I-751 July 2017 Filers

[TabeaK 517]

Up to the discretion of the officer, unfortunately. Though I don't understand why they make more work for themselves - you may well need another stamp given California's processing speed.

[mrs thb 331]

11 hours ago, Littletink1433 said:

Hi, 

I filed for my I751 last July and went to Chicago on the 28th of last month to get my passport stamped.

Although I didn't have any issues getting the stamp itself the office only gave me one for 6 months and

told me I would have to return again in 6 months to get another. I see from other posts that peeps have been getting

theirs for a year and I was under the impression that stamps were for a year. Has anyone else had this happen?

 

Thanks

Like the other poster mentioned, each field office runs differently.  Guess it depends upon the supervisor and office managers who run that office.  I got a year's stamp but they kept my extension letter and GC.  Other offices have returned them.  It's a mixed bag.  One would think since its USCIS and DHS related, things would be cut and dry......but it's not.  You just got to go with the flow, unfortunately.

 

My officer, who seemed updated with the I-751 and N-400 process, said CSC July filers should get approval sometime in January, 2019.  

[Boston-Based 0]

16 hours ago, Littletink1433 said:

Hi, 

I filed for my I751 last July and went to Chicago on the 28th of last month to get my passport stamped.

Although I didn't have any issues getting the stamp itself the office only gave me one for 6 months and

told me I would have to return again in 6 months to get another. I see from other posts that peeps have been getting

theirs for a year and I was under the impression that stamps were for a year. Has anyone else had this happen?

 

Thanks

Hi, 

 

Same happened to me in the Boston office. The officer said it is because my case should not take longer than 6 extra months to get resolved (I sent my app on July 2017) so I guess she thought I would only need the stamp for another 6 months. She said if my case has not been resolved within 6 months I can go back and request another stamp, and they would give me an stamp for one year. I hope this helps. 

[theanswerisdance 144]

On 6/29/2018 at 4:22 PM, tdotca said:

Yes please let me/us know how that goes. I am in Sacramento  and if difficult to get an appointment  here, I may make one in Reno! And just in case, can you send me the link for that office or contact info?  My 90days before expiration is some time next week. 

@tdotca Sacramento is currently not allowing you to book an appointment online, you have to submit a help request and wait for them to call you back. Guy who called me back then told me that it just meant there were no appointments available currently and to keep trying. I explained to him three times that the entire field office has suspended making appointments online except in what they deem "urgent" matters (including getting stamps), and that it wasn't a matter of there simply being no open appointments showing online. He finally clued in and tried to find a way to make me an appointment but had no luck. Tried again and got someone else who went through the same process. Then I tried for San Francisco only to find they're doing the exact same thing as Sac re: suspending online appointment scheduling. So efficient.

 

@mrs thb, how long a wait did you have at the Reno office? I tentatively booked an InfoPass for July 30th but will be making the trip with a friend, and just wondered if they can wait in the car or if I'm going to be a long time and should have them go find something to do while I wait...

[qfbariza 26]

I totally agree it is so inconsistent and to discretion of each individual officer. Four months ago I went to San Diego field office to ask about the status of my application. They told me to come back 3 months before expiration of the extension letter to get a stamp.

 

Today  (3 months before expiration of extension letter) I went again to San Diego field office and this time a different officer did not give me any stamp. He told me to wait until the month it expires (October) to get the stamp. He did not care what the previous officer told me. I guess I would have to go back early October or may try again in September.

 

He also mentioned that it was a little risky to apply for N400 because if I-751 gets rejected you would have wasted your money. He also mentioned that if I do not apply for N-400 the I-751 timeline for CSC is 18-20 months from application. So all the CSC who applied in July 2017 should expect to get 10 year green card between January 2019 -March 2019.

 

Edited July 18, 2018 by qfbariza

[Trenz 52]

1 hour ago, qfbariza said:

I totally agree it is so inconsistent and to discretion of each individual officer. Four months ago I went to San Diego field office to ask about the status of my application. They told me to come back 3 months before expiration of the extension letter to get a stamp.

 

Today  (3 months before expiration of extension letter) I went again to San Diego field office and this time a different officer did not give me any stamp. He told me to wait until the month it expires (October) to get the stamp. He did not care what the previous officer told me. I guess I would have to go back early October or may try again in September.

 

He also mentioned that it was a little risky to apply for N400 because if I-751 gets rejected you would have wasted your money. He also mentioned that if I do not apply for N-400 the I-751 timeline for CSC is 18-20 months from application. So all the CSC who applied in July 2017 should expect to get 10 year green card between January 2019 -March 2019.

 

Just reading your experience gets my blood boiling. I cannot imagine the frustration you felt having to make two separate trips to a USCIS office, follow the instructions of one officer, then be denied after following said instructions.

