F2A 2018 AOS Filers

[Tenreyro 174]

2 hours ago, QAF2A said:

Thank you for clarifing that! 

Good luck!

@QAF2A I'm interested on the 'case ready for interview' update you received. Was it online or via physical mail?

[QAF2A 27]

1 hour ago, Tenreyro said:

@QAF2A I'm interested on the 'case ready for interview' update you received. Was it online or via physical mail?

It was email and online status change. We don’t have a physical mail yet. I doubt if there’s going to be a physical mail for this stage.

[markx 4]

Hi guys,

 

I received the "courtesy letter to applicant" in yellow paper. I did not provide I-693 when file the AOS.

It said "if you received an interview notice in mail, you must bring information to address these issue to your interview appoint "

 

When do you think it is best time to make an appointment? The medical report will be expired in a year. I am afraid there is no time to do that after receive the interview notice

Also does it affect the EAD or AP? 

 

[Tenreyro 174]

6 hours ago, markx said:

Hi guys,

 

I received the "courtesy letter to applicant" in yellow paper. I did not provide I-693 when file the AOS.

It said "if you received an interview notice in mail, you must bring information to address these issue to your interview appoint "

 

When do you think it is best time to make an appointment? The medical report will be expired in a year. I am afraid there is no time to do that after receive the interview notice

Also does it affect the EAD or AP? 

 

You don't make the interview appointment, they make it. EAD/AP only require that your AOS is pending.

 

I plan doing mine in the end of this year, just in case, check your local office processing time and see the closest you would be able to get an interview, then decide when to do it. That's the best we can do.

 

I received the same courtesy letter, only in a purple paper, not a yellow one.

Edited April 24, 2018 by Tenreyro

[markx 4]

8 hours ago, Tenreyro said:

You don't make the interview appointment, they make it. EAD/AP only require that your AOS is pending.

 

I plan doing mine in the end of this year, just in case, check your local office processing time and see the closest you would be able to get an interview, then decide when to do it. That's the best we can do.

 

I received the same courtesy letter, only in a purple paper, not a yellow one.

Thanks Tenreyro. Does it make difference for different color?  

 

I think all of application were sent to National Benefit Center. Will the NBC send cases to local office at later point?

 

My PD for 485 is Jan 2017. The interview will happen after PD  approached in Chart A, right?

 

 

[Tenreyro 174]

18 hours ago, markx said:

Thanks Tenreyro. Does it make difference for different color?  

 

I think all of application were sent to National Benefit Center. Will the NBC send cases to local office at later point?

 

My PD for 485 is Jan 2017. The interview will happen after PD  approached in Chart A, right?

 

 

I guess not, the most important thing is what it says.

 

Yes, the cases are later sent to the local offices. I don't know if they are sent when they are ready for interview, or when the interview is set. I would tell you to calculate your potential interview date based on your local office Processing Time rather than Chart A, because your PD will likely be current by then if the Visa Bulletin keeps moving at the current pace.

[markx 4]

10 hours ago, Tenreyro said:

I guess not, the most important thing is what it says.

 

Yes, the cases are later sent to the local offices. I don't know if they are sent when they are ready for interview, or when the interview is set. I would tell you to calculate your potential interview date based on your local office Processing Time rather than Chart A, because your PD will likely be current by then if the Visa Bulletin keeps moving at the current pace.

Thanks How do they select the local office? according to my current address I guess? 

 

https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/#mainContent

I find my potential local office takes 10.5 Months to 18 Months to process the cases and "Case inquiry date" is 01/02/2017. and it is said

``` If your receipt date is before the Case Inquiry Date, you can submit an “outside normal processing time” service' ```

 

is the receipt date meaning the date we file the AOS? So most likely we can submit an inquiry after 2 - 3 months?

 

 

 

[Tenreyro 174]

10 hours ago, markx said:

Thanks How do they select the local office? according to my current address I guess? 

 

https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/#mainContent

I find my potential local office takes 10.5 Months to 18 Months to process the cases and "Case inquiry date" is 01/02/2017. and it is said

``` If your receipt date is before the Case Inquiry Date, you can submit an “outside normal processing time” service' ```

 

is the receipt date meaning the date we file the AOS? So most likely we can submit an inquiry after 2 - 3 months?

 

 

 

You can find out with your zip code at:

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/field-offices

 

No, that Processing time is for the new form sent, in this case it will be your Receipt Date. Remember they have a limited amount of workforce and they try to process them in order. Start counting from your I-485 receipt date. Only link your PD to the I-130 and the Visa Bulletin.

[thepanda 87]

I know these things take time. I am just wondering when I should look out for a charge on my credit card? I paid via Form G-1450. When did you guys see that they cashed your check? I am really looking forward to Monday. I hope by then I will receive some kind of notification.

[Tenreyro 174]

15 minutes ago, thepanda said:

I know these things take time. I am just wondering when I should look out for a charge on my credit card? I paid via Form G-1450. When did you guys see that they cashed your check? I am really looking forward to Monday. I hope by then I will receive some kind of notification.

In case of the check, it was cashed overnight, I was sleeping when it happened. I guessed it had to be faster via credit card, but it was 8 business days after they received it (not counting the day it arrived). So, that should be today for you, give it until the end of the week. Just in case they got behind by a day or two.

