Am I being too optimistic?

[Eenerz 0]

So, being optimistic, and thinking about corporate hiring cycles, I started applying to jobs about 6 weeks before I thought my EAD would be processed. Based on the (oh-so-awesome) timelines here at VJ, my EAD should be processed sometime in the next 2 weeks.

I got a call back, for what I believe to be a perfect position in my somewhat-specialized field (like 3 or 4 openings in a city of 4 million kinda specialized). I've let the potential employer know about my current status, and that it's only a matter of time before I get word back from the USCIS.

What I'm worried about is a potential delay between 'approval' and holding the card in my hand. Oh, and getting a SSN. I wanted to wait to get my married name on my SSN and forgot about my I-94 expiring, so I am without both a EAD and a SSN.

I've ballparked mid-November to the potential employer, my question is, with a process date of say November 4th or November 11th, am I being too optimistic for the biometrics, card, redirect on the mail (we moved), and the wait at the Social Security office.

Thank you in advance VJers

Eenerz

[amykathleen2005 441]

If you don't even have your biometrics appointment you are being too optimistic...

[VanessaTony 3,567]

If you haven't had biometrics AND you moved, it's unlikely that you will get your EAD anytime soon.

Reasons being, they don't "redirect" government mail. You're hoping that they did the address change in the system correctly (I assume you filed and AR-11 change of address form or did it online?). The address change often stuffs up.

Those that do their biometrics usually get the card around 2 weeks later, but timelines have slowed considerably, some waiting 2 months or more for the biometrics appointment.

I'm sorry, i hope for your sake I'm wrong, but it doesn't look good.

[K and L 27]

If you have an actual job offer, your Congressman should be willing to help expedite your EAD. As it is, if you haven't gotten a biometrics letter by now, you should be contacting them (to see if it's held up or if it was sent to the wrong address) and potentially your Congressman if it hasn't been sent. You need the letter to do the biometrics, and they need the biometrics to do the EAD.

[Eenerz 0]

Thank you for this information guys. I didn't realize that I could expect the biometrics appointment so soon after recieving the NOA, so we weren't really worried about it.

After calling the USCIS, they've advised that they recieved my change of address but that they couldn't confirm whether an appointment letter had been sent out. I explained the situation to the representative, and she seemed to be interested in helping as much as she could. They have sent an electronic notification to the processing office (which may be Atlanta or Charleston) and hopefully they will contact me soon.

So here's hoping that the potential employer is OK with waiting just a little longer for me if that's the case. Between biometrics and EAD approval/card in hand, what do we think? 2 weeks? 3 weeks?

Thanks again guys

Eenerz

[Gemmie 142]

I got my EAD card nearly a month after the biometrics, and the GC two months after my biometrics.

Fingers crossed for you.

[K and L 27]

FWIW it's been almost a week since we were notified of our approval and the EAD isn't in hand yet. 4-5 weeks is probably a better estimate.

[silvermug 16]

The approval of the applications and the arrival of the documents are not so much within our control. Some get theirs fast, some take longer than usual.

If you run out of options, you can speak to your employer if they could delay your start date.