November 2017 AOS Filers

[T_P 872]

2 minutes ago, marc941 said:

I already posted about this earlier, but my husband is stranded in D.R. now because his wallet was stolen with his AP/EAD.  The embassy can do nothing, and airline says sorry you can't board without original card.  Apparently, only option is for me to apply for replacement AP (and pay full price for it, $575) which will likely take several weeks at minimum, is we request expedited processing.  Wallets are lost and stolen all the time, I can't believe there is no recourse, but I've spent nearly all well on the phone with various agencies trying to find a way to get him home.  Given that it's impossible to come home if your card is lost or stolen, I strongly advise against travel.  Embassy can provide help with lost passports and lost green cards, but they can't do anything with EAD/AP!

Sorry you went through that situation but the fact that you were stolen or lost doesnt necessarily means that she CANT travel, these are two completely different situations. Many people travel with their COMBO CARDS and obviously it is impossible to predict whether you will lose or be stolen, you still have the ability to travel. Lose of belongings or being stolen is unpredictable and the only thing we can do is to try to be as carefully as possible, this is life, things happen when we are maybe not prepared or prepared and we need to decide our next steps. He or she couldve gone to the super market and lost it as well.

[Lolo260 33]

Aww see i tried to explain this to my husband but he was asking these "lawyers" in NY where his step mother lives . I try to explain to him a lot of lawyers out there like to make immigrants scared of everything just so they will hire them for protection u know? Like one of the same lawyers he was asking about travel was telling him before we submitted our aos packet that he would get denied and deported because we submitted the i485 past the 90 days.  I had to explain to him 1 million times that she was wrong and just wanted to scare him into purchasing her help. I can't even imagine how some of these lawyers sleep at night the way they lie and manipulate immigrants through fear mongering.  It's so disgusting but as they put the fear into his head about travelling he felt it was better to just wait. Which is a shame because I know my step daughter really misses him. 

[Lolo260 33]

9 minutes ago, marc941 said:

I already posted about this earlier, but my husband is stranded in D.R. now because his wallet was stolen with his AP/EAD.  The embassy can do nothing, and airline says sorry you can't board without original card.  Apparently, only option is for me to apply for replacement AP (and pay full price for it, $575) which will likely take several weeks at minimum, if we request expedited processing.  Wallets are lost and stolen all the time, I can't believe there is no recourse, but I've spent nearly all week on the phone with various agencies trying to find a way to get him home.  Given that it's impossible to come home if your card is lost or stolen, I strongly advise against travel.  Embassy can provide help with lost passports and lost green cards, but they can't do anything with EAD/AP!

I saw your update I'm so sorry you guys are going throught this! It's crazy how unprepared and unhelpful either gov. Can be in cases like that. Makes you feel like they only care about getting a fee not about helping people.  Honestly when I saw the fee online for even just a new NOA is over $300 I was horrified. A piece of paper just a copy of something you already were granted should not be that expensive.  It's insane! My husband is from DR also and as much as we love that country I know the gov. Can't be trusted to care about individuals. In my experience  they're very very "too bad not my problem " over there.  

[marc941 137]

1 minute ago, T_P said:

Sorry you went through that situation but the fact that you were stolen or lost doesnt necessarily means that she CANT travel, these are two completely different situations. Many people travel with their COMBO CARDS and obviously it is impossible to predict whether you will lose or be stolen, you still have the ability to travel. Lose of belongings or being stolen is unpredictable and the only thing we can do is to try to be as carefully as possible, this is life, things happen when we are maybe not prepared or prepared and we need to decide our next steps. He or she couldve gone to the super market and lost it as well.

I don't recall making any comment about what anyone can or can't do. I simply shared my horrific experience, because I encouraged my husband to use his AP and take this trip to see his family who he had been missing for many months, and now regret it.  We were unaware of these consequences and I just want to make sure everyone else is informed of the risk.  This is a risk I was previously unaware of and wish I'd known.  Everyone made it seem like travel on AP is no big deal.  I'm simply pointing out that you have a very big problem if your AP is lost while out of the country. Everyone can do as they wish with that information.

