Received "copy" not real NOA

[Bangtam 0]

I submitted form I-765 (Employment Authorization) and I-131 (Application for Travel Document) in September. After 3 weeks and still not received any notification (text or email), I call the Customer Service number. The representative put in a request for me. Another week and I received 2 NOAs BUT they are in the normal white paper, not the greenish background with the watermark we usually received. They are just like a front copy of the real NOA. The DMV told me those are copies, hence not valid INS receipts to extend my driver license. I went to the USCIS website and checked the case status, and both receipt numbers are invalid. Waited for 2 weeks, checked again, still invalid.

Just want to know, has this ever happened to anyone else? I could understand if they haven't got time to enter the receipt numbers into system, but sent me a copy of the NOA? Because of Sandy the waiting time on the phone line is really long. They put me on hold for over an hour. I will call back another day.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I saw a news announcement recently that to save money, USCIS is now sending NOA1s on plain white paper. Here, I found it: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=583c8b9740466310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

A receipt that you applied for a benefit will not get you a Driver License, unfortunately.

The online system is unreliable, and your cases might not ever show up there.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Harpa Timsah

[Bangtam 0]

I saw a news announcement recently that to save money, USCIS is now sending NOA1s on plain white paper. Here, I found it:

A receipt that you applied for a benefit will not get you a Driver License, unfortunately.

The online system is unreliable, and your cases might not ever show up there.

Thanks Harpa Timsah. Gee, I got the real NOAs I will go back to the DMV again.

It was not clear in my previous post; I got my driver license last year but it's only valid for a year, now to extend it, I have to provide new or extended residency document. My I-485 is still pending (I know, it's over a year, I called the phone line, service request created, emailed CSC ... still waiting), so NOA of my EAD is another form of INS receipt of application for extension of legal presence of status.

Thanks again.