 

In the direct filing instruction it says that express mail and couriers should send it to a different address, not the lockbox, did you send it there or the lockbox? (Just thinking that there could be a small chance that the lockbox could add 1 day to the total time, because they would have to retrieve it from there). 

 

Also, I have noticed credit card transactions sometimes do not appear immediately, so, that could delay a few hours. Right? 

 

(Just trying to think possible explanations, because I am sure your case will be properly filed by them )

Edited April 26, 2018 by Tenreyro

[thepanda 87]

14 minutes ago, Tenreyro said:

In case of the check, it was cashed overnight, I was sleeping when it happened. I guessed it had to be faster via credit card, but it was 8 business days after they received it (not counting the day it arrived). So, that should be today for you, give it until the end of the week. Just in case they got behind by a day or two.

 

In the direct filing instruction it says that express mail and couriers should send it to a different address, not the lockbox, did you send it there or the lockbox? (Just thinking that there could be a small chance that the lockbox could add 1 day to the total time, because they would have to retrieve it from there). 

 

Also, I have noticed credit card transactions sometimes do not appear immediately, so, that could delay a few hours. Right? 

 

(Just trying to think possible explanations, because I am sure your case will be properly filed by them )

Thank you Tenreyro for calming me down. :-)

 

I used the address specifically for FedEx & other couriers.

For FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries:

USCIS
Attn: FBAS
131 South Dearborn - 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517

 

I am going to keep watching my phone hahaha

Thank you again Tenreyro. Also for telling me the approx. day when they cashed your check. I hope it will be tonight or tomorrow! But I'll be ok if not because they have been running slower and slower each much I feel like.

 

[thepanda 87]

I just realized that I used the old form for I-864. But under edition date is says the following:

"03/06/18. Starting 05/16/2018, we will only accept the 03/06/18 edition. Until then, you can use previous editions. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions."

 

My package was delivered on April 16th and I hopefully will receive some kind of notification by next week. I should be fine right? Or do you think this will cause an RFE even though according to their instructions I am fine? I really can't afford an additional delay in my application.

[Tenreyro 174]

4 minutes ago, thepanda said:

I just realized that I used the old form for I-864. But under edition date is says the following:

"03/06/18. Starting 05/16/2018, we will only accept the 03/06/18 edition. Until then, you can use previous editions. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions."

 

My package was delivered on April 16th and I hopefully will receive some kind of notification by next week. I should be fine right? Or do you think this will cause an RFE even though according to their instructions I am fine? I really can't afford an additional delay in my application.

I don't think that'll be a problem, as you said, it will be until May. In any case, if they send you an RFE for that, you could resolve it in under 10 days, hopefully, if it is only signed by your husband.

 

But hopefully you'll be fine. Remember I-485 RFE's are not supposed to be delay EAD's or AP's

 

I imagine you signed up for E-Notifications, right?

[thepanda 87]

5 minutes ago, Tenreyro said:

I don't think that'll be a problem, as you said, it will be until May. In any case, if they send you an RFE for that, you could resolve it in under 10 days, hopefully, if it is only signed by your husband.

 

But hopefully you'll be fine. Remember I-485 RFE's are not supposed to be delay EAD's or AP's

 

I imagine you signed up for E-Notifications, right?

Ok good to know, I read somewhere that everything would be put on hold but I must have missed some information or misread it.

Yes, my husband is the only sponsor and yes I signed up for E-Notification and I am looking out for charges on my credit card constantly. As soon as my phone vibrates, I am hoping that it is a charge on my credit card. :-)

Thank you again!

[Tenreyro 174]

37 minutes ago, thepanda said:

Ok good to know, I read somewhere that everything would be put on hold but I must have missed some information or misread it.

Yes, my husband is the only sponsor and yes I signed up for E-Notification and I am looking out for charges on my credit card constantly. As soon as my phone vibrates, I am hoping that it is a charge on my credit card. :-)

Thank you again!

Your question made me search for that answer more thoroughly. 

 

Apparently, if it is a Request for Initial Evidence (like I got) it is supposed to reset the days back to zero on your I-485 (and any other benefit, such as EAD and AP). 

If it is a RFE, then it is supposed to pause it, but not reset it. I found the information on the forum, and it is mostly from the times that it took 2 months to get an EAD xD, also, a lot of the people asking, a few days later received their EAD regardless of the RFIE. Either way, I really don't think they would send you a RFE

 

Now I do think it pauses it: 

(ii) Effect on interim benefits. Interim benefits will not be granted based on an benefit request held in suspense for the submission of requested initial evidence, except that the applicant or beneficiary will normally be allowed to remain while an benefit request to extend or obtain status while in the United States is pending. USCIS may choose to pursue other actions to seek removal of a person notwithstanding the pending application. Employment authorization previously accorded based on the same status and employment as that requested in the current benefit request may continue uninterrupted as provided in 8 CFR 274a.12(b)(20) during the suspense period. (Amended effective 11/28/11;    76 FR 53764 ; revised effective 3/29/98.)  

 

So, by that calculations, my case must have had a reset on the count, and must have started all over again. I will let you know the veracity of the statement later on, using myself as test subject, I'll let you know in a few months 

Edited April 26, 2018 by Tenreyro