[T_P 872]

1 minute ago, Lolo260 said:

Aww see i tried to explain this to my husband but he was asking these "lawyers" in NY where his step mother lives . I try to explain to him a lot of lawyers out there like to make immigrants scared of everything just so they will hire them for protection u know? Like one of the same lawyers he was asking about travel was telling him before we submitted our aos packet that he would get denied and deported because we submitted the i485 past the 90 days.  I had to explain to him 1 million times that she was wrong and just wanted to scare him into purchasing her help. I can't even imagine how some of these lawyers sleep at night the way they lie and manipulate immigrants through fear mongering.  It's so disgusting but as they put the fear into his head about travelling he felt it was better to just wait. Which is a shame because I know my step daughter really misses him. 

Well, now the decision is up to the two of you then. You have all the information you need. People come to VJ and ask whether or not they should pay a lawyer for sending their K1/AOS and I my answer is always: if you can dedicate some time, search in the forums, read and pay attention to the details, you can do everything on your own and save a good money. There are some people that just prefer to use a lawyer because whatever reason but keep in mind, information is out there.

 

In your case, considering you do have the EAD/AP combo card, I dont think there is anything to fear. Good luck

[T_P 872]

1 minute ago, marc941 said:

I don't recall making any comment about what anyone can or can't do. I simply shared my horrific experience, because I encouraged my husband to use his AP and take this trip to see his family who he had been missing for many months, and now regret it.  We were unaware of these consequences and I just want to make sure everyone else is informed of the risk.  This is a risk I was previously unaware of and wish I'd known.  Everyone made it seem like travel on AP is no big deal.  I'm simply pointing out that you have a very big problem if your AP is lost while out of the country. Everyone can do as they wish with that information.

Alright, good luck with your case going forward.

[doggieandsam 765]

11 hours ago, marc941 said:

I don't recall making any comment about what anyone can or can't do. I simply shared my horrific experience, because I encouraged my husband to use his AP and take this trip to see his family who he had been missing for many months, and now regret it.  We were unaware of these consequences and I just want to make sure everyone else is informed of the risk.  This is a risk I was previously unaware of and wish I'd known.  Everyone made it seem like travel on AP is no big deal.  I'm simply pointing out that you have a very big problem if your AP is lost while out of the country. Everyone can do as they wish with that information.

hey did you guys try to just board with a copy of the AP? i recall reading about another VJ member who also lost their combo card while traveling and they somehow were able to board their flights (not without some struggle though) but at least they were able to. seems the major hurdle is getting on the flight and once he was on US soil, CBP can see his record in the system and was able to let him in without any issue.

[Emmz 154]

On 3/1/2018 at 1:50 PM, llaz said:

I literally checked this morning and the congressman was going to get involved as of today per a previous conversation, sent her the email to get involved and she said to maybe wait for another week or so. I check the case status once more and EAD says "New Card Being Produced"! We are very excited.

hi we had same timeline i got rfe too december 19 and sent it withing that week but until now the tracker still says finger print received and its still not updated coz the tracker for uscis was down can i asked what did u do in order to have the EAD ? coz i got rfe for affidavit and i called uscis they told me no update yet its been 120

days

[llaz 232]

1 hour ago, Emmz said:

hi we had same timeline i got rfe too december 19 and sent it withing that week but until now the tracker still says finger print received and its still not updated coz the tracker for uscis was down can i asked what did u do in order to have the EAD ? coz i got rfe for affidavit and i called uscis they told me no update yet its been 120

days

We just waited and the EAD case tracker online changed to "new card being produced". 

 

Technically after 75 days you can open a service request either online, by phone or by contacting your congressman. Mine was going to contact them March 1 if we didn't receive it but then she told me to wait a little longer that she spoke with the USCIS and they are aware of the backlog and are trying to get more resources to get caught up. Right now on the USCIS website it says they are working on Oct 1 cases.

[Emmz 154]

1 hour ago, llaz said:

We just waited and the EAD case tracker online changed to "new card being produced". 

