Immigrant Fee, Green Card Case Status Insight Needed

[Mar_Wil 12]

We paid the $165 immigration fee on June 06, 2013; my wife arrived at her POE June 16, 2013 on an IR-1 visa. She has already received her social security card.

I read here about getting a Fee Is In Suspense status when it said “Initial Review” on the USCIS website, but ever since I paid the immigration fee when I put in our Receipt ID number it always said “Your case can not be found at this time in My Case Status” so we kept patiently waiting, then today when I went to USCIS website and put in our Receipt ID number for the case status check, it says that the case status is under “Initial Review” with the following which I copied and pasted below (which I have not read of anyone getting a case status notice like this for an IR-1 since the new $165 Immigrant Fee payment method on ELIS went into effect). We have not received the notice mailed to us yet since it was just mailed yesterday as stated below. I thought all the background checks were finished long before the POE.

Any insight about this is appreciated.

Your OS155A, IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION was accepted and is being processed at our intake processing center. On July 11, 2013, we mailed you a notice explaining this and describing how we will process your case. Please follow any instructions on this notice. You will be notified by mail when a decision is made, or if the office needs something from you. If you move while this case is pending, please use our Change of Address online tool to update your case with your new address or contact our customer service center at 1-800-375-5283.

During this step, USCIS initiates the background checks of the applicant/petitioner and identifies issues that may need to be addressed either during an interview or by asking the applicant/petitioner to submit additional information or documentation. USCIS reviews the applicant's/petitioner's criminal history, determines if there are national security concerns that need to be addressed, and reviews the application/petition for fraud indicators.

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. If absolutely necessary, you can request that your appointment be rescheduled however, please be aware that rescheduling may delay the processing of your application. Please follow the instructions on your appointment notice if you need to reschedule. Occasionally, you may receive an appointment notice to appear at an Application Support Center to have your fingerprints taken when you have filed a form other than those listed above. In these situations, you may receive your appointment notice more than 30 days after submitting your application or petition.

[NikLR 13,232]

Did you not pay VIA ELIS??? You're supposed to pay visa ELIS now.

If you paid by the old method then you'll have to wait it out. It takes from 4-8 weeks to get the green card AFTER POE.

[Mar_Wil 12]

Did you not pay VIA ELIS??? You're supposed to pay visa ELIS now.

If you paid by the old method then you'll have to wait it out. It takes from 4-8 weeks to get the green card AFTER POE.

I paid on ELIS. I used the Receipt ID number I got after I paid on ELIS to also track on the USCIS website. I looked at both websites yesterday about our status, ELIS said "OPTIMIZED" and processing while USCIS check case status stated what I originally posted above. It was just that I had read of of others getting a status message on USCIS website when it showed "INITIAL REVIEW" saying their OS155A was in SUSPENSION when in processing stage but not what I read on our USCIS case status since the ELIS payment portal went into effect for paying the Immigrant Fee.

[NikLR 13,232]

Go from the ELIS not from the USCIS review.

Once it is optimized it takes about a week at the most to go to closed. It should be closed on the 16th... It takes about a month to produce the card. It can take up to 8 weeks though. Any time after a month you'll be wanting to call the USCIS, talk to a tier 2 and see what's up!

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/439537-green-card-production-after-elis/

TIMELINE:

06/03 - Interview

06/04 - Received Visa

06/04 - Paid New Immigrant Visa Fee via ELIS

06/10 - POE via Land CDN/USA border

06/19 - USCIS recieves and logs my case

07/03 - ELIS updates to "Optimized - In process

07/10 - ELIS updates to "Closed" - Card Produced

07/13 - Card arrives

I wasn't able to look at my receipt number on the USCIS case status at all to be honest. Which didn't surprise me because my initial petition took 2 months to show up on there as well. LOL

[Androx 0]

I paid on ELIS. I used the Receipt ID number I got after I paid on ELIS to also track on the USCIS website. I looked at both websites yesterday about our status, ELIS said "OPTIMIZED" and processing while USCIS check case status stated what I originally posted above. It was just that I had read of of others getting a status message on USCIS website when it showed "INITIAL REVIEW" saying their OS155A was in SUSPENSION when in processing stage but not what I read on our USCIS case status since the ELIS payment portal went into effect for paying the Immigrant Fee.

hi mar wil did you receive your green card? mine has the same thing and i have been in the u,s for 3 months now.

[yoyo888 0]

hi mar wil did you receive your green card? mine has the same thing and i have been in the u,s for 3 months now.

How long did you take to receive your green card? My husband on the same thing.

[NikLR 13,232]

it takes 1-3 months after POE normally. If you haven't yet and it's been 2-3 weeks, go get an SSN card as that can jump start the process.

If you still don't have it within 3 months you call the USCIS and inquire, they can normally put in a service report.

After 6 months you start calling the congressman and ombudsman to get the ball rolling!