February 2017 AOS Filers

[Becci391 339]

Just now, Californiansunset said:

You're still really early, no reason to get nervous. I'd also be careful expediting your EAD if you don't have a co-sponsor. USCIS in most cases doesn't approve an EAD expedite solely based on the fact that you have a job offer. You need to give them a reason why which is usually financial hardship. Now if your husband is your only sponsor and thus signed a paper verifying that he has sufficient income and can provide the living costs for you it contradicts the point you make with expediting the EAD based on financial hardship. I'd be very careful with that. 

 

why can't you find a job that can be used to expedite? They can not discriminate and choose certain jobs to be "appropriate" for an expedite and say others aren't. 

I see...yes, he makes enough income and can pay for the living costs. I would just like to support him and would like to pay some of the costs. But I guess that's no real reason to expedite the EAD.

I only submitted two online applications as of right now and they wanted to know if I have a valid work permit (I let them know that I am still waiting for my permit and that it still can take some weeks until the EAD is in the mail.) So, I guess the only thing I can do is to wait until the status changes.

[Californiansunset 336]

25 minutes ago, Becci391 said:

I see...yes, he makes enough income and can pay for the living costs. I would just like to support him and would like to pay some of the costs. But I guess that's no real reason to expedite the EAD.

I only submitted two online applications as of right now and they wanted to know if I have a valid work permit (I let them know that I am still waiting for my permit and that it still can take some weeks until the EAD is in the mail.) So, I guess the only thing I can do is to wait until the status changes.

I know everyone wants to support their partner, USCIS obviously doesn't think it's a sufficient reason  

 

Don't point the lack of the EAD in your application out. Let them invite you to an interview so you can convince them that you're a great fit. When they ask you there for your work permission, that is when you tell them that you're still waiting for it. If they really like you, they'll wait for you. Give them a chance to get to know you first. I'm doing the same. I'm applying for jobs and once the interview comes, I'll tell them. I'm hoping that my job experiences and skills is good enough to convince them that it's worth the wait.

[Californiansunset 336]

@Becci391

Just another thought: I noticed that you and me have the same filing date (off by one day but who's counting). That also means that VJ tells both of us that our EAD may be adjucated between June 1st and June 7th or something. Now VJ is generating these numbers taking the Filing date as the initial start date for USCIS. This would've been correct if Chicago didn't have the backlog at that time. While my file was touched on February 27th as a receive date, yours was accepted over 2 weeks after mine. VJ doesn't take that into account. Thus my biometrics was 2 weeks before yours as well. Do you notice something?! 

Chances are high that your VJ estimation when you will supposedly get your EAD is not accurate for a case like yours that was sitting at USCIS forever due to a backlog.  All I'm trying to say is, dont get nervous if ppl with the same Sent date get EADs and you don't. Chances are high that you'll get your EAD a little later. That's also why I said to not use the Sent date for the 75 days service request date as it is completely off for people like you. You are not a February but a March Filer because USCIS didn't even know your file existed until March 11th when they officially said they received it. 

 

Obviously I'm not an expert in this and I might be wrong too but I hope you can see how what I'm saying makes sense. 

Don't get upset though, people get randomly approved for their EADs all the time so you might also be one of the lucky ones who gets it super early.  

[MR_E 34]

Visa journey timeline confuses people sometimes. Because under the AOS, EAD and AP data fields there's only filing date and an NOA date field. The confusion rises up when people think filing date means the date when they send out the package (via usps or other courier service). Or the day when usps says that it delivered the package to the destination. The actual filing date is niether of these two. Its the date written under "Receipt Date" or "Date Received" box in the notice of action letter. This is the date when USCIS actually recognizes their application and would count 90 days from then when adjudicating. Also the NOA date is not the "Receipt date" its the date written under "Notice Date" box in the NOA letter, which is just to notify you when they printed the letter it has no role in counting of days, the actual start date is the received date. I would appreciate if the developers update Visa journey timelines to include another field named as "Receipt Date" besides "Filing Date" and "NOA Date" to avoid confusions regarding this matter.

[allyrose 31]

Got our approval notice for EAD today! Still nothing for AOS though.

Edited May 1, 2017 by allyrose

[T_McCann 10]

3 minutes ago, allyrose said:

Hi. I have a question. We got the approval notice of the EAD in the mail today. We are just confused about some verbiage in it. It says that if you have a pending I-485 which we do, "you may request to change employers if your form I-485 has been pending for at least 180 days. In order to do so you need to submit documentation about your new job offer." 

 

So does this mean my husband can now get a job, but if he loses it, he a) cannot get another job because our I-485 has not been pending for that long and we're screwed and b) if it has been 180 days, can't simply change employers and start to work at the new job?

