July 2017 AOS Fillers

[M&JB 80]

@Kirk&Kean Are you really moving? Do you think it will process your case quicker than in PHX field office? No updates for me until now, Scheduling interview since Dec 2017

[Adam&Allison 128]

ANOTHER Philadelphia filer from January 2018 got their interview notice. This is so unfair and ridiculous. 

[PedroDaGr8 245]

Agreed, this is SO frustrating. WIfe has been here over a year at this point, couldn't believe it would take THIS long. Oh well.

[Christina Pizzuti 32]

3 hours ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

Agreed, this is SO frustrating. WIfe has been here over a year at this point, couldn't believe it would take THIS long. Oh well.

 

On 5/6/2018 at 12:25 PM, Adam&Allison said:

ANOTHER Philadelphia filer from January 2018 got their interview notice. This is so unfair and ridiculous. 

You think it is best to mention that to the Officer? Will it help you guys? 

I cannot imagine what you are feeling right now. Let's continue to hope that you all get your approvals soon.

[Adam&Allison 128]

4 hours ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

Agreed, this is SO frustrating. WIfe has been here over a year at this point, couldn't believe it would take THIS long. Oh well.

I don’t understand it at all. I see your local office is Seattle, I know people first hand who filed months after you that have been approved already. I just don’t get it. 

[Adam&Allison 128]

38 minutes ago, Christina Pizzuti said:

 

You think it is best to mention that to the Officer? Will it help you guys? 

I cannot imagine what you are feeling right now. Let's continue to hope that you all get your approvals soon.

I already tried that. The answer I got was that the people who are saying they got approved in 2018 must have filed before I did. When I said I knew that wasn’t the case, they just shrugged their shoulders and basically said ‘dunno’ 

[seattlejord 2]

9 minutes ago, Adam&Allison said:

I don’t understand it at all. I see your local office is Seattle, I know people first hand who filed months after you that have been approved already. I just don’t get it. 

I too am in Seattle and filed in July 2017. My case says “ready to schedule interview” as of Sept 21 but haven’t heard anything else. 

[Adam&Allison 128]

5 minutes ago, seattlejord said:

I too am in Seattle and filed in July 2017. My case says “ready to schedule interview” as of Sept 21 but haven’t heard anything else. 

 

Yeah that sounds similar to me. I filed in July 2017, case has been ‘ready to schedule interview’ as of Sept 27th, nothing since then.

 

I hope we hear something soon because it’s heartbreaking waking up every day and seeing a half dozen January 18 filers with their interview dates already. I know this stuff has been known to happen in the past, but those were anomalies, it wasn’t like this. This is something completely different. 

[seattlejord 2]

Just now, Adam&Allison said:

 

Yeah that sounds similar to me. I filed in July 2017, case has been ‘ready to schedule interview’ as of Sept 27th, nothing since then.

 

I hope we hear something soon because it’s heartbreaking waking up every day and seeing a half dozen January 18 filers with their interview dates already. I know this stuff has been known to happen in the past, but those were anomalies, it wasn’t like this. This is something completely different. 

You’re saying that Jan 2018 Seattle filers have been approved? Wow.

 

Also, while it’s frustrating for sure, help me understand what the biggest issue for people is about the delay in green card if they’ve received EAD and AP? The only difference is permanent residency, right? Drivers license, right to vote, traveling freely etc.

[leymanai 60]

14 minutes ago, seattlejord said:

You’re saying that Jan 2018 Seattle filers have been approved? Wow.

 

Also, while it’s frustrating for sure, help me understand what the biggest issue for people is about the delay in green card if they’ve received EAD and AP? The only difference is permanent residency, right? Drivers license, right to vote, traveling freely etc.

Voting? I thought they actually can suspend your n400 application if they find out you were voting. 

[seattlejord 2]

17 minutes ago, leymanai said:

Voting? I thought they actually can suspend your n400 application if they find out you were voting. 

Can’t permanent residents vote?

[Adam&Allison 128]

45 minutes ago, seattlejord said:

You’re saying that Jan 2018 Seattle filers have been approved? Wow.

 

Also, while it’s frustrating for sure, help me understand what the biggest issue for people is about the delay in green card if they’ve received EAD and AP? The only difference is permanent residency, right? Drivers license, right to vote, traveling freely etc.

Yeah it’s across the board - Philadelphia has had a lot also. 