 

Technically after 75 days you can open a service request either online, by phone or by contacting your congressman. Mine was going to contact them March 1 if we didn't receive it but then she told me to wait a little longer that she spoke with the USCIS and they are aware of the backlog and are trying to get more resources to get caught up. Right now on the USCIS website it says they are working on Oct 1 cases.

does ur AOS said rfe received?  in tracker

[O.C 160]

On 3/1/2018 at 10:24 PM, Lolo260 said:

Just an update, my husband had recieved his ead/ap combo card.  As his birthday was Feb 24th I decided to surprise him with tickets back to dr to visit his daughter back home with AP. Well after speaking to 5 docent lawyers and doing significant res, I even went as far as to call and speak directly to customs and other agencies at the port of entry,  half of these people we contacted said it was not advised ti travel with AP as reentry is not always gauranteed. I feel so sad for my husband because we were both so excited when he received the combo card but at this point he feels like eveno if he left before the GC interview he would spend the whole trip nervous about whether he would have problems coming back.  I'm just so upset why would they give a document to travel without the gauranteed reentry? A lot of people told us he wouldn't have any problems coming back since he arrived in the country legally and doesn't have any arrest records or anything.  But it's not even a risk we want to take so we cancelled the tickets until after the interview.  Which we still aremember stuck on "fingerprint fee recieved" smh

 

 

Has anyone traveled or plan to travel with their combo card? 

I traveled, but we drove across the border from Buffalo NY into Niagara ON. On the way back into Buffalo (Peace Bridge) the CBP on duty didn't even realize that my card was a combo card (guess he hasn't seen one before) as its written "Employment Authorization" all over the top ...I had to point out to him at the bottom it shows "Serves as Advanced Parole" -- he then 'looked me up in the system'  and all was good.

 

I showed him the Greencard interview notice, and told him I had my marriage license on me since the name on the combo card is not the same as in my passport- he told me I can carry a copy, not the original, and sent me off.

Edited March 3, 2018 by Orit.d

[aasupp 9]

Well today marks my 118 day waiting for my EAD and AP (75 days since they received the documents from the RFIE on dec 19) and now I have to call them on monday to make an inquiry or something as I will be officially out of regular processing time or something like that...

 

I never thought I would wait that long, or stay unemployed for so long. A couple days ago was my birthday and it’s hard that I don’t have money for myself. 

 

I was looking for volunteering but honestly I don’t want to go all the trouble of applying, interviewing and spending money going every day to something I wont get rewarded. I rather stay at home and do housework. I started running and going to the gym so I have that.

[T_P 872]

9 minutes ago, aasupp said:

Well today marks my 118 day waiting for my EAD and AP (75 days since they received the documents from the RFIE on dec 19) and now I have to call them on monday to make an inquiry or something as I will be officially out of regular processing time or something like that...

 

I never thought I would wait that long, or stay unemployed for so long. A couple days ago was my birthday and it’s hard that I don’t have money for myself. 

 

I was looking for volunteering but honestly I don’t want to go all the trouble of applying, interviewing and spending money going every day to something I wont get rewarded. I rather stay at home and do housework. I started running and going to the gym so I have that.

There are tons of people still waiting their EAD/AP from August filers so it should be a surprise but I understand your frustration. Voluntary jobs are very rewarding, it all depends on the way you look at it. All a matter of perspective.

 

It looks like you are bit down today, remember that now you are close to whom you wished to be close to last year, now you guys are together. Things will happen sooner or later, be patient and positive. 

[Emmz 154]

1 hour ago, aasupp said:

Well today marks my 118 day waiting for my EAD and AP (75 days since they received the documents from the RFIE on dec 19) and now I have to call them on monday to make an inquiry or something as I will be officially out of regular processing time or something like that...

 

I never thought I would wait that long, or stay unemployed for so long. A couple days ago was my birthday and it’s hard that I don’t have money for myself. 

 

I was looking for volunteering but honestly I don’t want to go all the trouble of applying, interviewing and spending money going every day to something I wont get rewarded. I rather stay at home and do housework. I started running and going to the gym so I have that.

we are in the same situation i got rfe too and on what they told u they said that to me too on monday too i will gonna call uscis hope u can update us on ur status. what sucks is that the case tracker in uscis for EAD AP and AOS is not updated all i want is to update it that rfe response received bot only finger print fee received coz i track it in usps wen isent my rfe response and it says they received it already

[aasupp 9]

6 hours ago, T_P said:

There are tons of people still waiting their EAD/AP from August filers so it should be a surprise but I understand your frustration. Voluntary jobs are very rewarding, it all depends on the way you look at it. All a matter of perspective.

 

It looks like you are bit down today, remember that now you are close to whom you wished to be close to last year, now you guys are together. Things will happen sooner or later, be patient and positive. 

Well yeah, I’m good, I have food and a roof over my head and my husband, but being so little independent and have nothing to do can make me a bit desperate.