 

Do some of these folks not understand how hard it is to even get an appointment at some offices in the first place? Moreover, why such inconsistency between some offices offering I-551 stamps > 3 months out, at the 3 month mark, and in this case, up to less than a month until expiration. This lack of consistency and continuity is appalling among USCIS offices and staff members.

 

I think we can all agree that we have no problems following established rules, but when those rules seem to change at the whim of a staff member at a USCIS office, it becomes beyond frustrating.

[gc@gc 184]

uscis just published 2018 2nd quarter data for I-751:

 

as of march 31, 2018:

 

Application received:    45,745

Approved:    24,017

Denied:    1,213

Pending:    241,272

[gc@gc 184]

number of most pending cases for:  as of march 31

 

I-751 ranks 6th most pending cases:

 

I-130:    1,394,866

I-765:    776,201

N-400:   748,847 

I-485:    344,976

I-589:    318,624

I-751:    241,272

I-918:    208,813

L-485:   162,675 (employment based)

I-821:    116,500

[mrs thb 331]

6 hours ago, theanswerisdance said:

 

 

@mrs thb, how long a wait did you have at the Reno office? I tentatively booked an InfoPass for July 30th but will be making the trip with a friend, and just wondered if they can wait in the car or if I'm going to be a long time and should have them go find something to do while I wait...

My husband and I were in and out in less than 30 minutes.

 

If they can;t wait that long, drop your friends off at a casino, then join them after your appt.  Sierra Gold has slots and its on the main drag. https://www.sierragoldreno.com/

 

BTW, when I booked it asked me how many people will attend.  I put 2 for my husband and I.  They never questioned my husband when we entered the building so I highly doubt you will be either.  

 

They can also wait in the car but these days....with the heat, I suggest not. 

 

[implife 318]

9 hours ago, qfbariza said:

He also mentioned that it was a little risky to apply for N400 because if I-751 gets rejected you would have wasted your money.

What a dumb-a$$ and unprofessional thing to say!

Edited July 18, 2018 by implife

[fcorona85 26]

6 hours ago, gc@gc said:

number of most pending cases for:  as of march 31

 

I-751 ranks 6th most pending cases:

 

I-130:    1,394,866

I-765:    776,201

N-400:   748,847 

I-485:    344,976

I-589:    318,624

I-751:    241,272

I-918:    208,813

L-485:   162,675 (employment based)

I-821:    116,500

oh well, this explains why things are so delayed. so much backlog 

[MadeForEachOther_ 42]

On 7/16/2018 at 3:50 PM, odeserts said:

Effective Date

 

This updated guidance is effective September 11, 2018 and applies to all applications, petitions, and requests received after the effective date.

 

I don't think this would affect us since our applications were received prior to this date. 

Thanks. 

[SAS007 5]

Hi all,

 

Perhaps the worst possible thing has happened to my process. Like you, I applied in July and have been in the system for 12 months. CSC filer here.

 

Last weekend my spouse advised she has filed for a divorce over irreconcilable differences. There is a 14 months child involved too (born in the US). 

 

I'm at a total loss now. The divorce decree in California takes a minimum of 6 months, yet if I advise USCIS of my case they require the decree within 90 days. I can prove everything was a bonafide marriage, but with the family attorney fees costing me and arm and a leg, I really can'y afford an immigration attorney.  

 

I've updated my address and I assume I need to file a form to change to a divorce waiver, but with it being so late in the process I fear there is a real chance I'll be rejected and therefore deported? 

 

Any advice/steps on what action I should take here. Many thanks to you all. 

[chiggins82 88]

3 minutes ago, SAS007 said:

Hi all,

 

Perhaps the worst possible thing has happened to my process. Like you, I applied in July and have been in the system for 12 months. CSC filer here.

 

Last weekend my spouse advised she has filed for a divorce over irreconcilable differences. There is a 14 months child involved too (born in the US). 

 

I'm at a total loss now. The divorce decree in California takes a minimum of 6 months, yet if I advise USCIS of my case they require the decree within 90 days. I can prove everything was a bonafide marriage, but with the family attorney fees costing me and arm and a leg, I really can'y afford an immigration attorney.  

 

I've updated my address and I assume I need to file a form to change to a divorce waiver, but with it being so late in the process I fear there is a real chance I'll be rejected and therefore deported? 

 

Any advice/steps on what action I should take here. Many thanks to you all. 

So sorry to hear about this. I don't have advice, but would suggest that you take this out of the thread here and make it its own post in Effects of Major Family Changes on Immigration Benefits

 

 

You might get more people viewing this and better advice

 

I have a feeling you are not the first to have this happen so hopefully someone can share their experience.

[SAS007 5]

Thank you so much for the link. I'll have a good read of this in the hope of finding some answers. 

 

Stress levels are in overdrive!