November 2012 AOS Filers

[sabi 148]

No, nothing, which I guess is why I haven't received any email or text notifications regarding the letter. Strange part is all of my three kids have an appointment too, even though they never paid the fee and that its seems odd to be fingerprinting a 5 year old

Oh well family trip out to USCIS on Friday

I'm sure yours is on its way!

awww that sounds fun

Yeah well I will be ringing them today. It's been exactly 46 days today and this Friday we are going away for 4 days so I dont want to risk it and get the letter on Friday saying my appointment is on Monday I got a letter on December 27th saying that they would contact me within 2 weeks, 2 weeks are gone and big nothing , but hey, nothing surprises me at this stage

Good luck on Friday not that you need it of course this will be probably the easiest part

[SpeedyProcess 3]

So guys just want to let you know I received ead card in the mail on Saturday at noon. Hubby got the mail and there it was priority mail from USCIS. Yay!

Congrats!!!!!

[sabi 148]

after talking to tier2 I have found out I had missed my biometrics. It was scheduled for December 28 and believe it or not I never got the letter so I had no idea! Not showing up might be treated as giving up your petition! Also what is the point in signing up for the email notification if they don't follow?? Tier 2 is trying to reschedule for me but right now I expect the worst... I just hate this non existing service! well great start of the week

[GrappleApple 10]

after talking to tier2 I have found out I had missed my biometrics. It was scheduled for December 28 and believe it or not I never got the letter so I had no idea! Not showing up might be treated as giving up your petition! Also what is the point in signing up for the email notification if they don't follow?? Tier 2 is trying to reschedule for me but right now I expect the worst... I just hate this non existing service! well great start of the week

oh jeez that sucks!!

I had almost thought that had happened to us, I think they sent so many out over the Christmas break, its bad there is no other way of knowing other than their letter, so many must get lost.

Hang on in there, its nothing you have done and I'm sure they will reschedule soon!!

Good Luck and keep us updated.

[sabi 148]

oh jeez that sucks!!

I had almost thought that had happened to us, I think they sent so many out over the Christmas break, its bad there is no other way of knowing other than their letter, so many must get lost.

Hang on in there, its nothing you have done and I'm sure they will reschedule soon!!

Good Luck and keep us updated.

Thanks, will do!

[s2kroma 0]

Nice. We are finally getting the ball rolling on EAD approvals. I'm getting. Excited now. Congratulations .

Nice. I had my biometrics back on November 29 and still didn't hear from USCIS since then.

[kittylondon 47]

On a different topic completely, how many November filers kept their maiden name vs. took on their husband's name? I actually decided to keep my maiden name for now, it was a little too much change for me all at once, and since i was the one to move so far away from my home and family, i felt that keeping my surname was a way to stay connected to those things. Personal choice, and maybe I'll even want to change it myself one day, especially when we have kids. In any case, I assume lots of women keep their names and it wouldn't possibly be used against me in terms of establishing an ongoing bona fide relationship, given that it's 2013?! Here's hoping!

[jitterbug 20]

I did not change my name I will take my husband's name after our Church wedding in 2014 and right after removal of conditions

On a different topic completely, how many November filers kept their maiden name vs. took on their husband's name? I actually decided to keep my maiden name for now, it was a little too much change for me all at once, and since i was the one to move so far away from my home and family, i felt that keeping my surname was a way to stay connected to those things. Personal choice, and maybe I'll even want to change it myself one day, especially when we have kids. In any case, I assume lots of women keep their names and it wouldn't possibly be used against me in terms of establishing an ongoing bona fide relationship, given that it's 2013?! Here's hoping!

[GrappleApple 10]

So I just received a duplicate letter for my biometrics, and oddly it also contained someone else's letter regarding their case.

I'm reporting as I'd hate to think my letters have been sent to the wrong person and not actioned, ending in cancelled appointments. A scary thought....

[GrappleApple 10]

I also just went for a nose around in October filers, a lot of those are still waiting on biometrics and interview dates too, interestingly I found this post:

XXXXX according to your timeline you filed a a K1 (which does mean youre eligible for AOS approval w/o an interview) So I dont know why the level 2 operator would say you were most likely interview waiver-able- you definitely fit into that category. Also it shows you are able to access your 485 online through my case status.

When you access your case it should show where youre currently being processed. If its showing initial review or acceptance at the National Benefits Center or as its referred to here the NBC, then thats where you would get approved w/o an interview. You would 'jump' right from that step to 'decision'

If its not showing youre at the NBC in initial review or acceptance and rather it shows youre in the testing/interview stage it means you have been selected for an interview at your local office.