 

For me, it’s more so getting out of the state of limbo. Right now, a piece of legislation could be signed tomorrow and people who are in a state of limbo after K-1 but before their process has been approved would have absolutely zero recourse. Permanent residents at least get some protections, we get none.

 

And there’s also the fact we’ve been waiting a year. It shouldn’t take this long to become a permanent resident of the country you’ve been living in for the past year. 

[JSWH 262]

2 hours ago, seattlejord said:

 

Also, while it’s frustrating for sure, help me understand what the biggest issue for people is about the delay in green card if they’ve received EAD and AP? The only difference is permanent residency, right? Drivers license, right to vote, traveling freely etc.

 

1

First and foremost, it sets back your clock for citizenship. Your time of a residency starts from the moment when your green card is approved. To have citizenship is important for certain types of jobs. E.g., one cannot apply for federal jobs, which give the best benefits, while not the US citizen. 
Second, I agree with @Adam&Allison, it's unbearable to live in a state of limbo. An uncertainty takes an emotional toll on me. I constantly worry about what will happen. I also have a daughter who came on K-2 and she turned 21 while waiting. It makes me extremely anxious just thinking about the potential issues with her green card. 
Finally, just "small" things - my EAD and AP will most likely expire, and I must renew them, as well as my driver's license. I had to deal with that. It's not that difficult but it's time-consuming and nerve-wracking. I am going to a grad school here, just finished my first year. Honestly, I was convinced I would get my green card by now. Yet, I am still not an LPR, which means my school still treats me as an international student. And while my department has been very understanding and awarded me a small scholarship so I can qualify for in-state tuition, the university still charges me various additional fees as an "international student."

I understand that immigration is not the right it's a privilege. However, I believe that everyone should be treated equally and fairly. The entire process is extremely unfair and non-transparent. USCIS staff should be trained better to gain an understanding that they are working not just with documents but with people, and their performance affects people's lives directly. 

Edited May 8, 2018 by JSWH

[seattlejord 2]

21 minutes ago, JSWH said:

First and foremost, it sets back your clock for citizenship. Your time of a residency starts from the moment when your green card is approved. To have citizenship is important for certain types of jobs. E.g., one cannot apply for federal jobs, which give the best benefits, while not the US citizen. 
Second, I agree with @Adam&Allison, it's unbearable to live in a state of limbo. An uncertainty takes an emotional toll on me. I constantly worry about what will happen. I also have a daughter who came on K-2 and she turned 21 while waiting. It makes me extremely anxious just thinking about the potential issues with her green card. 
Finally, just "small" things - my EAD and AP will most likely expire, and I must renew them, as well as my driver's license. I had to deal with that. It's not that difficult but it's time-consuming and nerve-wracking. I am going to a grad school here, just finished my first year. Honestly, I was convinced I would get my green card by now. Yet, I am still not an LPR, which means my school still treats me as an international student. And while my department has been very understanding and awarded me a small scholarship so I can qualify for in-state tuition, the university still charges me various additional fees as an "international student."

I understand that immigration is not the right it's a privilege. However, I believe that everyone should be treated equally and fairly. The entire process is extremely unfair and non-transparent. USCIS staff should be trained better to gain an understanding that they are working not just with documents but with people, and their performance affects people's lives directly. 

All great points, which I understand completely. If the delay continues, I suppose I’ll have to look into extending my EAD. Other than that, as a Canadian without any children, I don’t feel super impacted by the waiting — other than the annoyance and uncertainty, of course. 

[JSWH 262]

14 minutes ago, seattlejord said:

All great points, which I understand completely. If the delay continues, I suppose I’ll have to look into extending my EAD. Other than that, as a Canadian without any children, I don’t feel super impacted by the waiting — other than the annoyance and uncertainty, of course. 

 

 

My EAD expires in September, and I plan on filing for the renewal within a couple of next weeks. As of now, it takes 6-8 months to get a renewed EAD card. 

@seattlejord, I am very happy for you that you are so strong to bear with this wait. I wish I had nerves to not worry about that! Anyways, I wish you and all of us who are waiting, to receive our green cards ASAP.

 

P.S. I forgot to mention one more point - the results of the medical exam are valid one year after the date of filing for AOS. It means that we must to redo the medical and waste several hundred dollars on that useless "exam." It's unfair. 

Edited May 8, 2018 by JSWH