USCIS Email Notice Recieved - a few quesitons

[106206 15]

[Note: I learned a few things just after I posted this by "READING" let me note those below]

Last Friday 7/22 we sent a concurrent I-130 / I-485 / I-765 / I-131 via USPS Express Mail

It was received on Monday 7/27

Just today 7/28, I got the below acceptance email from USCIS (scroll down)

I just used "My Case Status" on the USCIS website, and it said it is in "Initial Review"

On July 25, 2011, we received this I130 IMMIGRANT PETITION FOR RELATIVE, FIANCE(E), OR ORPHAN, and mailed you a notice describing how we will process your case.

Have a few questions:

1. Given the above forms were submitted in a single mailing with one cover letter, can I expect to get only one Receipt # / email as below?

2. Does the above/below detail construe anything other than they got the right forms and the right payment amount? Or is even that not implied?

I read on USCIS website what "Acceptance" and "Initial Review" mean. So it leads me to think that the way the package was prepared was sufficient and that everything was filled out OK. Any tidbits of wisdom here or is it that simple?

3. I have not yet seen the checks clear ($420 for I-130 and $1070 for I-485). Maybe that comes tonight. Is that normal?

Dear Applicant/Petitioner:

Your USCIS application/petition has been received and routed to the National Benefits Center for processing. Within 7-10 days by standard mail you will receive your official Receipt Notice (Form I-797) with your Receipt Number MSC##########. With the official Receipt Notice (Form I-797) you may visit www.uscis.gov where you can check the status of your application using My Case Status. We suggest you wait until you have received your Form I-797 before checking My Case Status.

This confirmation provides notification of the date USCIS received your application/petition. This notice does NOT grant any immigration status or benefit. You MAY NOT present this notice as evidence that you have been granted any immigration status or benefit. Further, this notice does NOT constitute evidence that your application remains pending with USCIS. The current status of your application/petition must be verified with USCIS.

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE

Edited July 28, 2011 by caterino

[Casprd 167]

Yes you will only get 1 case number for your petition

The initial review is just that. Mark a date on your calendar 5 months from now and try to ignore things until then

Yes they could clear any day.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Yes you will only get 1 case number for your petition

The initial review is just that. Mark a date on your calendar 5 months from now and try to ignore things until then

Yes they could clear any day.

This is incorrect. Furthermore, the OP is doing a concurrent petition, not a I-130 for a spouse abroad, so 5 months means nothing.

Anyway OP, that means that your application was sufficiently complete in order to warrant that they accept it for review. Now the process is starting. You can still get an RFE. You checks will cash soon. You will get up to 4 receipt notices for your package. One for the I-130, one for the I-485, and one each for the I-765 and the I-131 (if you applied for those). Next step is to wait for biometrics. Good luck.

[106206 15]

Again more "READING" led me to this on USCIS:

If you have filed an I-485, I-589, I-751, N-400, I-90, I-821, I-131 or I-765, you can expect to receive an appointment notice to appear at an Application Support Center to have your fingerprints and/or photographs 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.

[106206 15]

Good news (I think) - we got the I-797C Notice of Action today in the mail, 14 days after the I-130/I-485/I-765 was received by USCIS in Chicago on 7/24.

It says that my wife needs to go to her biometrics appointment on 8/29.

Questions:

1. Getting this appointment in the above timeframe - is that normal or faster than normal?
   
2. My research led me to think a "NOA1" was coming then a "NOA2" is coming. There is nothing on this form that says "NOA1" or "NOA2". Is this something else?
   
3. I just learned the other day that if you do not have the beneficiary's name on the mailbox sometimes they do not deliver the USCIS mail (true or not I don't know but scared me and now her name is on mailbox Is the form I describe above the first form that we should have expected? Or is it possible something else was sent then rejected?
   

Thanks

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

The speed is normal, though you should have gotten a notice your petition was accepted ("This petition has been accepted for initial review" on a I-797 Notice of Action - NOA), and also a separate notice that you have a biometrics appointment (Also on a I-797). Noa2 won't really come into play too much for you - You will get it as a formality after your interview and approval (It's the notice of approval on the I-130), but by the time it comes it will be a formality, not news like it is for visa applicants. I don't think you need the first Notice of Action for anything, though I would put both names on the mailbox to be sure everything gets to you.

It's possible they combined the NOA1 and biometrics appointment on the same letter. Does yours say "Accepted for initial review" anywhere?

Edited August 5, 2011 by Harpa Timsah

[106206 15]

It does not say anything about notice of acceptance, however I can say that on the USCIS website it says that all cases are in "Inital Review"

The I-797C says

"To process your application, the (USCIS) must capture your biometrics.

PLEASE APPEAR AT THE BELOW APPLICATION SUPPORT CENTER AT THE DATE AND TIME SPECIFIED.

IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR AS SHCEUDLED, YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE CONSIDERED ABANDONED."

I thought the NOA1 or NOA2 was the document that we had to keep on hand to show that her case was in process, the document with which if someone stopped her i.e. ICE, she could show them and it would serve to mean that she is fine to say while the application is pending. Is that not the case?

The speed is normal, though you should have gotten a notice your petition was accepted ("This petition has been accepted for initial review" on a I-797 Notice of Action - NOA), and also a separate notice that you have a biometrics appointment (Also on a I-797). Noa2 won't really come into play too much for you - You will get it as a formality after your interview and approval (It's the notice of approval on the I-130), but by the time it comes it will be a formality, not news like it is for visa applicants. I don't think you need the first Notice of Action for anything, though I would put both names on the mailbox to be sure everything gets to you.

It's possible they combined the NOA1 and biometrics appointment on the same letter. Does yours say "Accepted for initial review" anywhere?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Sounds like you do not have a NOA1. It might come in the mail tomorrow - who knows - maybe it got stuck somewhere. Chances of her getting pulled over are slim, and they can look up her application in the computer. Like I said, the NOA1 is a paper that says "we have received your application and accepted it for review."

[BenjaminUKtoUSA 7]

Sometimes they mess up. My MSC number never worked for my I-130 at all through out the entire process. You should get a NOA soon. you should get three. One for the I765, one for the I-130 and one for the i485. Funny how you got your biometrics before receiving the NOA.

Remember, the best advice we can give you is to NOT worry over this stuff. I came over on VWP, and we made it.

Good luck, keep us posted !

[106206 15]

Thanks guys for the encouragement.

I just want to ensure we have right stuff to keep process moving. I think that since we have Biometrics appt we are headed in right direction.

That and getting her EAD and SSN so she can get driver's license.....

[106206 15]

How it worked out:

Three 797C "receipt" forms arrived yesterday, 2 days after the 797C Appointment Notice for Biometrics.

The notice dates were 7/28 for these, whereas the Appointment Notice was 8/1.

While the Return Address says Lee's Summit MO on all of them, the 3 Reciept Notices that came in yesterday were stamped with a Chicago zip code.

So it probably just took longer for the mail from Chigago to get here.

Did not see a receipt notice for the I-130 I assume that should arrive as well.

Edited August 7, 2011 by caterino