sometimes really slow about transferring information into the CRIS online system. Other than having something interesting to write in your signature, touches don't mean anything. There would be little point in calling them just to find out if your file has been touched.

Did you really call your congressman to expedite your EAD? It's only been a month since you filed your AOS. Is there an emergency that requires you to get an EAD quickly?

[mathranik 2]

Does your receipt number from your NOA1 match with the #'s that you received in your text/email?

Yes they do.All the three of them.

They are sometimes really slow about transferring information into the CRIS online system. Other than having something interesting to write in your signature, touches don't mean anything. There would be little point in calling them just to find out if your file has been touched.

Did you really call your congressman to expedite your EAD? It's only been a month since you filed your AOS. Is there an emergency that requires you to get an EAD quickly?

Oh, then it's ok.

Yes I did call my congressman and fax her the privacy form signed and filled up, as well as evidence of our financial hardship. My wife is still a student, and I am not eligible to work yet, which makes it completely dependent on her parents. Also, I have had two job offers which I had to turn down because of my ineligibility to work.

Is that a decent enough reason, or you feel they wouldn't really acknowledge it?

Thank you for your help!

[fiestagirl 7]

It doesn't seem that the USCIS website has updated this past week. My AOS was approved on Sept 7, yet the USCIS site still says it is in "initial review". Give it a few more days at least - if not even more time. My husband's petition for me (I-130) was approved Sept 1 and it also says still in initial review.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Yes I did call my congressman and fax her the privacy form signed and filled up, as well as evidence of our financial hardship. My wife is still a student, and I am not eligible to work yet, which makes it completely dependent on her parents. Also, I have had two job offers which I had to turn down because of my ineligibility to work.

Is that a decent enough reason, or you feel they wouldn't really acknowledge it?

Thank you for your help!

Hard to say. I presume you had a joint sponsor for the affidavit of support, yes?

The words "financial hardship" tend to scare immigration officers. They're supposed to determine if there's a likelihood that you'll become a public charge. Telling them you have a financial hardship might increase their suspicion that you would. Telling them the financial hardship is an emergency might make it even worse. Dunno. I'm just guessing. I've never heard of anyone asking for an expedited EAD because of financial hardship, probably because the sponsor is supposed to be trying to convince them that supporting the immigrant is NOT a financial hardship. Let us know how it works out.

[mathranik 2]

Hard to say. I presume you had a joint sponsor for the affidavit of support, yes?

The words "financial hardship" tend to scare immigration officers. They're supposed to determine if there's a likelihood that you'll become a public charge. Telling them you have a financial hardship might increase their suspicion that you would. Telling them the financial hardship is an emergency might make it even worse. Dunno. I'm just guessing. I've never heard of anyone asking for an expedited EAD because of financial hardship, probably because the sponsor is supposed to be trying to convince them that supporting the immigrant is NOT a financial hardship. Let us know how it works out.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I have filed with a joint sponsor.

It would be ironical to expedite the EAD without a financial hardship, unless ofcourse one is in great need of a Driver's license, and that's how one gets the SSN! I have seen a lot of EAD Expedite requests on this forum, where the applicant sends in unpaid utility bills and other proofs of financial hardships, along with a job offer letter. I did something on those lines, of course minus the unpaid bills because we don't have any! I don't see any other valid reason to have an expedited EAD. Or maybe I am missing out somewhere.

The congressman got back to me, saying it is already being adjudicated and that the card processing order would be issued soon. Let's hope for the best.

Thank you for your constant inputs.

[mathranik 2]

Hard to say. I presume you had a joint sponsor for the affidavit of support, yes?

The words "financial hardship" tend to scare immigration officers. They're supposed to determine if there's a likelihood that you'll become a public charge. Telling them you have a financial hardship might increase their suspicion that you would. Telling them the financial hardship is an emergency might make it even worse. Dunno. I'm just guessing. I've never heard of anyone asking for an expedited EAD because of financial hardship, probably because the sponsor is supposed to be trying to convince them that supporting the immigrant is NOT a financial hardship. Let us know how it works out.

I had called USCIS up today, and my call was escalated to 2nd tier. Actually, I had to enquire about my EAD application which has been expedited by my congressmen's office. (My cases don't show up on uscis.gov yet). The officer was polite, and he told me (in a very vague way) that I shouldn't be worried about the expedite as I would get my EAD by 29th of September anyways! What would that mean, literally? Has it been mailed, or has the EAD card production been issued, or..... ?

Any clues, anyone?