I know a lot of November filers are with NBC, can anyone validate the above or were they just speculating?

My edit:

Just found this on USCIS:

Workload Transfer from Service Centers to Field Operations

"Interview Waivable cases are family-based I-485s which USCIS has determined can be adjudicated without an interview. In the past, the NBC completed pre-processing of these cases and then transferred them to the California Service Center for adjudication. On Aug. 1, 2012, the NBC started to retain these cases for adjudication."

Can you tell I have a quiet morning??

Edited January 15, 2013 by GrappleApple

[photomile 101]

I can't comment on that one Grapple but I jus got off the phone with the USCIS to try and find out what's really going on with my case, just in case anything had gotten lost for me.

His words (And this is not the first time I've heard this) "You need to ignore the online page. That system does not work properly at all. Totally ignore it, it's useless"

My case is fine fortunately, but nope this isn't the first time I've been told this by the USCIS.

Interestingly, their automated phone service pulls from that same system. I also remember that it was quite well known that Tier 1 get their case updates from the same thing because they aren't USCIS. They're just a call center. Which essentially leads me to believe that unless you can speak to tier 2, there is simply no way of getting an accurate answer to ANYTHING unless you've gotten it in the mail.

Fun.

I wish there was an easier way to get to tier 2

Just found this on USCIS:

Workload Transfer from Service Centers to Field Operations

"Interview Waivable cases are family-based I-485s which USCIS has determined can be adjudicated without an interview. In the past, the NBC completed pre-processing of these cases and then transferred them to the California Service Center for adjudication. On Aug. 1, 2012, the NBC started to retain these cases for adjudication."

Can you tell I have a quiet morning??

Now that's interesting... hmmm

Oh yes another thing, the advisor told me that they have 90 days to make a decision AFTER they receive biometrics. He didn't specify if that was for EAD or for AOS but.... that was an interesting thing to come out of conversation

[Storm24 2]

Nice. I had my biometrics back on November 29 and still didn't hear from USCIS since then.

Wow that's not good. I hope you get you biometrics soon. Maybe you would get approved same day. Did you do a sevice request.?

[GrappleApple 10]

Oh yes another thing, the advisor told me that they have 90 days to make a decision AFTER they receive biometrics. He didn't specify if that was for EAD or for AOS but.... that was an interesting thing to come out of conversation

Very interesting! could be why they stagger biometrics appointments and people get them earlier than some. Of course, we are both assuming logic is at play with this whole process, and you know what assuming does..

[Sonita 1]

I also just went for a nose around in October filers, a lot of those are still waiting on biometrics and interview dates too, interestingly I found this post:

XXXXX according to your timeline you filed a a K1 (which does mean youre eligible for AOS approval w/o an interview) So I dont know why the level 2 operator would say you were most likely interview waiver-able- you definitely fit into that category. Also it shows you are able to access your 485 online through my case status.

When you access your case it should show where youre currently being processed. If its showing initial review or acceptance at the National Benefits Center or as its referred to here the NBC, then thats where you would get approved w/o an interview. You would 'jump' right from that step to 'decision'

If its not showing youre at the NBC in initial review or acceptance and rather it shows youre in the testing/interview stage it means you have been selected for an interview at your local office.

I know a lot of November filers are with NBC, can anyone validate the above or were they just speculating?

My edit:

Just found this on USCIS:

Workload Transfer from Service Centers to Field Operations

"Interview Waivable cases are family-based I-485s which USCIS has determined can be adjudicated without an interview. In the past, the NBC completed pre-processing of these cases and then transferred them to the California Service Center for adjudication. On Aug. 1, 2012, the NBC started to retain these cases for adjudication."

Can you tell I have a quiet morning??

From what I've read most K1s don't get an interview , because we already had an interview for the K1 visa , a small number of K1s still get interviewed though. Also previously when you are not getting an interview they would transfer the case to California Service Center , but now due to work load, cases are approved in NBC , so there is no real way of knowing if you are getting an interview or not because you case just stays in NBC until it gets transferred to a local office for interview or until you get approved and receive your green card.

Also I noticed that people with interviews get their green cards months earlier than the interview waiver-able ones who get theirs in about 4-6 months. Most people don't hear anything for months after they get their EAD/AP.

I may also fall under the interview waiver-able as I haven't heard anything since my biometrics, I'm not sure that's a good thing though, that means no green card for a long time. Hopefully we'll get our EAD/AP soon.

[jitterbug 20]

Gah I really don't like speculations It makes me get hopeful only to find myself (still) waiting for news