Hi there,

 

Did you expedite your husbands EAD? Just curious as we have a really similar timeline

[allyrose 31]

Just now, T_McCann said:

Hi there,

 

Did you expedite your husbands EAD? Just curious as we have a really similar timeline

No we didn't! Maybe yours will come soon!

[MR_E 34]

2 minutes ago, allyrose said:

Hi. I have a question. We got the approval notice of the EAD in the mail today. We are just confused about some verbiage in it. It says that if you have a pending I-485 which we do, "you may request to change employers if your form I-485 has been pending for at least 180 days. In order to do so you need to submit documentation about your new job offer." 

 

So does this mean my husband can now get a job, but if he loses it, he a) cannot get another job because our I-485 has not been pending for that long and we're screwed and b) if it has been 180 days, can't simply change employers and start to work at the new job?

Hi Allyrose. I think they generally print letters, forms and instructions from one of the few standard formats but you really have to look and ask at every thing "does this apply to me?"

So basically from your timeline I see your application is a marriage based adjustment and not an employment based one. Working for the same employer that sponsors you for you i-485 application is required when you're actually adjusting through your employer. I dont think this is applicable for your case. Enjoy working on the basis of your EAD until Green card comes up and overrides the EAD for two good years (atleast).

[T_McCann 10]

Just now, allyrose said:

No we didn't! Maybe yours will come soon!

Fingers crossed!!! I'm just sitting at home  We decided to get a puppy in December, at least now he is now trained up like a champion with all the time I've had haha 

[Californiansunset 336]

7 minutes ago, mhbrz said:

Visa journey timeline confuses people sometimes. Because under the AOS, EAD and AP data fields there's only filing date and an NOA date field. The confusion rises up when people think filing date means the date when they send out the package (via usps or other courier service). Or the day when usps says that it delivered the package to the destination. The actual filing date is niether of these two. Its the date written under "Receipt Date" or "Date Received" box in the notice of action letter. This is the date when USCIS actually recognizes their application and would count 90 days from then when adjudicating. Also the NOA date is not the "Receipt date" its the date written under "Notice Date" box in the NOA letter, which is just to notify you when they printed the letter it has no role in counting of days, the actual start date is the received date. I would appreciate if the developers update Visa journey timelines to include another field named as "Receipt Date" besides "Filing Date" and "NOA Date" to avoid confusions regarding this matter.

100% agree! I've seen these mixed up Sol much, especially ppl who count the 75 days from their Sent date. Thanks for the clarification! 

[allyrose 31]

1 minute ago, mhbrz said:

Hi Allyrose. I think they generally print letters, forms and instructions from one of the few standard formats but you really have to look and ask at every thing "does this apply to me?"

So basically from your timeline I see your application is a marriage based adjustment and not an employment based one. Working for the same employer that sponsors you for you i-485 application is required when you're actually adjusting through your employer. I dont think this is applicable for your case. Enjoy working on the basis of your EAD until Green card comes up and overrides the EAD for two good years (atleast).

Thanks! 

[Californiansunset 336]

10 minutes ago, T_McCann said:

Hi there,

 

Did you expedite your husbands EAD? Just curious as we have a really similar timeline

Technically your timeline isn't similar at all!! The only thing that is similar is your Sent date. Allyrose got her NOA1 three weeks after yours... likely also had her biometrics three weeks after you did. Still she got approved before you. I noticed that right now EADs seem to get approved randomly. The backlog must've messed the processing times up. There is no consistency anymore whatsoever. 

 

@Becci391

Thats what I mean... gives hope for people like you that got screwed over due to the backlog

[Becci391 339]

3 minutes ago, Californiansunset said:

Technically your timeline isn't similar at all!! The only thing that is similar is your Sent date. Allyrose got her NOA1 three weeks after yours... likely also had her biometrics three weeks after you did. Still she got approved before you. I noticed that right now EADs seem to get approved randomly. The backlog must've messed the processing times up. There is no consistency anymore whatsoever. 

 

@Becci391

Thats what I mean... gives hope for people like you that got screwed over due to the backlog

Haha...that's what I'm hoping for.

I want to have some luck too. 😅

[permathought 4]

After far too long, I sent in my requested RFE (for I-485) info in the mail last Wednesday and saw the confirmation of it's receipt today on the USCIS page.  No update regarding EAD/AP.   Waiting...

[klm9971 5]

Silent Feb member here. My wife EAD got approved on May 1st. This is the notice we got online:

 

This is her timeline:

 

Feb end: Packet sent

March 28th: Bio 

New Card Is Being Produced

On May 1, 2017, we ordered your new card for Receipt Number XXXXXXXXXXX, and will mail it to the address you gave us. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

 

Does anyone know when we can anticipate the card in our mailbox?